《比利时信条》第十二条 论万物的被造和天使的受造

《比利时信条》第十二条 论万物的被造和天使的受造

　　我们相信圣父藉着圣道，即祂的儿子，从无中创造了天地万物1，那时祂看它们都甚好，并且祂赋予每一受造物具有自身的本质，外形和结构，以及服事创造主的特别任务和职能。我们相信祂还以祂永恒的护理和无限能力，继续维持并治理万物，为人效力，使人得益处，而人也可以服事神。

　　祂也创造了甚好的众天使，成为祂的使者并为选民效力2。有些天使从受造的尊贵地位中堕落入永远的灭亡中3，而其余的天使由于神的恩典而坚守不变，继续居于本位。魔鬼及众邪灵是如此败坏，牠们成为神和众善的仇敌4。牠们竭尽全力，像谋杀者一样伺机要毁灭教会和她的信徒，并用牠们各样的诡计要摧毁一切5。 因牠们自己的邪恶，他们因此被定罪受永远的咒诅并终日等候着可怕的刑罚6。

　　因此我们憎恶并弃绝撒都该人的错谬，他们否认有诸灵和天使的存在7；同时，我们也弃绝摩尼教的错谬，他们说魔鬼不是受造的，而是自有的，并且认为牠们没有堕落，牠们的邪恶是出于自身的本性。

　　 1.创1:1; 创2:3; 赛40:26; 耶 32:17; 西1:15, 16; 提前 4:3; 来11:3; 启4:11.
　　 2.诗103:20, 21; 太4:11; 来1:14.
　　 3.约 8:44; 彼后 2:4; 犹6.
　　 4.创3:1-5; 彼前 5:8.
　　 5.弗6:12; 启12:4, 13-17; 启20:7-9.
　　 6.太8:29; 太25:41; 启20:10.
　　 7.徒23:8.

英文对照：

　　We believe that the Father through the Word, that is, through His Son, has created out of nothing heaven and earth and all creatures, when it seemed good to Him, and that He has given to every creature its being, shape, and form, and to each its specific task and function to serve its Creator. We believe that He also continues to sustain and govern them according to His eternal providence and by His infinite power in order to serve man, to the end that man may serve his God.

　　He also created the angels good, to be His messengers and to serve His elect. Some of these have fallen from the exalted position in which God created them into everlasting perdition, but the others have by the grace of God remained steadfast and continued in their first state. The devils and evil spirits are so depraved that they are enemies of God and of all that is good. With all their might, they lie in wait like murderers to ruin the Church and all its members and to destroy everything by their wicked devices. They are therefore by their own wickedness sentenced to eternal damnation and daily expect their horrible torments.

　　Therefore we detest and reject the error of the Sadducees, who deny that there are any spirits and angels; and also the error of the Manichees, who say that the devils were not created, but have their origin of themselves, and that without having become corrupted, they are wicked by their own nature.