甚麼樣信心才有用？
除非人相信上帝不僅有能力和知識，且有滿心的意願在他自己身上行大事、善事，才是有效的信心。其他的信心都是無用的，死的信心。
馬利亞的尊主頌
46 馬利亞說：
我心尊主為大；
47 我靈以上帝我的救主為樂；
48 因為他顧念他使女的卑微；
從今以後，萬代要稱我有福。
49 那有權能的，為我成就了大事；
他的名為聖。
50 他憐憫敬畏他的人，
直到世世代代。
51 他用膀臂施展大能；
那狂傲的人正心裏妄想就被他趕散了。
52 他叫有權柄的失位，
叫卑賤的升高；
53 叫飢餓的得飽美食，
叫富足的空手回去。
54 他扶助了他的僕人以色列，
55 為要記念亞伯拉罕和他的後裔，
施憐憫直到永遠，
正如從前對我們列祖所說的話。
「為大」的意思就是放大某人成為偉人，高抬他，極其尊重他有能力和知識、並願成就許多大事、善事。馬利亞用這詞表明上帝的大工和作為。她說出這首頌詞，一則：為了增強我們的信心；二則：為了安慰那些低微的人；三則：為了阻嚇世上所有的權勢。
除非人相信上帝不僅有能力和知識，且有滿心的意願去行這些大事，否則上帝這些的大工既不會阻嚇也不會安慰任何人。事實上，僅僅相信上帝願意為其他人成就這大事仍然不夠，他還必須相信上帝願意為他自己而做工。否則，你就把自己放在上帝工作之外了，彷彿那些不敬畏上帝的人，他們靠自己的能力成就；或者如那些沒有信心的人，因著患難而陷入絕望。這樣的信心是沒有用的，是死的，徬彿從童話故事學得的一個想法而已。
你必須沒有任何疑惑或搖擺，明白上帝的意念正是針對你而發的，並堅定地相信他願意在你身上成就大事。是的，他現在正願意如此行。這樣的信心才有活潑的生命。它充滿並改變整個人。如果你有能力，那麼這信心迫使你畏懼上帝。如果你卑微，它讓你得安慰。你能力若是越強，則更懂敬畏。你若越卑微，則多得安慰。
唯獨這種信心有效。若不是此種信心，當生命將盡時，你又如何自處？那時，你必須相信上帝不僅有能力和知識，並願幫助你。因為將你從永遠的死亡中拯救出來，使你成為上帝後嗣的，實在是要求不可言表的大工。正如基督所說（可9:23）：唯有此種信心凡事都能。唯獨此種信心常在，並經歷上帝的工作，獲得上帝的慈愛，因此歌頌讚美上帝，以至於這人高抬上帝，真心地尊上帝「為大」。——馬丁路德（登山寶訓和尊主頌的講道）（AE 21:306–307）
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
The “magnifies” means to make great, to exalt, to esteem one highly, as having the power, the knowledge, and the desire to perform many great and good things. Mary used this word “magnifies” to indicate the great works and deeds of God, for the strengthening of our faith, for the comforting of all those of low degree, and for the terrifying of all the mighty ones of earth.
Now, these great works of God will neither terrify nor comfort anyone unless he believes that God has not only the power and the knowledge but also the willingness and hearty desire to do such great things. In fact, it is not even enough to believe that He is willing to do them for others but not for you. This would be to put yourself beyond the pale of these works of God, as is done by those who, because of their strength, do not fear Him, and by those of little faith who, because of their tribulations, fall into despair.
That sort of faith is nothing; it is dead; it is like an idea learned from a fairy tale. You must rather, without any wavering or doubt, realize His will toward you and firmly believe that He will do great things also to you, and is willing to do so. Such a faith has life and being; it pervades and changes the whole man; it constrains you to fear if you are mighty, and to take comfort if you are of low degree. And the mightier you are, the more must you fear; the lowlier you are, the more must you take comfort.
This no other kind of faith is able to effect. How will it be with you in the hour of death? There you must believe that He has not only the power and the knowledge but also the desire to help you. For it requires indeed an unspeakably great work to deliver you from eternal death, to save you and make you God’s heir. To this faith all things are possible, as Christ says (Mark 9:23); it alone abides; it also comes to experience the works of God and thus attains to the love of God and thence to songs and praise of God, so that man esteems Him highly and truly magnifies Him.
(The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat)(AE 21:306–307)
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