Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Three Views on Predestination

(請按圖片left click放大)

摘自Greg Johnson – Predestination (God’s sovereignty in Salvation)
Http://www.christianstudy.org/

American Sacred Cattle
Sacred Cow # 1 Human Goodness 人的良善
Sacred Cow # 2 Democracy 民主
Sacred Cow # 3 Individual choice 個人的選擇

'Christian' Version 基督徒的版本
1. We have the moral ability to choose God. 我們有"道德能力"來選擇上帝.
2. God is trying his best to save everybody he can. 上帝儘量盡衪的能力來救祂的能力
3. God can’t change your heart unless you let him. 上帝無法改變你的心志,除非你讓衪改變.

以上版本已讓基督徒越來越遠離真理.



  • 約400 AD, Augustine 和 Pelagius 為此教義爭辯 , Pelagius 甚至被責為異端.在Council of Orange in 529 AD, Free Will 不被認同.


  • Again in 855, the Council of Valence affirmed a double predestination.



  • 十六世紀Protestant Reformation, 馬丁路德 稱此預定論的教義為教會的心臟.Martin Luther called the doctrine of predestination the cor ecclesia, the heart of the Church. 此預定論教義雖稱為Calvinism,但馬丁路德寫有關預定論的文章多過加爾文. Luther wrote more about predestination than did John Calvin, even though the term .Calvinism was unfortunately applied to the doctrine.

In Ephesians 1:5-6, for example, Scripture tells us when this choice took place before creation, in eternity. And the Bible tells us what this predestination is unto adoption through Jesus, to be holy and blameless before God. And it tells us here why God chose us so that his glory could be praised.


以弗所書第一章4.就如神從創立世界以前,在基督裡揀選了我們,使我們在他面前成為聖潔,無有瑕疵;5.又因愛我們,就按著自己意旨所喜悅的,預定我們藉著耶穌基督得兒子的名分,6.使他榮耀的恩典得著稱讚;這恩典是他在愛子裡所賜給我們的。


Three Views on Predestination預定論三個觀點


問題不在基督徒信不信預定論,真正的問題在: 神揀選?(或更重要的是)為什麼祂揀選此人? The real question is this: whom did God predestine to eternal life, and (even more importantly) why did God choose those He predestined?


1. The optimistic view: 樂觀派認為


神揀選每個人,但人有veto-power. 此觀點和聖經不符. The Bible doesn’t say that everyone is predestined, but only those who will eventually believe and enjoy eternal life.



Christians are frequently called the elect and are said to be the chosen ones (see Rom 8:33; 11:7; 1 Cor 1:27-29; Col 3:12; 2 Tim 2:10; Tit 1:1; 1 Pe 2:8-9). God hasn’t chosen everyone. He’s chosen some for eternal life and not others. But on what basis has God chosen some?



基督徒稱自己為被揀選的.見:


Rom 8:33誰能控告神所揀選的人呢﹖有神稱他們為義了(或作:是稱他們為義的神嗎)


林前1:27.神卻揀選了世上愚拙的,叫有智慧的羞愧;又揀選了世上軟弱的,叫那強壯的羞愧。28.神也揀選了世上卑賤的,被人厭惡的,以及那無有的,為要廢掉那有的。29.使一切有血氣的,在神面前一個也不能自誇。


Tit 1:1神的僕人,耶穌基督的使徒保羅,憑著神選民的信心與敬虔真理的知識,



2. The Arminian view: 愛米念派的觀念


神揀選了一些人,因祂預知這些人會和聖靈合作.神給每個人同樣的恩典,那些和聖靈合作就被得救,神揀選我們因祂知道我們會選祂. God has predestined some to eternal life because He saw in advance that such persons would cooperate with the Holy Spirit and believe by their own free will. God gives everyone an equal amount of grace, and those willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit are saved. God chose us because we were going to choose Him.



3. The Reformed (Calvinist) view: 歸正的觀念


神揀選了一些人, 不是因祂預知這些人會信祂,是神祂自己的奧秘. 神揀選我們既使我們會拒絕祂, 不是我們會合作. 神揀選我們, 祂改變我們的心, 祂一直保守到祂揀選的都不失落.God predestined some to eternal life, not because He saw that they would have believed on their own (They wouldn’t have!), but because of His own secret purpose. God chose us despite our rejection of Him, not because we would be cooperative. God chose to change our hearts, and he has done so and will continue to do so until all of his elect are gathered to him.