《比利时信条》第三十七条 论末日审判

《比利时信条》第三十七条 论末日审判

　　最后，我们相信，正如圣经所说的，主所再来的日子1是所有受造物都不知道的，当被拣选之人的数目满足时2，我们的主耶稣基督将在大荣耀和威严中3，以可见的身体从天降临4，正如祂在荣耀与威严中升天那样。祂将宣告自己是审判活人死人的主5，并用火焚烧这个旧世界，使之洁净6。那时，他们都要亲自来到大审判台前，一切从世界的起初到末了的人，无论男女老幼，以及当时活着的。他们都要被天使长所召唤，并听到神的号筒声，来面见这位大审判官7。

　　那些已经死了的人将要在那时复活8，他们的灵魂要再次与自己曾经活着的身体联合。那些仍活着的人要在眨眼间从必朽坏的变为不朽坏的9。然后，案卷将被展开，已死的人要照他们在世上所行的善恶受审判。人所说的闲话，即使是世人所认为的戏言笑语，在审判的日子，也必要句句供出来10。众人的隐秘事和伪善将要在那时的众人面前公布于世。因此，这审判对恶人和作恶的而言是可憎恶和恐怖的11，而对蒙选称义的人而言，却是极大的喜乐和安慰。因为那时他们将要得到完全的救赎，并且要得劳苦作工和忍受患难的果子12。他们的无辜要显明在众人面前，而且他们要看见神严厉报复那些在世上逼迫他们、压迫他们、虐待他们的恶人13。

　　恶人将要因自己良心的控告而被定为有罪。他们要变为不死的，但只是进入到那为魔鬼和牠的使者所预备的永火里去14，受痛苦的煎熬15。而蒙拣选的忠信之人将要得到荣耀尊贵的冠冕。神的儿子要在父神和蒙拣选的天使面前承认他们的名16。神要擦去他们一切的眼泪17。虽然他们目前所信的被许多审判官和民事长官定为异端邪说， 但到那时，却要被神的儿子承认为真信仰。神要给他们人心未曾想到18的荣耀作为恩慈的赏赐。因此，我们极其盼望那末后日子的到来，好让我们在主耶稣基督里得享神完全的应许。“阿们！主耶稣啊，我愿你来！”

　　 1.太24:36; 太25:13; 帖前5:1,2.
　　 2.来11:39-40; 启6:11.
　　 3.太24:30; 太25:31.
　　 4.启1:7.
　　 5.太25:31-46; 提后4:1; 彼前4:5.
　　 6.彼后3:10-13.
　　 7.申7:9-11; 启20:12-13.
　　 8.但12:2; 约5:28-29.
　　 9.林前15:51,52；腓3:20-21
　　 10.来9:27; 启22:12
　　 11.太11:22; 太23:33; 罗2:5,6; 来10:27; 彼后2:9; 犹15；启14:7
　　 12.路14:14; 帖后1:3-10; 约壹4:17
　　 13.启15:4; 启18:20
　　 14.太13:41-42; 可9:48; 路16:22-28; 启21:8
　　 15.启20:10
　　 16.启3:5
　　 17.赛25:8; 启7:17
　　 18.但12:3; 太5:12; 太13:43; 林前2:9; 启21:9-22:5

英文对照：

　　Finally, we believe, according to the Word of God, that when the time, ordained by the Lord but unknown to all creatures, has come and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as He ascended, with great glory and majesty. He will declare Himself Judge of the living and the dead and set this old world afire in order to purge it. Then all people, men, women, and children, who ever lived, from the beginning of the world to the end, will appear in person before this great Judge. They will be summoned with the archangel‘s call and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

　　Those who will have died before that time will arise out of the earth, as their spirits are once again united with their own bodies in which they lived. Those who will then be still alive will not die as the others but will be changed in the twinkling of an eye from perishable to imperishable. Then the books will be opened and the dead will be judged according to what they have done in this world, whether good or evil. Indeed, all people will render account for every careless word they utter, which the world regards as mere jest and amusement. The secrets and hypocrisies of men will then be publicly uncovered in the sight of all. And so for good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to the wicked and evildoers but it is a great joy and comfort to the righteous and elect. For then their full redemption will be completed and they will receive the fruits of their labour and of the trouble they have suffered. Their innocence will be known to all and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring upon the wicked who persecuted, oppressed, and tormented them in this world.

　　The wicked will be convicted by the testimony of their own consciences and will become immortal, but only to be tormented in the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. On the other hand, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honour. The Son of God will acknowledge their names before God His Father and His elect angels. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and their cause – at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil authorities – will be recognized as the cause of the Son of God. As a gracious reward, the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory as the heart of man could never conceive. Therefore we look forward to that great day with a great longing to enjoy to the full the promises of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!