分类： 《新城要理问答》

问题19：有没有办法逃脱刑罚，重蒙神的恩宠？
答：有，为了满足祂的公义，神主动出于纯粹的怜悯，借着一位救赎主使我们与祂和好，并将我们从罪恶和罪的刑罚中拯救出来。
儿童版：有，神借着一位救赎主使我们与祂和好。

Question 19: Is There Any Way to Escape Punishment and Be Brought Back into God’s Favor?
Answer: Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer.
For Kids: Yes, God reconciles us to himself by a Redeemer.

歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《以赛亚书》53 章10 节至11 节：

耶和华却定意将祂压伤，
使祂受痛苦；
耶和华以祂为赎罪祭。
祂必看见后裔，并且延长年日，
耶和华所喜悦的事必在祂手中亨通。
祂必看见自己劳苦的功效，
便心满意足。
有许多人因认识我的义仆得称为义，
并且祂要担当他们的罪孽。

注解

约拿单·爱德华兹

　　但对基督徒而言，除了耶稣基督福音的信息以外，天上地下还有什么配得我们的爱慕、盼望和欣喜呢？除了耶稣基督福音的信息以外，天上地下还有什么配得我们真挚、持久的渴望和我们强烈的热忱呢？福音所宣告的信息本身及其展现的方式都最令我们受影响和动容。耶和华的荣美是最值得我们爱慕的对象，又以最令人动容的方式向我们展现。所有的光芒都在无限的爱、温柔和慈悲中死去的救主的脸上闪耀。神的羔羊身上全部的美德，祂的谦卑、忍耐、温柔、摆上、顺服、爱和怜悯都以最能拨动我们每一根心弦的方式活现在我们眼前；出于对我们温柔的爱和怜悯，在祂最后所忍受的难以言说、无可比拟的苦难当中，所有这些美德都经受了最大的考验、最苦的磨练，也由此得到了最鲜明的彰显。在这样的情形下，我们罪的可恨也以最令人动容的方式显明出来。从为我们付上赎价的救主所承受的痛苦中，我们看到了罪可怕的后果。神对罪的恨恶、刑罚所表明的祂的忿怒和公义也以最令人动容的方式呈现出来；神将如此可怕的罪的刑罚降在与祂无比亲密，又无比爱我们的主的身上，就显示出了祂对公义的严格要求与决不妥协，以及祂的忿怒的可畏。福音启示我们，神就是这样完成了对我们的救赎和祂荣耀的旨意，仿佛每件事都是精心策划好的，为要尽可能地触碰我们心灵最柔软的部分，最小心而又最强烈地打动我们。我们从此不再受罪的刑罚的影响！在如此伟大的救恩面前，我们真该谦卑自己如同尘土一般。

默想

米卡·埃德蒙森

　　在电影院看电影如果不熄灯，感受就会不一样。对此我有亲身体会，当时《星球大战·原力觉醒》已经放映了30 秒，灯却没有关，有三个人被惹恼了，就冲出去要求工作人员把灯关掉。光的影像在黑暗背景的衬托下为整个体验增加了信息量和戏剧性。

　　我们可能会说，要理问答也是如此设置的。神凭着公义审判我们的罪，为我们提供了黑暗的背景，使福音的荣耀得以照耀。只有认识到灾祸的深重后，我们才能更好地明白神救赎计划的真正意义。

　　要理问答告诉我们，神以一种无偿和怜悯的方式，代表人类满足了祂自己对公义的要求。据《以赛亚书》53 章，神以祂的义仆（耶稣基督）为赎罪祭。耶稣基督遵行神的旨意走完了一生，为我们满足了神律法对公义的要求。祂不仅为我们降生，还为我们受死。以赛亚形象地描写这位义仆「 被压伤」和「受痛苦」（ 赛53:10），提醒我们罪的沉重代价。耶稣在十字架上承担了神对罪的全部咒诅，充分满足了神对罪的公义要求。耶稣基督活在义中的生命和祂的受死代赎满足了神对我们公义的要求，使祂如今看我们在罪上是死的，在义上是活的，这个伟大的代赎正是福音的核心所在。

　　也许以赛亚最令人吃惊的用词是主「喜悦」以祂为赎罪祭。事实上，主喜悦让祂无辜的独生子被嘲弄，被苦待，被钉十字架。这在人看来几乎不可能是真的，除非你明白背后的原因。神当然不喜悦罪，不喜悦犹大出卖耶稣，不喜悦宗教领袖恨祂，不喜悦彼拉多不公正地判祂钉十字架，不喜悦被误导的群众弃绝祂。但神喜悦祂儿子主动和被动（透过苦难）的顺服，不论代价如何，祂都持续地信靠神和爱祂的百姓。神喜悦让审判落在子的身上，以拯救祂有罪的百姓。神喜悦是因为，透过十字架，神之子将得着荣耀，神的子民将得蒙救赎，神的公义将得到满足，神之爱将得以显明。十字架不是一场悲剧，而是神的旨意，是祂计划通过这位救主的工作来拯救祂的百姓和启示祂无法测度的荣耀的恩典。

　　最终，神出于祂的怜悯，无偿地完成了这个代赎。要理问答谨慎地指出，神通过降罚耶稣来拯救我们是出于祂「纯粹的怜悯」。「纯粹的怜悯」即唯独恩典，并无其他考虑。正如伟大的布道家司布真所写的一本名著《都是恩典》。虽然这恩典教导我们如何避免不敬虔，但恩典并不取决于我们在任何方面的顺服。考虑到罪的不断侵袭和我们生命时常的软弱，我们必须抓住「唯独恩典」的福音不放。神赐下祂的爱子并非想从我们身上得到些什么，而仅仅是因为祂爱我们。这才是真正的好消息！

祷告

　　使我们与祢和好的主，感谢祢为我们开路。祢的公义和怜悯都是完全的。我们所接受的救恩本是我们不配得的。我们奉祢爱子耶稣基督的名来到祢的面前，乃是仰赖祂的义，而不是我们自己的。阿们。

Scripture

ISAIAH 53:10–11

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary

JONATHAN EDWARDS

But is there any thing which Christians can find in heaven or earth, so worthy to be the objects of their admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their hope and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ? In which not only are things declared most worthy to affect us, but they are exhibited in the most affecting manner. The glory and beauty of the blessed Jehovah, which is most worthy in itself to be the object of our admiration and love, is there exhibited in the most affecting manner that can be conceived of, as it appears, shin- ing in all its lustre, in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, meek, compassionate, dying Redeemer. All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, love and compassion, are exhibited to our view in a manner the most tending to move our affections of any that can be imagined; as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, and so their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most affecting circumstances; even when he was under his last sufferings, those unutterable and unparalleled sufferings he endured from his tender love and pity to us. There also, the hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible; as we see the dreadful effects of them in what our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God’s hatred of sin, and his wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it, and his wrath in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one, who was infinitely dear to him and loving to us. So has God disposed things in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though every thing were purposely contrived in such a manner as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust that we are no more affected!

Devotional

MIKA EDMONDSON

The movie theater experience just isn’t the same without the lights off. I learned this firsthand when, after the first thirty seconds of Star Wars: The Force Awakens accidently played in a lit theater, three irritated guys stormed out and demanded that the staff turn the lights down. A dark backdrop contrasted against a light image adds volume and drama to the total experience.

We might say that the catechism is set up that way as well. God’s just and righteous judgment against our sin provides the dark back- drop against which the glory of the gospel shines through. After we’ve understood the depth of our calamity, we can better appreciate the true magnitude of God’s rescue plan for us.

The catechism tells us that God freely and mercifully satisfied the demands of his own justice on our behalf. According to Isaiah 53, God made the righteous life of his servant (Jesus Christ) to be a substitutionary offering for the unrighteous. In obedience to God’s will, Jesus Christ lived the life we should have lived and so fulfilled the just requirements of God’s law on our behalf. Yet he also died the death we should have died. Isaiah’s graphic language of the servant being “crushed” and “put to grief” (Isa. 53:10) reminds us of the heavy price of our sin. At the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of God’s curse against sin and so fully satisfied the demands of God’s just condemnation against sin. So we have a righteous life that satisfies the justice of God for us and an atoning death that satisfies the justice of God for us. This great exchange is the heart of the gospel itself.

Perhaps the most startling aspect of Isaiah’s language is that it “pleased” the Lord to make this exchange. Somehow, it actually pleased the Lord to hand his innocent Son over to be mocked, brutalized, and crucified. That’s a nearly impossible truth to fathom until you realize why God was pleased by this. Certainly, God was not pleased by the sin of Judas who betrayed Jesus, the religious leaders who hated him, Pilate who unjustly sentenced him, or the misguided crowd who rejected him. But God was pleased by the active and passive (through suffering) obedience of his Son, who continued to trust God and love his people no matter the cost. God was pleased to lay his judgment upon the Son in order to save his sinful people. God was pleased because, through the cross, the Son of God would be glorified, the people of God would be saved, the justice of God would be satisfied, and the love of God would be revealed. The cross was not a tragic accident. It was God’s will, his plan to save his people through the work of the Redeemer and to reveal the immeasurable riches of his glorious grace.

Finally, God freely and mercifully made this exchange. The catechism is careful to point out that the cause of God punishing Jesus in order to rescue us was “mere mercy.” The language “mere mercy” means grace alone, grace apart from any other considerations. As the great preacher C. H. Spurgeon famously wrote, salvation is “all of grace.” Although this grace trains us to avoid ungodliness, it does not depend upon our obedience in any way. As we consider the besetting sins and ongoing weaknesses of our lives, we have to cling to the “mere grace” aspect of the gospel. God did not give his beloved Son in view of what he would get out of our lives, but merely because he loves us. Now that’s good news indeed!

Prayer

O Reconciling One, thank you for making a way for us. You have been perfect, both in justice and in mercy. We accept the salvation we do not deserve. We come before you in the name of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, trusting in his merits rather than our own. Amen.

问题18：神会允许我们的悖逆和拜偶像不受惩罚吗？
答：不会，每一种罪都违背了神的主权、圣洁和良善，也违背了祂公义的律法；神对我们的罪怀有公义的忿怒，并且会在今生和来世以公正的审判来惩罚这些罪。
儿童版：不，神对我们的罪怀有公义的忿怒，并将在今生和来世惩罚这些罪。

Question 18: Will God Allow Our Disobedience and Idolatry To Go Unpunished?
Answer: No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come.
For Kids: No, God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them both in this life, and in the life to come.

歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《以弗所书》5 章5 节至6 节：

　　因为你们确实的知道，无论是淫乱的，是污秽的，是有贪心的，在基督和神的国里都是无分的。有贪心的，就与拜偶像的一样。不要被人虚浮的话欺哄，因这些事，神的忿怒必临到那悖逆之子。

注解

司布真

　　以有罪的为无罪是对无辜者的惩罚。想想如果盗贼做了坏事却不受罚，那么所有在伦敦的诚实人将要承受怎样的伤害和不公。如果以有罪的为无罪，那将使无辜的人受苦。因此，不是出于主观，而是出于公义的要求，神必须刑罚做了错事的我们。

默想

阿利斯泰·贝格

　　当保罗在腓力斯与土西拉的面前讲道时，祂实际上讲了三点：公义、节制、将来的审判。（参见徒24）腓力斯和土西拉的奸情并没有阻止保罗清楚地传讲神的公义，这可以说是祂传道的标志。在雅典，祂用类似的内容结束在雅典的讲道：「因为祂已经定了日子，要藉着祂所设立的人按公义审判天下」（徒17:31）。其实罪恶的事每天都在上演，大家都以为可以逍遥法外。但圣经说得很清楚，将会有审查、定罪和永远的刑罚，会有清算的日子。

　　那种认为神很仁慈，不会定罪，到最后每个人都会升天，皆大欢喜的想法，我们在圣经中找不到依据。反而保罗在《以弗所书》5 章警戒我们，警戒那些表面对耶稣有信心的人：不可以听从在保罗/ 圣经之外的其他教导，那一天会来，日期已定，那天会显明一切的公平正义，那日的判决将是终极性的审判。

祷告

　　公义的主，我们若认为自己是良善的，便是自欺。祢的忿怒是我们应得的。我们违背了祢的命令，没有全心、全意、全力地爱祢。我们只能恳求基督的义，祂担当了我们的刑罚。阿们。

Scripture

EPHESIANS 5:5–6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Commentary

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

Not to punish the guilty were to exact the penalty of suffering from the innocent. Think what an injury and injustice would be inflicted upon all the honest men in London if the thieves were never punished for their roguery. It would be making the innocent suffer if you al- lowed the guilty to escape. God, therefore, not out of arbitrary choice, but from very necessity of rightness, must punish us for having done wrong.

Devotional

ALISTAIR BEGG

When Paul preached before Felix and Drusilla, he essentially had three points—righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come (Acts 24). The fact that Felix and Drusilla were in an adulterous relationship did not prevent Paul from speaking very clearly about the justice of God. It was, if you like, almost a hallmark of his preaching. At the end of his address in Athens he says the same thing: “[God] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world” (Acts 17:31). The Bible makes it clear that we won’t escape detection or conviction or sentence forever. There is going to be a payday.

The idea that God is too kind ever to condemn sin and that everyone in the end will go to heaven does not actually find a basis in the Bible itself. Paul’s warning in Ephesians 5 is to those who have professed faith in Jesus, so that they will not pay attention to those who suggest other than what he’s teaching them, namely, that this day will come—a day that is fixed, a day that will be absolutely fair, and a day when the judgment rendered will be absolutely final.

Prayer

Righteous Lord, if we think that we are good, we deceive ourselves. We deserve your wrath. We have broken your commands, and we have not loved you with our whole hearts, minds, and strength. We can only plead the righteousness of Christ and ask you to let our punishment fall on him. Amen.

问题17：什么是偶像崇拜？
答：偶像崇拜就是为了我们的希望、幸福、意义和安全而信靠受造之物，而不是造物主。
儿童版：偶像崇拜就是信靠受造之物，而不是造物主。

Question 17: What is Idolatry?
Answer: Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security.
For Kids: Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator.

歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《罗马书》1 章21 节、25 节：

　　因为，他们虽然知道神，却不当作神荣耀祂，也不感谢祂。他们的思念变为虚妄，无知的心就昏暗了……他们将神的真实变为虚谎，去敬拜侍奉受造之物，不敬奉那造物的主……

注解

马丁·路德

　　什么是偶像崇拜？或者，什么是人的偶像？在每次有需要的时候，我们指望从中得到好处或者庇护，这就是「偶像」的含义……许多人认为，只要有钱、资产……，他就拥有了神和他一切所需的。人有了这些就变得自大、有安全感和骄傲，一旦缺乏或者失去就感到绝望，这就是拜偶像的证据。我再说，偶像崇拜就是心完全依赖于某些东西。

　　彻底地质问并探究你的内心，你就会发现它是不是单单只属于神。你的心是否除了神的恩惠以外别无所求，尤其当你遇到麻烦或有需要时？你的心能否放下不是从神而来的一切呢？如果是，那么你拥有了这位独一的真神。另一方面，你的心是否还另有所系？还有别的依靠？你是否希望从那里得到比神给你的更多的好处和帮助呢？当遇到问题时，你是逃向神，还是逃离祂？如果是逃离祂，那么你就有别神、有假神、有偶像。

默想

提摩太·凯勒

　　上一个要理问答提到，罪就是拒绝、忽略、悖逆神，不把神当作神，不把祂所当得的荣耀归给祂。在圣经里，对人们犯罪着墨最多的方式是偶像崇拜。偶像崇拜就是爱其他事物胜过爱耶稣基督。偶像崇拜就是为了自己的私欲，看重其他事物更胜耶稣基督，把这些事物当成你的盼望与喜乐、生命的意义与保障。除掉偶像崇拜的罪之所以如此重要，是因为它会在你的生命中，长期而且非常深入的滋长，但并非马上就能让你意识到，自己是在很明显地干犯神的律法。

　　比如说，如果财富和事业是你最重要的，成为了你的偶像，这会促使你过度工作，使你筋疲力尽，使你变得残酷，辖制你的爱心，不结圣灵的果子，破坏你的人际关系，甚至伤害你与家人的关系、和朋友的关系。所有这些事可能持续很长一段时间最终才会导致问题的发生，如撒谎、欺骗、犯奸淫。以财富为偶像崇拜确实会导致这些后果。

　　所以，你要理解的重点是：罪不只是做坏事，而且是把好的东西当作我们最终极的目标，这会败坏你的灵魂、毁坏社会，亏缺神的荣耀。

祷告

　　造我们的神，赦免我们敬拜祢所造的。我们不该盼望或信靠任何人或事物。唯有祢是自有永有、一无所缺的。愿祢成为我们的一切。阿们。

Scripture

ROMANS 1:21 AND 25

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. . . . They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. . . .

Commentary

MARTIN LUTHER

What is it to have a god? Or, what is one’s god? Answer: To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by “god.” . . . Many a person imagines that he has God and everything he needs, provided he has money and property. . . . The evidence for this appears when people are arrogant, secure, and proud because of such possessions, but desperate when they lack them or lose them. I repeat, to have a god means to have something on which one’s heart depends entirely.

Question and explore your own heart thoroughly, and you will find out if it embraces God alone or not. Do you have it in your heart to expect nothing but good things from God, especially when you are in trouble and in need? And does your heart in addition give up and forsake everything that is not God? Then you have the one true God. On the other hand, is your heart attached to and does it rely on something else, from which you hope to receive more good and more help than from God? And when things go wrong, do you, instead of fleeing to Him, flee from Him? Then you have another god, a false god, an idol.

Devotional

TIMOTHY KELLER

The last catechism answer showed us that sin is rejecting, ignoring, and rebelling against God, not treating God as God, and not giving him the honor that is his due. In the Bible, the most frequently described way that human beings do that is through the sin of idolatry. Idolatry is loving anything more than Jesus Christ. Idolatry is treating anything as more important than Jesus Christ for your meaning in life, for your happiness, for your security and hope, or for your self-regard. The reason why it’s so important to understand the sin of idolatry is that it can be growing in a part of your life for a long time and get very deep without it right away leading to clear, visible, and easily seen violations of God’s law.

So, for example, if affluence and your career have become too important to you, they’ve become idols, and that can lead you to working too hard and exhaustion. It can lead you to becoming ruthless. It can block the development of a loving heart and the fruit of the Spirit. It can thin out your relationships. It can hurt your family relationships. It can hurt your friendships. And all these things can be going on for a long time before it leads to a real overt example of lying or cheating or adultery, because idolatry can lead to those things.

So what’s important to grasp is this: sin is not just doing bad things. It’s turning good things into ultimate things, because it ruins your soul, destroys community, and dishonors God.

Prayer

Creator God, forgive us for worshiping the things you have made. No person or thing should be our hope or our trust. You alone are self-existent and all sufficient. May you be our all in all. Amen.

问题16：什么是罪？
答：罪是在神所创造的世界中拒绝或忽视神，通过把神排除在生活之外来背叛祂，不活出或执行祂在律法中的要求，从而导致我们的死亡和一切受造物的崩溃。
儿童版：罪是在神所创造的世界中拒绝或忽视神，不活出或执行祂在律法中的要求。

Question 16: What is Sin?
Answer: Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation.
For Kids: Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, not being or doing what he requires in his law.

歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《约翰一书》3 章4 节：

　　凡犯罪的，就是违背律法；违背律法，就是罪。

注解

章伯斯

　　罪是一种基本关系。罪不是你做错了什么，而是一种非法的存在，是故意、决然地独立于神之外。基督教的一切都以罪的活跃性和根本性为基础。其他宗教对付许多罪行，唯有圣经对付罪性。耶稣最先挑战的就是人身上罪的遗传；因为我们在传讲福音的时候常常忽视了这一点，所以福音的信息现在已经变得不再扎心，也失去了突破力。

默想

约翰·林

　　什么是罪？罪就是违背神的律法，就是没有达到祂的要求，不按照祂要求我们的方式生活，或者说，没有完全活出神造我们的目的。罪是把神排除在我们的生活之外，不以祂的心意为我们的生活准则，不把祂作为我们生命的中心。我们的生活若忽略神的本性，我们就违背了祂的律法。律法就是他对我们施恩爱护、保守我们生命最好最完善的准则。

　　我们这样想好了：如果我从悬崖跳下，我说：「我不需要地心引力，我要按着自己的规则来。」一方面你会违反特定的规则，叫做「不可从悬崖跳下」；另一方面你忽视了地心引力。在你生命中，你觉得地心引力没有任何意义和影响，也不认为它对你来说有多重要。你不会说地心引力太专制了，顺服这律是不可理喻的。你不会这样讲，因为你知道万有引力是我们生活中必须考虑的因素。当然有我们需要尊重的规则，也会有我们必须要承认的界限。你知道你若挑战地心引力，跳下悬崖会发生什么事：摔个粉身碎骨。

　　当我们不把神当作神，不理会神慈爱的律例，不荣耀祂，或者用行动表达祂在我们的生命中各方面都不重要、没影响。我们就辜负了我们被造的目的。这将会导致我们摔个粉身碎骨。

　　也许这个例子对我们会有帮助：当各星球绕一个叫太阳的中心公转时，我们的太阳系会一片祥和，但如果有些行星自行决定自己的轨道，或者有行星决定不环绕任何东西自行运转，会发生什么？死亡并解体。太阳系会分崩离析，因为行星不围绕正确的中心运行。它们没有以太阳为中心，所以带来的结果就是分崩离析，彻底地毁灭。

　　不以神为中心的生命，不仅仅带来我们的死亡并解体，也带来整个宇宙面临灭亡和瓦解。神造亚当和夏娃，成为了创造的最高峰。当他们犯罪悖逆神慈爱的律例，不只是对他们的生命有影响，也影响了整个宇宙。

　　保罗写下了「罪的工价乃是死」（罗6:23）。罪导致灭亡，但福音是耶稣基督在十架上亲尝死味，好叫我们得生命。在某个意义上，祂在十架上被击打苦待，灵魂被撕裂，使我们得以重塑为完全。祂为我们的罪而死，使我们可以活着。是祂遭受死亡和破碎，祂为我们的罪付上了代价，使我们免于死亡。

祷告

　　宇宙的主，祢所行的尽都美好。我们若偏行己路，就是在走死亡的道路。帮助我们看到罪就是毒药。求祢让祢的律法，而不是邪灵来塑造我们的思想和人生。阿们。

Scripture

1 JOHN 3:4

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Commentary

OSWALD CHAMBERS

Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being, deliberate and emphatic independence of God. The Christian religion bases everything on the positive, radical nature of sin. Other religions deal with sins; the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ faced in men was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the Gospel that the message of the Gospel has lost its sting and its blasting power.

Devotional

JOHN LIN

One very important way of understanding sin is that sin is rebellion against God’s law. It’s not doing what he requires of us, not living as he has called us to live, and, therefore, never fully being who God created us to be. Sin is living without reference to God, not viewing him to be the defining reality of our lives around which our entire lives need to be centered. And when we don’t live as if God is who he is, we violate his law and all the good, loving, protecting guidelines that he’s provided to us for how to best and most fully live.

Think about it this way. If you were to walk off a cliff saying, “I don’t have to live by the law of gravity; I can live by my own rules,” you would, on the one hand, be disobeying a very specific rule and commandment—namely, “Don’t walk off a cliff.” But on the other hand, you would also not be living in reference to gravity. You would be living as if gravity were of no consequence or importance in your life. You would never say the law of gravity is arbitrary, or that it is unreasonable that you have to obey it. You would never say that, because you understand that gravity is something that we must live in reference to. Of course there are guidelines to honor and boundaries to acknowledge. You know the result of walking off a cliff and trying to break the law of gravity: death and disintegration.

When we don’t live as if God is God, when we break God’s loving law, when we fail to honor who he is, when we say or imply by our actions that he’s of no consequence or importance in this or that part of our lives, we fail to fully be the people God created us to be. And it leads to death and disintegration.

This illustration might help. Our solar system exists harmoniously when all the planets orbit the same center: the sun. If, however, the planets all decided on their own what to orbit, or if some of the planets chose not to orbit anything, what would happen? Death and disintegration. The solar system as we know it would unravel and fall apart because the planets would not be orbiting the correct center. They wouldn’t be living in reference to the sun. And therefore everything would fall apart and be destroyed.

Not living in reference to God not only leads to our personal death and disintegration; it’s the reason why the entire cosmos is subject to death and disintegration. God created Adam and Eve to be the centerpiece and the pinnacle of creation. When they sinned, their disobedience of God’s loving law not only had implications on their lives, it also had implications on the entire cosmos.

Paul writes that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Sin leads to death. And yet the gospel is that Jesus Christ experienced death so that we could live. In some ways he was disintegrated on the cross, spiritually torn apart, so that we could be made whole. He died for our sin, so that we could be made alive. He experienced death and disintegration. He paid the penalty for our sin, so that we would not have to.

Prayer

Lord of the Universe, all your ways are good. We pursue the way of death when we go our own way. Help us to see sin as the poison it is. Let your law, rather than the spirit of lawlessness, shape our minds and our lives. Amen.

问题15：既然没有人能够遵行，那么律法的目的是什么？
答：使我们认识神的圣洁本性和旨意，以及我们内心的罪性和悖逆；并意识到我们需要一位救主。律法还教导并劝勉我们活出与我们救主相称的生活。
儿童版：使我们认识神的圣洁本性，以及我们内心的罪性，并意识到我们需要一位救主。

Question 15: Since No One Can Keep the Law, What Is Its Purpose?
Answer: That we may know the holy nature and will of God, and the sinful nature and disobedience of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior. The law also teaches and exhorts us to live a life worthy of our Savior.
For Kids: That we may know the holy nature of God, and the sinful nature of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior.

歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《罗马书》3 章20 节：

所以凡有血气的，没有一个因行律法能在神面前称义，因为律法本是叫人知罪。

注解

查尔斯·西缅

　　这些可怜的人以为可以单讲福音而不提律法。但我说，他们必须传讲律法，除非他们不传福音。加入了律法，过犯就会显多：正因为如此，你们要在不敬虔的会众当中宣讲律法；像喇叭一样抬高你的嗓门，告诉人们他们的过犯，借着传扬神伟大救恩中无尽的财宝和丰富，你就愈加荣耀了你尊贵的主。向那些相信因着救恩，律法已经被成全、被废弃，不再有效的人传讲律法；将他们指向名为「以马内利」的那一位，就像主耶稣自己用滴血的手握着律法，告诉他们说：「你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。」（约14:15）

默想

里根·邓肯

　　神的律法帮助我们认识神、认识自己、认识自己的需求，以及平安蒙福的生命样式。律法帮助我们认识神，因为律法清楚地显明了神的性情和属性，揭示了祂圣洁的旨意和祂是怎样的神。

　　保罗在《罗马书》1 章告诉我们，每个人都能分辨善恶，但律法向我们非常具体地显明了神的性情和祂自己的道德标准。道德标准不是专横武断的。神并非不讲理地让我们遵守祂的标准，祂给我们的要求也是祂自己将会做的。所有的道德都根源于神的性情。研读律法使我们看见神各种性情的彰显。神的律法也显出我们是怎样的人。我们的本性就是罪人，我们有悖逆、犯罪的倾向。比如耶稣与富有的少年人谈话，耶稣对他说：「去变卖你所有的，分给穷人」（太19:21），那少年人说，「我做不到」，就忧忧愁愁地走了。这段话是在讲什么？耶稣要所有人变卖一切吗？不。但这个例子，耶稣借着神的律法显明了这个人特定的罪。第一诫是什么？神说，除我以外，不可有别神。道成肉身的神，对这富有的少年人说，「你到底要什么？你的钱财，还是我，你的神？」富有的少年人看待钱财超过了神。所以在此，耶稣用第一条诫命来显明这个人的罪。

　　这也引到律法的第三功用：律法帮助我们明白所需要的是什么。当我们明白神是谁，我们知道我们达不到祂的道德与性情标准；当我们明白自己是什么样的人，我们知道自己内心对罪的倾向。这一切把我们推向耶稣，因为我们明白我们需要一位救主，而这位救主已成全这律法。祂全然顺服，为我们应受的刑罚付上代价，所以律法把我们推向这位救主，指向这位救主，带我们来到这位救主面前。

　　当然，律法也使我们看见，平安蒙福的生命是怎样的。很多人一想到顺服，就会立刻想到说，「我们真得这样吗？一定要行善、要顺服吗？」但耶稣对神的吩咐和旨意的态度不是这样的。耶稣常对门徒说：「我的食物就是遵行差我来者的旨意，做成祂的工。」（约4:34）祂的意思是，遵行神的律法和旨意就像在祂面前摆设丰盛的宴席。当我们借着福音信靠耶稣，我们就被拯救，律法不只指向基督，更使我们明白如何平安蒙福地生活。

　　当神在伊甸园赐给亚当和夏娃祂的命令时，祂所赐下的这些诫命是福分，显明祂对他们的爱。在伊甸园中祂爱他们，又赐福给他们，他们只要对诫命顺服就能蒙福。当我们因耶稣得拯救，与基督联合，我们行事为人就能与这福音相称，并且满有主耶稣基督的样式。因为耶稣乐意顺服神，所以神的律法显明平安蒙福的生命是怎样的，显明当我们信靠耶稣基督时，我们就能活出与福音相称的生活。

祷告

　　赐各样美善恩赐的神，祢的律法向我们显明了何为公义。虽然律法定我们有罪，但藉着律法我们能从中看到祢是何等的圣洁，祢的爱子是何等的完美。虽然我们达不到祢律法的要求，但我们愿意常常为祢的律法献上感谢和赞美，为我们拥有一位救主而欢呼。阿们。

Scripture

ROMANS 3:20

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Commentary

CHARLES SIMEON

These poor men think they can preach the Gospel without preaching the Law. I say, they must preach the Law, unless they do not mean to preach the Gospel. The Law entered that the offence might abound: proclaim it, I say, for this purpose among your ungodly congregations; lift up your voices like trumpets, and tell the people their transgressions, that you may glorify the more your honoured Master, in proclaiming the infinite riches and fulness of His great salvation. Preach the Law to those who believe, as finished, cancelled, dead for their salvation: point them to Immanuel as holding it in His bleeding hand, and saying to them, “If ye love me, keep my Commandments.”

Devotional

LIGON DUNCAN

The law of God helps us to know God, know ourselves, know our need, and know the life of peace and blessedness. It helps us to know God because it specifically reveals his character and his attributes, his holy will, what he’s like.

Paul tells us in Romans 1 that everyone knows right and wrong. But the law of God very specifically reveals to us God’s character and his own moral qualities. Morality is not arbitrary. God doesn’t tell us to do arbitrary things. God does not require us to do things that he is not prepared to do himself. So all morality is rooted in God’s character. And when we study the law, we see a display of God’s character.

God’s law also reveals to us ourselves, especially our sinful nature and our disobedience, our inclination to sin. For instance, when Jesus is talking to the rich young ruler, he says, “Go, sell what you possess, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21). And the rich young ruler essentially says to Jesus, “I can’t.” And he walks away sadly. Now what’s going on in that story? Is Jesus saying that we all have to give away all of our possessions? No. But in the case of the rich young ruler, Jesus is revealing to him by the law of God the specific nature of his own sin. What’s the first commandment? To have no other gods before me. And there, God in the flesh is saying to the rich young ruler, “What’s it going to be? Your money, your possessions, or me, God?” And the rich young ruler chooses something over God, before God.

That leads to the third thing that the law helps us with. It helps us to understand our need. When we know who God is, and we know that we don’t measure up to his morality and character, when we know who we are, and we know the sinful inclinations of our hearts, it presses us to Jesus, because we know that we have need of a Savior. And the Savior has fulfilled that law. He’s obeyed it perfectly, and he’s paid the penalty that is due to us for it. The law presses us to the Savior. It points us to the Savior. It takes us to the Savior.

Of course, the law also shows us the life of peace and blessedness. When we think about obedience, many of us immediately think, “Oh, do I have to? Do I have to do good works? Do I have to obey?” That wasn’t Jesus’s attitude toward God’s commands and God’s will. In fact, he frequently said to his disciples, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me” (John 4:34). In other words, he was saying that it was like spreading a seven-course banquet in front of him to be able to obey the law of God, the will of God. And once we’re redeemed, once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation as he has offered in the gospel, the law not only is something that points us to Christ, but it also shows us how to live the life of peace and blessedness.

When God originally gave his commands to Adam and Eve in the garden, he gave those commands to them as blessings. They weren’t things upon which his love was contingent. He loved them and blessed them in the garden. And their obedience to the commands was the very sphere in which they enjoyed that blessedness. And when we are saved by Christ, when we are united to Christ, we are able to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel. We are to live in a manner that is like the Lord Jesus Christ. And he delighted in obeying God. And so the law of God shows us what that life of peace and blessedness is like. It shows us what it’s like to live a life worthy of the gospel once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Giver of All Good Gifts, your law reveals to us what is just. Though it condemns us, through it we know how great is your holiness and how perfect is your Son. Though we fall short, may we always give you thanks and praise for your law and rejoice that we have a Savior. Amen.