Living in Christ’s Church Session 35

教会论与教会生活 第35讲

主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立、爱的天空&ZJY(CGY)_文字:傅昱川

教会的标志,第三个,本章的第六段。

第六段, Discipline as the Mark of the Church ,纪律或管教是教会的标志。

As a mark of the church, the sacraments flow from the Word. 圣礼从 神的话而出,是一个教会的标志。Church discipline flows from the Word and sacraments together. 教会的纪律,是从神的道和圣礼一起而出。

The preaching of the Word uses the keys of the kingdom. 当教会宣讲上帝的话的时候,教会就使用了天国的钥匙。马太福音10:14-15节:“凡不接待你们、不听你们话的人,你们离开那家,或是那城的时候,就把脚上的尘土跺下去。我实在告诉你们,当审判的日子,所多玛和蛾摩拉所受的,比那城还容易受呢。”马太福音16:19节:“我要把天国的钥匙给你,凡你在地上所捆绑的,在天上也要捆绑;凡你在地上所释放的,在天上也要释放。”马太福音18:18节:“我实在告诉你们,凡你们在地上所捆绑的,在天上也要捆绑;凡你们在地上所释放的,在天上也要释放。”

Preaching does not merely explain doctrine to impart Biblical information. 讲道不单单是解释教义、不单单传递《圣经》的资讯。It demands a decision, 讲道是要求人作决定。and holds men accountable before God. 讲道使人要在上帝面前负责。The preacher reproves, rebukes, exhorts, 讲道者会责备、会劝告, with all longsuffering. 用诸般的忍耐来劝告、用诸般的教导来劝告。提摩太后书4:2节:“务要传道,无论得时不得时总要专心,并用百般的忍耐、各样的教训责备人,警戒人,劝勉人。”Discipline exists therefore in the very act of preaching the will of God. 所以,当讲道的时候,讲上帝的旨意这个举动本身就有了纪律或者管教了,就是讲道是一个广义上的管教。

As the sacraments are observed further discipline is necessarily involved. 而当教会要守圣礼的时候呢,就必然需要进一步的纪律。The sacraments are not simply made available by the church, they are administered in Christ’s name. 不仅仅是教会施行圣礼,圣礼是奉基督的名施行的。Baptism requires the profession of Christ’s name by the convert or by the parent of the child. 洗礼是要求那个归主的、受洗的人承认、相信基督的名,或者是婴孩的父母亲要这样地承认、相信。

The “fencing of the table” at the Lord’s Supper, 在圣餐的桌前有所要求, 把领圣餐的人限制,means that the requirements Christ makes for participation in the Kingdom feast must be clearly stated. 这意思就是说, 耶稣基督对参与这个天国筵席的要求,必须清楚地说出。我加一个注脚:“fencing of the table,“fencing” 这个字是动词,假如用在名词是指栏杆,就是说在圣餐的桌前筑一个栏杆。譬如说,在宗教改革之后的教会,他们可能会这样子来限制谁可以领圣餐。 他们会举行一次祷告会,在圣餐主日之前,那凡是去这个祷告会,当然就是请将自己的心悔改等等,他们得到一个记号,好像一个铜板的那个东西,凭这个东西来参加圣餐。

早期的教会,在圣餐聚会之前他们会有一些执事,为那些不能够领圣餐的人(孩子们、还没有洗礼的人、受洗但在教会的惩戒之下的人),为这三种人作一个总祷文litany,就是为他们祷告。之后呢,就请他们出去关上门,然后圣餐开始,这个是在第三、第四世纪的作法。刚才我讲的去祷告会,大概十六、十七世纪的作法。“fencing of the table”,不是每一个人崇拜都可以领圣餐。那如何执行这个规条、这个要求呢,不同时代有不同的作法。

Since the later stages of discipline may involve suspension from communion or even excommunication, 既然纪律最后的步骤可能就牵涉到一个人不能领圣餐这种的,suspension,这种暂时的惩罚,或者甚至开除会籍。it is clear that the elders of the church bear responsibility for those to whom they serve communion. 很明显的是,教会的各位长老负责谁能够从他们手上领圣餐。

That stewardship is not easily discharged when spiritual discipline is so little understood. 当教会的属灵的纪律是不被理解的时候,这种的管家事工是很难执行的。就是说,教会很难执行谁能够领圣餐,假如教会,基督徒都不了解什么叫做“纪律”。

Certainly the disciplinary care of the flock of Christ cannot suddenly emerge at the communion table if it has elsewhere been completely neglected. 当然,假如教会在其他方面完全忽略纪律的话,你不能够突然之间,在圣餐的桌前开始做这种对基督羊群的管教牧养。Elders are chosen from men, who have maintained order in their own households by loving discipline. 长老就是从那些在自己的家里面用爱、管教的家长选出来的。They are expected to show no less care for the family of God. 正如他们管教自己的家一样,他们在管理上帝的家,也要有同样的谨慎,不能比这个更少。

To apply the marks of the church to specific congregations and denominations is sometimes very easy and sometimes very difficult. 把教会这三方面的标志(就是忠心地传讲上帝的话、忠心地施行圣礼、忠心地执行纪律),把这些标志应用在个别的教会或宗派上,有的时候很容易,有的时候非常地困难。We may not reject a church for every deviation of doctrine or life. 我们不能够因为某某教会在某一个教义上偏差,或者某一种生活上的偏差,就拒绝她、不承认她是教会。

If we did, the church of Corinth in Paul’s day would have been found apostate and so would our own. 若是如此的话,那么,保罗时期的哥林多教会,就是一个离经背道的教会。而我们自己所属的教会,也会是一个离经背道的教会。

Calvin can easily state extremes in the seriousness of doctrinal divergence. 加尔文讨论到在教义上偏差是多么严肃的一件事情的时候,他很容易地指出一些极端的立场。No church can be acknowledged that rejects such cardinal doctrines,教会若不承认这些最基要的教义的话,我们不能承认她是教会。什么基要的教义呢?there is one God, 唯有一位真神,that Christ is God and the Son of God. 基督是 神,是 神的儿子,our salvation depends on the mercy of God. 我们的救恩是依靠上帝的怜悯,《基督教要义》第四卷第一章12段。

But no church should be declared apostate for professing ignorance as to the location of the souls of departed Christians,though being firmly convinced that they are with the Lord. 假如有一间教会,她承认不知道死去的基督徒的灵魂是究竟在什么地方,虽然他们是很坚信他们是与主在一起。他们只要不能说出基督徒的灵魂去了哪里的话,你不应该称这个教会是离经背道的。The problem, of course, arises with doctrines not as fundamental as the first group but more central than the second. 当然, 问题在哪里呢?就是当我们要讨论到一些不好像“唯独一个真神”那么基要的真理,但是又不像那个“死去的基督徒去哪里”那个次要的真理之间的那些教义,判断就非常难了。

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Calvin himself struggled with the question of the apostasy of the church of Rome. 加尔文自己也有所挣扎,究竟罗马天主教在什么程度上是离经背道的呢?He concluded that, 他在《基督教要义》第四卷第二章第12段这样子的结论:”the form of the legitimate Church is not to be found either in any one of their congregations, or in the body at large. 他说,这个合理的教会的形式,不仅仅是在某某堂会, 或者在整个教会整体。At the same time he does not deny that there are vestiges of the church that remain, 同时他也不会否认教会有一些残余的记号。and that in a qualified sense it is possible to speak of churches among the “Papists”. 所以,当我们有所解释的时候,也有可能说在天主教里面有一些教会的(《基督教要义》第四卷第二章11-12段)。

For Calvin, the decisive issue was the doctrine of the mass as a renewal of Christ’s sacrifice. 对加尔文来说,最关键性的问题是:天主教教导弥撒乃是再一次地将基督献上为祭。Since no true believer can conscientiously participate in the mass as defined by Roman Catholic theology. 既然没有一个真的信徒能够凭良心参加罗马天主教神学所理解的弥撒,and since the Church insists upon participation in the mass on those terms, 而既然天主教坚持人要领弥撒,就按照罗马天主教的理解来领受,separation from the Roman communion is forced upon those who would be true to Christ and Scripture. 因此呢,那些愿意忠于基督和《圣经》的人呢,就没有选择,离开天主教是一个强制性的、必须做的事了。

We cannot evade the responsibility of determining in various situations whether a church be true or false. 我们不能逃避责任,在某些情况究竟一个教会是真的,还是假的?Our response must be true to the requirements of Scripture and the love of Christ. 我们的回应必须要对《圣经》的要求忠诚,也对基督的爱忠诚。

Above all, we must always examine ourselves, 最重要的是:我们必须要自我省察。and seek to guard our own communion from the wiles of the Devil and the weakness of the flesh. 最重要的是我们自己省察,也要保护我们自己教会的团契,不让魔鬼的诡计和肉体的软弱所干扰。

Review Questions.温习的问题,四条:

第一条,What are the features or attributes of the church as they are given in the Nicene Creed?《尼西亚信经》说教会有哪些特质,或者是哪些的属性呢?How did the Roman Catholic Church understand these attributes to be the marks of the church? 罗马天主教是如何了解这些属性就是教会的标志呢?

第二条,How did the Reformers reply to the charge that the Reformed churches did not have the attributes, and therefore the marks of the church? 改教家如何回应天主教的控告,说改革宗的教会没有教会的属性,因此没有教会的标志呢?

第三条问题,How did the Reformers understand the place of Scripture in identifying the true church? 宗教改革的领袖们如何了解要指出哪一个是真教会的时候,《圣经》该扮演怎么样的角色?

第四(条),What are the marks of the church according to the Reformers? 根据改教家教会的标志是哪一些呢?

Discussion Questions.讨论问题,有四条。

  1. 第一条,Is the Unitarian church a Christian church? 那个不承认三位一体的唯一神教派,是不是基督教教会呢?How do the marks of the church help you to answer this question? 教会的标志如何帮助你回答这个问题呢?Discuss this same question with relation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,用同样的原则来讨论“基督末日降临的教会”(就是摩门教), or other sects with which class members are familiar. 或者讨论其他班上的弟兄姊妹所熟悉的一些旁门异教。
  2. 第二,What changes or denials in doctrine would make a church clearly apostate? 当教会做出教义上什么样的改变或否认,教会就很清楚地成为离经背道呢?Are there failures in practice that would constitute apostasy? 会不会在一些作法上,会让教会成为离经背道呢?Consider, for example, support for repressive governments. 譬如说,支持某些有压迫性的政府,ordination of homosexuals to the ministry. 或者按立同性恋者成为传道人。Identify errors or failures that would not in themselves constitute apostasy. 可以指出一些的错误或者是忽略本身,不构成离经背道吗?Where would you draw the line according to Scripture? 那按照《圣经》,你会在哪里画那条界线呢?
  3. 第三条问题,Must a church be clearly apostate to justify a group in separating from it? 教会是否应该很明显地离经背道,这样子,一群人离开这个教会或者宗派是合理的?Calvin held that it was necessary to separate from the Roman Catholic Church to avoid the sin of participating in the mass. 加尔文的立场是必须离开罗马天主教,才能够避免参加弥撒这个罪。J. Gresham Machen took the same position, 梅钦也采取同样的立场,when the Presbyterian Church (USA) insisted that it was as necessary to support the missionary program of the church (including modernistic missionaries) as to come to the Lord’s Table. 因为当时美国长老会坚持支持教会,就是长老会总会的宣教事工,包括支持一些自由派信仰的宣教士(譬如说,司徒雷登、赛珍珠等等),与来到圣餐桌前领圣餐,是同样必须的。所以呢,梅钦说教会既然这样地坚持就离开,这个也是合理的吗?
  4. 第四题,Suppose a church has neglected doctrinal discipline for so long and so seriously that heresy abounds and is regarded as acceptable in a pluralistic church. 我们假设一个教会,忽略了教义上的纪律,有很长的时间,也是很严重地忽略教义上的纪律。因此到处都是异端,这些异端在一个多元的教会也可以被接纳。Can separation then be justified as discipline in reverse? 那是否我们可以说,离开这个教会是合理的,这个是倒过来的纪律。That is, since you cannot exclude the unbelieving teachers from your fellowship you exclude yourself from theirs.也就是说,你既然不能开除那些不信的教师,离开你的教会,那么你就把自己从教会除去,或者反过来的惩戒。

Chapter 12 第十二章,The Ministry of the Church 教会的事工。

The teaching of the Bible about the church constantly points us to the Lord of the church and to the heavenly nature of God’s earthly people. 《圣经》关于教会的教导,一次、再次地向我们指出:教会之主是谁?然后,上帝在地上的子民那种属天的性质。The structure of the church is therefore God-centered. 因此,教会的结构是以 神为中心的。The church is not just another voluntary organization, 教会不单单是社会另外一个自愿团体,set up to accomplish whatever ends its organizers think most appropriate. 教会的设立呢,是要成就它的领导者认为最恰当的目标,不是的。

The church is the community of God’s saving rule, 教会是上帝所拯救、上帝所治理、统治的群体,and the goals and forms of its ministry are determined by God. 所以,教会的目标、教会事工的形式,是由上帝来决定的。

第一段,Section 1,The Goals of Ministry 教会事工的目标。(顺便一提,第二段就是The Means of the Ministry,第二段就是方法。)

第一段,The Goals of Ministry。What is the Lord’s purpose in calling His people?主呼召祂的百姓,目的是什么呢?Scripture presents a threefold purpose. 《圣经》提出三个目标:The first is directed to the Lord Himself. 第一个是指向主祂自己的。the church is called to be a worshiping assembly. 上帝呼召教会作为一个敬拜的聚会。所以,召会、神召会这些名词就是表达这个。We are a royal priesthood, 我们是君尊的祭司群;a holy nation, 圣洁的国度;a people for God’s own possession, 是归属上帝独有的、祂的子民,that we may show forth the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9).好叫我们宣扬那位呼召他们出黑暗、进入祂奇妙光明那位的美德。(彼得前书2:9节)

Paul’s apostolic calling had as its purpose the hymn of praise that would rise to God’s name from the Gentiles. 上帝呼召保罗作使徒的目标,就是要在外邦人中间,兴起称颂上帝名字的赞美。罗马书15:8~16节:我说,基督是为上帝真理作了受割礼人的执事,要证实所应许列祖的话,并叫外邦人因他的怜悯荣耀上帝。如经上所记:因此,我要在外邦中称赞你,歌颂你的名;又说:你们外邦人当与主的百姓一同欢乐;又说:外邦啊,你们当赞美主!万民哪,你们都当颂赞他!又有以赛亚说:将来有耶西的根,就是那兴起来要治理外邦的;外邦人要仰望他。但愿使人有盼望的上帝,因信将诸般的喜乐、平安充满你们的心,使你们藉着圣灵的能力大有盼望!弟兄们,我自己也深信你们是满有良善,充足了诸般的知识,也能彼此劝戒。但我稍微放胆写信给你们,是要提醒你们的记性,特因上帝所给我的恩典,使我为外邦人作基督耶稣的仆役,作上帝福音的祭司,叫所献上的外邦人,因着圣灵成为圣洁,可蒙悦纳。

Since the church is assembled before the Lord to praise Him, 既然上帝聚集教会在祂面前,要赞美祂。the doxological ministry of the church can never be a means to anything but the glory of God. 因此,教会敬拜赞美的事工,只能够是荣耀 神的一个方法,不能有另外的用途的。

下一讲我们继续讲教会,上帝呼召教会存在的第二和第三个目的是什么?

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