今日真道聖言/2014年9月21日

小要理問答

問20 神是否任憑所有人類都在罪惡悲慘狀況中滅亡？

答 神根據他自己美善旨意所喜悅的，在萬古之先，揀選了一些人得永生，就設立了恩典之約，要借着一位救贖主，拯救他們脫離罪惡與愁苦，進入救恩的狀況。

20 Q Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

A. God having, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.

大要理問答

33 問：恩典之約始終都是以同一方式來施行麼？

答：恩典之約並非都是以相同方式來施行，它在舊約時代的施行方式，與在新約時代的施行方式，是不同的。

Q. 33. Was the covenant of grace always administered after one and the same manner?

A. The covenant of grace was not always administered after the same manner, but the administrations of it under the Old Testament were different from those under the New.

34 問：恩典之約在舊約時代中是如何施行？

答：恩典之約在舊約時代的施行，是借着應許，先知的話，獻祭，割禮，逾越節，以及其他預表和律例；這些都是預先指明那將要來的基督。這些對於舊約當時來說，足以造就選民信靠所應許的彌賽亞；使他們借着祂能得着完全的赦罪，與永遠的救恩。

Q. 34. How was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament?

A. The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all foresignify Christ then to come, and were for that time sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised messiah, by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.

35 問：恩典之約在新約時代是如何施行？

答：在新約時代時，舊約預表的實體，即基督，已經展示出來；同一的恩典之約，已經且繼續不斷的施行，是借着聖道的傳講，洗禮與聖餐的實施。在這些施恩的媒介中，恩典與拯救是以更加豐盛，更多證據，更加有效的方式，表明給萬國萬民。

Q. 35. How is the covenant of grace administered under the New Testament?

A. Under the New Testament, when Christ the substance was exhibited, the same covenant of grace was and still is to be administered in the preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper; in which grace and salvation are held forth in more fullness, evidence, and efficacy, to all nations.

威斯敏斯特信條'

6.5在今生，此敗壞罪性仍存留在已蒙重生之人裏面。雖然此敗壞罪性，借着基督得赦免且被治死，但是此罪性與其所生發的一切活動，實在真是罪惡。

6.6每一個罪 (不論是原罪或本罪) 都是違犯上帝公義的律法，也是悖逆上帝的律法；因此，每一個罪按照其性質，招致罪究歸在罪人身上。罪人因此緣故必定遭受上帝的忿怒與律法的咒詛，結果服在死權之下，遭受一切靈命的、今生的、永遠的愁苦。