得救的确据？魔鬼的控告！

Ichthys

如今，庸俗的讲道大行其道，魔鬼的控告大行其道。

什么是得救的确据？ 首先转一篇本站真理一百课的文章。

因为论坛升级格式乱了，所以自己改了一下。
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第五十一课——得救的确据

引论：

一个基督徒，他要在灵性上帮助别人，他必须要有得救的确据。海里班牧师（Rev.H.Hidebrand）说：“在我的教会里有人以为自己是基督徒，多数希望是这样，有的人也这样说自己是基督徒，只有少数人知道他们是得救的。”

你结婚了没有？你肯定吗？你不是结婚了就是没结婚，并没有中间状态，对一个人的得救也是同样的道理，不是得救就是失丧。是“在基督里面”还是在基督外面？

救恩是一个神迹的转变，这神迹在你身上发生了吗？有还是没有？若我们现在是“在基督里”，我们就应当有充分的得救的确据。许多教会人士不信我们现在就可能清楚知道我们得救的问题，他们认为这样说未免太亵渎神了，但信心是相信神的，若我们要凭行为得救，那么他们这种说法就是正确的，因为这样的一个人就必须加倍的工作，使工作的质量达到一个标准。但救恩是一种恩赐（以弗所书2章8节），是我们接受并拥有的。

（一）得救确据的定义

得着救恩的确据是我们对得救问题有绝对的把握，并且当我们突然死去，我们就立刻到天家去。

得救的确据是我们得着了救恩——得着主耶稣基督。救恩是有永远的生命，这是神的生命。我若有永生，我就是得救的——每时每刻都是永远的得救。“我又赐给他们永生，他们永不灭亡，谁也不能把他们从我手中夺去。”（约翰福音10章28—29节）

（二）谁能得着得救的确据

1．那些接受主耶稣基督为他个人救主的人。“凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐给他们权柄，作神的儿女。”（约翰福音1章12节）
2．那些信靠耶稣基督的。“……叫一切（杜永嘉也在内）信他的，不至灭亡，反的永生。”（约翰福音3章16节）“信子的人有永生。”（约翰福音3章36节）

（三）得救确据的根据

这确据能否根据感觉？不能，撒但能管辖或影响我们的感觉，健康，天气、事情和四周围环境亦会影响我们的感觉。有人初进入救恩，在感情上真令他兴奋，但对其他的人可能毫无感觉。神却给我们三件事可作为我们得救确据的根据：

1．圣灵的见证。“圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女；”（罗马书1章16节）在归主之前，圣灵会使我们知罪，得知公义和审判的来临。但对于已信主的人，他恩惠的执事已有所改变。对一个信徒来说，圣灵将在他心里说平安的话，并赐他里面的平安，让他能确实的知道他真正的属于耶稣。“你们既为儿子，神就差他儿子的灵进入你们的心，呼叫：‘阿爸父’”“阿爸”是一个亲密关系的称呼。圣灵温柔的对我的灵微声说：“现在你们是神的儿子了。”

2．神的话。圣灵经常籍着神的话作见证。“信神儿子的，就有这见证在他心里。”（约翰一书5章10节）“我将这些话写给你们信奉神儿子之名的人，要叫你们知道自己有永生。”（约翰一书5章13节）“相信”是条件，“知道”是结果。

若魔鬼来试探你，令你对得救的问题产生怀疑，用你的指头放在这节经文上并以上主的名斥责魔鬼，魔鬼就会离开你逃跑了。对撒但说：神的话说，我若相信耶稣基督就有了永生，在（将你信主的时间说明）我相信了耶稣，因此我们有了永生，我已得救了，我们的罪已赦免了，我正在天家的路途中。用神的话作为根据，从其上你可建立坚强的确据。

以后会有人找你请教，你要认识那位带有权威讲关于永生的话的人，圣经里还有其他的经文使我们可以得着救恩的确据的是：

“我实实在在的告诉你们，那听我话，又信差我来者的，就有永生，不至于定罪，是已经出死入生了。”（相信——得着）（约翰福音5章24节）“信靠这人就得称义了。”（使徒行传13章39节）（那些达到这相信条件的都得称义了）“于是对那女人说：‘你的罪赦免了。’”（路加福音7章48节）（当罪一挪开，到天家的路是敞开和清楚的）“凡求告主名的，就必得救，”（罗马书10章13节）（若我求告主耶稣，我便得救了。）

3．改变的生命。在我们周遭的每一个人看见我们的改变，与我们的心同证我们是得救了——真正是神的儿子——真正的重生。“我们因为爱弟兄，就晓得是已经出死入生了”（约翰一书3章14节）这是真正的光景，是救恩的示范。

基督徒是在基督里新造的人（哥林多后书5章17节），这显明出有新的感情，新的喜爱，新的不喜爱，新的爱心和新的憎恶。恶习的势力已离去不复存在了，这可证明我是真正得救了。

（四）得救确据的问题

既然神的道和圣灵是这样清楚告诉我们知道得救的确据是可能的，为什么知道自己有得救的确据的人是如此少呢？

这里面有一部份人他们是听从了魔鬼的控告。这件事可从两个方面来回答：

（1）我是不是已经接受耶稣基督为我个人的救主呢？

（2）我是不是真正相信耶稣基督？如果在这两个问题上都能肯定的回答：“是”，那么根据神的话语，我已经得救了。

若对神的话产生怀疑，这是一种可怕的罪，等于侮辱了神的话语。对神的话的信靠并不是一件骄傲的事，因为信心能荣耀神并使神喜悦。（希伯来书11章6节）

（五）得救确据的障碍

1．没有相信神的话。我若真正得救，我就会求加增我的信心，帮助我相信圣经所讲的一切话。现代高等普通教育往往在不知不觉中在损坏对圣经的信仰。

2．灵性降低。在天历路程中，天路客因睡眠而失去他的公文，基督徒往往因灵里沉睡而失去了他的喜乐和得救的确据。如果有这样的事情发生，你必须根据约翰壹书1章9节所说的，承认你的罪并从头开始。

3．太过属世。贪爱世界阻塞我们对神和他话语及祷告的渴慕。

4．缺少圣灵的充满，（约翰福音7章37-39节），这往往是由于在生活中缺乏对圣灵的监督的顺服。医治的方法——不要侍奉两个主。将你的意志降服于他，他会带领你。

5．过多强调有关命中注定，拣选，属肉体的或万无一失等问题。

6．犯罪和退后：医治良方乃是用约翰壹书1章9节。

结论：

主啊，鉴查我的心看我是不是有得着救恩的确据——若耶稣真正在我里面。我若真正得救，帮助我对圣经平白易懂的话不存疑惑。如果我尚未得救，主啊，求你拿去一切虚妄的安稳，我愿知道真理。

注意：不要婉劝别人说他已经得救了，这是圣灵的工作，只有他知道并鉴察人的内心。

得救的确据使我成为更刚强的基督徒，得救确据不是自诩或夸耀，这是一种对神话语简单的信靠，去表明“我已清楚我得救”，这需要谦卑，因这完全是靠着他的恩典和怜悯得着的，是他拯救我，保守我，他要带领我到天家去。

复习题：
（一）试解释得救的确据。
（二）什么是得救？
（三）谁能有得救的确据？
（四）根据那三件事，知道有得救的确据？
（五）试举有关得救的确据的五处经文。
（六）当基督进入一个人的生命中，有什么最大的改变临到他身上？
（七）为什么有这么多人没有得救的确据（五个理由）？
（八）说“我已得救了”是一件自诩的事吗？为什么？
（九）举出阻碍得救确据的五件事。
（十）一个做个人工作者是不是应当劝说一个刚归正的人说他已经得救？为什么？

Ichthys

第二篇：林慈信：“得救与重生”

http://bbs.jonahome.net/forum.ph ... 8%B5%C4%C8%B7%BE%DD

      一个真正被神重生了的人，会关心到自己是否真正得救，这是一件很自然、也是很正常的事；换句话来说，一个人之所以会关心到自己是否得救，正正表示了他里面有从神而来的生命本质──这是一件好事。但是，如果一个人终日担忧、惶恐，不知道自己是否得救，又或者担心会不会有一天再度失丧──那就不是什么好事了。《圣经》明明地告诉我们，我们自己得救与否，是可以知道的：“我将这些话写给你们信奉神儿子之名的人，要叫你们知道自己有永生。”（约壹5：13）

　　向来，宗教也好，神学也好，信徒灵命操练也好，都可分为“人本”和“神本”两种。以人为本的宗教经验，会用人的理性、人的情感、人的经验、人所见所闻的一切来断定事情的真相。在得救一事上，人本论调的人会说：我“感到”我不够属灵，我“见过”有人放弃信仰，我的确“意识”到陷在罪中不能自拔……所以我不敢说我是得救的。而神本信仰的人会告诉你：不管你想得通、想不通，不管你的感觉如何，不管你在现象界所见、所闻的是什么，“ 耶和华神如此说”，所以我就要如此信。换句话说，以神为本的信仰，乃是建基在对上帝的道、上帝之应许的确信。


　　华人教会中有许多人没有得救的把握，其原因莫过于两种：

       第一、在教义上出错。他们所接受的教导是：救恩是要靠自己努力保持的，而且由于有许多离经叛道的事，所以不可以为自己一定能坚守到底（对于这一点，我们在上一章已经详细论述过了）。



　　第二、他们过着一个以人为本的信仰生活：他们把眼目放在人的身上，把信心建立在他们的感观和情感之上，而在得救一事上出问题的，常见有两类人：第一类、自我形像低落的人；第二类、良心脆弱的人。我们现在稍微来分析一下这两类人的情形：



　　自我形像低落──说句实在的，今天在小学、中学、大学，以至工作的年青人当中，十个有九个的自我形像都是很不健康的。他们的自我形像低，其原因可能是基于家境、人生遭遇、在学校或工作上的表现、父母的责备、甚至虐待、失恋、遭人弃绝等。正因为他们有过如此惨痛的遭遇，所以他们内心深处很渴望得到人的爱护、很渴望被人接纳，但同时，他们又对别人怎样看他们极度地敏感。好了，有一天他们找到了主耶稣的爱，但他们还是不敢全心去接受这份爱，尤其是当他们认识到这位主耶稣是一位如此圣洁的主时，就更加在意主耶稣怎样看他们。他们潜意识当中有一股惧怕，怕神有一天也会像他们的父母、男、女朋友一样，不再爱他们了。



　　脆弱的良心──这多半是因为犯罪的原故，他们很可能从前犯过什么罪，又或者现在一直陷在罪中，不能战胜罪的辖制，所以一直过着内疚的日子。他们虽然信了主，但不敢、也不能接受神的饶恕，以致终日不能接受自己、宽恕自己（同时，也难免不能接纳、宽恕那些与他们犯同样罪的人）。

　　《圣经》的原则永远是：不是以人的体验来断定神应许的真实性（无论这体验对你来讲有多么真实），而是以神的话语来纠正、改观人的体验、人的思想、人的观念；不是我感受到了神的爱，所以我信神是爱，而是因为神说他是爱，所以我信神是爱；不是我感到被饶恕、被接纳，所以我信我有永生，而是神说：“我总不撇下你，也不丢弃你”（来13：5），所以我信我在主手中是安全的；我们不是说人有了得救的确据，就可以随便犯罪或不必认罪、悔罪，而是说，他不必抱着提心吊胆，终日惶恐的心来到神面前；他为罪忧伤，不是因怕失去救恩，而是因为他为得罪了这个爱他的主而深感痛悔：主啊！我向你犯罪，惟独得罪了你！（诗51：4）而真诚的认罪，所带来的，应当是真释放、真喜乐，因为“爱里没有惧怕；爱既完全，就将惧怕除去。”（约壹4：18）

但愿每一个信徒，在主里的日子，越来越懂得举目仰天，越来越爱慕、信靠神的话语，让神的道成为我们信仰生活的支柱，让主的灵重建我们的自我形像，让主的宝血洗净我们的良心，让我们做一个喜乐的、健壮的、能结果子的信徒。

Ichthys

第三篇：

人信仰基督的最根本目的是为得救。得救是指罪得赦免，与神和好，得神所赐的永生，最终身体得赎进入新天新地。

人要得救，就必须清楚地知道得救的确据是什么。其实得救的确据，是指人凭什么得救？这个问题太重要了，对初信的信徒重要，对信了很久的信徒也同样重要。 对于得救确据这个问题，有人会认为这是最基本最简单的问题，是很清楚的，不应该是问题，但是在实际生活中却不是这样，事实上有不少的人并不清楚，特别是面对具体的问题和观念以及不同的现象时，是分辨不清的。在现实的信仰生活里，我们发现常常有的人，是把生活中的一些“信仰见证的经历”或“信仰生活的表现行为方式”看成是个人得救的确据。比如：有的教会将什么时候做礼拜，在什么地方受洗，在什么时候领圣餐，用什么方式举行礼拜，祷告用什么方法，那些人坐什么位置等都视为是得到神救赎的确据方法。其实，这些方式或运用方法，都只是教会在不同的环境中在管理上的一些规定，是人根据教会的特点而制定的一些条例，是教会管理体制的范围，目的只是为了教会有序的管理工作。再如，人信主后，自然就会感受到有赦罪的平安 ，生命里就有了新的表现，愿意过圣洁的生活，当做了得罪神的事情时，心中就觉得很难过，与从前喜欢犯罪的习性迥然不同了，神的恩典与人同行，就会让人在一些特别的时候彰显出神的救恩与医治的生命功效，要知道这只是神恩典的赏赐。然而，就有人往往把在某一天发生的事件或某一次病得医治的经历当成得救的确据。是把信仰得救的确据与信仰的见证或恩典相提并论，这是错误的。以上这种现象，是我在牧场中经常遇到信徒确认的事，有的人认为，这就是他们的真实信仰确据，是不可更改的，也是碰不得的，让人哭笑不得。还是让我们回归到圣经中，来寻明人在神面前得救的真正确据吧。
  
一、圣经中得救的确据
  
圣经上说：“你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救。”（罗１０：９） “除他以外，别无拯救。因为天下人间，没有赐下别的名，我们可以靠着得救。”（徒４：１２）“神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给我们，叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”（约３：１６）

以上经文中的“认耶稣为主”、“叫一切信他的得永生”、“除他以外，别无拯救”、“叫一切信他的„„得永生。”等都在宣告，得救的确据和本源是基督耶稣自己，不是信仰他的方式，也不是信仰他在经历过程中得到的某种恩典或信仰的崇拜时间。反而强调：“口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救”，则是圣经中因信称义（称义是指不被定罪）、因信得救的最直接、最具体的表述。人得救不是凭任何的行为，是单单因着“信”，信是指信耶稣是生命救主的信心！
是的，人的信在于神所赐给的信心，心里确实相信耶稣不但为你的罪死在十字架上，并且第三日从死里复活；口里承认耶稣是你唯一的生命主宰，就必得救。

这是福音的应许，更是神的应许。也就是说，人只要如此地信，就必得救。因此，我们得救的确据，只是主耶稣自己。不可让信仰的方式或是信仰中所得的恩典来代替基督本身，这也是我们在信仰中要警醒的，一些异端就是这样产生的。 至此，我们还应该清楚，“你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救”，它是包括了有两个方面内容的：一是福音的本质，即救恩的客观基础，就是道成肉身、从死里复活的耶稣基督。正如罗马书1章2-4节所说：“这福音是神从前藉众先知在圣经上所应许的。论到他儿子我主耶稣基督，按肉体说，是从大卫后裔生的，按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。”二是神如何将救恩施行在罪人身上的？答案是，口里“认”耶稣为主、心中“信”神，叫他从死里复活。如此，救恩就成就在我们身上了。

此时，可能会有人还不放心。会说，口里“认”耶稣为主、心中“信”神叫他从死里复活，就必得救，是不是太简单了？人得救是不是太容易了？请不要为神担心，神的应许是永不会落空的。而且神赐给人的应许，在新约时代的今天就是这样准确、清楚和明白的。但是，另一方面我们也要清楚知道，虽然神的应许是通过这些经文宣告了出来，但这节经文所代表的内涵也是很丰富的，光是一个“信”字就有很多的生命内涵！对人也并不是那么容易做到的。所以，人要得救，必须与信神的生命相称，在基督里有生命真实的信靠和悔改，才能得救。
  
二、得救确据与信仰见证的比较
  
为了更加清楚的明白信仰耶稣的这一最根本的确据，还得让我们更进一步的来认识“得救确据”与“信仰见证”在本质上的区别。人信耶稣后，生命中都会有美好的见证。通过前面我们已明白了，“生命见证”是因着神的应许靠着主得救之后的新生命流露出来的生活方式或信仰行为，但不是人生命得救的泉源。打个比方：一个人掉到波浪翻汹涌的大河里了，汹涌的巨浪随时可以将他吞没，他自己根本没有任何力量战胜狂涛巨浪。这时，一个人用一根绳子系上一个救生圈抛向他，救他上了岸。那么，救他的是那个救生圈和那根绳子吗？显然不是，还是那个人！救生圈和绳子只是那人救人用的工具或产生的行动运用的“物证”。真正让那掉进河的人得救的，还是那个用绳子系上救生圈抛向他的那个人，让他得救的确据：是那个人！

这个例子，可以帮助我们更清楚地知道，前面所列举的那些美好的“生命见证”不是人得救的确据，只是人得救后生命的一些表现行为方式。所以，不要将得救后的“生命见证”当作“得救的确据”。二者不可混淆，是有本质区别的。 在实际的信仰生活中，人们拿生命的表现（见证行为）当作得救确据的误导，确实存在于现今的教会中，而这种误导会产生一些信仰生活上的不良影响。如：

1、盲目追求外在的表现
因着误导，人们的注意力会集中在一些外表的东西，非常在乎别人对自己的看法，更有甚者会让人被假像所迷惑，容易走入极端的行为，甚至有可能步入异端的危险之中。根本的原因，是外在的东西蒙住了人的眼睛，忽略了最根本的东西，使信仰生活迷失方向。

2、对得救没有完全确定的把握
因着把见证行为的表现当作得救的确据，让人不能完全有把握地确知自己是否得救？正统的信仰，在基督教里得救的确据是唯一的，而生命的表现是多样的，也是变化的。面对唯一确据，人就可以坚定持守，如果混淆到让生活的见证成为生命确据时，那么就有多种形式“确据” 的形成，让人无所适从，人就没有办法确定自己的生命到底得救了，还是没有得救？

３、让信徒对信仰生活没有真正的归属
有人说，要有三天三夜的悔改经历才可得救，有人说，要会说方言与神进行“灵交”的才能得救，也有人说蒙头才得救，还有人说“守安息日”的才能得救。这些说法都只是在强调信仰生活的外在行为方式，不是在强调信仰得救的本质。如果信仰只是仅在这些认识上的持定，其信仰之本已落空到盲目的行为里或一些“教规”之中了，其结果就会让信徒在信仰生命上是没有真正的归属。   

结论

基督徒得救的唯一的确据，是神的独生儿子——耶稣基督！一切绕开复活的主耶稣并十字架的，都是在绕开福音，都是在遮挡基督真理的。所以，我们在警醒的同时，还要记住每一位跟随主耶稣的人都有一个不可推卸的责任：“为从前一次交付圣徒的真道，竭力地争辩。”（犹3）。牢记：神使人生命得救的确据，唯有他的独生儿子：基督耶稣！在传福音和信仰生活里，我们要对人的生命负责任，也要对所传的负责任。

xm0755

很好的文章！

Ichthys

xm0755 发表于 2014-11-26 19:29
很好的文章！

希望对弟兄姊妹正确理解得救和成圣，在主里有真信心和活泼的盼望有所帮助。

Ichthys

愤怒的猫仔 发表于 2014-11-26 20:11
阿们，阿们

感谢主！

Ichthys

第四篇：摘自古德恩：系统神学（英文）

What Can Give a Believer Genuine Assurance?

If it is true, as explained in the previous section, that those who are unbelievers and who finally fall away may give many external signs of conversion, then what will serve as evidence of genuine conversion? What can give real assurance to a real believer? We can list three categories of questions that a person could ask of himself or herself.

1. Do I Have a Present Trust in Christ for Salvation?

Paul tells the Colossians that they will be saved on the last day, “provided that you continue in the faith stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard” (Col. 1:23). The author of Hebrews says, “We share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end” (Heb. 3:14) and encourages his readers to be imitators of those “who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12). In fact, the most famous verse in the entire Bible uses a present tense verb that may be translated, “whoever continues believing in him” may have eternal life (see John 3:16).
Therefore a person should ask himself or herself, “Do I today have trust in Christ to forgive my sins and take me without blame into heaven forever? Do I have confidence in my heart that he has saved me? If I were to die tonight and stand before God’s judgment seat, and if he were to ask me why he should let me into heaven, would I begin to think of my good deeds and depend on them, or would I without hesitation say that I am depending on the merits of Christ and am confident that he is a sufficient Savior?”
This emphasis on present faith in Christ stands in contrast to the practice of some church “testimonies” where people repeatedly recite details of a conversion experience that may have happened 20 or 30 years ago. If a testimony of saving faith is genuine, it should be a testimony of faith that is active this very day.

2. Is There Evidence of a Regenerating Work of the Holy Spirit in My Heart?

The evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts comes in many different forms. Although we should not put confidence in the demonstration of miraculous works (Matt. 7:22), or long hours and years of work at some local church (which may simply be building with “wood, hay, straw” [in terms of 1 Cor. 3:12] to further one’s own ego or power over others, or to attempt to earn merit with God), there are many other evidences of a real work of the Holy Spirit in one’s heart.
First, there is a subjective testimony of the Holy Spirit within our hearts bearing witness that we are God’s children (Rom. 8:15-16; 1 John 4:13). This testimony will usually be accompanied by a sense of being led by the Holy Spirit in paths of obedience to God’s will (Rom. 8:14).
In addition, if the Holy Spirit is genuinely at work in our lives, he will be producing the kind of character traits that Paul calls “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). He lists several attitudes and character traits that are produced by the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). Of course, the question is not, “Do I perfectly exemplify all of these characteristics in my life?” but rather, “Are these things a general characteristic of my life? Do I sense these attitudes in my heart? Do others (especially those closest to me) see these traits exhibited in my life? Have I been growing in them over a period of years?” There is no suggestion in the New Testament that any non-Christian, any unregenerate person, can convincingly fake these character traits, especially for those who know the person most closely.
Related to this kind of fruit is another kind of fruit—the results of one’s life and ministry as they have influence on others and on the church. There are some people who profess to be Christians but whose influence on others is to discourage them, to drag them down, to injure their faith, and to provoke controversy and divisiveness. The result of their life and ministry is not to build up others and to build up the church, but to tear it down. On the other hand, there are those who seem to edify others in every conversation, every prayer, and every work of ministry they put their hand to. Jesus said, regarding false prophets, “You will know them by their fruits.... Every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.... Thus you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16-20).
Another evidence of work of the Holy Spirit is continuing to believe and accept the sound teaching of the church. Those who begin to deny major doctrines of the faith give serious negative indications concerning their salvation: “No one who denies the Son has the Father.... If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father” (1 John 2:23-24). John also says, “Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us” (1 John 4:6). Since the New Testament writings are the current replacement for the apostles like John, we might also say that whoever knows God will continue to read and to delight in God’s Word, and will continue to believe it fully. Those who do not believe and delight in God’s Word give evidence that they are not “of God.”
Another evidence of genuine salvation is a continuing present relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you” and, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:4, 7). This abiding in Christ will include not only day-by-day trust in him in various situations, but also certainly regular fellowship with him in prayer and worship.
Finally, a major area of evidence that we are genuine believers is found in a life of obedience to God’s commands. John says, “He who says “I know him’ but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:4-6). A perfect life is not necessary, of course. John is rather saying that in general our lives ought to be ones of imitation of Christ and likeness to him in what we do and say. If we have genuine saving faith, there will be clear results in obedience in our lives (see also 1 John 3:9-10, 24; 5:18). Thus James can say, “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” and “I by my works will show you my faith” (James 2:17-18). One large area of obedience to God includes love for fellow Christians. “He who loves his brother abides in the light” (1 John 2:10). “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death” (1 John 3:14, cf. 3:17; 4:7). One evidence of this love is continuing in Christian fellowship (1 John 2:19), and another is giving to a brother in need (1 John 3:17; cf. Matt. 25:31-46).

3. Do I See a Long-Term Pattern of Growth in My Christian Life?

The first two areas of assurance dealt with present faith and present evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. But Peter gives one more kind of test that we can use to ask whether we are genuinely believers. He tells us that there are some character traits which, if we keep on increasing in them, will guarantee that we will “never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). He tells his readers to add to their faith “virtue... knowledge... self-control... steadfastness... godliness... brotherly affection... love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Then he says that these things are to belong to his readers and to continually “abound” in their lives (2 Peter 1:8). He adds that they are to “be the more zealous to confirm your call and election” and says then that “if you do this (literally, “these things,” referring to the character traits mentioned in vv. 5-7) you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10).
The way that we confirm our call and election, then, is to continue to grow in “these things.” This implies that our assurance of salvation can be something that increases over time in our lives. Every year that we add to these character traits in our lives, we gain greater and greater assurance of our salvation. Thus, though young believers can have a quite strong confidence in their salvation, that assurance can increase to even deeper certainty over the years in which they grow toward Christian maturity. If they continue to add these things they will confirm their call and election and will “never fall.”
The result of these three questions that we can ask ourselves should be to give strong assurance to those who are genuinely believers. In this way the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints will be a tremendously comforting doctrine. No one who has such assurance should wonder, “Will I be able to persevere to the end of my life and therefore be saved?” Everyone who gains assurance through such a self-examination should rather think, “I am truly born again; therefore, I will certainly persevere to the end, because I am being guarded “by God’s power’ working through my faith (1 Peter 1:5) and therefore I will never be lost. Jesus will raise me up at the last day and I will enter into his kingdom forever” (John 6:40).
On the other hand, this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, if rightly understood, should cause genuine worry, and even fear, in the hearts of any who are “backsliding” or straying away from Christ. Such persons must clearly be warned that only those who persevere to the end have been truly born again. If they fall away from their profession of faith in Christ and life of obedience to him, they may not really be saved—in fact, the evidence that they are giving is that they are not saved and they never really were saved. Once they stop trusting in Christ and obeying him (I am speaking in terms of outward evidence) they have no genuine assurance of salvation, and they should consider themselves unsaved, and turn to Christ in repentance and ask him for forgiveness of their sins.
At this point, in terms of pastoral care with those who have strayed away from their Christian profession, we should realize that Calvinists and Arminians (those who believe in the perseverance of the saints and those who think that Christians can lose their salvation) will both counsel a “backslider” in the same way. According to the Arminian this person was a Christian at one time but is no longer a Christian. According to the Calvinist, such a person never really was a Christian in the first place and is not one now. But in both cases the biblical counsel given would be the same: “You do not appear to be a Christian now—you must repent of your sins and trust in Christ for your salvation!” Though the Calvinist and Arminian would differ on their interpretation of the previous history, they would agree on what should be done in the present.
But here we see why the phrase eternal security can be quite misleading. In some evangelical churches, instead of teaching the full and balanced presentation of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, pastors have sometimes taught a watered-down version, which in effect tells people that all who have once made a profession of faith and been baptized are “eternally secure.” The result is that some people who are not genuinely converted at all may “come forward” at the end of an evangelistic sermon to profess faith in Christ, and may be baptized shortly after that, but then they leave the fellowship of the church and live a life no different from the one they lived before they gained this “eternal security.” In this way people are given false assurance and are being cruelly deceived into thinking they are going to heaven when in fact they are not.

Questions for Personal Application

• Do you have assurance that you are truly born again? What evidence do you see in your own life to give you that assurance? Do you think that God wants true believers to go on throughout life worrying about whether they are really born again, or to have firm assurance that they are his people? (See 1 John 5:13.) Have you seen a pattern of growth in your Christian life over time? Are you trusting in your own power to keep on believing in Christ, or in God’s power to keep your faith active and alive?
• If you have doubts about whether you are truly born again, what is it in your life that is giving reason for those doubts? What would Scripture encourage you to do to resolve those doubts (see 2 Peter 1:5-11; also Matt. 11:28-30; John 6:37)? Do you think that Jesus now knows about your doubts and understands them? What do you think he would like you to do now to gain greater assurance of salvation?
• Have you known people, perhaps in your church, whose “fruit” is always destructive or divisive or harmful to the ministry of the church and the faith of others? Do they have very much influence, perhaps even positions of leadership in the church? Do you think that an evaluation of the fruit of one’s life and influence on others should be a qualification for church leadership? Is it possible that people would profess agreement with every true Christian doctrine and still not be born again? What are some more reliable evidences of genuine conversion other than intellectual adherence to sound doctrine?
  

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine.

Ichthys

愤怒的猫仔 发表于 2014-11-27 13:48
请问《真理一百课》有书本纸质的没？

这个是约拿站长发的，我不清楚，淘宝上没找到。

我也推荐这本：21世纪基督徒100课，是我知道的一些信仰纯正的牧者一起写的：

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm? ... =rnanqude1b6#detail

Ichthys

确实，魔鬼也引用圣经的话。但是牠的目的是引诱耶稣犯罪。

如今，魔鬼也还是不断歪曲圣经的话，引诱、控告基督徒。

圣经不是简单的教训命令的集合；不是一本『神主席语录』。

不是有些人故意收集起来“反方证据”，拌一锅大杂烩，引用、贴上，就是圣经，就是我们应该学习的平衡的教导。

能够几年如一日地专门负责收集、散发各种容易错误理解成负面含义的经文，反对各种各样的圣经真理，真是奇人。