傳揚寶藏吧!瓦器們,不要懼怕!

摘要

即使世界以狂暴逼迫我們,我們也不畏懼。我們應當更看重上帝的恩寵,傳揚他的榮耀。



哥林多後書4:7-9
7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裏,要顯明這莫大的能力是出於上帝,不是出於我們。8 我們四面受敵,卻不被困住;心裏作難,卻不致失望;9 遭逼迫,卻不被丟棄;打倒了,卻不致死亡。

有關人的傳統、善工、誓言、功德、等等教皇一黨的教義思想,在世間如此廣傳,被視為最好最確定的教義。借此,魔鬼建立了它最堅固的王國。但是,如今這些受我們的攻擊,如同「風中的糠秕吹散」(詩1:4)。魔鬼當然非常憤怒,到處製造動蕩和醜事,激動整個世界反對我們。

有人可能說:「我們倒不如保持沈默更好,就不會有這些邪惡了。」
即使世界以狂暴逼迫我們,我們也不畏懼。我們應當更看重上帝的恩寵,傳揚他的榮耀。教皇和整個世界,又豈能與上帝相比呢?我們誠然應當贊美上帝,勝過一切受造之物。

雖然,那惡者增加騷動和醜事,想要毀滅,扭曲我們的教導。但是,我們仍然強調「因信稱義」的教義所帶來的安慰,結出不可估量的果實。
我們雖是少數且軟弱,就如同地上的瓦器,卻裝載著屬天的寶藏(林後4:7)。儘管這瓦器脆弱,但是寶藏卻是無限的,遠勝一切。——馬丁路德(《加拉太書》注釋,1535年)(AE 27:19)


Speak Up! Earthen Vessels, Do Not Fear!
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Besides, the doctrine of the papists about human traditions, works, vows, merits, etc., was so widespread in the world that it was regarded as the best and the surest. By means of it the devil established and most strongly reinforced his kingdom. Therefore it is no wonder that today, when it is being attacked by us and scattered “like chaff before the wind” (Ps. 1:4), Satan is raging so ferociously, filling everything with turmoil and scandals, and stirring up the whole world against us. Therefore someone may say that it would have been better to be silent, and that then none of these evils would have arisen. We ought to set greater store by the favor of God, whose glory we proclaim, than by the rage of the world, which persecutes us. For what are the pope and the whole world in comparison with God, whom we surely should praise and to whom we should give preference over all creatures? In addition, the wicked increase the uproar and the scandals which Satan arouses in order to crush or at least to distort our teaching. We, on the other hand, emphasize the comfort and the inestimable fruit of this doctrine; this we vastly prefer to all those turmoils, sects, and scandals. We, of course, are small and weak; and we are carrying a heavenly treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7). But though the vessels may be weak, the treasure is infinite and incomprehensible.(Lectures on Galatians, 1535)(AE 27:19)