Chapter 2. Of God and of the Holy Trinity
1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; 1 whose subsistence is in and of Himself, 2 infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself; 3 a most pure spirit, 4 invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; 5 who is immutable, 6 immense, 7 eternal, 8 incomprehensible, almighty, 9 every way infinite, most holy, 10 most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, 11 for His own glory; 12 most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, 13 and withal most just and terrible in His judgments, 14 hating all sin, 15 and who will by no means clear the guilty. 16
1. 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4
2. Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12
3. Exodus 3:14
4. John 4:24
5. 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15-16
6. Malachi 3:6
7. 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23
8. Psalms 90:2
9. Genesis 17:1
10. Isaiah 6:3
11. Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10
12. Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36
13. Exodus 34:6-7; Hebrews 11:6
14. Nehemiah 9:32-33
15. Psalms 5:5-6
16. Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2-3
一.耶和华我们的上帝是独一的上帝(申6:4;林前8:4,6),又真又活(耶10:10;赛48:12);自有永有(出3:14),其存有和完全都是无限的,祂的本质惟独祂自己才能测透(伯11:7-9),祂是至纯之灵(约4:24),无形(提前1:17;申4:15-16)、无体(约4:24)、无欲,惟独祂永不朽坏,住在无人能接近的光中;祂不变(雅1:17;玛3:6)、无量(王上8:27;耶23:23)、永恒(诗90:2)、不可测度(诗145:3)、全能(创17:1;启4:8)、各方面无限、至圣(赛6:3)、至智(罗16:27)、最自由(诗115:3)、最绝对(出3:14),祂按照自己不改变和至公义的旨意行作万事(赛46:10;弗1:11),为的是荣耀祂自己(箴16:4;罗11:36);祂极其慈爱(约壹4:8,16),有恩典,有怜悯,恒久忍耐,有丰盛的恩慈和信实,赦免罪孽、过犯和罪恶(出34:6-7);祂赏赐那殷勤寻求祂的(来11:6);同时,祂的审判最为公义,极其可畏(尼9:32-33);祂憎厌诸恶(诗5:5-6),断不以有罪的为无罪(出34:7;鸿1:2-3)。
一、神是独一永活的真神1,祂是凭自己存在2,祂的存在和完美都是无限的,祂的本质除祂以外,无人能明瞭3,祂是至纯之灵4,眼不能见,无肢、无体,无情欲,唯独祂有永生;祂住在无人能接近的光明中5,祂是无变化6,广大无边7,永恒8,不可思度,全能9,无限,至圣10,至智,最自由,完全自存,祂为自己的荣耀11,按照自己不变而公义的旨意12行万事;最慈爱,恩惠,怜悯,忍耐,有丰盛的善良与真理,赦免罪孽,过犯与罪恶;是那殷勤寻求祂的人的赏赐13;同时,祂的审判最为公义,极其可畏14,恨恶诸恶15,断不以有罪的为无罪16。
- 林前8:4-6;申6:4。
- 耶10:10;赛48:12。
- 出3:14。
- 约4:24。
- 提前1:17;申4:15-16。
- 玛3:6。
- 王上8:27;耶23:23。
- 诗90:2。
- 创17:1。
- 赛6:3。
- 箴16:4;罗11:36。
- 诗115:3;赛46:10。
- 出34:6-7;来11:6。
- 尼9:32-33。
- 诗5:5-6。
- 出34:7;鸿1:2-3。
2. God, having all life, 17 glory, 18 goodness, 19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, 20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, 21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases; 22 in His sight all things are open and manifest, 23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain; 24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, 25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, 26 service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.
17. John 5:26
18. Psalms 148:13
19. Psalms 119:68
20. Job 22:2-3
21. Romans 11:34-36
22. Daniel 4:25, 34-35
23. Hebrews 4:13
24. Ezekiel 11:5; Acts 15:18
25. Psalms 145:17
26. Revelation 5:12-14
二.上帝拥有一切生命(约5:26)、荣耀(诗148:13;徒7:2)、良善(诗119:68),是可称颂的(提前6:15;罗9:5),本乎祂自身,出于祂自身;惟独祂本乎自己,并对自己而言是完全自足的,不需要祂所造的任何受造之物(徒17:24-25),也不从他们得任何荣耀(伯22:2-3),却只在他们里面,藉他们,对他们,并在他们身上彰显祂自己的荣耀;祂是万有惟一的根源,万有都是本于祂,依靠祂,归于祂(罗11:34-36);祂对他们有至高的统治权,藉他们,为他们,并在他们身上行祂自己所喜悦的事(启4:11;提前6:15;但4:25,34-35)。万有在祂眼前都是赤露敞开的(来4:13);祂的知识是无限的,无谬的,独立于任何受造物之外(诗147:5;罗11:33-34);所以,对于祂而言,没有什么事物是偶然的,或不确定的(徒15:18;结11:5)。祂的一切预旨、作为和命令都是至圣的(诗145:17;罗7:12)。作为受造物,天使和人都当遵照创造者的美意,按祂的吩咐来敬拜祂,侍奉祂,顺服祂(启5:12-14)。
二、神在自己里面并由自己而有一切生命17,荣耀18,善良19,祝福,单独在自己里面并为自己是完全满足的,不需要祂所造的任何被造之物,也不从他们得到任何荣耀20,相反地只在他们里面;借着他们,向他们,并在他们身上彰显祂自己的荣耀;祂是万有的独一根源,万有都是属于祂,借祂而立,归于祂21;并且在万有之上有至高统治权,借着,为了,并在万有之上行祂自己所喜悦的事22。万事在祂面前都是赤露敞开23,祂的知识是无限的,毫无错误,并不依靠受造之物,所以没有任何事物对祂是偶然的或不确定的24。祂在自己的一切计划,作为和命令中都是至圣的25。天使、世人,以及别的受造之物,必当将敬拜26、事奉、顺服或祂的美意所求于他们的,都归给祂。
3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, 27 of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: 28 the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; 29 the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; 30 all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
27. 1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:1428. Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; 1 Corinthians 8:629. John 1:14, 1830. John 15:26; Galatians 4:6
三.在无限上帝的统一性中有三个位格,即圣父,圣子,圣灵(太3:16-17;28:19;林后13:14),同实质、同权能、同永恒。每一位格都具有完全的神性,但这一神性并未分开(出3:14;约14:11;林前8:4)。圣父既非受生,亦非被发出;圣子在永恒中为父所生(约1:14,18);圣灵在永恒中由父和子发出(约15:26;加4:6)。每一位格都是无限无始的(注),因此只是一位上帝,在本质和存有上不可分割,只能根据祂们特有的角色和彼此之间的关系加以区分。此三位一体的教义是我们与上帝所有相交并安然信靠的根基。
注:在永恒里子由父所生,同时祂又是无始的,这是一个人类知识所不能了解,也不能用语言表达的圣经启示的奥秘。在永恒里圣灵由父和子而出,同时祂又是无始的,这同样是一个奥秘。
三、在神的统一性内有属于一本质,权能,永恒的三个位格,即为父的神,为子的神和为圣灵的神27。祂们个别是完全的神,而神本体却是不能分开28。父不属那一个,既非所生,亦无所出;子永恒由父所生29;圣灵永恒由父和子而出30。三位都是无限,无始,因此只是一神,是不能在本质和存在上分开,只是在他们单独和特别的角色和彼此的关系上辨别出来。这三位一体的教义是我们与神相交和安心倚靠祂的基础。
参考资料:
https://cmchurch.org/2017/12/20/%e7%ac%ac%e4%ba%8c%e7%ab%a0-%e8%ae%ba%e7%a5%9e%e4%b8%8e%e4%b8%89%e4%bd%8d%e4%b8%80%e4%bd%93/