引文

伯克富论律法与福音的区别

宗教改革的各教会从起初就区分律法与福音,这是上帝的话语作为蒙恩管道的两部分。这一区分不可认为是旧约圣经与新约圣经之间的区分,而是应用在全本圣经中。在旧约圣经有律法和福音,在新约圣经里也有律法和福音。律法包括圣经里一切以命令或禁令的形式启示上帝旨意的话,而福音则包含一切关乎与上帝和好之事和一切宣告在基督耶稣里寻求并救赎罪人的上帝之爱的话。这两部分在恩典的工作中都有各自独特的功能。律法是使人心苏醒悔罪,而福音则使人耶稣基督里产生得救的信心。在某种意义上讲,律法的工作是预备福音的工作。它深化人对罪的意识,使罪人意识到自己需要救赎。二者有同样的目标,二者皆是蒙恩管道不可或缺的组成部分。…… 当上帝向人提供福音时,律法要求人必须接受福音。有人把这说成是福音里的律法,但这是非常不正确的说法。福音本身包括应许而不是律法;但律法里有与福音相连的要求。律法不但要求我们接受福音信靠耶稣基督,同时也要求我们以律法的要求为标准过感恩的生活。——伯克富,《系统神学》,612-14页。(王一略译)

The law and the gospel in the Word of God. The Churches of the Reformation from the very beginning distinguished between the law and the gospel as the two parts of the Word of God as a means of grace. This distinction was not understood to be identical with that between the Old and the New Testament, but was regarded as a distinction that applies to both Testaments. There is law and gospel in the Old Testament, and there is law and gospel in the New. The law comprises everything in Scripture which is a revelation of God’s will in the form of command or prohibition, while the gospel embraces everything, whether it be in the Old Testament or in the New, that pertains to the work of reconciliation and that proclaims the seeking and redeeming love of God in Christ Jesus. And each one of these two parts has its own proper function in the economy of grace. The law seeks to awaken in the heart of man contrition on account of sin, while the gospel aims at the awakening of saving faith in Jesus Christ. The work of the law is in a sense preparatory to that of the gospel. It deepens the consciousness of sin and thus makes the sinner aware of the need of redemption. Both are subservient to the same end, and both are indispensable parts of the means of grace. …When God offers man the gospel, the law demands that the latter shall accept this. Some would speak of this as the law in the gospel, but this is hardly correct. The gospel itself consists of promises and is no law; yet there is a demand of the law in connection with the gospel. The law not only demands that we accept the gospel and believe in Jesus Christ, but also that we lead a life of gratitude in harmony with its requirements. — Luois Berkhof, Systematic Theology, pp. 612-14.

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