header

Bible Study "Devotionals" Section

2009/01/07

 

挽回祭,神所得着的安抚  Propitiation                         

 

在这四篇灵修笔记当中,我们都有提供一些的经文给你阅读,乃是涉及到基督之死亡的意义。当你成为一个基督徒的时候,实际上你就是一个在基督里初生的婴孩,正如哥林多前书 3:1及下文所言。如果你想要在基督徒的生命上面成长起来,以致于进入成熟的地步,你就必须认真学习和顺服上帝的话语-也就是圣经。如果你不学习,就不可能明白神的话语,也就不能够成长起来。就如提摩太后书2:15所说的,要研习神的道,并且还要遵行之。正是这个缘故,今天大多数的基督徒仍然是在基督里的“婴孩。”因为他们没有好好地学习和遵行神的话。我们知道,成长和进入成熟的过程是需要时间的,翻阅和研习圣经的章节也是需要付出时间和努力的。除此以外,别无它途!所需要的就是时间,再就是加上神的恩典。值得注意的是,按照希伯来书 6:3所说的,只有少部分的人能够进到成熟的地步。那么,你个人的选择是什么呢?上帝当然是在期待着你的成长。假如你选择不去长大,上帝也就会尊重你,任凭你继续做个婴孩。这样的一位幼稚的基督徒的表现之一,就是某一天是兴高采烈的,另一天则是垂头丧气的。

 

请阅读以下所有的经文!

 

约翰一书 2:2;  申命记 6:14及下文,  13:12-18;  诗篇 88:7, 106:23;  约拿书 3:7,10;  约翰福音 3:36;  罗马书 1:18, 2:5;  以弗所书 2:3; 歌罗西书 3:6; 帖撒罗尼迦前书 1:10, 2:16;  帖撒罗尼迦后书 1:7-9;  启示录 6:16,  14:10,19,  15:1,7,  16:1,  19:15.

 

挽回祭,遮罪,安抚(Propitiation)的意思是依靠献祭来使得怒气平息。在圣经当中,具体指的就是:因着基督在十字架上的代赎性的牺牲,使得上帝对罪人的愤怒得着了平息。

 

因为神就是爱,正如约翰一书4:8所指出来的,于是按照神自己的选择,正如以弗所书1:11所言,上帝就采取了自我牺牲的方式,来使得他对于罪的、公义的愤怒得着平息,此即所谓的遮罪。以上这些经文表明,上帝对于罪是相当愤怒的,正如旧约圣经和新约圣经里面都有这方面的清楚的教导。只要有罪的存在,就必然导致上帝对罪的愤怒。在旧约圣经里面,上帝的这种愤怒是通过剪除民中的罪恶而消除的,比如申命记13:12-18那里的例子;或者是借助于悔改,正如约拿书3:17,10的例子;或者是借助于代祷,正如诗篇106:23所言;另外就是借助于上帝自己的行动,使罪得着赦免,比如诗篇 78:38所宣告的。 

 

旧约圣经清楚地告诉我们,上帝对于以色列和地上的万民都是充满慈爱的,但是一位公义的上帝是不能够忽视罪的这个事实存在的。于是上帝因着自己的慈爱,就给人们提供了一个办法,也就是赎罪祭,来使得神的愤怒得着平息。

 

新约圣经同样是告诉我们,上帝对于罪是义愤填膺的,正如本文开头所列举那些经文所论述的。上帝的圣洁本性注定了,罪是需要得到公正的对待的。于是最终那位神人合一的耶稣基督,就用自己的身体为祭,在十字架上付出了那个必须的牺牲之代价,也就是赎罪祭,为要使我们的罪得着赦免。上帝恨恶罪,同时上帝又爱世人。所以只有借着神那个遮罪的计划,才使得上帝对于罪的愤怒得着安抚。从此,上帝就可以自由自在地来彰显他对世人的爱了,因为中间的那个罪的拦阻已经被挪开了。

 

罗马书3:25及下文教导我们说,基督为我们成为了那个赎罪祭,类似的教导还出现在希伯来书2:17, 约翰一书 2:2, 4:10,这样,上帝的愤怒就得以止息,上帝的心意也就得着了满足。基督同时也是那个施恩座,( 出埃及记25:17-22; 利未记 16:2, 13-16),亦即用来献上赎罪祭的地方, 请参见希伯来书9:5, 7, 11-15, 21及下文的教导。基督为世人的罪被献上为祭,使得上帝的愤怒得着平息,这就是遮罪(propitiation)。 

 

如果上帝得着满足,乃是完全借助于基督的受死,那么我们这些有罪的人还能够做什么事情,来满足上帝呢?答案是,什么也不能做。因为一切都已经由神自己完成了。罪人所唯一能够做的,就是接受上帝所赐下的礼物,这礼物就是神的义。” 

 

以上这段话是查理斯·然瑞(Charles C. Ryrie)在其《基本神学》这一著作当中所提出的,实在是道出了至理名言。上帝诚然已经成就了所有的必须的工作,使得罪人只需要信靠基督,就可以从上帝的震怒底下得着拯救。一旦某个罪人得救了,他就成为了一位蒙恩的罪人,并且是永永远远的得救了!这个永恒的救恩,基督徒是不会再失去了的,因为乃是白白的、免费的礼物!这个事实,乃是建基于许多的真理之上的,包括基督的替代性的死亡,救赎,和好,以及遮罪等等!

 

所以,救恩乃是建立在上帝所作的工作上面的,而不是人的工作。在一个人信主之前的时刻,他实在是不能够为自己的永恒救恩做任何的事情。而且在他得救之后,信徒也是不能够做任何的事来保持自己的永恒救恩。反之亦然,一旦某人信靠了基督,他也是不能够做任何的事情而失去这个永恒救恩的。可见,跟上帝的那个完全的免费的礼物-也就是基督相比,人的信心实在是很微小的部分。在一个人的得救这件事上面,主要是神的工作,而不是主要取决于人的信心,那特别关键的工作乃是由神子耶稣基督在十字架上完成了的。

 

不过,虽然信徒不会再失去自己的永恒救恩,但是如果他对上帝不忠心,他仍然会失去机会,以致于不能够与基督在那个千禧年的国度当中一同做王掌权,正如启示录20:1-6所描述的。对于这方面的圣经真理,也就是涉及到永恒救恩的确据,有可能失去与基督一同做王的机会,以及忠心的信徒所将获得的巨大赏赐,也就是与基督一同做王,并且相关的经文论据,请参阅本网页上面的那些与“奶”和“干粮”有关的书籍。

 

对于这个论题,然瑞继续讲述道,“基督牺牲之前,每当人们到上帝面前来祷告,完全应该按照路加福音18:13所记载的那位税吏的方式,‘神啊,开恩可怜【字面直译是,遮罪】我这个罪人!’尽管当时候有律法,借着满足律法的要求,人们也可以暂时享受与上帝的团契,但是却没有一个一劳永逸的途径,使得上帝的愤怒得着止息,也就是说,人们没有一个可以用来依靠的、已经成就了的、且是永远有效的除罪的祭物。故此,以上的这个祷告就完全是恰当的。但是,现今的情况就不一样了,因为基督已经死了,上帝已经得着安抚,也就再没有必要重复地去祈求上帝的遮罪了。上帝已经平息了愤怒,已经得着了抚慰,并且是永恒地满足了。这个正是我们所带给当今之堕落世界的信息:接受这位救主吧!他已经用自己的死来平息了上帝的愤怒。”

 


Propitiation

In each of these 4 devotionals on the meaning of the death of Christ there are a few verses written for you to read.  When you become a Christian, the Bible teaches you are a “babe” in Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:1f.  If you want to grow as a Christian and become mature, you must study and obey God’s Word, the Bible.  You can not grow and understand God’s Word without study.  Study, 2 Timothy 2:15, and obey.  That is why most Christians are still “babes” in Christ.  They do not study and obey.  It takes time to grow up to maturity and it takes time to turn the pages of Scripture to study these verses.  There is no other way!  Time and God’s grace.  Note, few will grow to maturity, Hebrews 6:3.  What is your choice?  God is waiting for you to grow.  If you choose not to grow, God will also choose for you not to grow.  “Babe’ Christians are joyful one day and defeated the next day. 

Read all the verses!

1 John 2:2;  Deuteronomy 6:14f,  13:12-18;  Psalm 88:7, 106:23;  Jonah 3:7,10;  John 3:36;  Romans 1:18, 2:5;  Ephesians 2:3;  Colossians 3:6;  1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:16;  2 Thessalonians 1:7-9;  Revelation 6:16,  14:10,19,  15:1,7,  16:1,  19:15.

“Propitiation mans the turning away of wrath by an offering.  It is the satisfying the wrath of God by the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross.”

Because God is love, 1 John 4:8, and according to His choice, Ephesians 1:11, God chose to satisfy His righteous wrath against sin, propitiation.  This clear teaching of God’s wrath is both in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible as indicated by the above verses.  Whenever there is sin, it necessitates God’s wrath against it.  In the Old Testament God’s wrath was averted by the purging of sin, Deuteronomy 13:12-18, repentance, Jonah 3:17,10, intercession, Psalm 106:23, and God’s own action in removing sin, Psalm 78:38. 

The Old Testament clearly shows God’s love for Israel and people in general, but a righteous God can not overlook sin.  So God’s love provided a way for His wrath to be satisfied, propitiation.

The New Testament also teaches God’s wrath against sin as indicated by the verses at the top of the page.  It is a personal matter with God that sin has to be dealt with by justice.  It required the sacrificial death of the God-man, Jesus Christ, on the cross to forgive it, propitiation.  God hates sin.  God loves man.  So God’s plan of propitiation satisfied God’s wrath against sin.  Now God can freely show love to man.

Romans 3:25f teach that Christ became the propitiation, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 4:10, and God’s wrath was satisfied.  Christ was also the mercy seat, (Exodus 25:17-22; Leviticus 16:2, 13-16), the place where the propitiation was made, Hebrews 9:5, 7, 11-15, 21f.  Christ was the offering for sin and God’s wrath was satisfied, propitiation.

“If because of the death of Christ God is satisfied, then what can the sinner do to try to satisfy God?  The answer is nothing.  Everything has been done by God Himself.  The sinner can and need only to receive the gift of righteousness God offers.” 

The previous paragraph by Charles C. Ryrie (Basic Theology) contains very powerful truth.  God did all that is necessary for a sinner to believe in Christ, to be saved from the wrath of God.  Once a sinner is saved, he becomes a saved-sinner, and is saved for all eternity!  A Christian can never lose eternal salvation, it is a free gift!  It is based on many truths including substitutionary death of Christ, redemption, reconciliation and propitiation! 

It is based on God’s work, not man’s work.  Man can not work for his eternal salvation before he believes.  Man can not work to keep his eternal salvation after he is saved.  And man can not do anything to lose his eternal salvation once he believes in Christ.  And man’s faith in Christ is always small compared to God’s perfect free gift of Christ.  It is not dependent on man’s faith but God saving man, and God’s work of salvation on the cross. 

Though a Christian will never lose his eternal salvation, he can lose the opportunity to reign with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom due to his unfaithfulness, Revelation 20:1-6.  Also read all the books in the “Milk” and “Solid Food” sections of this website for further proof of eternal security, possible loss of reigning with Christ, and the great reward of reigning with Christ for faithful believers!

Ryrie goes on to say, “Before Christ died, it was perfectly proper to pray, as did the taxgatherer in Luke 18:13, “God, be merciful [literally, be propitiated] to me, the sinner.”  Though provision for fellowship with God was provided under the Law, this man could not rely on a finished and eternal sacrifice for sin that would appease God once and for all.  So that was an entirely appropriate prayer for him to pray.  But now Christ has died, and God is satisfied, and there is no need to ask Him to be propitiated.  He is appeased, placated, and satisfied eternally.  This is the message we bring to a lost world: Receive the Savior who through His death satisfied the wrath of God.”




Web Page Design Copyright © 2008-2009 by  www.zhangdaderen.com  All Rights Reserved