作上帝兒女的內證和外證
我們可以認識到他的見證，能夠感覺到聖靈的能力藉著上帝之道在我們裡面工作。我們的經歷也與這道的信息相吻合。
聖靈與我們的心同證我們是上帝的兒女； …… 如果我們和他一同受苦，也必和他一同得榮耀。
使我們全然確定「我們是上帝兒女」的認識，不是從我們自己裡面或從律法來的。這是聖靈的見證。聖靈為此作見證。聖靈的見證是與律法、與我們不配得的感覺、與我們的軟弱相反的。但聖靈使我們確信他的見證。
我們可以認識到他的見證，能夠感覺到聖靈的能力藉著上帝之道在我們裡面工作。我們的經歷也與這道的信息相吻合。
因為，如果你在悲傷痛苦中，接受了從福音裡來的安慰，你就可以感覺到聖靈的見證，並有能力可以戰勝恐懼和懷疑，以致於你的心可以堅定地相信你有一個恩慈的上帝。然後，你不再需要逃離上帝，反而藉著這信心，你可以喜樂地祈求他，並期盼從他得幫助。哪裡有這樣的信心，那裡就會經歷上帝的幫助，正如聖保羅說：「患難生忍耐，忍耐生老練，老練生盼望；盼望不會讓我們失望。（罗5:3–5）」這真是內裡的見證，藉此，你覺查到聖靈在你裡面的工作。——馬丁路德（羅馬書8:16的講道）（WA 22:138f)
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, …… provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
The knowledge that we are children of God—and that we may be fully assured of it—is not derived from ourselves or from the law. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit who bears witness to it, against the law and the feeling of our own unworthiness, and in spite of our weakness he makes assured of it. Such witness is accomplished in such a way that we are made aware of it and feel the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us through the Word, and our experience agrees with the Word or the message. For you can feel it, if you are in sorrow and affliction and you receive comfort from the gospel, and are enabled to overcome fear and doubt, so that your heart can firmly believe that you have a gracious God. Then you no longer need flee from him, but through such faith you can joyfully call on him and expect help from him. Where there is such faith, the experience follows that we receive help, as St. Paul says, “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us” (Romans 4:4-5). This is the true inward witness by which you perceive that the Holy Spirit is working within you. (Sermon on Romans 8:16) (WA 22:138f)
Photo is from kenningtonoakwell.co.uk.
English text is taken from Day by Day We Magnify You, Revised Edition, Augsburg Books, 2008, p.235, ISBN #9780806680149
