Of Justification
在牧之滨 https://bin.zaimu.de/post/20110923/
THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH
CHAPTER XI
Of Justification
.1. THOSE whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth:
凡神以有效恩召所召来的人,神也白白地使他们称义:
not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;
并不是通过把义注入他们,而是通过赦免他们的罪,以及把他们归算、接纳为义人;
not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone;
并不是因为在他们里面所成就的,也不是因为他们所做过的,而单单是因为基督的缘故;
not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness;
并不是把将信心本身归算为他们的义,也不是将归信基督或任何其他福音所要求的顺服归算为他们的义;
but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith;
而是将基督对神的顺服及满足,归算到他们头上,籍着信,他们领受并维系基督及基督的义;
which faith they have not of themselves: it is the gift of God.
他们所具有的这信并不是出于他们自己:这信是神所恩赐的。
.2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
这样,领受并维系基督及基督之义的信心,乃是此义的唯一器皿;然而这信心在被称义的人里面并不是单独存在的,而是始终伴有救赎之恩的所有恩赐,这信不是死的信心,而是生发仁爱的信心。
.3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father’s justice in their behalf. Yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead; and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justification is only of free grace; that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.
基督以其顺服和受死,完全清偿了一切被称义之人的罪债,也确实使他们适当地、真实地、完全地满足了父神的公义。然而,基督是圣父为他们而赐下的,是基督的顺服和满足被当作他们的;二者都是白白赐予的,并非因为他们本身有什么,他们的称义完全是神白白的恩典;这样,在罪人被称义时,神的完全的公义与丰富的恩典都得着荣耀。
.4. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect; and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification; nevertheless they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.
永恒之中,神已定意要使所有的选民称义;在日期满足的时候,基督就为他们的罪死了,又为他们的称义复活了;虽然如此,他们一直要等到神为各人所预定的时候,圣灵确实将基督的救赎施行在他们身上后,才得以称义。
.5. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified: and, although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may by their sins fall under God’s Fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.
神持续不断地赦免已经被称义之人的罪:虽然他们永不会从称义的地位失落,但他们可能因自己的罪而遭受神做为父亲的不悦,致使他的脸不再光照他们,直到他们谦卑自己,承认罪行,恳求饶恕,更新他们的信心并悔改。
.6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.
旧约时代的信徒称义,与新约时代的信徒称义,在所有这些方面都是同一并相同的。
称义起于神的拣选,完全是因为神的恩典,完全是因为基督的救赎,罪人是白白地被称义,罪人是因恩而称义,罪人是因基督而称义。并非罪人本身的任何属性被归为义,而是基督被归为义。
罪人称义不是因为本身的任何属性,包括信心:罪人并非因信而称义。人既然不能凭着自己的任何善行而称义,自然就更不能凭着自己的信心而称义。相反,那些蒙拣选的死于腹中的胎儿,照样已经蒙神所救赎,因为神的拣选超越人的善恶。
2PETER 1
1) Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
可见,选民并非因信而称义,相反,是因神的义而有信。
称义完全是神的主权行为,是客观的事实,这并不需要被称义的人的任何前提条件,而是永恒中的命定,是超越时空的。然而,称义也必然有其主观部分,也就是救赎之恩具体的临到每一个选民身上,使他们在自己身上主观的经历来自神的称义。这是神的救恩在个人身上的果效。
做为称义的主观部分,选民是通过信心来领受、经历神的救恩的。信心是主观经历神的恩典的工具。神赐给其选民诸般的恩典,而信心是最基本的恩典。选民只有通过信心才能预尝福音的丰盛以及神信实的应许,才能有盼望,才能生发属基督的仁爱。所以说,这义是本于信的义。正因为信有如此宝贵的功效,所以主总是勉励门徒要有信心。人非有信,就不能得主的喜悦。