加尔文基督教要义卷四 05 论真教会为众信徒之母,因而我们必须与之联合
主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立、王弟兄&XSS姐妹
保罗和他的众会众的需要
Paul and the Needs of His Congregations
4.1.14
加尔文说:保罗说,看(比方说)哥林多的教会,that a plague of vices rages far and wide,各种各样的邪恶,不是只有一小撮的基督徒走偏路了,almost the whole body was infected.差不多是整个的教会都受污染。There was not one kind of sin only, but very many,各种各样的罪恶,no light errors but frightful misdeeds,也不是微小的错误,是恐怖的犯错,there was corruption not only of morals but of doctrine.不但是在生活上,而且在教义上犯错。What does the holy apostle do,使徒怎么回应呢?Does he seek to separate himself from such,使徒是不是从哥林多教会跟他们划分界线呢? Does he cast them out of Christ’s Kingdom,保罗是不是赶他们出基督的国度呢? Does he fell them with the ultimate thunderbolt of anathema,保罗是不是大发雷霆说他们是可咒诅的呢? He not only does nothing of the sort,他不但这种的事一点都没做,he even recognizes and proclaims them to be the church of Christ and the communion of saints [I Cor. 1:2]!而且,他甚至宣告他们是基督的身体、基督的教会,圣徒的相通! 我们跳几行,The church abides among them because the ministry of Word and sacraments remains unrepudiated there.教会仍然存在,因为神的道的宣讲和圣礼仍然存在他们当中。加拉太的教会也是一样,this apostle still recognized churches [Gal. 1:2].他们差不多是偏离了福音,但是保罗仍然承认他们是教会。
与恶人相交
Fellowship with Wicked Persons
4.1.15
有人就会这样说了(比方说重洗派的那些):“保罗也责备歌林多人,说他们不应该与恶人有所交通吗?不是说,与这些可耻的人连吃饭都不可以吗?(林前5:2、11)”。
加尔文现在回答,他的答复可为二部分:
一:是的,有很多事情是我们的羞耻a great disgrace。教会如果有秩序的话,不应该容忍邪恶的人在他的怀抱中的。Nor will they indiscriminately admit worthy and unworthy together to that sacred banquet.配受圣餐的、不配受圣餐的,教会也不应当一视同仁的让他们领受圣餐。Because pastors are not always zealously on the watch,有很多的牧师没有热心警醒,and are also sometimes more lenient than they should be,很多时候,牧师们不应该那么的通融的,or are hindered from being able to exercise the severity they would like,这句话很有意思,他说牧师有的时候是受到拦阻,不能够随心所欲的来执行严厉的管教(我想这句话,加尔文可能在想他自己在日内瓦的经验,那些长老们、市议会的会员们不让他做管教),the result is that even the openly wicked are not always removed.有些公开犯邪恶罪的人也没有被除掉。This I admit to be a fault,我承认,这个是过错,and I do not intend to excuse it,我也没有说这种过错,我没有为他找什么借口。But even if the church be slack in its duty,就算教会懒惰、疏忽,still each and every individual has not the right at once to take upon himself the decision to separate.不等于说,每一个人就马上有权可以离开教会,不要这样决定。最后一句It is one thing to flee the boon companionship of the wicked,是的,与邪恶的人划分界线是一回事,but it is another thing, to renounce the communion of the church.但是,否认与教会有所相通是另外一码事。
究竟怎么分辩呢?第二段加尔文就说了:我们不应当比保罗更严厉的,因为保罗劝什么?劝我们:He does not require that one examine another, or every one the whole church, but that each individual prove himself [I Cor. 11:28].保罗并没有说,每一个基督徒要监察其它的基督徒,保罗也没有说,每一个基督徒可以监察整个教会,乃是说“要自己省察自己(林前11:28)”。He requires each one to prove himself alone,每一个人要省察自己,we are not at all harmed if anyone unworthy foists himself upon us.所以,别人犯罪就不会影响我们. What follows agrees with this,下面一节(林前11:29)也是同样的教导: “He who eats unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon himself.人若不分辩这是主的身体,就是吃喝自己的罪。”Paul does not say “Upon others,保罗说;没有吃喝别人的罪”,“upon himself,只是吃喝自己的罪而已。” For individuals ought not to have the authority to determine who are to be received and who are to be rejected,个别的基督徒没有权柄去决定谁应当领圣餐,谁应当被拒绝,This cognizance belongs to the church as a whole,这个是教会整体判断的事情,and cannot be exercised without lawful order.也必须按照规矩,有秩序的去进行。
自称是完全的教会,乃从扭曲的思想而来
False Claim of Perfection Comes from Distorted Opinion
4.1.16
有些人看教会不顺眼,就等于宣告自己是完全的。加尔文说,这种的诱惑temptation,是因为over scrupulousness过分的严谨;也是因为pride骄傲,arrogance狂傲,false opinion of holiness对圣洁有错误的理解;还有contempt of all藐视众人。奥古斯丁是这样教导的(加尔文引用奥古斯丁一大段话):“The godly manner and measure of church discipline,敬虔的执行管教的方法和限制,ought at all times to be concerned with ‘the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ [Eph. 4:3]. 管教的目的主要是为了用和平彼此联络(弗4:3)。所以,这里的规矩,这里的原则是彼此的容忍。所以下面就说:Puffed up with pride有些人骄傲、obstinacy顽固、slanders诽谤、seditions引起骚乱、a rigid severity一个严厉规矩的假面具。我们应当有more moderate care,我们应当非常的温和,不破坏诚恳的爱心或者和平的联络。所以,奥古斯丁是这样说的,这段的最后: “Mercifully to correct what they can,我们要用怜悯来纠正别人,patiently to bear,要忍耐的容忍,lovingly to bewail and mourn .总之用爱心来哀叹。圣徒犯罪,我们伤心,用怜悯和忍耐的心去纠正。下面一段Let all godly men strive to equip themselves with this armor.一切的信徒都应当用这些的劝告来防范自己。
最后一段,加尔文指出五点:
1、在大众当中有许多观察不到的人,在神眼中其实是圣洁的。就是不要这么快就说整个教会都是有罪的。
2、那些不道德的人当中,有很多人是不以恶为可喜的,或者沉湎在其中的,也是有敬畏神的人的。
3、判断一个人不可以凭一次的行为,因为最圣洁的人也会跌倒的。
4、圣道的传讲与圣礼的施行,对保存教会的一体的影响是很大的,是不能因为少数不虔诚人的过错而被破坏的。
5、对教会的评估,最重要的是神的判断,不是我们人的判断。
除了两个教会的标记以外﹕自我省察 + 管教;管教保存教会的纯洁
In Addition to Church’s 2 Marks, Add Self-Examination + Discipline;
Discipline Preserves Church’s Purity
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另外一个考虑﹕基督 = 教会的元首;什么事得罪祂?
Another Consideration: Christ = Head of Church; What Affronts Him?
4.17.38
这个是Wendel引用出来的:“…since he has but one body of which he makes us participants,神只有一个教会,我们都是肢体,by this participation we too must necessarily be made all together one body,所以我们都成为一个身体了。None of the brethren may be despised, or rejected, violated or injured or in any way offended by us, without our similarly wounding, despising or offending Jesus Christ.我们不可藐视、拒绝、侵犯和伤害任何得罪我们的弟兄,我们若这样做,就同时伤害、藐视、得罪耶稣基督了;我们与弟兄不和、纷争,同时就是与基督不和、分割。
在这里,加尔文讲到:神的话语的宣讲与圣礼的施行是教会的标记。虽然,有教义上跟生活上的过错,我们也不要随便定罪说他们不是教会。这里我们也顺便提一提,加尔文其实讲到:教会的第三个标记——就是管教。
管教的三个目标
Three Aims of Discipline
4.12.5
In such corrections and excommunication the church has three aims of discipline.当教会要纠正、要革除人的会藉的时候,这种的管教有三个目标:
1、They who lead a filthy and infamous life may not called Christians.那些犯邪恶、污秽的人是不应当被称为“基督徒”,因为这样是对上帝不尊重的。
2、For since the Church is the self is body of Christ it cannot be corrupt by such foul and decay members without some disgrace for a upon his head.既然教会被称为基督的身体,教会的肢体犯罪的时候,总会让基督带来羞耻的,因为我们是穿戴着基督的名字的。
3、同样的,我们要preserves the order of the Lord’s Supper,保持圣餐要规规矩矩的遵守,不要随便的让它被玷污。
所以我们执行管教是很重要的。下面有一句话是早期教父(金嗓子)说的:If you fear a man, he will laugh at you.你假如惧怕人(就是讨好人的话),他们会嗤笑你的。But if you fear God,你如果敬畏神的话,you will revere also among man.早晚也会被人尊敬的。
所以,管教的三个目标:
1、不要让神的名得到羞辱;
2、That the good be not correct by the company by the weighted,近朱者赤,所以我们不要让不好的榜样污染一些会众;a little leaven ferment the whole lump,一点的面酵也能使全团发起来的;
3、That those overcome by bashing begin to repent,让那些受管教的人有羞耻,好叫他们开始悔改;be a waked and feel the rout. 让他们有神的杖管教、责打他们的时候,他们会醒过来,叫他们羞耻。
所以,暂时的被定罪,好叫他们在永远里得到救恩。保罗为什么说“把他们交给撒旦”呢?因为,撒旦是在教会外,而基督是在教会内。所以交给撒旦,就是交给教会外,把他赶出去而已的意思。
不同个案的教会管教(惩戒)
The Handling of Church Discipline in the Various Cases
4.12.6
从第二段开始,怎么样执行管教呢?some sins are public,有些罪是公开的,others, private or somewhat secret.有些是私隐的罪。Public sins are those witnessed not by one or two persons, but committed openly and to the offense of the entire church.公开的罪,就不是仅一、二个人见证,是公开的犯罪,特别是让整个教会的名声受到亏损的。那私隐的罪,不是说完全从人的眼目中隐藏,乃是说those of an intermediate sort, which are not unwitnessed, yet not public.并不是没有人见证,不过也不至于是一个公开的罪。总的来说,公开的罪就不需要按照太18:15先私下了,就是可以整个教会处理;私下的罪就要按照太18:15-17。
第二种的罪。In the second kind, according to that rule of Christ, the case does not come before the church until the sinner becomes obstinate.这个犯罪的人,他不肯悔改,然后才让他来到教会,才告诉教会。When it has come before the church,来到教会面前的时候, then the other division between crimes and faults is to be observed.我们也要分,这个罪是犯法,还是一般的犯错。For such great severity is not to be used in lighter sins, but verbal chastisement is enough,如果不是很严重的犯法的话,那么口头上的责备就足够了,– and that mild and fatherly,也要温柔的像父亲一般,– which should not harden or confuse the sinner,不要让他的心更加的钢硬,也不要让他的心中混乱,but bring him back to himself.要让他醒过来,回到清醒的状态。That he may rejoice rather than be sad that he has been corrected.我们要帮助他认识到“领受管教是喜乐的”,不是忧伤的。But shameful acts need to be chastised with a harsher remedy.但是,更羞耻的罪,就需要更严厉的纠正了。Nor is it enough if he, who by setting a bad example through his misdeed has gravely injured the church, be chastised only with words,假如有人犯罪,让整个教会都受亏损的话,光是用口头上的责备是不够的;but he ought for a time to be deprived of the communion of the Supper,应当让他有一段时间不许他领受圣餐,until he gives assurance of his repentance.直到教会清楚他已经悔改了。For Paul not only rebuked the Corinthian in words but banished him from the church,保罗对这一位犯淫乱的哥林多人,不仅仅是口头上责备,而且是革除他,离开教会,and chided the Corinthians for bearing with him so long [I Cor. 5:1-7].并且责备哥林多教会容忍他这么这么久。
The ancient and better church kept this procedure while lawful government flourished.早期的教会有正当的治理的方法,所以他们用了这个步骤的。For if anyone had committed a crime that caused offense, he was ordered first to abstain from partaking of the Sacred Supper,如果有人犯罪,令教会的名受损,他就不可以领受圣餐, then to humble himself before God,在神面前要谦卑,and witness his repentance before the church.还要在教会面前做见证,说他已经悔改了。There were, solemn rites customarily enjoined as marks of repentance upon those who had lapsed.所以,对于这些犯罪的人,教会有一些仪式来让他们见证他们的悔改的。When these had been performed to the satisfaction of the church, the penitent was received into grace with laying on of hands,这些忏悔的仪式做过之后,悔改那个人被再次接纳,进到教会,以按手礼来接纳他,a reception that Cyprian often calls “peace”. 居普良称这个为“和好礼”。He also briefly describes such a rite,他形容这种的仪式:“They do penance, for a set period;他们有一段时间补赎,或者是忏悔(就是做好行为),then they come to public confession,然后他们公开来认罪,and through the laying on of hands of bishop and clergy,让主教和牧师们按手,receive the right to communion.他们再一次能够领受圣餐。” Although the bishop with his clergy possessed a power of reconciliation,是的,主教和牧师们都有这种使人和好,再次进到教会、领受圣餐的这种权力,it required at the same time the consent of the people.但是,同时是需要有会众同意的。
我们在这里提一提:在早期的教会对那些领受、管教的,就是那些犯罪了,认罪,教会管教他们,他们有一段时期要忏悔、或者补赎的。这些人在教会里面会坐在某一个地方的前面,或者第一排的。所以讲道的聚会完了,圣餐之前还没有开始,他们和小孩子,或者还没有领受洗礼的;执事们deacon给他们一个总祷文Litany of the deacon,总的来说是祝福他们,接着他们离开,然后圣餐就开始。所以,无形中,这些受管教的人,在教会里面是有一个公开的地位。
在这里也顺便提一提:加尔文当时在日内瓦的时候,他给教会写了一个章程,在这个章程里面有提到各种不同的罪的。他说,有些罪是轻一点,有些罪是重一点的。加尔文说,有些的犯罪,特别在牧师的生命中是非常不应该容忍的;而and there are a force me and the other hand be an admonition offer(15:55)另一种,是应该有弟兄与弟兄之间的劝勉,就是不是用最严格的方法来管教的。
什么才算是最严厉的罪呢?——heresy异端、schism分裂教会、rebellion against executive order,背叛教会的秩序或者管教、blasphemy open and meriting civil punishment,亵渎神的名字(应该受政府的惩罚的)、corruption in presentations,金钱上的腐败、entry to occupy in others place,阴谋取夺别人的地位、leaving one’s church without lawful leave,没有得到准许而擅自离开自己教牧职位的、perjury偷盗、rudeness不干净的行为、drunkenness醉酒、assaults meriting punished by law,打人(这个应该受法律上制裁的)、a games for violate by the law,法律所不允许的游戏或者娱乐、and scandalous使教会名声受损的游戏、dances and similar dissoluteness,跳舞(当时有一、两家贵族家庭,他们是自由恋爱跳舞的,有舞会的,他们是非常的恨恶加尔文;可能因为他们,加尔文1538被赶走,后来又回来的)。
第二种就没有那么严厉的,只是用口头来劝勉的。Strange message of trading structure which do scandal,奇奇怪怪的讲道、解经的方法、令教会得到有丑闻,curiosity investigating no need questions,因好奇心太大而去探索一些不需要探索的神学问题,a one thing some doctrine a kind of practice not receipt in the church,在教会里面推动一些教会没有允许、或者说教会没有领受的做法,negligence in studying and reading scriptures,在读经、研经上懒惰,negligence in rebuking equal to friendly不管教、不责备就等于是讨好人,negligence in doing everything require by office,在牧师的职位上,疏忽他的责任,等等。这个是对牧师的重罪与轻罪之分,当然,还有其它对一般公民的重罪和轻罪之分。所以,管教的确是教会的标记的一种,加起来是三种。
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