作者: 史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul) 譯者: 姚錦榮
摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the Christian Faith》p.182 , 更新傳道會出版
很多人認為，只要為人善良，就足以上天堂。他們把信心建立在自己的善行上，一位這樣就可以滿足神公義的要求。
但這是一種無益的盼望。深的律法要求人完全，但我們都不是完全人，行不出進天堂所要求的良善。我們只能借著信靠基督的義，來得到神所要求的良善，因為只有他是完全的，我們只要憑信心便能得著他的義。
如果我們認為可以憑著沒有信心的善行稱義，就成了律法主義的異端；如果我們相信可以憑著沒有善行的信心稱義，則成了反律法主義的異端。
信心與善行的關系，可以區分卻不能分割。雖然善行並不能增添我們在神面前信心的功效；雖然稱義的惟一條件是我們對基督的信心；但是如果我們所宣稱的信心不能產生善行，這便顯明了我們並未真正擁有足以稱義的信心。改革宗信仰的精神是：「我們是惟靠信心稱義，但卻不是靠著沒有行為的信心稱義。」真正的稱義一定會帶來成聖。稱義之後必有成聖，如果沒有成聖，恐怕稱義就是不真的。但這並不是說，稱義需靠成聖來維系；稱義需靠真正的信心，而這種信心很自然會產生出順服的行為來。
當雅各說：「信心若沒有行為就是死的」時，他乃是宣告說，這種所謂的「信心」是不能使人稱義的，因這信心不是活的。活的信心必會產生善行，但善行卻不是稱義的根據――惟有靠基督所完成的義才能使罪人稱義。
現代版的廢馳道德律主義（反律法主義）是個十分錯誤的道理。它宣稱人只需接受耶穌為救主（savior）,但不一定需要接受他為王（LORD），也一樣可以得救。其實基督是救主也是主。要向靠基督得救，就要肯承認自己必須完全依靠他，願意悔改己罪。而悔改己罪就等於接受基督在我們身上的主權。否認基督的主權就等於靠一種不知悔悟的信心稱義――那其實並不是真信心。
雖然善行不能幫助我們得救，但神應許要按我們的善行，將來賜予我們賞賜。我們能進神的國，惟一的根據就是信心，但是我們在天國的獎賞，乃是根據我們的善行，這獎賞正如奧古斯丁說的，乃是神給我們眾禮物（如信心等）之中恩惠的冠冕。
總結
1.沒有人可憑借善行稱義。我們只有借著對基督的信心才能稱義。
2.信心與善行可以加以區別，但不可以分割。真正的信心一定會產生順服的行為。
3.我們唯獨憑著信心才得以稱義，但不是憑著沒有行為的信心稱義。
4.死的信心不能使人稱義。
5.相信基督的意思，就是信靠他為救主，並且也順服他為主。
6.我們在天上是根據善行得賞賜，然而這賞賜也是神恩典的一部分。
錯: 善行=稱義
錯: 信心+善行=稱義
錯: 信心=稱義-善行
對: 信心=稱義+善行
思考經文：
羅3：9–4；8腓2：12–13；雅2：18–24；彼後1：5–11；約壹2：3–6；
約壹4：7–11
67.
FAITH AND WORKS
Many
people assume that by trying to live a good life, they have done all that is
necessary to get to heaven. They rest their confidence on the good works they
have performed to satisfy the demands of God’s justice.
This
is a futile hope. God’s law requires perfection. Since we are not perfect, we
lack the necessary goodness to enter heaven. Thus goodness can never be
achieved by living a good life. We can only receive it by trusting in the
righteousness of Christ. His merit is perfect and is made available to us
through faith.
To
believe that we are justified by our good works apart from faith is to embrace
the heresy of legalism. To believe that we are justified by a kind of faith
that produces no works is to embrace the heresy of antinomianism.
The relationship
of faith and good works is one that may be distinguished but never separated.
Though our good works add no merit to our faith before God, and though the sole
condition of our justification is our faith in Christ, if good works do not
follow from our profession of faith, it is a clear indication that we do not
possess justifying faith. The Reformed formula is “We are justified by faith
alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” True justification always results in
the process of sanctification. If there is justification, sanctification will
inevitably follow. If sanctification does not follow, it is certain that
justification was not really present. This does not mean that justification
depends or rests upon sanctification. Justification depends on true faith,
which in turn will inevitably lead to works of obedience.
When
James declared that faith without works is dead, he asserted that such “faith”
cannot justify anyone because it is not alive. Living faith produces good
works, but these good works are not the basis for justification. Only the merit
achieved by Jesus Christ can justify the sinner.
It is
a grievous error, indeed a modern form of the antinomian heresy, to suggest
that a person can be justified by embracing Jesus as Savior but not as Lord.
True faith accepts Christ as both Savior and Lord. To rely on Christ alone for
salvation is to acknowledge one’s total dependence upon Him and to repent of
one’s sin. To repent of sin is to submit to Christ’s authority over us. To deny
His lordship is to seek justification with an impenitent faith, which is no
faith.
Though
our good works do not merit salvation, they are the basis upon which God
promises to distribute rewards in heaven. Our entrance into the kingdom of God
is by faith alone. Our reward in the kingdom will be according to our good
works, which is, as Augustine noted, a case of God’s gracious crowning of His
own gifts.
Summary
1. No
one can be justified by good works. Only through faith in Christ can we be
justified. 2. Faith and good deeds must be distinguished but never separated.
True faith always produces works of obedience. 3. Justification is by faith
alone, but not by a faith that is alone. 4. Dead faith cannot justify.
5.
Faith in Christ means trusting in Him as Savior and submitting to Him as Lord.
6. We are rewarded in heaven according to our good works, though this reward is
one of grace.
Works
= Justification FALSE Faith + Works = Justification FALSE Faith = Justification
- Works FALSE Faith = Justification + Works TRUE
Biblical passages for reflection:
Romans
3:9-4:8 Philippians 2:12-13 James 2:18-24 2 Peter 1:5-11 1 John 2:3-6 1 John
4:7-11
