中文第一课 （lesson 1）我相信
第一课 （lesson 1）我相信 分类：信经 Creed 作者：CSI 点击数：2188 Lesson One: I Believe 第一课：我相信 A. In 2 Corinthians (4:13), Paul quotes this Old Testament passage: “I believed; therefore I have spoken” (Ps. 116:10). St. Paul was reminded of these words by what he had recently suffered. Despite the problems that had nearly overwhelmed him, he had experienced yet again the Lord’s mercy and safe deliverance. Once again he had been confirmed in his faith. As a result, he testified of his gratitude to the Lord by confessing the central truth of his faith: We also believe, and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus, and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace which is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God (2 Cor. 4:14-15). 在哥林多后书(4:13)中，保罗引用了旧约中的这句话：“我因信，所以如此说话”(诗篇116:10)。圣徒保罗因为自己当时的遭遇而提到这句话。尽管困境使得保罗几乎不知所措，但是他再次经历了主的怜悯和看顾。他再次在信心上被坚立。由此，他通过对真理的认信做了对主感恩的见证： 我们也信，所以也说话。自己知道那叫主耶稣复活的，也必叫我们与耶稣一同复活，并且叫我们与你们一同站在他面前。凡事都是为你们，好叫恩惠因人多越发加增，感谢格外显多，以致荣耀归于神(哥林多后书4:14-15)。 B. For the most part we write creeds and use them in our worship services to proclaim the goodness of God in Christ. The word creed comes from the Latin credo, the first word in the Apostles’ and the Nicene Creeds. It is usually translated, “I believe.” This Latin word also meant, “I have confidence in; I rely upon.” The word corresponds to the Greek word for “faith” or “trust” (pistis). Faith then is nothing but childlike trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. This is the very heart of the Gospel: “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom 3:28). 我们写信经并在敬拜中使用它们是为了宣告上帝在基督里的美意。信经这个词来自使徒信经和尼西亚信经中的第一个词，拉丁语credo信条。它常被翻译成，“我信”。这个拉丁语单词也有“我对…有信心；我信靠”的意思。这个词与希腊语 (pistis)“信心”或“相信”这个词的意思一致。 信心就是如孩童般相信基督使我们罪得赦免并给我们永生和救恩。这是福音的最关键内容：“所以我们看定了：人称义因着信，不在乎遵行律法”(罗马书3:28)。 C. St. Paul has further demonstrated the very clear connection between our saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and our confession of that faith: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Rom. 10:9-10). So, the CREED is a confession from the heart of a Christian’s innermost convictions regarding the living God and God’s relationship to him. When a Christian confesses his faith, he is declaring his trust in God. He is also giving God credit for what He has done and still does to save him. 圣徒保罗更详细地说明了我们在主耶稣基督里救恩的信心与认信之间非常明显的联系： 如果你口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救。因为人心里相信，就可以称义；口里承认，就可以得救(罗马书10:9-10)。 因此，信经是基督徒心底对所确信的永活的上帝和上帝与基督徒关系的承认。当一个基督徒认信时，他就宣告了他相信上帝。他也将上帝已经做的与仍然为拯救他而做的事归荣耀与上帝。 D. Homologia (confession) is another important word commonly used in the Greek New Testament. Very early in the life of the New Testament Christian Church, the followers of our Savior confessed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and the Lord (Rom. 10:9), or the Son of God (Matt. 16:16). At the beginning of our Savior’s public ministry, John the Baptist is very careful to make the confession that he is “not the Christ” (John 1:20); on the contrary, St. John, the Apostle, declares that “everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1), and that “if anyone acknowledges (confesses) that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God (1 John 4:15). Today we also call our specific creeds “Confessions.” We say that the Lutheran Book of Concord contains “the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.” Homologia (confession 信仰告白)是另一个在希腊语的新约中常常用到的重要单词。在最早期新约基督徒教会的生活中，我们救主的追随者承认拿撒勒的耶稣就是基督也是主(罗马书10:9)，或者说是上帝的儿子(马太福音16:16)。在我们救主公开传教的初期，施洗约翰对于他自己“不是基督”的陈述非常谨慎(约翰福音1:20)；相反地，圣徒约翰，这位使徒宣告“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从神而生”(约翰一书5:1)，而且“凡认(confesses承认)耶稣为神儿子的，神就住在他里面，他也住在神里面”(约翰一书4:15)。如今我们也称我们特定的信经为“信仰告白”。我们说路德的协同书包含“福音派路德教会信仰告白”。 E. The confession (homologia) then represents the basic core of the Christian faith. But such confessions soon became far more than a personal declaration of the faith by individual Christians and personal proclamations of the Gospel (Rom. 10:8-10; 2 Cor. 4:5; 2 Tim. 2:8). In an expanded form they were also a standard or norm for the true faith. In this way they were also used to combat false doctrine. One of the earliest instances of this use is found in 1 Cor. 15:3-7 (written by St. Paul about 57 A. D.). For in this letter Paul sets forth in a rather formal way a confession he has received. He does this in order to fight the heretics who were denying the resurrection. Many other short statements of doctrine are found throughout the New Testament. The Letter to the Hebrews frequently alludes to the confession (homologia) to which his readers should hold fast (Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:23). 那么信仰告白所代表的就是基督徒信仰的基本核心。但是这样的信仰告白不久就成为远不止是单个基督徒的个人信仰宣告和福音的个人宣言(罗马书10:8-10；哥林多后书4:5；提摩太后书2:8)。从更广的范围来说，他们还作为衡量真信心的标准或准则。因此，他们也被用作与错误教导的斗争。其中最早这样使用的一个例子就是哥林多前书15:3-7(由圣徒保罗写于公元57年前后)。因为在这封信中，保罗以一种相当正式的方式阐明了他所接收的信仰告白。他这样做是为了对抗否认耶稣复活的异端教导。很多其他简短的教义陈述贯穿新约始终。给希伯来人的信中不断向他的读者提到他们应该牢牢抓住的信仰告白 (homologia) (希伯来书3:1；4:14；10:23)。 F. In the Ancient Church, another word came to be employed for a creed or statement of faith, namely, “symbol.” We are not really sure today how this word “symbol” came to designate a creed. The Greek word from which “symbol” is derived meant “to put together,” and then to compare things, to see the relationship, the similarity or dissimilarity. And so the word symbolum, both in its Latin and Greek forms, carried the basic meaning of a sign, or a token (a badge by which one is known), and then a confession or creed which identified one’s beliefs. By the Third Century, “symbol” referred to the questions and answers which were part of the baptism service. These were based on the Trinitarian Formula commanded by our Savior: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt. 28:18-20). 在早期教会中，有另一个词被用于代表信经或信仰告白，即“symbol标志”。我们现在还不是非常确定“标志”这个词如何被确定为信经的名称。希腊语中“标志”这个词源于“集中”并将不同事物进行比较从而找出彼此之间的关系和异同的意思。因此，symbolum (信经)这个词在拉丁语和希腊语中同时具有的基本意义是记号或象征(众所周知的标记)并且信仰告白或信经代表了一个人的信仰。直到三世纪，“标志”这个词一直指的是洗礼仪式中的问答。这些问答都是基于我们救主所吩咐的三位一体论： 天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了。所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守(马太福音28:18-20)。 G. Later, “symbol” became the regular title for a declaratory creed (a special term for a creed in which a believer makes a personal statement of faith). The three most important declaratory creeds are the Apostles’, the Nicene and the Athanasian Creeds. These are fixed formulas summarizing the essential articles of the Christian faith, emphasizing especially those doctrines under attack at that time within the church. A “symbol” thus was also a badge, or banner, or confession, which identified the Christian as orthodox over against heretics. 在此之后，“标志”成为宣言信经 (信徒作个人信仰陈述时使用的对信经的特殊术语) 的常规代名词。最重要的三个宣言信经是使徒信经、尼西亚信经和亚大纳西信经。这些是概括了基督徒信仰必要条款的固定表述，他们尤其强调了那时在教会中受到攻击的那些教义。因此，“标志”也是一种代表与异端相对的正统基督徒的标记或标题或信仰告白。 H. Our Savior and His Apostles have given many warnings in the inspired Scriptures that Christians should believe, teach, and confess all things commanded by Christ (Matt. 28:19-20; John 8:31-32). The New Testament further taught that the followers of Christ are to avoid those who believe and teach anything contrary to the Apostolic doctrine they had learned (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9-10). 我们的救主和他的使徒们已经在神所默示的圣经中告诫基督徒们要相信、教导和承认所有基督所吩咐的事情(马太福音28:19-20；约翰福音8:31-32)。新约中进一步教导基督的追随者要远离那些相信和教导任何与使徒们从基督那里所学到教导相悖的人(罗马书16:17；约翰二书9-10)。 I. The Early Church took these admonitions seriously and did not practice church fellowship with those who denied the Apostolic doctrine. Some leaders in the modern Ecumenical Movement falsely assert that the Ancient Church was essentially one in doctrine and in fellowship. It is equally false that this external unity was based on some vague statement about the Lordship of Jesus, so that various false viewpoints could live peacefully in the church. Because they desired to be faithful to what they had received, the first Christians used baptismal questions and answers, creed and formulas, to determine that a person really believed the true faith. 早期教会慎重地接受了这些告诫并且不与那些否认使徒教义的人进行团契。一些现代教会合一运动的领导者错误地坚称早期教会在教义和团契里合一。这等同于错误地认为外部合一是基于对耶稣主权的含糊陈述，这样各样错误的观点可以在教会中和平共存。因为他们渴望忠实于他们所领受的，最初的基督徒用洗礼的问答、信经和固定表述来判定一个人是否真正相信真道。 J. In the Early Church not everyone was permitted to worship and participate in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Those who were uninstructed or had not yet finished instruction were excluded from communion. Others were first examined to find out whether their beliefs were in harmony with what was taught in Scripture. The rule of the Ancient Church was: No participation in the sacred Means of Grace with heretics or schismatics. “The Early Church was never in doubt that unity in doctrine is a prerequisite of alter fellowship. No one who taught false doctrine might receive holy communion in an orthodox congregation: (Elert, p. 109). Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea (c. 330-379), insisted that one who had formerly held heretical opinions must be instructed in the Nicene Creed if he whished to be admitted to an orthodox church and receive its sacraments. 在早期教会中，不是每一个人都被允许敬拜或参与圣餐礼的。那些未受教导的或未接受完教导的人禁止参与圣礼。其他人要首先接受考察从而了解他们的信仰是否与圣经教导一致。早期教会的规定是：不允许异端或分裂教会的人参与神圣的施恩具。“早期教会从不怀疑教义上的合一是改变交通的先决条件。教导错误教义的人不能在正统的教会中领受圣餐(埃勒特，109页)。”大巴西流，凯撒利亚的大主教(c. 330-379)，坚持曾经持有异端观点的人如果希望在正统教会中被承认和领受圣礼，应该被教导尼西亚信经。 K. Further, the Early Church held that the terms of the Creeds conveyed exactly the meaning of Scripture; they were a summary of Scripture. The Early Church held to the absolute authority of Scripture as the source of all doctrine. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-386) declared: With regard to the divine and saving mysteries of faith no doctrine, however trivial, may be taught without the backing of the divine Scriptures…..For our saving faith derives its force, not from capricious reasoning, but from what may be proved out of the Bible. 另外，早期教会认为这些信经中的条款准确地传达了圣经的意思；它们是对圣经的概括。早期教会作为所有教义的来源对于解释圣经有绝对的权威。耶路撒冷的西里尔(c. 315-386)称： 关于信心的神圣和救恩的神妙，哪怕是微小的事也没有不依靠神圣圣经的…因为我们救恩信心的力量不是来源于变化无常的评论，而是来源于可以用圣经证明的东西。 L. The three Ecumenical Creeds are an accurate expression of the teachings of God’s Word. So are all the other writings in our Lutheran Book of Concord. For this reason we can call them all our Confessions. When a man is ordained as a Lutheran pastor, he should subscribe to (swear to abide by and teach) the Lutheran Confessions because they agree with the Word of God. We call this a quia subscription to the Lutheran Confessions (quia is the Latin word meaning because). Some men, however, subscribe to the Confessions only insofar as they agree with Scripture. We call this a quatenus subscription (the Latin word quatenus means insofar as). This means that they are not sure that the Lutheran Confessions really teach God’s Word entirely. It also allows them to teach otherwise if they so desire. It is important to study the three Ecumenical Creeds and the other Lutheran Confessions so thoroughly that one has no doubts about their Scriptural teaching. Then a person can honestly make a quia subscription to them. 三大公信经是对圣经教导的准确表述。我们路德的协同书中其他写作也都是如此。由于这个原因我们称他们都是我们的信仰告白。当一个人被任命为路德宗牧师时，他应该认同 (宣誓坚持和教导) 路德宗信仰告白，because因为它们与上帝的话一致。我们称之为对路德宗信仰告白的quia因为认同(quia在拉丁语中是因为的意思)。然而，一些人认为insofar as只有信仰告白与圣经相符才能认同。我们称之为quatenus只有认同(quatenu在拉丁语中是只有的意思)。这说明他们不确信路德宗的认信是真正完整地教导圣经。这也使得他们按他们自己的意志教导别的内容。完整地的学习三大公信经和路德宗的其他认信非常重要，它使得一个人对他们关于圣经的教导没有疑问。然后这个人才能坦诚地对他们做出因为认同。 M. Earlier (p.2, E) we wrote that “the confession represents the basic core of the Christian Faith” and “was also a personal declaration of the faith of the individual.” As you can see we use the term faith in two ways. On the one hand we can say that the three creeds and other Lutheran Confessions express the Christian faith. On the other hand we also believe or have faith in Jesus and have faith that what the confessions say and the Bible says is true. And so we use the word faith in two ways. These two uses can again be illustrated from two Latin expressions about faith (the Latin word for faith is fides): Fides quae (which) creditor – the faith which is believed Fides qua (by which) creditor – the faith by which it is believed The first meaning of faith focuses on what we believe, the teachings of the Bible. When we use the word faith in this way, we emphasize the teaching or truths contained in the Creeds and other Lutheran Confessions. The second use of the word faith (fides qua creditor) directs our attention to the faith in our hearts, the faith created by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. Most of the time the Bible uses the word faith in this way. It stresses the complete confidence or trust in Christ for our salvation and also in the truth of what Scripture teaches. The three Creeds then contain the fides quae creditur. When we study them we strengthen our fides qua creditur (our saving faith or our trust in Christ as our personal savior). 之前(第二页E部分)，我们写道“信仰告白所代表的就是基督徒信仰的基本核心”并且“它也是单个基督徒的个人信仰宣告”。如你们所看到的，我们在两种情况下使用“信心”这个词。一方面我们会说三大信经和其他路德宗信仰告白表达了基督徒的信仰。另一方面我们也相信或信靠耶稣和相信信仰告白和圣经中所说的是真理。因此我们在两种情况下使用信心这个词。这两种用途可以从拉丁语中对信心的两种表述中再次被说明(拉丁语中信心这个词是fides)： Fides quae (which) creditor – 所相信的信仰 Fides qua (by which) creditor – 由此所相信的信仰 信心的第一层意思关注的是我们所相信的，圣经的教导。当我们以这种方式使用信心这个词时，我们强调的是包含在这些信经和其他路德宗信仰告白中的教导和真理。信心这个词的第二种用途 (fides qua creditor) 关注的是我们心中由圣灵通过福音所创造的信心。圣经中大多数情况下都是以这种方式使用信心这个词。它强调具有完全的信心或完全相信基督给我们的救恩和圣经中教导的真理。因此三大信经具有fides quae creditur。当我们学习它们时，我们坚定了我们的fides qua creditur（我们救恩的信心或我们相信基督为我们个人的救主）。 N. But exactly what is the relationship between Holy Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions? Do we have two equal sources for our faith and doctrine ? Of course not! The Confessions are man-made, while the Bible is God-breathed. However, since the Confessions accurately summarize the teachings of the Bible, both give us the standards or norms for our teaching. The relationship between the two can again be expressed by two Latin phrases which show that both are norms (Latin norma) for teaching. The Bible is the norma normans (the norming norm), the norm which sets the standard. The Lutheran Confessions are the norma normata (the norm having been normed), the norm which has itself been set by Scripture. Thus Scripture sets the standard for Christian doctrine, and the Lutheran Confessions are a standard against which to judge Christian doctrines because they have been drawn up from the norm of Scripture. Clearly the Lutheran Confessions are very important, yet we do not elevate them to the level of God’s inspired Word. 但是到底圣经和我们的路德宗信仰告白之间有怎样的关系？我们拥有关于我们信心和教义的两个相平等的来源吗？当然不是！信仰告白是人所创造的，而圣经是神所默示的。然而，因为信仰告白准确地概括的圣经的教导，两者给了我们教导的标准和准则。两者之间的关系再一次通过两个拉丁语表示教导的准则(拉丁语norma)的短语来诠释。圣经是norma normans (the norming norm规范准则)，设立标准的准则。路德宗所有的信仰告白都是the norma normata (the norm having been normed被规范的准则)，这个准则本身由圣经所设立因此圣经为基督徒的教义设立标准，而且因为路德宗信仰告白是以圣经为准则设立的，因此它们被用作判定基督徒教义的标准。很明显，路德宗信仰告白是非常重要的，但是我们不能将它们放在与上帝所默示的话语的同等地位。 O. We will now begin our study of the three creeds which are a great heritage from the Early Church. Our Lutheran confessors showed their high regard for these creeds by making them a part of the Lutheran Confessions. These three creeds testify to the great truths of Scripture by which we live constantly before our God and before the world, and to which we are to give testimony of our faith (1 Pet. 3:15). Think of this next Sunday when you confess with your fellow Christians: I BELIEVE. 我们由此将开始学习早期教会留给我们的伟大遗产三大信经。我们路德宗的认信者通过将这些信经作为路德宗所有信仰告白的一部分，显示出了对它们的高度重视。这三大信经为圣经的伟大真理作了见证，由此我们在上帝和世界面前永远活着，并且我们也以它们为我们的信心作了见证(彼得前书3:15)。下个星期日当你与其他基督徒承认：我相信的时候就会想到这一点。