| 生根建造 | |
| 經文: 「……只是各人要謹慎怎樣在上面建造。因為那已經立好的根基，就是耶穌基督，此外沒有人能立別的根基。」（哥林多前書三：10～11） | |
| 「勿再立根基」——這是保羅對希伯來人講的話，卻不適用於後來的改革派。原來幾世紀來，羅馬教會在建造之際，慢慢遠離真正的根基，教會專權，宣告懺悔需透過祭司，並不教導信徒要憑信心，以耶穌基督做救恩的根基。基督徒內心的懺悔認罪，表面上只能透過神父祭司完成，事實上是為搜刮錢財。 馬丁路德與喀爾文的偉大工作，就是把根基重新立在耶穌基督的磐石上，這實在安慰了上千上萬哀傷愁苦的靈魂。我們要為耶穌再度被視為救恩磐石，信徒可以因信稱義，和上帝和好這樁重大真理，向上帝獻上無盡的感恩。 改革派的工作，並非一年半載就可達成，聽說花費了半世紀才成立改革宗，而且許多神父祭司表面上說是願改革，但實際生活上仍然腐敗如昔。喀爾文自認改革宗在教義上是改變了，但信徒的生活卻沒有真正改變，他深深地覺得信徒要在稱義成聖的道路上，好好地被教導操練。這也難怪許多人已經悔改信主，以耶穌做救恩的根基，但建造的工程卻遲遲未能進行——過一個得勝、成聖的生活。 改革宗有時候被誤認為是五旬節的再臨，但事實上並非如此。改革宗的信徒講求與世俗有別，彼此相愛，並且熱心傳福音，但改革宗內部分岐很大，他們太注重在上位的政治人物給予他們的幫助，傳教的工作也是指派神父的例行公事。五旬節教派乃是愛主的弟兄姐妹們，自發性地為主做見證，這情形是不同的。 | |
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| THE REFORMATION | |
| Scripture: "For other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ; but let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon."—\ COR. iii. 10, 11. | |
| "Not laying again the foundation"—these words to the Hebrews were certainly not applicable to the Reformation. In the course of centuries the Church of Rome in building had left the true foundation. Instead of justification by faith in Jesus Christ being the foundation of Christian life, the Church itself claimed power to forgive sin. Forgiveness could be obtained only through a priest; indeed it might be bought from a priest for money. The great work of Luther and Calvin was to lay anew the foundation of Jesus Christ, to the comfort of thousands of anxious souls. We can never thank God enough for the Reforma¬tion, when Jesus was proclaimed anew our righteousness—our peace with God. That great work of Reformation was not accomplished in a day or a year. It took fifty years to establish the Reformation, and even after that time there were many priests whose conversion did not include the power of a holy life. Calvin himself said the Reformation was more in doctrine than in the lives of the people, and he felt deeply the need of the people to be taught and trained in the paths of righteousness. It was no wonder that so long as the foundation had to be relaid in the full truth of conversion and faith, there was delay in the building itself on the true foundation —a life of sanctification. The Reformation is sometimes thought of as a return to Pentecost, but it was by no means that. Instead of brotherly love, separation from the world, and earnestness in preaching Christ by all who loved Him, there was much controversy among the Reformers. They trusted too much to the patronage of statesmen where these were kindly disposed towards them, and preaching was the work of ordained priests only, in contrast to the Pentecostal witnessing for Christ by all those who were constrained by His love. | |
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