誰是教會的主？Who Is Lord of the Church?

作者: John MacArthur  譯者:  Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/who-lord-church/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/b3GACNQDa5y

基督是祂的教會的主這項真理，對我們這一代人中的一個臨時聽眾來說，聽起來也許有點溫和，但教會對基督權柄的爭戰，經過大屠殺的歲月臨到我們。值得感恩的是，在這個議題上不折不扣的屠殺已不再常見。但忠心的基督徒仍為基督對教會的主權進行一場激烈的道德和思想戰鬥。

在宗教改革時期，其中一個主要的事前催化劑，是早於馬丁路德整整一個世紀的波希米亞基督徒揚胡斯（Jan Hus）所撰寫的一本書。這本書是《論教會》（De ecclesia），該書第四章的標題清楚地表明胡斯最深刻的要點：「基督是教會唯一的元首。」

胡斯寫道，「教皇不是 [真正]聖潔、普世、大公教會的頭，紅衣主教也不是其整個身體。唯獨基督是教會的頭。」他指出，他那個時代的大多數教會領袖實際上都在藐視基督的主權，胡斯說道：「神職人員降低要求到如此低的地步，以致他們憎恨那些經常宣講並稱耶穌基督為主的人。」

胡斯的坦率使他付上了生命的代價。 在1415年他被宣布為異教徒，並被處以火刑。

一百多年後，馬丁路德與教皇當權者已經不和，那時他讀了《論教會》一書。讀完之後，路德寫信給一個朋友說：「沒想到，迄今為止我一直在教導和持守揚胡斯的所有觀點；約翰陶辟滋也是如此（譯按：約翰陶辟滋 Johann von Staupitz 1460 –1524，是一名神學家、大學傳教士、德國聖奧斯定會修士、代理主教；馬丁路德屬靈生命關鍵時期的導師。）總之，我們不知不覺都成了胡斯派。」

改教家閱讀胡斯的著作，從中深受鼓舞，決心將基督是榮譽的「教會的真正元首」的爭戰繼續進行下去。 路德寫道：「我深信，如果在這個時候，聖彼得親自宣講聖經的所有文章，他只會否認教皇的權威、權能、與最高權力，並說教皇不是所有的基督教國家的元首，之後他們會將祂絞死。 是的，如果基督本人再次回到地上，祂亦會如此宣講，毫無疑問，教皇會將祂重釘十字架。」

從很多方面說，「誰是教會的主？」這問題打一開始就是宗教改革的首要問題。 （這就是路德在說「我們都是胡斯派」的時候所默認的。）

當然，羅馬天主教的正典法律仍然堅持，教皇是她在地上最高的元首和以基督代理人的身分管治。

但是，歷史上的新教徒對基督對教會的主權這真理的委身也受到緩慢而細微的侵蝕，這種趨勢讓我深深擔憂。 這是我多年來一直在寫的問題。

例如，一些福音派領袖積極地教導，甚至不必承認耶穌為主，以致得救。這就是所謂的「主權爭議」。難以想象，基督對教會的主權會受到這樣明顯的攻擊，但「無主權的神學」已興盛多年，似乎正在不斷壯大。

福音派也誕生了很多「顧及未信者所需」(seeker-sensitive) 的運動，其中，教會服事量身定制，以討好對潮流敏感的非信徒。從馬戲表演到打鬧喜劇等新奇事物都被刻意注入集體的「敬拜」當中，目的是要保持世俗的娛樂思想。這實際上是對基督主權掌管祂的教會的否認，將祂的話語和律例降到次要地位，同時給予享樂主義時尚權利，來決定甚至崇拜的秩序。

女權主義者想重新定義領導者的職位，從概念中消除權柄的觀念。這也是一種對基督對教會的主權的正面攻擊。

聖經翻譯者和釋義者篡改真正意義上的上帝的話語；新興教會領袖懷疑基督所說的一切的清晰性；尤其是牧師，除了聖經之外，似乎無所不談，他們所有人都做了直接對抗「基督對教會的合法權柄」所要做的事。

為了回應對基督權柄的一切挑戰，有一件事要做的更多，那就是把清晰、有能力的釋經講道重新放回到正確的，所有教會活動的中心位置。倘若我們真的相信基督是教會的主，那麽教會需要聆聽祂的聲音。每當教會的聚會聚在一起時，祂的話語必須宣講，話語的內容要準確、有系統、不松懈地教導。

楊胡斯曾說過同樣一件事。 宣稱「基督對教會的主權」的意思是強調「基督徒應該遵守基督的誡命」，然後，胡斯引用使徒行傳十章42節（[基督] 吩咐我們向百姓傳講），並呼籲當日的教會領袖要利用一切機會來傳講上帝的話語-------盡管教皇詔書當時有效，但卻嚴格限制了聖經如何、何地被宣講。

今天的教會迫切需要宗教改革。基督對教會的主權依然是我們務要恢復的核心真理，這需要再次在祂的子民當中廣傳祂的話語。我們不能只是跟著最新的福音派趨勢隨波逐流，期望局面會好轉。像揚胡斯和馬丁路德那樣，我們需要為基督是祂的教會的主之榮譽和權柄爭戰。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。

Who Is Lord of the Church?

FROM John MacArthur

The truth that Christ is Lord of His church may sound somewhat benign to a casual listener in our generation, but the struggle for Christ’s authority in the church has come to us through the ages on a sea of blood. Thankfully, literal bloodshed over the issue is no longer very common. But faithful Christians are still waging a fierce moral and intellectual battle for Christ’s lordship over the church.

One of the major early catalysts in the Protestant Reformation was a book by Jan Hus, a Bohemian Christian who preceded Martin Luther by a full century. The book was De Ecclesia (The Church), and one of Hus’ most profound points was proclaimed in the title of his fourth chapter: “Christ the Only Head of the Church.”

Hus wrote, “Neither is the pope the head nor are the cardinals the whole body of the [true] holy, universal, catholic church. For Christ alone is the head of that church.” Pointing out that most church leaders in his era actually despised the lordship of Christ, Hus said, “To such a low pitch is the clergy come that they hate those who preach often and call Jesus Christ Lord.”

Hus’ candor cost him his life. He was declared a heretic and burnt at the stake in 1415.

More than a hundred years later, already at odds with the papal establishment, Martin Luther read De Ecclesia. After finishing the book, he wrote to a friend, “I have hitherto taught and held all the opinions of Jan Hus unawares; so did John Staupitz. In short, we are all Hussites without knowing it.”

Emboldened by his reading of Hus, the reformer took up the fight for Christ’s honor as true head of His church. Luther wrote, “I am persuaded that if at this time, St. Peter, in person, should preach all the articles of Holy Scripture, and only deny the pope’s authority, power, and primacy, and say, that the pope is not the head of all Christendom, they would cause him to be hanged. Yea, if Christ himself were again on earth, and should preach, without all doubt the pope would crucify him again.”

In many ways, the question, who is Lord of the church? was the over-arching issue of the Protestant Reformation from the start. (That’s what Luther was tacitly acknowledging when he said “we are all Hussites.”)

Of course, Roman Catholic canon law still insists that the pope is her supreme earthly head and the ruling vicar of Christ in that capacity.

But the historic Protestant commitment to Christ’s lordship over the church has also subtly eroded, and that is a trend that deeply concerns me. It’s an issue I have written much about over the years.

For example, some evangelical leaders aggressively teach that it is not even necessary to confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved. That’s what the so-called “lordship controversy” is about. It would be hard to imagine a more obvious attack against the lordship of Christ over His church, but “no-lordship theology” has thrived for years and seems to be gaining strength.

Evangelicals also gave birth to the “seeker-sensitive” movement wherein church services are tailored to please trend-savvy unbelievers. Novelties ranging from circus acts to slapstick are deliberately injected into corporate “worship” in order to keep worldly minds entertained. That is a practical denial of Christ’s lordship over His church, relegating His Word and ordinances to secondary status while granting hedonistic fashions the right to determine even the order of worship.

Feminists want to redefine the idea of headship, eliminating the idea of authority from the concept altogether. That, too, is a frontal attack on Christ’s lordship over His church.

Bible translators and paraphrasers who tamper with the true sense of God’s Word; emergent church leaders who question the clarity of everything Christ has said; and above all, preachers who seem to talk about everything but Scripture — all of them do what they do in direct defiance of Christ’s rightful authority over His church.

One thing would do more than anything else to answer every challenge to Christ’s authority: the restoration of clear, powerful, expository preaching to its rightful place at the center of all the church’s activities. If we truly believe Christ is Lord of the church, then the church needs to hear His voice. His Word must be proclaimed and its content taught accurately, systematically, and unrelentingly whenever the church comes together.

Jan Hus said the same thing. Declaring that the lordship of Christ over His church means emphatically “that the Christian ought to follow the commandments of Christ,” Hus then cited Acts 10:42 (“[Christ] commanded us to preach to the people”) and called on church leaders of his day to preach the Word of God at every opportunity — even though a papal bull was then in force, strictly limiting how and where the Scriptures could be proclaimed.

The church today is badly in need of reformation again. And Christ’s lordship over His church is still the central truth we must recover, which requires the unleashing of His Word among His people again. We cannot merely float along with the latest evangelical trends and expect things to get better. Like Jan Hus and Martin Luther, we need to fight for the honor and authority of Christ as Lord of His church.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

把上帝的真理傳下去Passing Down the Truth of God

作者: John MacArthur  譯者:  Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/passing-down-truth-god/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/8Fke7jzTF55

大學期間，我在參加一次田徑比賽的過程中，學到一個重要的屬靈功課。在橙縣邀請賽中，我參加4X400米接力賽。作為一個兼職田徑賽的棒球球員，我不是我們隊中跑得最快的一個。所以我負責跑第二棒。

我們的戰略很簡單。第一個賽跑者是一個快速短跑運動員，在離開起跑區之後，他要盡最大可能取得領先優勢。我的職責只是幹凈利落而不掉棒地跑一圈。第三個賽跑者力度強，速度快，第四個賽跑者（與第三個賽跑者）區別不明顯。他們都可以彌補我可能拉開的距離。

那天有好幾支聲望高的球隊參賽，我們隊成功進入決賽。我們確信我們會大獲全勝。

我們的第一個隊友跑得非常出色，完美地遞交了接力棒。在這場爭取第一名的緊張競爭中，我竭力完成了我的一圈賽跑。第三個隊友繞過轉彎處，來到非終點直道半途，停下，走出跑圈，坐在草地上。比賽繼續進行著。

我們以為他拉傷腿筋或扭傷腳踝。我們穿過內場，預料他會倒在草地上，或至少會在痛苦中畏縮。但他卻不是這樣。他消極地坐著。我們焦急地問：「發生了什麽事？你受傷了嗎？」他回答：「不，我很好。我只是不想再跑了。」

我承認那一刻我所有的想法都是屬肉體的。我和隊友們都以一種無意識的失望的情緒回應，我們三個人基本上都在說相同的話：「你不能這樣做！在這裡你不是獨立的！你意識到為了目標我們在訓練中所付出的努力嗎？在你身上投入（時間、精力）得太多了！」

關於我們作為信徒的職責，我常常想到那一刻。我們應當接過我們的祖先在基督教信仰中傳遞給我們的真理，然後帶著它奔跑------不是沒有目標（林前九26），而是向著目標竭力追求（腓三14）---------好叫我們能將信仰完整無瑕疵地傳遞給下一代。

使徒保羅在他最後一封書信中將這責任交托給提摩太：「把你在許多見證人面前從我這裡聽見的，交託給那些又忠心又能夠教導別人的人。」（提後二2；《聖經新譯本》）在面對逼近眼前的殉難（四6），保羅當然關注在自己離開後，誰會繼續他的宣教工作和誰將帶領教會等這些問題。因此，他向提摩太概述這種繼承和穩定的簡單模式。

這項命令本身不僅針對提摩太，還針對他將培訓的更年輕的人。它為提升一代又一代的教會領袖制定戰略。保羅傳給提摩太的接力棒最終會傳給忠心的人，這些人再相應地把它傳給第四代人-------如此類推。

雖然這裡保羅主要關注的問題是領袖培訓，但他給提摩太的原則明顯地影響著每一個時代的每一個基督徒。我們都是生命鏈的一部分。我們每個人都受教於一些從別人身上學到真理的人。如果你沿著這條鏈反向追蹤，一環扣一環，可以追溯到原來的使徒，一直到基督自己。

為了成為忠心的管家，管理我們所領受的一切，我們每一個人務必要將我們所領教的傳遞給其他人。 換句話說，每一個基督徒都應當成為一個教師。不管你是誰，你都可以找到一個比你知道得更少的人，教導他們。 這個責任是我們的主基督的大使命本身所固有的，那就是：「使人作門徒」（太廿八19）。

希伯來書作者訓斥忽視這項責任的信徒：「你們應該已經作老師了；可是你們還需要有人再把　神道理的初步教導你們。」（來五12；《聖經新譯本》））。因為他們未能成為教師，因此他們需要從頭開始學習。難怪，你教的你記住了，你沒有教的，你往往忘記了。傳授你所學到的知識，不僅有助於要作門徒的人；而且還堅固教師本身。

保羅對提摩太的警惕性指責是有明確目標的。他沒有告訴提摩太要創新。他沒有鼓勵提摩太改變自己的風格以迎合世俗文化的潮流與時尚。他沒有使用諸如肉體、原創、富有想象力等詞語，這些言語膠水將如此多的二十世紀教會之增長戰略黏合在一起。

事實上，保羅賜給提摩太幾乎是相反的命令。這是一項明確，狹義的指令。提摩太務必要保守他所領受的真理寶庫（提前六20；提後一14），並將它不修改，不攙雜的傳給下一代。作一個有效的門徒陪育者，並不是作一個時尚者或創意者。它是指要忠心地維護「從前一次就全交給了聖徒的信仰」（猶3），並準確地把它到另一代。

這聽起來自相矛盾，但每一個基督徒都有個人的責任去維護信仰，並傳遞給其他人。這是對那些將會獲得獎賞的人的要求（林前九24；提後四7）。

打破這古舊鏈條的人就像一個在完成比賽之前就放棄比賽的接力賽跑者。這場比賽的關鍵所在比任何世上的戰利品都要重要得多。未能跑得好，跑得持久，是對上帝的不可原諒的侮辱；是對那些曾經教過我們的人的冒犯；使那些與我們一起訓練的人大失所望；是對那些我們必須遞交接力棒的人犯下的嚴重的罪。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2017年五月號 。

Passing Down the Truth of God

by John MacArthur

I learned a vital spiritual lesson while participating in a track meet during my college years. I was running in the 4x400-meter relay at the Orange County Invitational. As a baseball player moonlighting in track and field, I wasn’t the fastest runner on our team. So, I ran the second leg.

Our strategy was simple. The first runner, a speedy sprinter, would get as big a lead as possible right out of the starting blocks. My job was merely to run a clean lap without dropping the baton. Our third man was strong and fast, and our fourth man was a blur. They could make up the whatever ground I might lose.

Several prestigious teams were competing that day, and our team managed to get into the finals. We were convinced we had a good shot at winning.

Our first man ran a great leg and made a perfect baton pass. I managed to finish my lap in a tight battle for first place. The third man went around the curve, came halfway down the back stretch, stopped, walked off, and sat down in the grass. The race kept going.

We thought he had pulled a hamstring or twisted an ankle. We all ran across the infield, expecting to find him writhing on the grass or at least wincing in pain. He wasn’t. He was sitting passively. We anxiously asked, “What happened? Are you hurt?” He said, “No, I’m OK. I just didn’t feel like running.”

I confess that all my thoughts in that moment were carnal. My teammates and I spontaneously responded with an outpouring of frustration, all three of us basically saying the same thing: “You can’t do that! You’re not in this by yourself! Do you realize the effort we have all put into training for this? Too much has been invested in you!”

I’ve thought often about that moment in relation to our duty as believers. We are supposed to take the truth that was handed to us by our ancestors in the Christian faith and run with it—not aimlessly (1 Cor. 9:26), but always pressing on toward the goal (Phil. 3:14)—so we can hand off the faith, intact and uncorrupted, to the next generation.

The Apostle Paul gave this charge to Timothy in his final epistle: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). Paul was facing imminent martyrdom (4:6), and he was of course concerned with the question of who would continue his missionary work and who would lead the church after his departure. He therefore outlined for Timothy this simple pattern of succession and stability.

The command itself looks beyond Timothy to younger men whom he would train. It lays out a perpetual strategy for raising up generation after generation of church leaders. The baton that was passed from Paul to Timothy would ultimately be handed off to faithful men, who in turn would pass it to a fourth generation—and so on.

Although Paul’s primary concern here is leadership development, the principle he gives Timothy has clear implications for every Christian in the every era. We are all part of a living chain. Each of us has been taught by someone who learned the truth from someone else. If you follow that chain backward, link by link, it goes back to the original Apostles—and beyond them to Christ Himself.

In order to be faithful stewards of what we have received, each of us needs to pass on to others what we have been taught. In other words, every Christian ought to be a teacher. No matter who you are, you can find someone who knows less than you and teach them. That responsibility is inherent in our Lord’s Great Commission: “Make disciples” (Matt. 28:19).

The writer to the Hebrews scolded believers who were derelict in this duty: “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God” (5:12). Because of their failure to become teachers, they needed to start learning from the beginning again. No wonder. What you teach you retain, and what you don’t teach you tend to forget. Passing on what you have learned not only helps the person who is being discipled; it also strengthens the teacher.

Paul’s charge to Timothy is carefully focused. He doesn’t tell Timothy to be innovative. He doesn’t encourage him to adapt his style to the fads and fashions of secular culture. He doesn’t employ words like fresh, original, or imaginative, the verbal glue that binds so many twenty-first-century church-growth strategies together.

In fact, Paul gives Timothy practically the opposite mandate. It is a clear, narrowly defined directive. Timothy is to guard the deposit of truth he has received (1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:14) and pass it on, unmodified and unadulterated, to the next generation. Being an effective disciple-maker is not about being chic or creative. It’s about faithfully guarding “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and accurately transmitting it to an other generation.

It sounds paradoxical, but each Christian has a personal responsibility to keep the faith and to pass it on to others. That’s what is required of those who would win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7).

Anyone who breaks that centuries-old chain is like a relay runner who abandons the race before finishing. And what’s at stake in this race is infinitely more important than any earthly trophy. Failure to run well and with endurance would be an inexcusable insult to our Lord, an offense against those who have taught us, a disappointment to those who have trained alongside us, and a grievous sin against those to whom we must hand the baton.