教會論與教會生活-林慈信(41集) - 9 - 《教會論與教會生活》林慈信博士 -第9講

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Living in Christ’s Church
session 9
我們繼續講
上帝出於祂主權的愛
揀選祂的子民
Like the patriarchs
the people of God are called
to a position of privilege and blessing.
上帝的子民就好像先祖
亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各一樣
上帝呼召他們
站立一個地位
一個有特權的、蒙福的地位
They are the Lord’s portion (Deut. 32:9)
他們是上帝的產業
或者上帝的分
and his delight is in them (Num. 14:8).
而以色列民本是耶和華的喜樂
或者是祂所喜悅的
耶和華喜悅我們
the delight of God.
The witness of Israel was to flow
from the position of blessing that God gave.
以色列作為耶和華的見證人
是流自於上帝給他們的
那個蒙福的地位
They were an elect race that
they might show forth the praises of him
who called them (1 Pet. 2:9, Is. 43:21).
他們是蒙揀選的族類
好教他們能夠發出
向呼召他們的上帝的讚美
參考彼得前書第二章9節
我們讀過了
Yet they are chosen,
not first with a view to their service
but to their sonship.
可是上帝揀選他們
首先不是考慮到他們要服事上帝
首先是要他們作上帝的兒子
得上帝兒子的名分
This amazing grace of God
could be falsified at a stroke
if the people began to think of themselves
as a choice people instead of a chosen people.
假如上帝的子民看他們自己是一個
菁英的子民
而不是蒙揀選的子民的話
那麼，一下子就讓上帝的奇異恩典
成為虛假了
This was the error
into which the Pharisees fell
when they boasted to Jesus that
they were Abraham’s seed (John 8:33).
當以色列人，或者猶太人
誇耀他們是亞伯拉罕的後裔的時候
約翰福音八章33節
這些法利賽人就是進入到這種錯誤
不是誇耀自己是菁英
乃是蒙上帝主權恩典的揀選
When the people of God in the Old Testament
abused his choosing love
當在舊約時期
上帝的子民
濫用了上帝揀選的愛的時候
the wrath of God judged them
and the other side of
God’s election of Israel appeared.
上帝傾倒祂的憤怒
審判了他們
而上帝對以色列揀選的另外一面
就顯現了
Because they despised God’s goodness
因為他們藐視上帝的愛
上帝的良善
God brought upon them the
“vengeance of the covenant” (Lev. 26:25).
the “vengeance of the covenant”
約裡的復仇
The nation that was called by God
“my people” became, in judgment, no people .
(Hos. 1:9)
上帝揀選的「我的子民」之國
因為上帝的審判
就成為不是祂的子民
何西阿書一章9節
Israel in the north and then Judah
in the south are carried into captivity.
北邊的以色列
其後，南邊的猶大
都被擄了
The smoke of the burning cedar
of Solomon’s temple
replaced the cloud that once marked the presence
of the Lord in the midst of his people.
原來有的雲柱
就是象徵著上帝住在祂的子民中間
的雲柱
現在由在所羅門聖殿裡
被燒的香柏樹的煙所取代
Was this then the end
of God’s covenant?
上帝的約就這樣子了結了嗎？
Was God’s choosing
thwarted by Israel’s sin?
以色列人的罪
是否就讓上帝揀選的計畫失敗了呢？
Are his promises without effect?
上帝的應許無效嗎？
Paul raises these questions as they
were faced by the prophets (Rom. 9-11).
保羅就提出這些
先知們所必須面對的難題
羅馬書第九章到第十一章
The questions have new force
for the apostle
這些問題對使徒保羅來說
是更加有意義的
for he has witnessed
an even greater climax of Israel’s sin
因為使徒保羅親眼目睹了
以色列人犯罪的更高的高潮
and an even more ominous
evidence of God’s judgment.
而更加看見上帝審判的預兆
Two answers are given by the prophets
and summarized by the apostle.
先知們提供兩個答案
都由使徒保羅來總結了
The first is that God has not
completely cast off his people,
第一個答案是
上帝沒有完全棄絕了祂的子民
for a remnant is preserved-
因為還存留著餘民
God’s judgment is not total.
上帝的審判不是全面的滅絕
The second is
第二個答案是
that God has not forever
cast off his people,
上帝不是永遠棄絕祂的子民
for a renewal will come-
因為更新的時候會來到
God’s judgment is not final.
上帝的審判不是至終的審判
Paul advances these two reasons
in order to show that God’s electing purpose
is not defeated or frustrated.
保羅提出的兩個理由
要顯明了上帝揀選的計畫
並沒有被打敗
也並不挫敗
The doctrine of the remnant shows us
餘民的教義就向我們顯示出
that “they are not all Israel
that are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6).
Many are called
but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14).
God’s election is not determined
by fleshly descent.
上帝的揀選不是從血統來決定的
Many who claim to be
descendants of Abraham
reveal by their actions that they are
not God’s chosen, not true Israelites.
很多自稱為是亞伯拉罕的後裔的
他們自己的行為就顯出
他們不是上帝所揀選的
他們不是真以色列人
(John 8:39-44).
But God has preserved a remnant,
可是上帝讓一個餘民存留
and the apostle Paul is himself evidence
of that true Israel continued
by God’s grace(Rom. 11:1) .
而使徒保羅他本人就是證據
上帝的恩典就讓繼續讓這個
真以色列繼續存留
Further, God’s purposes
with Israel are not finished.
不但如此
上帝在以色列人身上的計畫
還沒有完成
Paul ministers to the Gentiles
with zeal for Israel,
保羅滿有為以色列人
所大發的熱心
這樣子向外邦人服事
or he knows that
the coming in of the Gentiles
will quicken Israel to jealousy
so that they too will repent.
因為他知道外邦人的進來
會使以色列人再次地復甦
使他們妒忌
他們也會悔改的
At last the fullness of Israel
as well as of the Gentiles
will be brought in,
“and so all Israel shall be saved”.
(Rom. 11:26)
最後，以色列人的全數
和外邦人的全數
都會被帶進來
Before the exile of Israel
the prophets stressed
the smallness of the remnant.
在以色列人被擄之前
先知們強調餘民是那麼地少
The destruction would be like
that visited on Sodom and Gomorrah.
上帝毀滅祂的子民
就好像毀滅臨到
所多瑪和蛾摩拉一樣
During the exile the smallness
and hopelessness
of the remnant is vividly pictured.
在被擄的時代
餘民是那麼地少、那麼地無望
先知們很活潑地描述出來
In despair Ezekiel cried out,
以西結絕望地喊叫說：
“Ah, Lord Jehovah! Wilt thou make
a full end of the remnant of Israel?”.
(Ezek. 11:13).
Yet God in his fatherly mercy will not
utterly destroy his sinful people.
可是上帝是天父，是憐憫的
祂不會完全滅絕祂犯罪的子民
The care of the prophets for the people
cannot compare to the caring of God.
先知們眷顧上帝的子民
這不能與上帝眷顧祂的子民來比較
From God’s own heart
there comes a cry,
從上帝自己的心中
發出這樣的喊叫：
“How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?
how shall I cast thee off, Israel?”
(Hos. 11:8).
In the amazing symbolism
of the marriage of Hosea
to unfaithful Gomer
God manifests his compassion
and faithfulness toward Israel.
上帝用何西阿娶歌篾的
這個奇妙的象徵
來顯明祂對以色列的憐憫
祂對以色列的信實
A remnant does remain
and will be saved.
餘民必存在
餘民必得救
There are those who are written
in the book of life (Is. 4:3).
有寫在生命冊上的名字的人
God sends his prophets
with words of hope (Is. 40: 1, 2).
上帝差遣祂的先知們
要說出盼望的信息
Not only is the remnant spared-
上帝不單單沒有完全滅絕祂的餘民
讓他們存留
they are also cleansed.
上帝更加地潔淨祂的餘民
It is a righteous and forgiven remnant
that is claimed by the Lord (Is. 4:3).
上帝要領取的、要稱為祂自己的餘民
是一個公義的、罪得赦免的餘民
God will take away
their hearts of stone
and give them hearts of flesh
(Ezek 11:19; 36:26).
上帝要將他們的石頭的心除去
給他們肉心
God will again gather his people
上帝會再一次地招聚祂的子民
and will make a new covenant
with them.
與他們立新的約
He will be their God
and they will be his people.
上帝要作他們的上帝
他們必作上帝的子民
The remnant is not only spared,
it is renewed.
上帝不單單讓餘民存留
上帝也使他們成為新民
The Spirit of God comes
upon the dry bones in the valley
耶和華的靈臨到在谷中的骸骨
and they receive resurrection life
(Ezek. 37:12-14).
他們就領受了復活了
參考以西結書37章12~14節
To the spared remnant
of the new Israel
God seals all the glories of his covenant
promises (Mic. 5:7-9, Is. 4:2; 37:31).
上帝向新以色列的餘民印證了
祂一切的約中應許的榮耀
The glory of the Lord
will return from the east
主耶和華的榮耀必從東邊歸回
and fill the new temple
(Ezek 43:1-5; 48:35).
充滿著聖殿的
我們下一堂繼續

林慈信

林慈信博士在台灣錄製《教會論與教會生活》系列，這專題是林牧師特別為教會中的平信徒、長老、與執事預備的，是對教會的建造有益的。這專題是出於威敏斯特神學院，克羅尼院長的著作。克羅尼院長也曾是林牧師的老師。《教會論與教會生活》Living in Christ’s Church (Great Commission Publications)這本書是眾多成人主日學教科書之一，由PCA(美國改革宗長老會)與OPC(信正長老會)兩宗派合辦的主日學教材出版社所出版的書，也是專為平信徒而寫的書。

林慈信博士，西敏神學院神學碩士，天普大學歷史系哲學博士，加州洛杉磯「中華展望 China Horizon」創辦人。致力於護教與神學信仰的工作，在神學、宣道學、及歷史學等都有相當的造詣。林牧師不僅著力於出版歸正信仰的書籍，並且發表至少500篇的論文。著重系統神學、護教學、清教徒的成聖神學與聖經輔導學等；同時任教於美國國際神學院、西敏神學院、聖約神學院等校。推動聖經輔導不遺餘力。