亚伯拉罕信心之旅_01_应许遥不可及时WHEN PROMISES SEEM FAR AWAY: Abraham’s Journey of Faith (1)
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立弟兄
- 祷告：天父上帝，爱我们的救主耶稣：我们感谢你赐我们这样的时间和机会，一同来听神的话语。感谢神你来统管一切；我们身边的大大小小的事都能怎么样合理的安排我们的时间，能够把神的道，把福音能够传出去。使我们在耶稣基督的恩典上不断地有所长进。感谢神透过林慈信牧师接下来的证道。主啊，你保守我们所听的、所讲的都同受一位圣灵感动。谢谢你，如此祷告奉耶稣基督得胜名求，阿们！
- 这系列的信息是“应许遥不可及时：亚伯拉罕信心之旅”This is a sermons serious in title “When Promises Seems Far Away: Abraham‘s journey of faith”——The First Message第一讲：Why Should We Study Abraham我们为什么需要研究亚伯拉罕呢？And Then How Should We Study Him or How Should We Study Bible characters我们应该怎么研究亚伯拉罕、或者广一点：我们应该怎么样去研究《圣经》人物呢？
Very often we only approach the characters in the bible as characters studies我们很多时候呢只是用一个人物查经法来研究圣经里的人物的，is this right这样做对吗？First of all首先，The 《New Testament》 did tell us that 《Old Testament》 stories about God’s people were examples首先没有错，《新约》圣经有告诉我们，《旧约》圣经里人物的故事是榜样。But don’t forget: these examples are particularly for our warning但是不要忘记：这些榜样特别是为警告我们的——《I Corinthians》10:11《哥林多前书》十章11节：Now these things happened to them as an example， but they were written down for our instruction， on whom the end of the ages have come他们遭遇这些事都要作为鉴戒，并且写在经上，正是警戒我们这末世的人——警戒这些末世临到的我们这些人。
Well， how then should we approach our study of Abraham那么，我们应该用什么径路来研究亚伯拉罕呢？We must see the examples. We must see the warnings是的，我们要看到他的榜样、看到警告；But there’s also more than that但是也不仅仅是这么多的。
1.亚伯拉罕是我们信心的榜样：
First thing we want to see今天我们第一件事情要看到的是：Yes，Abraham is an example for our faith是的，亚伯拉罕是我们信心的榜样。He is the most important the greatest of the heroes of faith他在圣经里的信心伟人、信心英雄是最伟大的。He is our example他是我们的榜样，he is more than our example，but he is an example他不仅仅是榜样，但是他是榜样。
《Hebrews》 Chapter 11 spends more verses on Abraham than any other person in《Old Testament》《希伯来书》第十一章夸赞亚伯拉罕的篇幅远远长过任何其他一位的旧约人物的。《Hebrews》 11:8a《希伯来书》第十一章8节：By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance亚伯拉罕因着信，蒙召的时候就遵命出去，往将来要得为业的地方去…。
Earlier in 《Hebrews》 11:2在上面一点点——《希伯来书》第十一章第2节：For by it that is by faith the people of old received their commendation——中文的新译本：因着这信心，古人得到了称许、他们得到称赞的。
What is Faith那么信心是什么呢：We all know 《Hebrews》11:1我们都认识熟悉《希伯来书》第十一章第1节：Faith is the assurance of things hoped for，the conviction of things not seen信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。
But this comes close to a definition of fate这个很靠近一个信心的定义。John Calvin gives us a full definition of fate in his 《Institutes of the Christian Religion》加尔文在他的《基督教要义》给我们一个很完整的信心的定义：Book 3，Chapter 2，Section 7卷三第二章第7段，他说He says——A right definition of faith信心一个完整的定义：A firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence toward us，founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ， both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit信心，是对神的慈爱一种不变而确实的认识——真的认识神的慈爱，而这个认识是以基督那个白白的应许的真实性作为根据的；并且藉者圣灵向我们的思想所启示、在我们心里面所证实的，或者是印证的，这个就是信心的定义。
In other words，faith is to really know that God loves me信心就是真实的知道神爱我。Because all the promises in the Bible are true因为圣经里说应许都是真的。And they all had to do with Jesus Christ这些应许都跟主耶稣基督有关——《II Corinthians》1:20《哥林多后书》第一章第20节。And Holy Spirit takes these promises and in prints in my heart圣灵把这些应许刻印在我的心版上，because the Holy Spirit reveal them to me and in prints in my heart因为圣灵把这些应许向我起誓、也刻印在我的心里面。I know these comes true我知道这些应许是真的，these promises do with Jesus Christ这些应许是讲到耶稣基督的，because they are about Jesus Christ因为这应许是讲耶稣基督；and I believe him因为我相信他，therefore I know surely that God loves me因此我知道、确实知道：上帝爱我！That’s Calvin’s definition这个是加尔文的定义。
Hundreds of years later in《The Westminster Confession of Faith》一百多年之后，在《威斯敏斯特信仰告白》，Chapter 14 ，Section 2在十四章第2段，The Puritan give us this definition清教徒给了我们这个的定义：By this faith， a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word， for the authority of God himself speaking therein藉者这个信息呢，基督徒相信：凡在圣经里所启示都是真实的；因为那个是上帝以自己的权威在这些应许里面说话的——So the first sentence echos what Calvin says这个第一句呢就回应、回响加尔文所说的：Faith is true firmly believe in God’s promises信心是抓住神的应许的。And faith acts differently upon that which each particular passage of scripture contains而信心呢对圣经各处的经文，不同的经文产生不同的回应：Yielding obedience to the commands对命令，信心会顺服；trembling at the threatenings对警告会畏惧；and embracing the promises of God for this life and for the life which is to come还有对今生和来生的应许，欢喜地领受、牢牢抓住、持守。And embrace the promises of God领受抓住神的应许的。So faith is responsible to God’s words所以信心是对神话语的回应——Commands、promises、warnings圣经里的命令、应许和警告。So faith is not something vague所以信心不是很含糊的；It is a specific response to the different types of words in the word of God信心是对圣经里神的话语里面不同的话语指定的回应。But the principal acts of saving faith可是，使人得救的信心的主要表现是accepting、receiving and resting upon Christ alone for justification、sanctification and eternal life by virtue of the Covenant of Grace但是信心主要的表现是凭着恩典之约接受基督、领受基督、单单依靠基督，得以称义、成圣、得永生。Faith in another words is trusting in God’s Word—— many kinds of God’s word. Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ换言之，信心是相信神的话——不论是应许、命令；信心是相信耶稣基督。These are two sides of the same coin:Believing in God’s Word，Believing in Christ信神的话、信基督是一件事情的两面。
2.So Abraham is an example of this faith亚伯拉罕是这种信心的榜样：
He held on and embrace the promises of God他抓住、领受神的应许，and obey God’s commands也遵行神的命令的。But the second thing we must see可能第二件事情我们要看到的是：Abraham’s faith is a faith that justifies亚伯拉罕的信心是使人称义的信心。Not just an ordinary hope or faith不是一般的盼望或者信心；Not just believing that “things will be better tomorrow.”不是说“盼望明天会更好”的那种的信心。Abraham’s faith was an instrument for justification ，He was standing（11：53）with God亚伯拉罕的信心是一个方法，使他因信称义，在上帝面前得到一个被神接纳的地位的——《Romans》4:3《罗马书第》四章第3节：“Abraham believed God， and it was recond or imputed to him as righteousness.” 『亚伯拉罕信上帝，这就算为他的义。』 Same thing is that in 《Galatians》 3:6《加拉太书》第三章第6节也同样的说『亚伯拉罕信上帝，这就算为他的义』。So we are not only dealing with our Christian work，we are dealing with our salvation所以这里面不仅仅是讲我们行事为人带有信心，在讲我们得救的事情、称义的事情justification。Now let’s turn the table back我们要转过来说，it is this faith that justifies that we are studying我们研究的是这个使亚伯拉罕称义的信心；But then when we have settled the question of justification that is our standing before God，then we can face the issue how should we then live我们解决了称义的问题——我们解决了在神面前地位的问题之后，就能够、也才能够正视怎么样行事为人。
3.第三方面我们要看到的：in other words换言之Abraham——the father of our faith，he believed in the Gospel.He believed in Jesus Christ换言之，我们的信心之父亚伯拉罕他信福音，他信耶稣基督。
《Galatians》 3:8《加拉太书》第三章第8节：And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith， Scripture preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham《圣经》既然预先看到，上帝要叫外邦人因信称义，就早已传福音给亚伯拉罕……。Scripture——of course the Holy Spirit author of Scripture preached the Gospel to Abraham圣经——当然是指圣经的作者圣灵宣讲了福音给亚伯拉罕的。Abraham believed in the Gospel when he was preached福音传给亚伯拉罕的时候他相信，and he saw Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ’s dead他也看到耶稣基督，也看到耶稣基督道成肉身的日子——《John》 8:56《约翰福音》八章56节：Jesus said to the Jews耶稣对犹太人说：Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day你们的祖宗亚伯拉罕欢欢喜喜地仰望我的日子。He saw it and was glad他看见了就快乐。Abraham believed in Christ，he believed in Gospel亚伯拉罕相信的是耶稣基督，他相信了福音。It is this faith that justifies us是这个信心使我们称义的。Now we turn around and say this is the same faith that sanctifies us我们现在转过来说：同样一个使我们称义的信心，是我们成圣的。So Abraham believed in Christ ，and this faith justifies him所以亚伯拉罕相信耶稣基督，这个信心使他称义。
4.Now the Fourth thing we must see第四件事情我们要看到的：He is not only an example of justification by faith他不仅仅是因信称义的一个榜样，He is not only the example of trusting in Jesus Christ他不单单是相信耶稣基督的榜样；the Fourth thing we must see我们要看到的第四件事情是：Abraham was an instrument in God’s plan of redemption亚伯拉罕是上帝救赎计划里面的一个器皿。He was alos an instrument in God’s plan of revelation他也是上帝的启示计划里的器皿——instrument in God’s redemption、instrument in God’s revelation上帝救赎里面的器皿、上帝启示里面的器皿；We are not我们不是。
That is why Abraham is more than an example of our faith所以亚伯拉罕不仅仅是我们的信心的榜样。Ever since 《Genesis》3:15从《创世记》第三章第15节一直下来，God has been accomplishing、executing his plan of salvation上帝一直在实现、在执行他的救恩，all the way to the death、resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ一直到基督的死、复活和升天的。And Abraham was part of that plan亚伯拉罕是那个计划的一部分。
In fact，from 《Genesis》12:1 on words事实上从《创世记》第十二章第1节开始，all the way to 《Revelation》一直到启示录，everything except the First eleven chapter of the Bible整本圣经除了同前面的十一章，was all about Abraham and his children都是讲亚伯拉罕跟他的后裔——Abraham and his descendants亚伯拉罕和他的子孙的。And for the story of Abraham takes us to Jesus Christ：his Incarnation、his life、his death and resurrection and ascension所以亚伯拉罕的故事一直引我们到耶稣基督道成肉身、他的一生、他的死、他的复活、他的升天的。Jesus has finished salvation——he has accomplished耶稣完成了救恩了——他成就了救恩了。He died and he rose in the death他死了、他复活了。We are now the part of the plan and wish the holy spirit applies with redemption that is he brings redemption that Jesus accomplished into our hearts现在，圣灵施行救恩；换言之圣灵把基督所成就的救恩引进到罪人的心里面。Now as Jesus rose in the death当耶稣基督复活之后呢，Twice he explained to the disciples两次他向门徒们解释，he said that the 《Old Testament》 revelation was centered on his sufferings and glorification他说：《旧约圣经》的启示是以祂的受苦和他进入到荣耀为中心的。
《Luke 》24:25-27 & 44-48两次的，《路加福音》24:25-27节，然后 44-48节，verse25，25节：“O foolish ones， and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 『无知的人哪，先知所说的一切话，你们的心信得太迟钝了。基督这样受害，又进入他的荣耀，岂不是应当的吗？And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets，he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures things concerning himself.于是从摩西和众先知开始，凡是经上所指着自己的话都给他们讲解明白了。未经同意，请勿擅自在其它网站或平台转载和刊登课程的逐字稿；课程的逐字稿的版权归「中华展望」，禁止复印出版等商业用途。ccnci.org中华展望圣约学院[email protected]
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