《比利时信条》第二十四条 论人的成圣与善行

《比利时信条》第二十四条 论人的成圣与善行

　　 我们相信，真实的信心是藉着聆听神的真道和圣灵在人里面运行的工作1，使人重生而来的，并且使他成为新造的人2，过着新的生活，又救赎他脱离罪恶的捆绑3。因此，如果说使人称义的信心让人对良善、圣洁的生活漠不关心4，那简直是无稽之谈。恰好相反的是，若没有此信心，人就不可能出于爱神而行善5，其所行的不过是出于自爱自义，或是因惧怕神的刑罚而已。因此，这圣洁的信心不可能不在人里面殷勤作工，因为我们所说的不是一个虚假的信心，而是圣经所称为“使人生发仁爱的信心”。这信心促使人按神在圣经中所吩咐的去行善。这些善行是由信心的善根而发出的，又藉着神的恩典使之成为圣洁，所以在神眼中是好的，是蒙悦纳的。然而，这些善行不能算作我们被称为义的缘由，因为在我们还未行任何善事之前，我们就藉着信心在基督里被称为义6。若不然，善行就不能被称为善行，就像惟有好树才能结好果子一样7。

　　因此，我们行善并不是为了赚取功劳，因为我们毫无功劳可言。我们行善是因我们受了神的恩惠，而非神受了我们的恩惠8，因为“我们立志行事，都是神在我们心里运行，为要成就他的美意”。让我们谨记圣经的话语，“这样，你们作完了一切所吩咐的，只当说，我们是无用的仆人，所作的本是我们应份作的。” 同时，我们不否认神奖赏我们的善行9，但那完全是出于祂的恩赐。

　　此外，即使我们行善，我们也不能以此作为我们得救的基础。因为不被肉体玷污、不受刑罚的事我们一件也行不出来10。即使我们能行善，那也有罪的玷污，足以被神弃绝11。如果我们不仰赖救主受苦和受死所成就的功劳，我们软弱的良心就会不停地受折磨，我们就始终在疑惑中摇摆不定12。

　　 1.徒16:14; 罗10:17; 林前12:3.
　　 2.结 36:26, 27; 约1:12, 13; 约3:5; 弗2:4-6; 多3:5; 彼前1:23.
　　 3.约5:24; 约8:36; 罗6:4-6; 约壹3:9.
　　 4.加5:22; 多2:12.
　　 5.约15:5; 罗14:23; 提前1:5; 来 11:4, 6.
　　 6.罗4:5. 　7.太7:17. 　8.林前1:30-31; 林前4:7; 弗2:10.
　　 9.罗2:6, 7; 林前3:14; 约贰8; 启2:23.
　　 10.罗7:21.
　　 11.雅2:10.
　　 12.哈 2:4; 太11:28; 罗10:11.

英文对照：

　　We believe that this true faith, worked in man by the hearing of God‘s Word and by the operation of the Holy Spirit, regenerates him and makes him a new man. It makes him live a new life and frees him from the slavery of sin. Therefore it is not true that this justifying faith makes man indifferent to living a good and holy life. On the contrary, without it no one would ever do anything out of love for God, but only out of self-love or fear of being condemned. It is therefore impossible for this holy faith to be inactive in man, for we do not speak of an empty faith but of what Scripture calls faith working through love. This faith induces man to apply himself to those works which God has commanded in His Word. These works, proceeding from the good root of faith, are good and acceptable in the sight of God, since they are all sanctified by His grace.

　　Nevertheless, they do not count toward our justification. For through faith in Christ we are justified, even before we do any good works. Otherwise they could not be good any more than the fruit of a tree can be good unless the tree itself is good.

　　Therefore we do good works, but not for merit. For what could we merit* We are indebted to God, rather than He to us, for the good works we do, since it is He who is at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Let us keep in mind what is written: So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” Meanwhile we do not deny that God rewards good works, but it is by His grace that He crowns His gifts.

　　Furthermore, although we do good works, we do not base our salvation on them. We cannot do a single work that is not defiled by our flesh and does not deserve punishment. Even if we could show one good work, the remembrance of one sin is enough to make God reject it. We would then always be in doubt, tossed to and fro without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be constantly tormented, if they did not rely on the merit of the death and passion of our Saviour.