135 第三十五課                    成聖: 得救的確據

Lecture 35                               SANCTIFICATION:  ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

 

 

得救的確據

Assurance of Salvation

 

  1. 得救確據的意義Meaning of Assurance of Salvation. 

a.  得救的確據是指基督徒確實知道，自己是在恩典中，是得救的人。

Assurance is conviction by a believer that he is in a state of grace and salvation.

 

羅8﹕38-39

38 因為我深信無論是死，是生，是天使，是掌權的，是有能的，是現在的事，是將來的事，

39 是高處的，是低處的，是別的受造之物，都不能叫我們與上帝的愛隔絕。這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裏的。

Rom. 8:38-39

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

-- 羅8﹕31-39所講的是聖靈保守（堅忍）的工作，可是與得救的確據有密切關  

    係。

-- It has to do with perseverance, but it is tied closely to assurance.

-- 保羅說﹕我深信。

-- “I am convinced that…”

-- 得救的確據（信徒的經歷）和聖靈的工作（堅忍）是相輔相成的。

-- Both supplement one another. 

 

約壹3﹕14

我們因為愛弟兄，就曉得是已經出死入生了。沒有愛心的，仍住在死中。

I John 3:14

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

-- 約翰說﹕我們曉得。他有充分的確據。

-- “We know…”  There is a full persuasion here.

 

約壹5﹕13

我將這些話寫給你們信奉上帝兒子之名的人，要叫你們知道自己有永生。

I John 5:13                           

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

-- 要叫你們知道…。

-- “… that you may know.”

-- 得救的確據是（一）我們可以追求的；（二）我們可以（遲早）得到的；（三）關乎我們救恩的；（四）與我們在信心上堅忍有關的。

（注﹕得救的確據是指我們有沒有得到救恩的把握﹕不過教會裏有人是得救的，卻沒有得救的確據。）

-- Assurance is something (1) which can be sought for; (2) which is obtainable; (3) which pertains to salvation, and (4) which corresponds to perseverance in faith. 

(Note: Yes, assurance has to do with salvation, but there are some people who are saved, but do not have assurance in their experience/consciousness.)

-- 基督徒若堅持信心與順服（堅忍），他生命中會有豐富的得救確據。

-- Assurance flourishes in the context of perseverance. 

-- 一位有得救確據的基督徒，會堅持信心與順服。

Perseverance flourishes in the context of assurance. 

 

b.  可是，得救的確據，不是真信心的不可或缺一部份。

Assurance is not of the essence of saving faith.  

      -- 真信心（使人得救的信心），與得救的把握（確據）不一樣。

-- Saving faith is not this conviction.

-- 真信心（使人得救的信心），就是是信，以致得救。

      -- Saving faith is in order to be saved.

      -- 因此﹕我們不可以將信心和確據等同。

      -- Therefore: we cannot define assurance in terms of saving faith. 

      -- 信心是投奔基督﹕確據是信心的反射。

      -- Assurance is the reflex of the primary act of faith: abandonment to Christ. 

      -- 信心 = 委身。

      -- Pisteuo = commitment. 

      -- 聖經中信心的定義，不只是相信一些事實。

      -- Biblical usage is different from “I know that…”

      -- 信心是人積極地信靠基督以致得救；不只是相信什麼真理。

(Fiducia was used by Calvin to mean belief THAT.  Zancheus, following Bucer, did not define fiducia this way.  Active sense of entrustment to Christ for salvation. 

-- 目前這是改革宗對信心的標準定義。（雖然加爾文用信心指相信一些內容；相信上帝的應許。後來的改革宗神學家比較用信心指委身。）

      (Shift in Reformed theology -> now becomes standard usage.) 

      -- 把信心當作是確據﹕這是巴特（新正統）神學的用法﹕接受我已經屬於基

          督。

      -- Faith as assurance is Barthian: to accept that I belong to Christ. 

 

  1. 上帝賜下救恩（使人得救的恩典），包含了某一程度的確據。

There is an assurance of salvation which is given with saving grace.

原則上的確據（慕理）﹕包含在得救（重生）裏。

An implicit assurance (Murray): folded into salvation. 

 

威敏斯特信仰告白，18﹕4

真信徒對於自己得救的確信可能有種種不同的動搖﹐減少﹐或間斷﹐如因忽略

而未能保守﹔或因墮入損害良心而使聖靈擔懮的某些特殊罪惡中﹐或因突如其來的試探﹐和上帝收回祂笑臉的光照﹐甚至讓敬畏上帝的人行走在黑暗中﹐而無亮光﹔但他們並非完全缺乏上帝在他們心中所賜的生命之種子與信仰的生命﹐愛基督和愛弟兄的心﹐內心誠實和盡本分的良心。從這些事﹐由於聖靈的工作﹐此確信在適當的時候可以恢復﹐同時藉著這一切﹐他們不致完全絕望。

 

Westminster Confession of Faith, 18:4

True believers may have the assurance of their salvation shaken, diminished, or temporarily lost in various ways: as by negligence in preserving it, by falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit, by some sudden or violent temptation, or by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance and allowing even those who reverence him to walk in darkness and have no light(p).  Yet, true believers are never completely deprived of that seed of God and life of faith, that love for Christ and fellow believers, that sincerity of heart and conscience concerning duty, out of which – by the operation of the Spirit – this assurance may in due time be revived(q); and by which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair(r). 

 

      詩119﹕165

      愛你律法的人，有大平安。什麼都不能使他們絆腳。

      Psalm 119:165     

      Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.

 

      羅5﹕1

      我們既因信稱義，就藉著我們的祝耶穌基督，得與上帝相和。

      Romans 5:1

      Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord

      Jesus Christ,

 

      腓4﹕7

      上帝所賜出人意外的平安，必在基督耶穌裏，保守你們的心懷意念。

      Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

  1. 可是，人得救的經歷裏，不一定有完全，充分的確據。確據不是得救（歸回上帝）時必然的經歷。

Full assurance is not the invariable accompaniment of salvation. 

-- 沒有確據的經歷並不威脅一個人的救恩。

-- But, lack of full assurance does not endanger salvation.

      -- 聖靈賜我們肯定的成聖。它的反射﹕（原則上的）確據。

      -- There is definitive sanctification.  Reflex: implicit assurance.

      -- 不過我們還不是完全成聖的人。

      -- But, we are not yet fully sanctified.

                       

      彼後1﹕10

      所以弟兄們，應當更加殷勤，使你們所蒙的恩召和揀選堅定不移。你們若行這

      幾樣，就永不失腳。

      2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

      -- 沒有確據的人有危險。

      -- There is a danger for not having assurance.

      -- 上帝給我們確據，不是要我們心中冷淡。

      -- Assurance doesn’t lead to indifference.

      -- 人得到確據，是要挑旺自己的心，作成聖的工夫。

      It provokes works of sanctification.

 

      約壹5﹕13     

我將這些話寫給你們信奉上帝兒子之名的人，要叫你們知道自己有永生。

I John 5:13                           

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

-- 要培養確據。一方面不要懷疑；另一方面不要當上帝的恩典是理所當然的。

-- Cultivate assurance: not doubt, not presumption. 

 

  1. 得救的確據，和信心的確據，不是指對信心的對象的確信或懷疑。

Assurance of faith and salvation is not to be confused with lack of certainty respecting the object of faith.

      -- 確據所關心的，不是聖經教訓的客觀真實性，如﹕基督為祂的子民死。

-- Assurance is not concerned with the objective truth that Scripture teaches, i.e., that

      Christ died for His people.

-- 確據不是指信心的內容，乃是指信心的行動。

-- Not concerning fides quae, but fides qua. 

     

  1. 得救的確據﹕權利與義務。

Assurance: The duty and the privilege

-- 信心不應該使人忘恩負義，心中冷淡。事情不需發展成這樣。

-- Assurance does not necessarily deteriorate into presumption and complacency. 

-- 不過，這確是危機。

-- There is this danger.

-- 其實，每一項教義被人明白了，人都可能忘恩負義，當是理所當然的。

-- There is danger, however, with every doctrine of grace.

-- 我們不要因為這種的危機而裹足不前，不相信這些教義。

-- We cannot be afraid of the danger of doctrine, then withdraw.

-- 我們要信靠聖靈，祂會教導，保守！

-- Be confident in the Holy Spirit!

-- 確據畢竟是對上帝恩典的確據！

-- It is assurance of GRACE.

-- 人得到確據，是要培養謙卑。

-- It promotes humility before God.

 

彼前1﹕13-16

13 所以要約束你們的心，謹慎自守，專心盼望耶穌基督顯現的時候所帶來給你們的恩。

14 你們既作順命的兒女，就不要效法從前蒙昧無知的時候，那放縱私欲的樣子。

15 那召你們的既是聖潔，你們在一切所行的事上也要聖潔。

16 因為經上記著說﹕你們要聖潔，因為我是聖潔的。

I Peter 1:13-16

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober {in spirit,} fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts {which were yours} in your ignorance,

15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all {your} behavior;

16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

 

     約壹3﹕3

      凡向祂有這指望的，就潔淨自己，像祂潔淨一樣。

I John 3:3

 

  1. 得救確據的基礎Foundation of Assurance. 

a.  得救確據的基礎，是上帝恩典的浩大—上帝藉著救罪人彰顯了祂的大恩。Assurnace is grounded in the magnitude of the grace of God, demonstrated in the salvation of men.

      我們若抗拒得救確據的福份，就是忘恩負義。

Ungrateful for us to resist the benefit of assurance. 

 

b.  得救確據的根據，是上帝的信實。

Assurance is grounded in the faithfulness of God.

 

來3﹕1

同蒙天召的聖潔弟兄阿，你們應當思想我們所認為使者，為大祭司的耶穌。

Hebrews 3:1

 

      來12﹕2

      仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌。祂因那擺在前面的喜樂，就輕看羞辱，忍受 

      了十字架的苦難，便坐在上帝寶座的右邊。

      Hebrews 12:2

      Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before      

      Him endured the cross, despising the shame.

      -- 要思念基督，注目仰望基督！

      -- Consider Jesus, fix our eyes on Jesus!

      -- 耶穌是我們的救主，好像一面鏡子。如何注目仰望祂？順服祂。禱告。

      -- Jesus: mirror of salvation.  How?  Obey.  Prayer.  

           

      來13﹕8

      耶穌基督，昨日今日一直到永遠是一樣的。

      Hebrews 13:8

      -- 耶穌基督是我們的中保，我們的大祭司。

      -- Jesus Christ, mediator and priest. 

      -- 我們必需引導人到基督面前，而不是帶領他們看自己或他人的經歷。

      -- We must direct people to Christ, not themselves or others’ experiences. 

 

c. Assurance is confirmed by (not grounded in) our obedience. 

確據藉我們的順服不斷的被確定（成長）。可是順服不是確據的基礎。

 

d. 要自我省察。

Self-examination.

彼後1﹕10

所以弟兄們，應當更加殷勤，使你們所蒙的恩召和揀選堅定不移。你們若行這幾樣，就永不失腳。

II Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.

 

林後13﹕5

你們總要自己省察有信心沒有。也要自己試驗。豈不知你們若不是可棄絕的，就有耶穌基督在你們心裏麼？

II Cor. 13:5

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?

-- 確據與信心，與基督有關。確據是基督徒正常的經歷。

-- Connected with faith, with Jesus Christ – ordinary standard for every believer.

-- 信心就是﹕注目看（在我們裏面的）基督。

-- Draw attention to CHRIST in us.

-- 聖經所要求的信心，是否我們有的信心？

-- Is faith of Scripture our faith?

-- 不要以為上帝的恩典是理所當然的。也不要自我省察以致恐懼。

-- Avoid presumption, avoid morbid introspection. 

-- 聖靈所賜的喜樂，藉著洗禮已經賜給我們作印證。

-- Joy of the Holy Spirit has been sealed to us at baptism.

 

  1. 得救的確據﹕來自聖靈在我們裏面的見證。

      Assurance arises from inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

羅8﹕15-16

15 你們所受的不是奴僕的心，仍舊害怕。所受的乃是兒子的心，因此我們呼叫阿爸，父。

16 聖靈與我們的心同證我們是上帝的兒女。

Romans 8:15-16

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!” 

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. 

-- 作奴僕的心（靈）﹕指心態？態度？參﹕加4﹕6.

      -- Pneuma – disposition of sonship?  Attitude?  Cf. Gal. 4:6

加4﹕6

你們既為兒子，上帝就差祂兒子的靈，進入你們的心，呼叫阿爸，父。

Galatians 4:6

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!  Father!” 

      -- 聖靈是（見證）我們作上帝兒女的靈。

-- Holy Spirit = Spirit of sonship, spirit of adoption.

-- 不是說有一位天使或靈體，叫為奴的靈；乃是說﹕聖靈的工作與作（罪的）奴僕兩者不相稱。

-- Not that there is an angelic being of slavery, but work of the Holy Spirit is not consonant with slavery. 

 

  1. 培養確據Cultivation of Assurance. 

-- 不只是盡了義務。

-- Not by fulfilling obligations. 

-- 要不斷堅持，要堅忍。（參﹕恩具﹕上帝的道，聖禮。）

-- Perseverance.   (Cf.: Means of grace: Word of God,  Sacraments.)