Christ, the Calvinist

John 10:27–29

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

“27我的羊聽我的聲音，我也認識他們，他們也跟着我。
28我又賜給他們永生。他們永不滅亡，誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。
29我父把羊賜給我，他比萬有都大。誰也不能從我父手裡把他們奪去。”

One time, after I had preached a sermon from John touching on some of the main points of the Reformed faith, I found a copy of that week’s bulletin on which someone had scribbled his opinion of the message: “I’m sick of Calvinism in every sermon.”

The message did not particularly bother me. Notes like that seldom do. But I found it surprising that the person who wrote the note somehow regarded Calvinism as a system of thought that could well be dispensed with while, nevertheless, as he assumed, still preserving Christianity. In other words, this person, like many others, somehow regarded the doctrines that go by the name of Calvinism as at best an addition to the pure gospel and at the worst a system that is opposed to it. Is this true? Are the doctrines of grace wrong? One proof that they are not is seen in the verses to which we come in this chapter.

有一次，在我講完約翰觸及的關於改革宗信仰的一些要點的講道後，我發現了一份那周的公報，上面有人潦草地寫下了他對這一信息的看法：“我厭倦了加爾文主義每一次講道。”

這個消息並沒有特別困擾我。類似這樣的筆記很少見。但令我感到驚訝的是，寫這封信的人在某種程度上認為加爾文主義是一種完全可以被拋棄的思想體系，但正如他所假設的那樣，他仍然保留着基督教。換句話說，這個人和其他許多人一樣，在某種程度上認為加爾文主義的教義充其量是對純粹福音的補充，而最壞的是一個反對它的體系。這是真的？恩典的教義是錯誤的嗎？證明它們並非如此的一個證據可以從我們在本章中談到的經文中看到。

Historic Calvinism

The verses I have in mind are those in which the Lord Jesus Christ spoke plainly to his enemies, saying that those who do not believe on him do not believe because they are not his sheep, that those who are his sheep believe and follow, that this is true because they are given to him by the Father, that these who are given to him by the Father inevitably come to him and, finally, that these who come will never be lost. This is a message of man’s complete ruin in sin and God’s perfect remedy in Christ, and it can be expressed in the distinctive points of Calvinistic theology. Before we look at these points in detail, however, we should see that far from being an aberration or addition to the gospel, these truths have always belonged to the core of the Christian proclamation and have been characteristic of the church at its greatest periods.

歷史上的加爾文主義

我想到的經文是主耶穌基督對他的仇敵直言不諱地說，那些不信他的人之所以不信，是因為他們不是他的羊，那些屬於他的羊的人相信並跟從，這是真的，因為他們是天父賜給祂的，那些天父賜給他的人必然會來到他那裡，最後，那些來的人永遠不會失落。這是人類在罪中徹底毀滅以及神在基督里完美拯救的信息，它可以用加爾文主義神學的獨特觀點來表達。然而，在我們詳細研究這些要點之前，我們應該看到，這些真理絕不是福音的偏差或補充，而是一直屬於基督教宣講的核心，並且是教會在其最偉大時期的特徵。

To begin with, the doctrines of grace that have become known as Calvinism were most certainly not invented by Calvin, nor were they characteristic of his thought alone during the Reformation period. As we shall see, these are the truths taught by Jesus and confirmed for us in Scripture by the apostle Paul. Augustine argued for the same truths over against the denials of Pelagius and those who followed him. Luther was a Calvinist. So was Zwingli. That is, they believed what Calvin believed and what he later systematized in his influential Institutes of the Christian Religion. The Puritans were also Calvinists; it was through them and their teaching that both England and Scotland experienced the greatest and most pervasive national revivals the world has ever seen. In that number were the heirs of John Knox: Thomas Cartwright, Richard Sibbes, Richard Baxter, Matthew Henry, John Owen, and others. In America, thousands were influenced by Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mather, and George Whitefield, all of whom were Calvinists.

首先，被稱為加爾文主義的恩典教義肯定不是加爾文發明的，也不是宗教改革時期加爾文獨有的思想特徵。正如我們將要看到的，這些是耶穌教導的真理，也是使徒保羅在聖經中為我們證實的真理。奧古斯丁主張同樣的真理，反對伯拉糾及其追隨者。路德是加爾文主義者，慈運理也是如此。也就是說，他們相信加爾文所相信的以及他後來在他有影響力的《基督教要義》中系統化的東西。清教徒也是加爾文主義者。正是通過他們和他們的教導，英格蘭和蘇格蘭經歷了舉世矚目的最偉大、最普遍的民族復興。其中包括約翰·諾克斯的繼承人：托馬斯·卡特賴特、理查德·西布斯、理查德·巴克斯特、馬修·亨利、約翰·歐文等。在美國，成千上萬的人受到喬納森·愛德華茲、科頓·馬瑟和喬治·懷特菲爾德的影響，他們都是加爾文主義者。

In more recent times the modern missionary movement received nearly all its direction and initial impetus from those in the Calvinistic and Puritan tradition. The list includes such men as William Carey, John Ryland, Henry Martyn, Robert Moffat, David Livingstone, John G. Paton, John R. Mott, and many others. For all these the doctrines of grace were not an appendage to Christian thought but were rather that which was central and which most fired and gave form to their preaching and missionary efforts.

This, of course, is precisely why I am reviewing this history—to show that the doctrines known as Calvinism are not something that emerged late in church history but rather are that which takes its origins in the teachings of Jesus, which has been found throughout the church in many periods, and which has always been characteristic of the church at its greatest periods of faith and expansion. It follows from this that the church of Jesus Christ will again see great days when these truths are widely proclaimed, and proclaimed fearlessly.

近代以來，現代傳教運動幾乎所有的方向和最初的推動力都來自加爾文主義和清教傳統。該名單包括威廉·凱里、約翰·賴蘭、亨利·馬丁、羅伯特·莫法特、大衛·利文斯通、約翰·G·佩頓、約翰·R·莫特等。對於所有這些，恩典教義並不是基督教思想的附屬物，而是最核心的教義，最能激發並賦予他們的傳講和傳道事工努力的形式。

當然，這正是我回顧這段歷史的原因——為了表明加爾文主義的教義並不是在教會歷史中後期出現的，而是起源於耶穌的教義，而耶穌的教義在整個教會中都可以找到。教會在許多時期都是如此，這始終是教會在信仰和擴張最偉大時期的特徵。由此可見，耶穌基督的教會將再次看到這些真理被廣泛宣講、並且無所畏懼地宣講的偉大日子。

Jesus is our example. We sometimes think of these doctrines as household doctrines; that is, as truths to be proclaimed only to those who already believe. But this was not Jesus’ procedure. He taught them also to his enemies. In this case, they had come to him with the implication that he was responsible for their failure to believe; they had said, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” He answered this, not so much with a statement concerning his identity as the Messiah (although he did say that his words and works authenticated him), but much more importantly by a full statement of man’s utter inability to choose God and of the necessity for divine grace in each step of salvation. Did they want it told plainly? Well, this is the truth told plainly: “You do not believe because you are not my sheep.… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (vv. 26–29).

耶穌是我們的榜樣。我們有時將這些教義視為家裡人的教義，也就是說，作為真理只能向那些已經相信的人宣講。但這不是耶穌的做法。祂也將這些知識教導給祂的敵人。在這種情況下，他們來找祂，暗示祂要為他們不相信的事情負責。他們說：“你若是基督，就明明地告訴我們。”祂回答了這個問題，與其說是關於祂作為彌賽亞的身份的聲明（儘管他確實說祂的言行證明了祂），不如說是通過完整的聲明來說明人完全無法選擇神以及有必要選擇神救贖的每一步都有神的恩典。他們想把事情說清楚嗎？好吧，這就是明明白白的真理：“只是你們不信，因為你們不是我的羊。……我的羊聽我的聲音，我也認識他們，他們也跟着我。我又賜給他們永生。他們永不滅亡，誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。我父把羊賜給我，他比萬有都大。誰也不能從我父手裡把他們奪去。”（26-29節）。

State of the Lost

First of all, Christ’s words reflect the desperate state of the lost; that is, the state of all men as they are apart from Christ. The teachings on this point are not so much direct as indirect. Still they underlie the positive points made in this passage.

失落的狀態

首先，基督的話反映了迷失者的絕望狀態；也就是說，所有人離開基督時的狀態。關於這一點的教導與其說是直接的，不如說是間接的。它們仍然是這段話中所提出的積極觀點的基礎。

In reference to man’s desperate state apart from Christ, these verses show that he has lost spiritual life; otherwise it would not be necessary for Christ to speak of it as a gift. Originally, man had life. When the first man and woman were created by God they were created with that life that shows itself in communion with him. Consequently, we learn that they communed with God in the Garden in the cool of the day. When they sinned, this life was lost, a fact evidenced by their hiding from God. This has been the state of people ever since. Consequently, when the gospel is preached, those who hear it turn away unless God intervenes to do a supernatural work of regeneration in their hearts.

這些經文談到人離開基督而陷入絕望的境地時，表明他已經失去了屬靈的生命。否則基督就沒有必要把它說成是一份恩賜。本來，人是有生命的。當神創造第一個男人和女人時，他們被創造時就帶有與神相交的生命。因此，我們得知他們在涼爽的天氣里在花園裡與神交談。當他們犯罪時，他們就失去了生命，這一事實從他們躲避神就可以看出。從那時起，這就是人們的狀態。因此，當福音被傳揚時，那些聽到福音的人就會轉身離去，除非神介入，在他們的心中進行超自然的重生工作。

Moreover, the desperate state of people apart from Christ is suggested by the fact that no one can recover this life except as a free gift from God. Jesus calls it a gift, for it is undeserved and unearned. If it were earned, it would be wages; if it were merited, it would be a reward. But eternal life is neither of these. It is a gift, which means that it originates solely in God’s good will toward men.

此外，除了上帝的免費禮物之外，沒有人能夠恢復這一生命，這一事實表明了離開基督的人們的絕望狀態。耶穌稱其為禮物，因為它是不配得的、不勞而獲的。如果是掙來的，那就是工價；如果這是配得的，那就是獎勵。但永生都不是這些。它是一份禮物，這意味着它完全源於上帝對人類的善意。

As a last thought on this subject, it is also true, is it not, that men and women will perish except for this gift. Jesus says of those to whom he gives life that “they shall never perish.” But since he makes this promise, it must be because we will perish if he does not intervene. We are sinners. Sin makes us heirs of God’s wrath. If God does not intervene, we stand under divine judgment, without hope, facing the punishment due us for our own sins. According to these verses, we cannot even come to Christ, for we are not of his sheep and so lack the ability to hear his voice and turn to him.

作為關於這個主題的最後一個想法，如果沒有這份禮物，男男女女都會滅亡，這也是事實，不是嗎？耶穌談到那些被他賜予生命的人時說：“他們永遠不會滅亡。”但既然他做出了這樣的承諾，那一定是因為如果他不干預的話我們就會滅亡。我們是罪人。罪使我們成為神的憤怒的繼承人。如果上帝不干預，我們就會站在神的審判之下，毫無希望，面臨因我們自己的罪而應得的懲罰。根據這些經文，我們甚至不能來到基督面前，因為我們不是祂的羊，因此缺乏聽到他的聲音並轉向他的能力。

Grace

This brings us to the next thought. For while it is true that in ourselves we cannot come to Christ and so lie under God’s just condemnation, the main point of these verses is that God has nevertheless acted in grace toward some. Earlier this was expressed by saying that Christ died for the sheep; in other words, by the doctrine of a particular redemption (v. 11). In this section we are told that Jesus has given eternal life to the same people (v. 28), and that these are those whom God has given him (v. 29).

You cannot trace the origins of our salvation farther back than that. In this, as in all things, the origins are to be found in God. Some say, “But surely God called them because he foresaw that some would believe.” But it does not say that. Others say, “He chose them because he knew in advance that they would merit salvation.” It does not say that either. What it does say is that the initiative in salvation lies with God and that this is found, on the one hand, in God’s electing grace whereby he chooses some for salvation entirely apart from any merit on their own part (which, of course, they do not have) and, on the other hand, in Christ’s very particular atonement by which he bore the penalty for the sins of these people.

恩典

這給我們帶來了下一個想法。因為，雖然我們靠着自己確實無法來到基督面前，因此會受到上帝公義的譴責，但這些經文的要點是，上帝仍然以恩典對待某些人。早些時候，這句話是通過基督為羊而死來表達的。換句話說，是根據特定救贖的教義（11節）。本節告訴我們，耶穌已將永生賜給了同樣的人（第 28 節），而這些人就是神賜給祂的人（第 29 節）。

我們救恩的起源無法追溯到更遠的地方。在這方面，就像在所有事物中一樣，起源都可以在上帝身上找到。有人說：“但神呼召他們，肯定是因為他預見到有些人會相信。”但它並沒有這麼說。其他人則說：“祂選擇了他們，因為祂事先知道他們會得到救贖。”它也沒有這麼說。它確實說的是，救恩的主動權在於神，並且這一點可以在神揀選的恩典中找到，藉此祂選擇一些人來得救，完全不考慮他們自己的任何功績（當然，他們也沒有），另一方面，在基督非常特定的救贖中，祂為這些人的罪承擔了懲罰。

I need to say also, however, that there are aspects of the death of Christ that apply to the world at large. I am not denying that. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ is a revelation of the nature of God. It is a revelation of his hatred of sin in that Christ died for it. It is most certainly a revelation of God’s love, for love lay behind it. It is an example to the race. These things are true. But in addition to these there is also a sense in which the Lord Jesus Christ died particularly and exclusively for his own, so that he literally bore the penalty for their particular sins, that they might be forgiven.

These truths do not make us proud, as some charge. Rather they increase our love for God who out of pure grace saves some when none deserve it.

然而，我還需要說，基督之死的某些方面適用於整個世界。我並不否認這一點。主耶穌基督的死是神本性的啟示。這是祂對罪的仇恨的啟示，因為基督為罪而死。這無疑是神的愛的啟示，因為愛隱藏在它的背後。這是比賽的一個例子。這些都是真的。但除此之外，還有一種意義是，主耶穌基督特別地、專門地為祂自己的罪而死，因此祂確實承擔了他們特定罪孽的懲罰，以便他們可以得到寬恕。

正如一些人所指責的那樣，這些事實並沒有讓我們感到自豪。相反，它們增加了我們對上帝的愛，上帝出於純粹的恩典拯救了一些人，而沒有人配得這恩典。

An Effective Call

The third of the reformed doctrines presented by Jesus is the effective call: that is, that God’s call of his people is accompanied by such power that those whom he calls necessarily come to him, believing on Christ and embracing Christ for salvation. Jesus expresses this by saying: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (v. 27). It is a mark of the sheep that they both hear and follow their shepherd.

In the Puritan era it was the habit of many preachers to play on these two characteristics, calling them the marks of Christ’s sheep. In days when there were many flocks of sheep it was necessary to mark the sheep to distinguish them. In our day, at least on cattle, this is done by branding. On sheep it was often done by cutting a small mark into the ear. “Well,” said the Puritans, “each of Christ’s sheep has a double mark—on his ear and on his foot. The mark on his ear is that he hears Christ. The mark on his foot is that he follows him.”

有效的呼召

耶穌所提出的第三個改革宗教義是有效的呼召：也就是說，上帝對祂子民的呼召伴隨着這樣的力量，以至於祂所呼召的人必然會來到祂面前，相信基督並接受基督以獲得救贖。耶穌這樣表達這一點：“我的羊聽我的聲音，我也認識他們，他們也跟着我。”（27節）。羊的標誌是它們都聽從牧羊人並跟隨牧羊人。

在清教徒時代，許多傳道人習慣利用這兩個特徵，稱它們為基督羊的標記。在羊群很多的時候，需要給羊做標記以區分它們。在我們這個時代，至少在牛身上，這是通過品牌來完成的。對於綿羊來說，這通常是通過在耳朵上切一個小標記來完成的。 “嗯，”清教徒說，“基督的每隻羊都有雙重印記——在耳朵上和腳上。他耳朵上的標記是他聽到了基督。他腳上的印記就是他跟着祂。”

This is true, of course. It leads us to ask, “Do we hear? Do we follow?”

How many of those who come to church on a typical Sunday morning really hear the voice of Christ or have ever heard it? They hear the voice of the preacher; they hear the voices of the members of the choir. But do they hear Christ? If they do, why are they so critical of what they hear? Why are their comments afterward so much more about the Lord’s servant than the Lord? Those who are Christ’s hear Christ. And they follow him. But how many who come to church are really following? Most seem to make good leaders—in their own cause—but they are poor followers. They make good critics—of the Bible and of Christ’s people—but they are poor disciples. They make respectable wolves, for they ravage the flock, but they do not have the traits of the sheep and would even be contemptuous of them if they had an understanding of what those traits are.

Do not presume on your relationship to Christ. You are not his unless you hear his voice and follow him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7).

當然，這是真的。它使得我們會發問：“我們聽到了嗎？我們是跟着嗎？”

在典型的周日早上來到教堂的人中有多少人真正聽到或曾經聽到過基督的聲音？他們聽到傳教士的聲音；他們聽到唱詩班成員的聲音。但他們聽到基督了嗎？如果他們這樣做了，為什麼他們對他們所聽到的內容如此挑剔？為什麼他們後來的評論更多地是關於主的僕人而不是主？那些屬於基督的人聽基督。他們跟着祂。但有多少來教會的人是真正跟隨的呢？大多數人似乎都是優秀的領導者——為了自己的事業——但他們卻是糟糕的跟隨者。他們對聖經和基督的子民提出了很好的批評，但他們是可憐的門徒。他們製造受人尊敬的狼，因為它們蹂躪羊群，但它們沒有羊的特徵，如果它們了解這些特徵是什麼，甚至會蔑視羊。

不要推測你與基督的關係。除非你聽到祂的聲音並跟隨他，否則你就不是祂的。耶穌說：“你們若愛我，就必遵守我的命令”（約14:15）。他說：“聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽。”（啟 2:7）。

Never Lost

Finally, notice that these verses also speak at length of God’s perseverance with his saints. That is, they teach us that none whom God has called to faith in Christ will be lost. Indeed, how can they be, if God is responsible for their salvation? Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28).

“But,” says someone, “suppose they jump out of their own accord?”

“They shall never perish,” says the Lord.

“Never?”

“No, never,” says Jesus. “They shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

永不失落

最後，請注意這些經文也詳細講述了神對祂聖徒的堅忍。也就是說，他們教導我們，神呼召相信基督的人都不會失落。事實上，如果神對他們的拯救負有責任，他們怎麼可能會這樣呢？耶穌說：“我又賜給他們永生。他們永不滅亡，誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。”（28節）。

“但是，”有人說，“如果他們是自願跳出來的呢？”

主說：“他們永不滅亡。”

“絕不？”

耶穌說：“不，永遠不會。” “他們永不滅亡，誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。”

This does not mean that there will not be dangers, of course. In fact, it implies them; for if Jesus promises that no one will succeed in plucking us from his hands, it must be because he knows that there are some who will try. The Christian will always face dangers—dangers without, from enemies, and dangers within. Still the promise is that those who have believed in Jesus will never be lost. We may add that the Christian may well be deprived of things. He may lose his job, his friends, his good reputation. Still he will not be lost. The promise is not that the ship will not go to the bottom, but that the passengers will all reach shore. It is not that the house will not burn down, but that the people will escape safely.

當然，這並不意味着不會有危險。事實上，它暗示了它們；因為如果耶穌承諾沒有人能成功地將我們從祂手中奪走，那一定是因為他知道有人會嘗試。基督徒總是會面臨危險——來自外部的危險、來自敵人的危險以及內部的危險。但仍應許那些相信耶穌的人將永遠不會迷失。我們可以補充一點，基督徒很可能被剝奪了一些東西。他可能會失去工作、朋友和良好聲譽。但他仍然不會迷失。承諾的不是船不會沉入海底，而是乘客都會到達岸邊。不是房子不會被燒毀，而是人們能夠安全逃生。

Do you believe this promise, that you are safe in Jesus’ hands, that you will never be lost? Are you able to trust God for this as you have for other truths? I suppose there is a way of explaining away almost everything, but I must say that I do not see how the opponents of eternal security can explain away this text. Am I Christ’s? Then it is he who has promised that neither I nor any who belong to him shall perish. If I do perish, then Jesus has not kept his word, he is not sinless, the atonement was not adequate, and no one in any place can enter into salvation.

你相信這個應許嗎？你在耶穌的手中是安全的，你永遠不會迷失嗎？你能像相信其他真理一樣因着這（應許）相信神嗎？我想有一種方法可以解釋幾乎所有的事情，但我必須說，我不明白永恆穩妥的反對者如何能夠解釋這段文字。我是屬於基督的嗎？那麼祂就應許我和任何屬於他的人都不會滅亡。如果我真的滅亡了，那麼耶穌就沒有遵守祂的諾言，他不是無罪的，贖罪祭是不充分的，任何地方的人都無法進入救恩。

I wish that all God’s children might come to know and love these truths. I wish that many might be saved by them.

We live in a day that is so weak in its proclamation of Christian doctrine that even many Christians cannot see why such truths should be preached or how they can be used of the Lord to save sinners. This was not always so. It was not always the case that these truths were unused by God in saving sinners.

我希望所有神的兒女都能認識並喜愛這些真理。我希望許多人能被它們拯救。

我們生活在宣講基督教教義方面如此薄弱的時代，甚至許多基督徒也無法明白為什麼應該宣講這些真理，或者主如何利用它們來拯救罪人。但情況並非總是如此。神並不總是不使用這些真理來拯救罪人。

Did you know that it was these doctrines, particularly the doctrine of God’s perseverance with his people, that God used to save Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived? Spurgeon was saved when he was only fifteen years old, but before that time he had already noticed how friends of his, who had begun life well, made shipwreck of their lives by falling into gross vice. Spurgeon was appalled by such things. He feared that he himself might fall into them. He reasoned like this: “Whatever good resolutions I might make, the probabilities are that they will be good for nothing when temptation [assails] me. I [will] be like those of whom it has been said, ‘They see the devil’s hook and yet cannot help nibbling at his bait.’ I [will] disgrace myself.” It was then that he heard of the truth that Christ will keep his saints from falling. It had a particular charm for him and he found himself saying, “If I go to Jesus and get from him a new heart and a right spirit, I shall be secured against these temptations into which others have fallen. I shall be preserved by Him.” It was this truth along with others that brought Spurgeon to the Savior.

你是否知道，正是這些教義，特別是神對祂子民的堅忍的教義，神用它來拯救有史以來最偉大的傳道人之一查爾斯·哈登·司布真？司布真在十五歲的時候就得救了，但在那之前他就已經注意到他的朋友們，原本生活很好，卻因陷入嚴重的惡行而毀掉了自己的生活。司布真對這些事情感到震驚。他擔心自己也會落入其中。他這樣推理：“無論我做出什麼好的決定，當誘惑[攻擊]我時，它們很可能毫無用處。我會像人們所說的那樣，‘他們看到了魔鬼的鈎子，卻忍不住要咬他的魚餌。’我會羞辱自己。”就在那時，他聽到了基督會阻止祂的聖徒跌倒的真理。這對他來說有一種特殊的魅力，他發現自己說：“如果我去找耶穌，從他那裡得到一顆新心和一個正直的靈，我就能免受其他人陷入的這些誘惑。我必蒙祂保守。”正是這個真理和其它真理將司布真帶到了救主面前。

I wish it might be the same with you! I do not preach a gospel that has a shaky foundation. I do not proclaim a religion of percentages and probabilities. I proclaim the message of Christ, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and all others who have found God to be their pure hope and salvation. It is the message of man’s complete ruin in sin and of God’s perfect remedy in Christ, expressed in his election of a people to himself and his final preservation of them. God grant that you might believe it wholeheartedly.^[1]

我希望你也能有同樣的認識！我所傳的福音不是根基不穩固的。我並不宣揚百分比和概率的宗教。我宣揚基督、保羅、奧古斯丁、路德、加爾文和所有其他發現上帝是他們純粹的希望和救贖的人的信息。它傳達了人類因罪而徹底毀滅的信息，以及上帝在基督里完美拯救的信息，這通過祂揀選一群人歸自己並最終保守他們來表達。願上帝保佑你全心全意地相信它。

^[1] James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 777–782.