大衛之約The Davidic Covenant

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-davidic-covenant/

「大衛對他說：『你伸手毀滅耶和華的受膏者，怎麽還不懼怕呢？』於是大衛叫了一個年輕人來，說：『你上前去，砍倒他。』那年輕人擊殺他，他就死了。」(撒下七14-15)

------撒下七1-17

對於恩典之約的展開， 摩西之約代表著向前邁進的一大步，因爲摩西之約中所設立的法律和禮儀，是爲要幫助以色列人培養對彌賽亞的盼望而設計的，即是培養他們盼望彌賽亞提供给墮落人類做不到的完全順服。因此，摩西之約指向一件超越自己的事，並且證明它本身雖然是上帝持續啓示祂恩典的一個重要部分，但是要解決罪的問題，還需要其他的方法。如果救恩要出現，恩典之約需要進一步展開。

重要的是，摩西之約要求一種出自受過割禮之心的順服（申十12-22），但獻祭的性質是暫時的， 因爲他們需要重複（年復一年）地獻祭，卻不能把罪除淨，這意味著上帝要作出比賜予律法更多的事情。祂還必須改變百姓的心，賜給他們一位以公義治理萬民的君王。在申命記第十七章14至20節中， 記錄（摩西宣告）展望這個君王的出現，在大衛之約中我們看到這盼望開始應驗。

在大衛把約櫃帶回耶路撒冷，上帝所指定的一個敬拜處所之後，我們的造物主與大衛立約（撒母耳記下第六章）。既然約櫃在正確的位置，大衛渴想爲它建造一座合適的房子， 一座給上帝居住的殿宇。然而，上帝回應大衛說，他不是建造殿宇的人。相反，上帝要爲大衛建立家室（撒下七1-17）。上帝與大衛以及他的後裔開始一個恩典之約， 祂同時指出會揀選大衛的家系來治理上帝的百姓，儘管大衛家族受到上帝懲罰證明是必要的， 但是上帝的慈愛必不離開他和他的兒子（撒下七8-16）。

當時候滿足，懲罰的確成為必要。在大衛那些按肉體生的兒子當中，大多數不是那些憑著應許生的兒子，他們把上帝的百姓帶入不悔改的，明目張膽的罪中。因此，他們會像申命記二十八58至68節中的應許那樣被流放。但流亡並不意味著上帝違背了自己的承諾，停止愛大衛和他的家系。因此，我們看到阿摩司書九章11至15節的著名預言， 大衛將被恢復到王位上-----不是大衛本人，而是來自大衛家系的君王。這個君王同樣會遭受刑罰， 但不是爲自己的罪， 而是爲祂百姓的罪。祂要被設立爲永遠的君王（羅一1-4，三21-26）。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

上帝對大衛恩慈的應許提醒我們，上帝施憐憫，但不放棄公義。上帝保證懲罰大衛家系， 暗示了最終的公義審判，彌賽亞將代表祂的百姓承受審判。上帝赦免我們，是因爲基督代替我們， 滿足了上帝公義的要求。祂賜予我們恩典， 使我們不需經歷祂憤怒的審判，因而我們可以看到祂的榮耀的憐憫。

延伸閱讀:    創四十九8-10； 何三1-5 ； 亞十二10；太一1-17

The Davidic Covenant

“I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you” (vv. 14-15).

- 2 Samuel 7:1-17

The Mosaic covenant represented a huge step forward in regard to the covenant of grace, as it established laws and rituals designed to help Israel cultivate hope in a Messiah who would save them from their sin and render the perfect obedience that fallen humanity cannot. In this way, the Mosaic covenant pointed beyond itself and demonstrated that while it is an important part of God’s ongoing revelation of His grace, something more would be needed to solve the problem of sin. The covenant of grace would need to be unfolded further if salvation was to occur.

Importantly, the Mosaic law calls for obedience that issues forth from a circumcised heart (Deut. 10:12-22), but the provisional nature of its sacrifices, because they had to be repeated and could not cleanse sin, meant that God would have to do more than give the law. He would also have to change the hearts of His people and provide them with a king who would rule in righteousness. Deuteronomy 17:14-20 looks forward to this king, and in the Davidic covenant we see this hope begin to be fulfilled.

Our Creator established His covenant with David after the king brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, which was the divinely appointed place for worship (2 Sam. 6). With the ark in the right location, David longed to build a fitting house for it, a temple for God to dwell in. However, God responded and told the king that he would not be the one to build His house. Instead, the Lord would build a house for David (7:1-17). God initiated a gracious covenant with David and his descendants, noting that He chose David’s line, that this line would rule the people of the Lord, and that even if discipline of David’s family should prove necessary, God would never take His love away from David and his sons (vv. 8-16).

In time, discipline did become necessary. Most of David’s sons according to the flesh were not sons according to the promise, and they led the people of God into flagrant, impenitent sin. Thus, they were exiled as promised in Deuteronomy 28:58-68 (see 2 Chron. 36:15-21). But the exile did not mean that the Lord had broken His promise to never stop loving David and his line. Thus, we have the famous prophecy in Amos 9:11-15 that David would be restored to the throne—not David himself but rather a king from David’s line. This king would be disciplined as well, not for His own sin but for the sin of His people. And having atoned for sin, He would be installed as king forever (Rom. 1:1-4; 3:21-26).

Coram Deo

God’s gracious promise to David reminds us that God’s mercy does not come at the expense of His justice. The Lord pledged to discipline David’s line, which ultimately alludes to the justice that the Messiah would receive in behalf of His people. When God forgives us, it is because Christ has satisfied the Lord’s just demands in our place. His grace to us is that we do not experience His wrath, and thus we can see His mercy in its glory.

Passages for Further Study

Genesis 49:8-10

Hosea 3:1-5

Zechariah 12:10

Matthew 1:1-17

摩西之約The Mosaic Covenant

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-mosaic-covenant/

「耶和華喜愛你們，揀選你們，並不是因爲你們的人數比別的民族多，其實你們的人數在萬族中是最少的；而是因爲耶和華對你們的愛，又因爲祂遵守祂向你們的列祖所起的誓，祂才用大能的手把你們領出來，把你們從爲奴之家，從埃及王法老的手裏拯救出來。」（申七7-8）

-----申命記七6-8

在上帝和祂的百姓所立的盟約當中，沒有一個盟約會比摩西之約更令人誤解的了，我們更普遍地把摩西之約稱爲舊約。從根本上說，上帝以摩西作爲中保而與以色列所立的約是恩典之約。摩西之約是恩典之約展開的一部分，它不是引入一個與亞伯拉罕之約的應許相反的救贖原則。

連同諸如賀治等傑出人物，我們在某種意義上可以說摩西之約是「原始行爲之約的重新宣講」；原因在於它在理論上（爲罪人）闡述了一種通過完美地遵行命令來獲得拯救的方法（參：利十八5；加三10-14）。但是上帝的意思從來不是讓以色列人認爲，他們可以完成盟約的條件，並完美地遵行稱義的律法要求。例如獻祭系統的存在，意味著他們不能完成盟約的條件。事實上，摩西之約中的獻祭見證了摩西之約是恩典之約的一部分，它們被添上是為了向百姓證明他們的過犯，使他們逐漸養成對彌賽亞的盼望，祂會爲罪獻上最後犧牲的祭。但就某種意義而言，摩西之約不是與亞伯拉罕之約相反的行爲之約的重新頒布；事實上，摩西之約是恩典之約的一部分，上帝這恩慈的禮物啓示了對百姓的要求，最後把人指向基督，並提供一幅藍圖，爲唯獨因信稱義的人勾勒出聖潔生活的面貌。

在摩西之約裏，上帝對亞伯拉罕的應許開始得到更加輝煌的應驗。由十二支派組成的族長後裔構成一個國，就如上帝開頭對亞伯拉罕的應許 : 「你向天觀看，數點衆星，看你能不能把它們數得清楚。」（參看創十二1-3；十五1-6） 上帝降臨會幕，住在祂的百姓當中，以色列人被呼召作聖潔的國度，見證上帝的恩典， 并鼓勵外邦人來到祂的面前領受祝福（十九1-6；申四1-8；彌迦書四1-5）。

當我們思想上帝立約的背景時，摩西之約恩慈的特征是最明顯的。如我們在今天的經文中看到，以色列民族不擁有任何促使上帝與他們立約的條件。事實上，上帝單方面決定這樣做，祂遵守向列祖所起的的誓言（申七6-8）。此外，救恩在先，上帝從埃及拯救以色列人出來，然後才啓示祂的律法。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

上帝把以色列民族從埃及救贖出來後，我們的造物主制定了成聖的基本原則。嚴格地說，我們不能使自己聖潔。首先，上帝把我們從罪中拯救出來，把我們從萬民中分別出來作聖潔的子民。然後，我們接受並遵行祂的律法，向祂恩慈的救贖表達我們的感恩。摩西之約是上帝恩典的禮物，它不是作爲一種拯救手段賜給我們的，而是教導我們如何爲祂的救恩，生活在感恩之中。

延伸閱讀：出十五1-21；提後一8-10

The Mosaic Covenant

“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you … but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has redeemed you from the house of slavery” (vv. 7-8).

- Deuteronomy 7:6-8

Of all the covenants that the Lord has made with His people, perhaps none is more misunderstood than the Mosaic covenant, which we more commonly refer to as the old covenant. Fundamentally, the covenant with Israel that was mediated by Moses is a gracious covenant. It is part of the unfolding of the covenant of grace, and does not introduce a new principle of salvation in opposition to the Abrahamic covenant of promise.

Along with such luminaries as Charles Hodge, we could say that in some sense the Mosaic covenant is “a renewed proclamation of the original covenant of works”; in that it sets forth a theoretical (for sinners) way of salvation via perfect obedience to its commands (see Lev. 18:5; Gal. 3:10-14). But the Lord never meant for the Israelites to think that they could fulfill the covenant and keep His law with the perfection He demands for justification. The very existence of the sacrificial system, for example, presupposes that they would not. In fact, the sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant are a testimony to its being part of the one covenant of grace, added to show people their transgression and to cultivate the hope of a Messiah who would offer the final sacrifice for sin. But the Mosaic covenant is not a republication of the covenant of works in the sense that it is opposed to the covenant with Abraham; in fact, it is part of the covenant of grace, a gracious gift of God to reveal His demands, point people finally to Christ, and provide a blueprint that outlines holy living for those who have been justified by faith alone.

In the Mosaic covenant, God’s promises to Abraham begin to reach a more glorious fulfillment. The twelve tribes made up of the patriarch’s descendants are constituted as a nation as the Lord starts to make the number of Abraham’s progeny as numerous as the stars (see Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-6). God comes to dwell among His people in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-38), and the Israelites are called to be a holy nation that testifies to the Lord’s grace and encourages the Gentiles to come to Him for blessing (19:1-6; Deut. 4:1-8; Micah 4:1-5).

The gracious character of the Mosaic covenant is most evident when we consider the context in which the Lord gave it. As we see in today’s passage, there was nothing in Israel that motivated God to enter into covenant with the nation. In fact, it was His decision alone to do so and keep the oath He swore to the patriarchs (Deut. 7:6-8). Furthermore, salvation comes first. God saves the Israelites from Egypt, and only then does He reveal His law.

Coram Deo

By revealing His law to Israel after redeeming the nation from Egypt, our Creator establishes the basic principle of sanctification. Strictly speaking, we do not make ourselves holy. First, God saves us from sin and sets us apart as His holy people. Then, we receive and obey His law, expressing our gratitude for His gracious redemption. The Mosaic law is God’s gift of grace, given not as a means to save ourselves but to show us how to live in thankfulness for His salvation.

Passages for Further Study

Exodus 15:1-21

2 Timothy 1:8-10

挪亞之約The Noahic Covenant

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-noahic-covenant/

「大地尚存之日，播種、收割，寒暑、冬夏、白晝和黑夜必然循環不息。」（創八22新譯本）

----創世記八20～九17       

亞當和夏娃有義務遵守行爲之約,  如此便爲自己和自己的後裔賺得永恒的生命（創二15-17）。然而在伊甸園裏，我們先祖第一對父母不但沒有通過測驗，而且在考驗中失敗了，因爲他們相信蛇所說的謊言：吃了分別善惡樹上的果子後，他們會像上帝一樣能知道善惡（創世記第三章）。此時，上帝完全有權摧毀亞當和夏娃，從頭開始整個創造計劃。但是祂沒有這樣做。我們的造物主不但沒有取消行爲之約，反而恩慈地設立另一個盟約，作爲與離開自己的罪的百姓（包括男女）打交道的框架。這盟約稱爲恩典之約，這恩約是上帝爲拯救亞當的墮落兒女而賜予的盟約恩典，透過彌賽亞來成全：祂代表我們遵守行爲之約，並且徹底擊敗蛇（創二15；羅五16-17）。歷史是實現恩典之約的故事。

上帝的恩典之約並不是在伊甸園裏一次過地全部啓示出來，反而，它是透過與挪亞、亞伯拉罕、摩西、大衛、耶穌等人所立的一系列盟約而展開。今天我們查看在恩典之約這把大傘底下的第一個分約：挪亞之約。上帝是在人墮落後，一個變得越來越叛逆和敗壞的創造背景下設立這個盟約的（創四1～六7）。在那時，人類終日所思想的盡都是惡，他們的罪惡極大，以至於上帝幾乎要滅絕當時所有存在的生命。

在亞當和夏娃被驅逐出伊甸園之後，創世記第四章1節至六章7節描寫到，當地上罪惡增多，創造也變得越來越敗壞。種種盛行的邪惡促使上帝用洪水毀滅創造。在洪水中唯一幸存的被造物是挪亞一家人和每種棲居於地球上的動物（創六8～八19）。由此我們看到，上帝拯救一群餘民，而不是拯救祂所造的一切，當我們思考上帝救贖作爲的範圍時，我們應該記住這一點。上帝不會拯救所有的人。普救論（universalism）是錯誤的教義。

在與挪亞所立的約裏，上帝應許不再用洪水毀滅一切有生命的活物（創八20～九17）。祂還承諾要維持季節循環不息，也就是大自然整體的穩定。在這個可預測的秩序裏，人們將興旺發展，爲道成肉身的基督進入歷史，拯救祂的子民提供了一個平台（約一14）。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

上帝與挪亞所立的約爲祂的特殊恩典（拯救我們）的施行提供了一個舞台，但這盟約也是祂賜給所有人的普通恩典的果實。任何人都從自然規律（the regularity of nature）中得到好處，因爲它促使人類社會繁榮昌盛。我們不配得到這些好處，在傳福音給其他人的時侯, 我們應該讓他們注意已經顯明的普遍恩典，不但要叫他們不要把上帝的恩典視為理所當然，而且要叫他們相信福音，悔改回轉，以致得救。

延伸閱讀：賽五十四9-10；羅八18-21 ；彼後二4-10 a；啓二十一1

The Noahic Covenant

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (8:22).

- Genesis 8:20-9:17

Adam and Eve were bound to keep the covenant of works and thus merit eternal life for themselves and all their descendants (Gen. 2:15-17). However, our first parents did not pass their test in Eden but failed their probation when they believed the serpent’s lie that they could make themselves like God by eating of the forbidden tree (Gen. 3). At this point, the Lord would have been entirely within His rights to destroy Adam and Eve and start the whole project of creation over from scratch. Yet He did not do that. Without setting aside the covenant of works, our Creator mercifully made another covenant that would serve as a framework for His dealings with men and women who turn from their sin. This is the covenant of grace, which provides for the redemption of Adam’s fallen children through the Messiah who keeps the covenant of works on our behalf and crushes the serpent (v. 15; Rom. 5:16-17). History is the story of the outworking of the covenant of grace.

God’s covenant of grace was not revealed all at once in the garden of Eden, but rather unfolded in a series of covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Today we are looking at the first sub-covenant to fall under the umbrella of the covenant of grace: the Noahic covenant. The Lord established this covenant in the context of a creation that had become increasingly rebellious and corrupt after the fall (Gen. 4:1-6:7). Humanity’s wickedness was so great that God destroyed nearly every living thing in existence at the time.

After Adam and Eve’s exile from Eden, Genesis 4:1-6:7 describes a creation that becomes increasingly corrupt as sin multiplies on the earth. Wickedness of all sorts was prevalent, prompting God to destroy creation with a flood. The only creatures to survive the flood were Noah’s family and representatives of every animal that inhabited the earth (6:8-8:19). By this we see that the Lord saved a remnant, not all that He had made, and we should keep that in mind when we reflect upon the scope of God’s saving work. He will not save everyone. Universalism is a false doctrine.

In the covenant with Noah, the Lord promised never again to destroy all life with a flood (8:20-9:17). He also pledges to sustain the seasonal cycle, and thus the general stability of nature. In this predictable order, people will flourish, and an arena will exist for Him to enter history via the incarnation of Christ and save His people (John 1:14).

Coram Deo

God’s covenant with Noah provides an arena for His special grace to operate for the sake of our salvation, but this covenant is also the fruit of His common grace for all people. Everyone benefits from the regularity of nature, for it allows human society to flourish. We do not deserve this, and in preaching the gospel to others we should call their attention to the grace God has shown even while calling them not to presume upon His grace, but to repent that they would be saved.

Passages for Further Study

Isaiah 54:9-10

Romans 8:18-21

2 Peter 2:4-10a

Revelation 21:1

亚伯拉罕之約The Abrahamic Covenant

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/abrahamic-covenant/

「給你祝福的，我必賜福給他；咒詛你的，我必咒詛他；地上的萬族，都必因你得福。」(創十二3新譯本)

----創世記十二1-2；十五1-6

當亞當在伊甸園裏違背行爲之約時，我們的造物主本可以完全公正地忽略我們所有的人，任憑我們留在罪中。雖然我們在樂園裏有充分的優勢，但是我們沒有履行考驗我們的條件，當我們試圖作出對與錯的最終決定時，我們拒絕上帝作爲造物主應有的權柄。當然，這罪不是沒有後果的，當我們在亞當裏犯罪時，我們便切斷與上帝同在的福份（創三24）。然而，上帝決定憐憫一些人，對選民來說，這意味著他們與上帝的分隔不會是永恒的。不是每個人都會感受到祂公義的憤怒。有些人會得到恩典之約的好處，這恩典之約是上帝爲了摧毀罪惡和撒但而設立的（創三15）。然而，恩典之約的所有好處不會立即到來，因爲恩典之約是通過其他盟約的展開， 漸進地啓示出來的。挪亞之約是諸盟約中的第一個盟約，這盟約建立了一個上帝能夠爲祂的子民作工的可靠平台（創八20-22）。

在恩典之約這把大傘底下的下一個盟約，是上帝與亞伯拉罕所立的約。在亞伯拉罕之約裏，上帝用特別清晰的方式啓示祂的恩典。因為亞伯拉罕不像挪亞，亞伯拉罕開始時是一個異教徒。他從異教當中被呼召出來（創十二1；書二十四2）， 上帝應許賜給亞伯拉罕土地、大國、名氣、以及其他大量的福分，最終，地上的萬族都必因他得福（創十二1-3）。這些應許都是在上帝面前得到正式批准的盟約內容，亞伯蘭更名爲亞伯拉罕，並命定盟約可見的記號和印記（創十五、十七章）。

在創世記第十五章，我們發現這個清楚的啓示：雖然亞伯蘭和他的後裔要履行盟約的義務，但最終上帝會確保自己的應許會成功應驗。在第1節，記錄上帝提醒亞伯蘭，祂要賜給族長大賞賜。亞伯蘭不明白這怎麽可能， 因爲他沒有孩子，沒有人可以繼承這些賞賜（2-3節）。但上帝恩慈地地回應了這疑問，重申祂對族長後裔的應許， 沒有人能數得清楚這些後裔的數目（4-5節）。亞伯蘭所擁有的只有上帝的應許，但這就夠了。他唯獨基於信心信靠我們的造物主，上帝就以此算爲他的義了（6節）。正如我們在學習保羅寫給羅馬人的信中看到，今天唯獨藉著信心，上帝稱我們爲義（加二15-16）。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

信心顯示稱義是上帝的作爲，對此我們没有任何功勞。除了藉著耶穌基督領受稱義的信心，並安息在上帝的應許之外，沒有其他的方法。亞伯拉罕被稱爲義的原因是， 他明白上帝在我們的努力以外稱我們爲義。當我們認識唯有上帝能保證祂的應許成功應驗，這些應許在我們的主基督耶稣裏時， 我們被稱爲義。

延伸閱讀:

經文: 出二23-25 ；約八56-58 ； 羅四1-12  ； 來十一8-12 ，17-19

The Abrahamic Covenant

“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:3).

- Genesis 12:1-2; 15:1-6

Our Creator would have been entirely just to pass all of us by and leave us in our sin when Adam broke the covenant of works in Eden. We did not fulfill the terms of our probation even though we had every advantage in the garden, and we rejected His rightful authority as Lord when we sought to make ourselves the final determiner of right and wrong. Of course, this sin was not without consequences, for we were all cut offœ from God’s blessed presence when we sinned in Adam (Gen. 3:24). Yet the Lord decided to show grace to some, which means that for the elect, this estrangement would not be eternal. Not everyone would feel His just wrath. Some would benefit from the covenant of grace that God enacted to destroy sin and Satan (v. 15). However, all of the benefits of this covenant of grace would not come at once, for they would be progressively revealed and unfolded through several other covenants, the first of which was the covenant of Noah that established a reliable environment in which God could do His work for His people (8:20-22).

The next covenant under the umbrella of the covenant of grace is God’s covenant with Abraham. In the Abrahamic covenant, the Lord reveals His grace in a manner that is particularly clear, for unlike Noah, Abraham started out as a pagan. He was called out of paganism (Gen. 12:1; Josh. 24:2) and given promises of a good land, a great nation, a great name, and tremendous blessing for him and, ultimately, for all of the families of the world (Gen. 12:1-3). And all of this was promised before God officially ratified the covenant, changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and ordained the visible covenant sign and seal (15; 17).

In Genesis 15, we find the unmistakable revelation that although Abram and his descendants would have covenant obligations, God alone would ultimately ensure the success of His promises. Verse 1 records the point at which the Lord reminded Abram that He was going to give the patriarch a great reward. Abram did not understand how this could be because he had no heir and no one to whom the reward could be passed on (vv. 2-3). But the Lord graciously responded to this doubt, reiterating His promise to give the patriarch descendants that no one would be able to number (vv. 4-5). All that Abram had was God’s word of promise, but that was enough. He trusted our Creator, and on account of his faith alone, God declared him righteous (v. 6). As we have seen in our study of Paul’s letter to the Romans, it is by faith alone that the Lord declares us righteous today (Gal. 2:15-16).

Coram Deo

Faith demonstrates that justification is the work of God to which we contribute nothing. Justifying faith receives and rests in the Lord’s promises through Jesus Christ and nothing else. Abraham was declared righteous because He recognized that the Lord justifies us apart from our efforts. We are justified when we recognize this, that only He can ensure the success of His covenant promises, which He has kept in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Passages for Further Study

Exodus 2:23-25

John 8:56-58

Romans 4:1-12

Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19

恩典之約The Covenant of Grace

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/covenant-grace/

「亞當給他的妻子起名叫夏娃，因爲她是衆生之母。耶和華　神爲亞當和他的妻子做了皮衣，給他們穿上。」（創三20-21新譯本）   

---創世記第三章

亞當和夏娃並不是上帝所指定的樂園和喜樂的永久擁有者，但是在伊甸園裏，爲了配得到在上帝面前的永恒生命，他們必須順服上帝。因此，亞當和夏娃被放置在行爲之約的考驗底下（創二15-17）。考驗的條件對亞當特別重要，因爲他在上帝面前是人類盟约的頭或代表。只有藉著遵守盟約並通過上帝的考驗，他才會得到永恒的生命。這次測驗集中在分別善惡樹這試題上（17節）。我們的造物主吩咐亞當和夏娃不要吃這樹上的果子，但園中各樣樹上的果子都可以吃。實際的果子並不重要；關鍵的問題是果子代表什麽，即是，他的行動代表著是否願意繼續敬愛和信靠上帝。爲了證明對上帝的忠誠，我們的第一對父母要做的所有事情，就是避免吃分別善惡樹上的果子。

盡管被禁吃的果子樹稱爲分別善惡樹，但是我們不應該認爲亞當和夏娃在吃果子之前，缺乏辨別對與錯的所有知識。我們的第一對父母至少知道順服上帝是善，違背上帝是惡，這就是爲什麼這個誘惑對亞當和夏娃來說，不是真的要獲得他們還沒有得到的知識。在蛇的說話中，誘惑是「會像　神一樣，能知道善惡」（三5；強調是另加的）； 撒但呈現給他們一種可能，他們可以成為自己的律法，是獨斷獨行的自主主體，沒有義務要聽從造物主的話。撒但引誘他們相信，他們可以自己判斷對與錯，不必臣服於上帝的律法之下。

然而，成爲那些不必對上帝負責的，道德自由的主體是不可能的，我們必須根據上帝的啓示作出對與錯的決定。當亞當和夏娃吃果子時，他們拒絕了這一原則，上帝詛咒人類必終生勞苦，才能從地裏得吃，並且在痛苦中生産兒女。最糟糕的是，我們受到死亡的詛咒，被禁止吃生命樹上的果子（17-24節）。然而，上帝是恩慈的，祂並沒有使死亡立即發生。相反，祂作了恩典之約的第一個宣告，應許要消滅蛇（15節）。上帝還用動物的皮遮蓋亞當和夏娃的恥辱（21節），最終這行動指向那日，祂的兒子會粉碎罪惡和撒但，並爲覆蓋我們的罪惡和羞辱，提供祂兒子的完美公義。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

聖經常常描述上帝是一位對罪人有憐憫，有恩典的上帝（出三四6）。事實上，亞當和夏娃在伊甸園犯罪之後， 上帝並沒有立即摧毀他們，也許這是最好的例子。我們不能濫用上帝的恩慈，但是我們也不應該認爲，上帝只是在尋找我們的差錯，以便把我們擊殺。上帝渴望我們悔改，這就是當聖靈指證我們的罪時，我們所必須做的事。

延伸閱讀:

經文：創六5-7 ；何六1-10 ；林前十五22；加三10。

The Covenant of Grace

“The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” (vv. 20-21).

- Genesis 3

Permanent possession of Eden and its joys was not a given for Adam and Eve, but our first parents had to render obedience to God in order to be accounted worthy of eternal life in the garden before the Lord’s face. As such, Adam and Eve were placed under probation in the covenant of works (Gen. 2:15-17). The terms of the probation were particularly important for Adam, as he was humanity’s federal head or representative before God. Only by keeping the covenant and by passing the Lord’s test would he have merited eternal life. This test was centered on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (v. 17). Our Creator commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from this tree, and He gave them the fruit of all other trees to eat. The actual fruit is unimportant; the key thing is what the fruit represented, namely, a willingness to continue loving and trusting the Lord. To prove faithful, all our first parents had to do was refrain from eating the forbidden fruit.

Though the forbidden tree was called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, we should not think that Adam and Eve lacked all knowledge of right and wrong before they ate. Our first parents at least knew that it would be good to obey the Lord and evil to disobey Him, and that is why the temptation was not really for Adam and Eve to gain knowledge they did not already have. In the words of the serpent, the temptation was to become “like God, knowing good and evil”; (3:5, emphasis added). Satan held out to them the possibility that they could become a law unto themselves, autonomous agents who are under no obligation to the Creator. He was tempting them to believe that they could determine right and wrong for themselves, that they need not be subject to God’s law.

Yet it is impossible to become free agents who are unaccountable to the Lord, and we must determine right and wrong based on God’s revelation. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they rejected this principle, and the Lord cursed mankind with difficulty in laboring to produce food and in childbirth. Worst of all, we were cursed with death and barred from the Tree of Life (vv. 17-24). However, the Lord was merciful, and He did not bring death to pass right away. Instead, He gave the first announcement of the covenant of grace, promising to destroy the serpent (v. 15). God also covered Adam and Eve’s shame with animal skins (v. 21), ultimately pointing to the day when His Son would crush sin and Satan, and provide the covering of His perfect righteousness for our wickedness and shame.

Coram Deo

Scripture often depicts the Lord as One who is slow to anger and patient with sinners (Ex. 34:6). The fact that He did not destroy Adam and Eve right away after they sinned in Eden is perhaps the best example of this. We are not to presume upon God’s kindness, but neither should we think that the Lord is just looking for us to slip up so that He can strike us down. He is eager for us to repent, and that is what we must do when His Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin.

Passages for Further Study

Genesis 6:5-7

Hosea 6:1-10

1 Corinthians 15:22

Galatians 3:10

行爲之約The Covenant of Works

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/covenant-works/

「耶和華　神吩咐那人說：『園中各樣樹上的果子，你都可以吃；只是那知善惡樹的果子，你不可吃；因爲你吃的時候，你必要死。』」

-----創二15-17           （新譯本）

昨天討論的救贖之約是神格裏面三個位格之間所立的約。然而，聖經其他的盟約不是三一真神自己裏面的約-----聖父、聖子、聖靈彼此立的約， 而是上帝和人之間立的約。在我們的造物主與人所立的約當中，神學家區分兩個主要的約：行爲之約與恩典之約。上帝與亞當和他的後裔所立的第一個盟約是行爲之約，在我們的第一對父母違反了這個協議（行爲之約）之後，上帝啓示恩典之約，祂要將自己的百姓從第一次違約的後果中拯救出來。

我們根據這兩個盟約各自的基本原則，把行爲之約與恩典之約區分開來，但是恩典之約與行爲之約不是完全無關的，行爲是恩典之約的一個重要組成部分。我們所指的是什麽意思呢？第一，關於行爲之約，上帝不必創造人類或與我們簽訂任何協議。即使創造了亞當，祂也不需要爲他創造一个合適的伴侶夏娃，由此設立人類正確的伴侶關係（創二18-25）。這樣的行動是恩慈的行動。此外，恩典之約並沒有廢除行爲。恩典的目的是提供一位救主，這位救主遵守亞當從未遵守的行爲， 因此透過基督歸算給我們的義， 上帝把我們算爲守約者（羅五12-21）。

要明白行爲之約，我們必須考慮亞當在墮落之前， 在伊甸園裏所處的狀態。上帝創造亞當「很好」， 並且與他有融恰的關係（創一31）。然而， 他還有變得更好的潛能。通過遵守不能吃分別善惡樹上的果子的命令（16-17節），亞當本可以更充分地反映上帝的榮耀，並爲自己和自己的後裔賺得永恒的生命。但是我們知道這種情況並沒出現， 因爲這是耶稣基督所作成的事，耶稣， 第二個亞當，完成了第一個亞當的聖召（林前十五45）。

亞當原本能夠更充分地反映上帝的榮耀，但是他也能夠從被造的狀態中墮落。不幸的是，亞當卻墮落了，被造萬物也受到了詛咒（創世記第三章）。在亞當裏，我們失去了遵守行爲之約的能力（羅馬三9～20），但這並不意味著行爲之約被取消了。我們仍然被其條款所約束限制，但是由於我們無能力去履行，我們唯一的盼望是別人代替我們去履行（加三10-14）。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

在伊甸園裏， 亞當代表了他所有自然受孕----和----出生的後裔，這意味著當亞當違背盟約時，我們所有人都被宣布爲違約者。我們進入世界注定要遵守行爲之約， 但是，我們已經被判違約的罪了。所有人在他們的內心深處都知道這點，他們試圖用好行爲來彌補。但只有基督的行爲（工作）能拯救我們，我們必須鼓勵人們不要信靠自己，而是要信靠基督。

延伸閱讀:

经文：申二七26；路四1-13

The Covenant of Works

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (vv. 16-17).

- Genesis 2:15-17

The covenant of redemption that we discussed yesterday was made by the members of the Trinity ad intra—within the Godhead. However, the other biblical covenants are made not by God within Himself but between the Lord and humanity. Theologians distinguish between two primary covenants that our Creator has made with mankind: the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. God’s first covenant with Adam and his descendants was the covenant of works, and after our first parents violated this agreement, the Lord revealed a covenant of grace in which He would save His people from the consequences of having broken the first covenant in Adam.

We distinguish the covenant of works from the covenant of grace according to the primary principle of each, but grace is not entirely foreign to the covenant of works, and works are an important part of the covenant of grace. What do we mean? First, in regard to the covenant of works, God did not have to create humanity or enter into any kind of agreement with us. Having created Adam, He was also not required to create Eve as a fitting companion for him and thereby establish the good of human companionship (Gen. 2:18-25). Such acts are gracious acts. Further, the covenant of grace does not abolish works. The purpose of grace is to provide a Savior who does the works Adam never did so that the Lord can reckon us as covenant keepers via the imputation of Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 5:12-21).

To understand the covenant of works, we must consider Adam’s state in the garden of Eden before the fall. God created Adam “good” and in the proper relationship with Him (Gen. 1:31). He was not as good as could be, however. By obeying the command to not eat the forbidden fruit (vv. 16-17), Adam could have reflected God’s glory more fully, and would have merited eternal life for himself and his descendants. We know this to be the case because that is what Jesus did, and Jesus is the second Adam tasked with fulfilling the vocation of the first Adam (1 Cor. 15:45).

Adam was able not only to reflect the glory of the Lord more fully, but He was also able to fall from the state in which he was created. Sadly, Adam did fall, and creation was cursed (Gen. 3). In Adam, we lost our ability to keep the covenant of works (Rom. 3:9-20), but that does not mean the covenant was set aside. We are still bound by its terms, but on account of our inability, our only hope is for someone else to keep it in our place (Gal. 3:10-14).

Coram Deo

Adam represented all of his naturally conceived-and-born descendants in Eden, which means that when he broke the covenant, we were all declared covenant breakers. We enter the world bound to fulfill the covenant of works and yet already condemned for having broken it. All people know this in their heart of hearts, and they try to atone for it by their good works. But only the works of Christ can save us, and we must encourage people to trust not in themselves but in Christ.

Passages for Further Study

Deuteronomy 27:26

Luke 4:1-13

盟約的詛咒 Covenant Curses

譯者/校對者:Maria Marta/誠之  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/covenant-curses/

「但如果你們不聽從我，不遵行這一切誡命；如果你們棄絕我的律例，你們的心厭棄我的典章，不遵行我的一切誡命，違背我的約，我就要這樣待你們：我必命驚慌臨到你們，癆病熱病使你們眼目昏花，心靈憔悴；」（利廿六14–16a新譯本）

-----利未記廿六14-39

既然上帝與人所立的約是有條件的，那麼遵守盟約與違背盟約都有其後果。因為舊約先知生活在舊約時代，所以他們所宣讀的守約或違約的後果，在摩西之約裡都有具體的闡述。正如昨天我們所查看的，忠心守約者的祝福包括地生出土產，樹木結果，戰勝仇敵，還有更多的祝福等（利廿六1–13）。這些祝福預期新天新地的生活面貌（賽六十五17–25；啟一至四章），當古代以色列人信靠上帝時，他們享受這些祝福。真正的信靠表現在愛上帝，力求順服上帝，當違反上帝的律法時，悔改回轉，並且盼望造物主有一天會差派彌賽亞來到，代表他們完美地遵守盟約。

祝福並不是附屬於摩西之約的唯一後果。在利未記第二十六章14至39節中，列舉出違背盟約的種種詛咒（見申廿八15–68），這些詛咒包括疾病、不孕不育、和戰爭失敗等等。此外，盟約的詛咒清單亦指出，當人們執迷不悟、不信、和不順服的時間越長，詛咒便愈來愈猛烈。我們看到，上帝會把詛咒加在不忠心的百姓身上，促使以色列人再次聆聽祂的說話，然後評估他們的回應。如果以色列人不願聽從上帝，七倍的懲罰將會降臨。之後，如果以色列人仍然不聽從上帝的話，另一個七倍的懲罰再次降臨。當人們照舊死不悔改，詛咒會惡化，最終，盟約的詛咒達致最惡劣的高峰-----流亡，從上帝特別祝福的地方被放逐出來。

注意盟約詛咒是如何證明上帝寬容忍耐的耐性。聖經教導我們，上帝「不輕易發怒」（出三十四6；民十四18；拿四2），這並不是指上帝向來容忍邪惡，而是指祂願意手下留情。上帝通常不會把祂滿載的憤怒一次性傾倒，但是祂會把困難加在立約的百姓身上，以示警告，從而叫他們悔改。當百姓（男人和女人被困難欄阻）停下來歇口氣時，上帝叫他們悔改歸向祂，並且應許當惡人離棄自己的道路時，祂隨時轉意不降災禍（珥二13）。不過，祂不會永遠容忍下去，而那些濫用祂的恩典，從來沒有離開過自己的罪的人，同樣地發現自己被排除在祂的祝福之外（太廿五31–46）。

活在上帝的面光中（Coram Deo）

正如上帝把盟約的詛咒降在舊約的教會身上，為的是叫它悔改，同樣地，祂也會容許新約的教會遇到困境，這些困境是管教我們犯罪的一種手段。然而，我們不能把每一個我們所面對的艱難困苦等同於上帝所施行的懲罰，但是當上帝容許我們承擔犯罪後果時，祂是在管教我們，呼召我們回轉歸向祂。願我們總是留心聽從這個呼召。

延伸閱讀：撒下二十四章；詩一四五8；羅二1–11；彼後三9

Covenant Curses

“If you will not listen to me … if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease” (vv. 14–16a).

- Leviticus 26:14-39

Since God’s covenants with His people have conditions, there are consequences for keeping and for breaking the covenants. Because the Old Testament prophets lived during the old covenant era, the consequences they preached for breaking or keeping covenant are those laid out in the Mosaic law. As we saw yesterday, the blessings for covenant faithfulness included fruitfulness of womb and field, safety from one’s enemies, and much more (Lev. 26:1–13). These blessings anticipated what life will be like in the new heaven and earth (Isa. 65:17–25; Rev. 21:1–4), and the ancient Israelites enjoyed them when they trusted Yahweh. Authentic trust manifested itself in love for the Lord, a striving after obedience, repentance when God’s law was broken, and hope that the Creator would one day send the Messiah to keep covenant perfectly in their behalf.

Blessings were not the only consequences attached to the Mosaic covenant. Leviticus 26:14–39 lists curses for breaking covenant (see also Deut. 28:15–68), curses including disease, infertility, and defeat in war. Moreover, in this list of covenant curses, the curses grow in intensity the longer the people remain impenitent, faithless, and disobedient. We see that God would send certain curses on His unfaithful people to prompt the Israelites to listen to Him once more and then evaluate their response. If the Israelites would not heed Yahweh, a sevenfold punishment would follow. If, after that, the Israelites still would not listen to Him, another sevenfold punishment would follow. The curses would worsen as the people remained impenitent, culminating in the worst covenant curse of all—exile, the banishment from God’s special place of blessing.

Note how the covenant curses prove the long-suffering patience of the Lord. Scripture teaches that God is “slow to anger” (Ex. 34:6; Num. 14:18; Jonah 4:2), not in that He ever tolerates wickedness but in His willingness to stay His hand. The Lord does not typically pour out the fullness of His wrath all at once, but He sends trouble to warn His covenant people of their waywardness and call them to repent. While men and women draw breath, the Lord calls them to repent and turn to Him, promising to relent from disaster when the wicked forsake their ways (Joel 2:13). Still, He will not be patient forever, and those who presume upon His grace and never turn from their sin will likewise find themselves exiled from His blessings—for all eternity (Matt. 25:31–46).

Coram Deo

Just as the Lord sent covenant curses on the old covenant church to call it to repentance, He will also allow His new covenant church to feel trouble as a means of disciplining us for our sin. We cannot equate every hardship that we face with the Lord’s hand of chastisement, but when God allows us to suffer the consequences of our sin, He is disciplining us and calling us to return to Him. May we always heed this call.

Passages for Further Study

2 Samuel 24

Psalm 145:8

Romans 2:1–11

2 Peter 3:9