律法和福音

羅馬書3:28 所以我們看定了:人稱義是因著信,不在乎遵行律法。

上帝整本經書分為兩個部分:誡命和承諾。

誡命的本意

儘管誡命所教的事情是好的,但是就在這些誡命被教導的時候,就已經沒有被遵行了!因為誡命告訴我們該做什麼,卻沒有給我們遵行的能力。

律法的本意是教導我們認識自己。藉著律法我們認識到自己不能夠行善,並因自己的無能而絕望。這就是為什麼律法又被稱為舊約。例如,「不可貪心」 的誡命(出20:17)證明:我們都是罪人,因為不論我們如何努力不去貪心,但是沒有人可以避免貪心。所以,當我們僅履行這一條律法,而不去貪心時,我們就應該已經對自己的能力絕望了。在其他誡命上也是這樣,因為不論是那一條,我們都是無法遵守。

盼望不在律法裡

現在律法讓我們認識到自己的軟弱,因為嘗試成全律法而喪氣。但是律法必須要被成全,一點一畫都不能廢去,必須成全,否則我們將被定罪,沒有(法外開恩的)希望。這個時候我們就真正地謙卑下來,自以為微不足道。因為,我們看到在自己裡面沒有良善,可以成義,可以拯救自己。

quote   律法的本意是教導我們認識自己在遵行律法上無能而絕望。

福音的承諾

因此,人就在別處,或從另一位,尋找自己沒有的能力,如同先知何西阿(13:9)說:「以色列啊,你自己的乃是滅亡:你的幫助只是在我。」 這個時候聖經的第二部分(就是上帝的承諾)就來幫助我們了,宣告上帝的榮耀,說:「如果你希望成全律法,不貪心,就如律法命令的;來,相信基督,恩典、公義、和平、自由、和一切應許都在祂裡面,都是你的。如果你相信這真理,你就得到這一切。」——馬丁路德(AE 31:348)《1520年基督徒的自由》

quote   來,相信基督,一切應許都在祂裡面,都是你的。

讓我們禱告:全智全能的上帝啊,你知道我們在律法上是無能為力的,所以你自己來成為人為我們世人,你成全了一切的律法,讓我們在你裡面得到聖潔,求教導我們的心唯獨在你裡面尋求安慰,不依靠自己或其他幫助。奉主耶穌基督的名,阿們。

Law & Gospel

Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Here we must point out that the entire Scripture of God is divided into two parts: commandments and promises. Although the commandments teach things that are good, the things taught are not done as soon as they are taught, for the commandments show us what we ought to do but do not give us the power to do it. They are intended to teach man to know himself, that through them he may recognize his inability to do good and may despair of his own ability. That is why they are called the Old Testament and constitute the Old Testament. For example, the commandment, “You shall not covet” [Exod. 20:17], is a command which proves us all to be sinners, for no one can avoid coveting no matter how much he may struggle against it. Therefore, in order not to covet and to fulfil the commandment, a man is compelled to despair of himself, to seek the help which he does not find in himself elsewhere and from someone else, as stated in Hosea [13:9]: “Destruction is your own, O Israel: your help is only in me.” As we fare with respect to one commandment, so we fare with all, for it is equally impossible for us to keep any one of them.

Now when a man has learned through the commandments to recognize his helplessness and is distressed about how he might satisfy the law—since the law must be fulfilled so that not a jot or tittle shall be lost, otherwise man will be condemned without hope—then, being truly humbled and reduced to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself nothing whereby he may be justified and saved. Here the second part of Scripture comes to our aid, namely, the promises of God which declare the glory of God, saying, “If you wish to fulfil the law and not covet, as the law demands, come, believe in Christ in whom grace, righteousness, peace, liberty, and all things are promised you.  (AE 31:348)