早期教會教義真偽辨：尼西亞會議前的上帝論，基督論

 

（本篇文章選自林慈信牧師神學課程-基督教教義發展史）

 

（轉貼者：在異端思想猖獗的時候，我們重溫一下正統教會的正式立場和觀點，是非常必要的。尤其是第一和第四十個問題。我願意在此重申我的看法：一個異端的出現，為首的改也難。而不改的結局就是不得救。而辨別異端最明顯的標誌，就是他們從動機上偏離基督教的信仰和教導，方法上一切為了他們的主張服務，目的上實現其否定基督教信仰，建立自己的異端信仰根基。而如果這種異端發展到從組織結構上與基督教分離，就是異教了，比如摩門教和耶證人會。李常受已經蓋棺論定，我們不去說他了，老魚在同一方向上到底走多遠，是繼續發揚光大，還是幡然悔悟，我們拭目以待。）

 

第十課　早期教會教義真偽辨：尼西亞會議 (325 AD) 前的上帝論，基督論
TRUTH AND ERRORS IN THE EARLY CHURCH:THE DOCTRINE OF GOD AND THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF NICEA (325 A.D.)


F = False誤  T = True正
諾斯底主義：上帝，人，與宇宙的真相
GNOSTICISM: GOD, MAN, AND THE UNIVERSE
1. 誤：（諾斯底主義的世界觀）：宇宙不只一個神。最高的神是「純神性」（純存有）。他的神性放射（像太陽光放射）給不同的靈體；神與靈體造成「豐滿」。
F (worldview of Gnosticism): There are many gods.  The highest good is pure divinity (pure Being).  His divine nature is emanated (like sun rays from the sun) from him to other spiritual beings. He + all other spiritual beings = pleroma.
正（愛任紐，特土良）：宇宙只有一位神。他的神性不與任何其他活物分享：不與天使或人分享。不過，上帝造人是按照自己的形象造的：有些上帝的屬性是可以傳遞的。人是有限的；在有限的範圍里，起初人是聖潔的，公義的，智慧的等。這些可傳遞的屬性都因為亞當犯罪墮落的緣故，受了污染。總的來說，上帝的屬性是不放射的。
T (Irenaeus, Tertullian): There is only one God.  His divine nature is not shared with anyone, not angels, not humans.  Man, however, is created in God’s image – certain attributes are “communicable”, in the sense that man, on our finite level, was holy, righteous, wise, powerful, etc.; all these were marred by sin after Adam’s sin.  But God’s nature is not emanated to us.

2. 誤：人里有神性，因此人性與神性只是量的不同，不是質的不同。
F:  There is (a spark of) divine nature in man.  Therefore man’s nature and God’s nature are different only in degree, not in essence.
正：創造主與被創造者之間有着絕對無限的區別。人性就不是神性。
T: There is an absolute, infinite distinction between the Creator and the creature!  Human nature simply IS NOT divine nature.

3. 誤（諾斯底派的教會儀式）：若要得救必須領受秘密儀式。
F (Gnosticism church rites): Salvation requires secret ceremonies.
正：要得救必須信靠基督，認罪悔改。洗禮是公開的儀式，教會作見證人。
T: Salvation requires faith and repentance.  Baptism is not secret, but a public testimony in the company of the whole church.

4. 誤（諾斯底主義，一些宗教，部份基督徒）：物質是邪惡的。
F (Gnosticism, some religions, some Christians):  Matter is evil.
正：物質被造的時候是好的。物質是好的；上帝要我們享受他所賜給我們的恩賜（如：食物），以他規定的方法來享用（要節制）。我們若認為物質是邪惡的話，要就是禁欲主義，不然就是無律法主義（放縱）。唯有正確的了解、使用、順服上帝的律法，才能避免律法主義與非律法主義。
T:  Matter was created good.  Matter is good; we are to enjoy the good gifts God has given us (e.g. food), in the way God wants us to enjoy them (in moderation).  If we regard matter as evil, we either become ascetic or lawless.  Only if we properly understand, use and submit to the law of God, can we avoid legalism and lawlessness (antinomianism).

5. 誤（諾斯底主義）：有兩個上帝；至善的神（無底的深淵），和創造主（舊約的神），後者是有激情，是次神。
F (Gnosticism): There are two gods: the highest good God (a bottomless abyss), and the Demiurge = Creator = God of the Old Testament.  The latter is a lesser god who has passions.
正：只有一位神，他是創造主，也是至善的救贖主。
T:  There is only one God – He is the Creator and the all-holy Redeemer.

基督（基督教）與哲學
CHRIST (CHRISTIANITY) AND PHILOSOPHY
6. 誤：為了向知識分子傳福音，就以哲學配合真理，什至以哲學解釋真理，取代真理。（革利免，奧利金。）
F: Christians want to share the gospel with intellectuals; out of this motive, they often take philosophy and tag it onto the truth.  They use philosophy as a bridge.  They end up interpreting truth according to philosophy, or even substitute the truth with philosophy.  (Clement of Alexandria, Origen.)
正：哲學需要被真理批判，然後真理來改造哲學，救贖哲學。
T: Philosophy needs to be critiqued by the truth.  Then the truth (from Scripture) transforms, re-shapes philosophy, and in this way truth redeems philosophy.

7. 誤：《聖經》與理性都是認識真理的泉源，途徑。（革利免，奧利金。）
F: Reason and Scripture are both paths to understanding truth.  Reason and Scripture are two sources of truth.  (Clement of Alexandria, Origen.)
正：唯有上帝是真理的泉源。認識真理，必須靠上帝的啟示，包括普遍啟示與特殊（聖經）啟示。人的理性已經墮落，需要啟示來改造，光照，才能正確地理解真理。
T: God only is the source of truth.  To understand truth, man needs God’s revelation, including general revelation and special revelation (=Scripture).  Man’s reason is fallen, man needs God to re-make his reason, enlighten his reason.

8. 誤：一些神學家堅守「信仰的準則」（《聖經》的權威），卻受世俗哲學深深影響（奧利金，20世紀眾多中、西「福音派」神學家）。
F: Some theologians submit to “the rule of faith” (the authority of the Bible), yet they are deeply influenced by secular philosophy (Origen, numerous so-called “evangelical” theologians in the 20th century, both western and Chinese).
正：堅持《聖經》的權威，就要從《聖經》的立場來批判哲學。
T: When a Christian confesses that he/she submits to the authority of the Bible, then secular philosophy must be critiqued.

9. 誤：「道」將理性之光賜予人類，「道」的光幫助外邦人認識真理，為他們來到福音面前作踏腳石。（奧利金。）
F: The Logos imparts to men the light of reason.  The light of the Logos serves as a stepping stone for Gentiles to come to the fuller light of the gospel.  (Origen.)
正：「道」將理性賜人類，可是人類誤用了理性，理性墮落了。現在的哲學並不是人原有理性的正確使用的結果，乃是誤用的結果。因此人的理性需要上帝光照，理性需要悔改，來到上帝面前服在真理之下。理性須被上帝被改造（羅12：2：心意更新而變化）。
T: The Logos (Christ) indeed gave reason/mind to man at creation.  But man has misused his reason.  Reason has fallen.  Philosophy today is not the use of man’s original reason, but the misuse of it.  Therefore man’s reason needs a fresh illumination by God.  Man’s reason needs to repent, needs to come to God and submit under him, and be transformed by him (Rom. 12:2).

10. 誤：神學家研究了哲學，如：新柏拉圖主義（奧利金）；然後寫系統神學，把世俗的哲學思想寫進基督教的系統神學。（如：今天中西眾多神學家。）
F: Christians study philosophy (e.g. Origen studied neo-Platonism), then they write their systematic theology.  As they do so, they write ideas from secular philosophy into their theology.
正：研究哲學是為了護教，為了批判哲學。寫系統神學時要黑白分明，批判世上的小學。
T: We study philosophy for the purpose of apologetic, so that we can critique philosophy.  When we write systematic theology, we must distinguish between truth and error, and critique secular philosophies.

11. 誤：基督（上帝的兒子）= 「羅格斯」（道）= 希臘哲學的「道」。
（這個「道的教義」從殉道者游斯丁的時代開始。）
F: Christ (the Son of God) = the Logos = the “Logos” of Greek philosophy.
    (This “Logos doctrine” began with the period of  Justin Martyr.)
正：基督 = 自我見證的主，他就是真理本身。他不是一個人想出來的觀念，如：「絕對真理」，希臘哲學的「道」，或中國《道德經》的「道」。
T:  Christ is the self-attesting Lord who is truth.  He is not a man-made concept like “absolute truth,” the Greek “Logos,” or the Chinese Taoist “Tao.”

12. 誤：基督 / 上帝的兒子 = 神聖的「道」=「神聖的理性」= 非位格的屬性、能力。正如人有理性和靈，上帝也有理性（道，子）和靈（聖靈）。
F:  Christ/the Son of God = the Divine Logos = “divine reason” = an impersonal attribute and power.  Just as man has a mind and spirit, so God has his reason (Logos) and his spirit (Holy Spirit).
正：基督，上帝的兒子 = 上帝，擁有所有聖父的屬性，所有聖靈的屬性。上帝的屬性包括：他是主，永恆，無限，不變；智慧，權能，聖潔，公義，良善（愛，忍耐，恩典），真理。
T:  Christ/the Son = God, who has all the attributes of the Father and of the Spirit.  
Attributes of God include: Lordship; God is eternal, infinite, unchangeable; wise, powerful/sovereign, holy, just/righteous, good/gracious/loving, truth.
我們的上帝，就是《聖經》所宣講的上帝，是無限的，又是有位格的。異教、非基督教的上帝，要就是無限但非位格的（如：希臘哲學的「形式 / 理念」，「道」），不然就是有限但有位格的（如希臘神話中的神只，中國民間宗教的神：關公，觀音，黃大仙等）。
Our God, the God of the Bible is both infinite and personal.  Pagan/non-Christian gods are either infinite but impersonal (e.g. Greek “form,” “idea,” “Logos”), or finite and personal (the gods and goddess of Greek mythology and Chinese folk religion, e.g. Guan Gong, Guan Yin. Wong Tai Sin, etc.).

13. 誤：基督（上帝的「道」）= 一切人間真理、智慧的來源， 因此：所有真理都是上帝的真理。哲學，心理學，文學的成果都是上帝的啟示。
F:  Christ/the Logos of God = source of all enlightenment, source of all truth in men.  Therefore: All truth is God’s truth.  All philosophy, psychology, literature, etc. = God’s revelation.
正：基督（上帝的「道」）= 所有真理的來源。上帝創造人的時候賜人智慧，真理，聖潔與公義（創1：26-28，弗4：24）。可是人犯罪，從他原有的智慧，公義，聖潔墮落了。因此，現在人所追求的，若沒有上帝的幫助，必然是愚拙（林前1：18-31），是世上的小學（西2：8）。人所能達到的 – 哲學，心理學，藝術，文學 – 都不是上帝的啟示，不可能是上帝的啟示，而是墮落的罪人對上帝普遍群啟示的回應。基督並不為罪人的哲學與文化中對真理的扭曲和錯誤觀念負責！
T: Christ/Logos = source of all truth.  Man was endowed with wisdom, truth, holiness and righteousness (Gen. 1:26-28, Eph. 4:24) when he was created; but man fell from his original wisdom, righteousness and holiness.  Therefore what man seeks, without God’s help, is ultimately foolishness (I Cor. 1:18-31).  Thus what man arrived at, in philosophy, psychology, art, literature, etc. is NOT God’s revelation.  It CANNOT possibly be God’s revelation.  Rather, these are  sinful, fallen man’s responses to God’s general revelation.  Christ is not responsible for the errors and twisted “truths” in fallen sinners’ philosophy and culture!

上帝的不可知性與可知性
THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD AND THE KNOWABILITY OF GOD
  
14. 誤：上帝 = 完全不可知，無底的深淵。上帝是「全然的他者」。只有基督（「道）啟示上帝。」（古今中外各樣的非理性主義。）
F:  God = all unknowable, unfathomable; God is the “Wholly Other.”  Only Christ/Logos reveals God (All kinds of irrationalism, ancient to modern).
正：上帝是不可知的，若他不親自啟示自己給我們認識的話。可是，上帝是可知的，因為他計劃了自我啟示，也具體地透過（一）受造之物（大自然），（二）人地良心，（三）《聖經》自我啟示了。因此上帝是可知的。人需要聖靈的光照才能認識《聖經》的真理。
T:  God is unknowable to us if he didn’t reveal himself to us.  But God decided to, and did, reveal himself through (a) nature, (b) our hearts, and (c) Scripture.  Therefore God is knowable through revelation.  The illumination of the Holy Spirit is needed to understand God’s revelation in Scripture.

上帝的不變與動性
GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE, GOD IS DYNAMIC
15. 誤：上帝完全是動性的。（奧利金，當代的進程神學。）
F: God is always (eternally) in action. (Origen, today’s process theology.)
正：上帝是不變的。可是他計劃了創造，掌管宇宙歷史，救贖，審判，因此他不斷執行他的計劃，從這角度來說，「我父作工至今。」可是上帝的動力，作為並沒有使他的本性，計劃，與應許改變。
T: God does not change.  However God in eternity planned to (a) create the world, (b) rule over history/the universe, (c) save sinners, and (d) judge the world.  And he continues to implement his eternal plan.  Thus “My Father has worked till now.”   But God is not active in a sense that He changes his being, plan, or promises.

人的問題
MAN’S PREDICAMENT
16. 誤：人性里的善惡，不是天賦的本性。是永恆里靈體的墮落因此有物質，有人的肉體。
F: Good and evil in man are not divine endowments.  Since some spiritual beings sinned and fell in eternity, therefore matter exists (was created), therefore man’s body exists.
正：人被造的時候是善的（包括身體，靈魂）。邪惡是因為人犯罪才存在在人間（羅5：12）。
Man was created good (body and soul).  Evil exists in man’s world because of man’s sin.  (Romans 5:12)

17. 誤：人的問題，人為什麼需要救恩 = 因為人是有限的，生命短暫。
F:  Man’s problem, man’s need for salvation = because man is finite, life is short.
正：人的問題，人為什麼需要救恩 = 人背叛了上帝。人的問題是宗教性的，屬靈的（與上帝的關係，背叛了上帝）； 和道德性的（心的污穢，行為的不義）。「不虔，不義」（羅1：18-21）。
T: Man’s problem, man’s need for salvation = because man has rebelled against God.  Man’s problem is spiritual (his relationship with God, rebellion against God) and moral (his heart is polluted, and his conduct is unrighteous).  Man is “godless, unrighteous” (Rom. 1:18-21).

18. 誤：原罪借着繁殖傳到全人類。（傳統天主教教義）
F: Original sin was transmitted to all mankind through procreation (traditional Roman Catholic teaching).
正：因為上帝對待亞當為人類的頭，人類的代表，因此上帝把亞當的罪歸算給全人類。結果，繁殖的後果是每一個生出來的嬰孩都有上帝所歸算的罪。
T: God treated Adam as the head and representative of all mankind.  Therefore God “charged” (reckoned, imputed) Adam’s sin/guilt on all mankind.  The result is: all babies born into this world have the imputed sin of Adam.

基督是上帝
CHRIST IS GOD

19. 誤：有兩個「道」。
F: There are two Logos’es.  (Origen.)
正：「道」，基督是一位。
T: There is only one Logos, only one Christ.

20. 誤：有兩個「道」：上帝裡面的能力，和道成肉身的道（亞利烏）。
F：There are two Logos’es: (1) the “divine reason” or energy which is immanent in God (inside the Godhead); and (2) the incarnate Logos (Arius).
正：三位一體裡的第二位（聖子）是一個位格；道成肉身並不改變這事實。
T:  The 2nd person of the Trinity is one person; the incarnation doesn’t alter this fact.

21. 誤：基督（上帝的「道」，上帝的兒子）= 從屬父上帝，本質上低於父（奧利金）。
F: Christ/the Logos/the Son of God = subordinate to the Father in being.  (Origen)
正：基督（上帝的兒子）= 與父上帝同等，同是上帝，同有尊榮，同是永恆，擁有所有上帝的屬性。但是，在永恆救贖計劃中，子甘願順服父.，因此，在救贖計劃中，子從屬父。
本質上的 (ontological) 三位一體：父，子，靈同等；父是上帝，子是上帝，靈是上帝。
救贖計劃上 (Economy) 的三位一體：子，靈順服父。
T: Christ/the Son of God = equal with the Father in deity, glory, eternity, and in all their attributes.
However in the plan of salvation, which the Father, Son and Spirit planned together in eternity, the Son decided to obey/submit to the Father.  Thus in the plan of salvation the Son is subordinate to the Father.
Ontological Trinity: the 3 persons are equally God.  The Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God.
Economic Trinity: in the plan of salvation, the Son and Spirit submit to the Father.

22. 誤：父生子不是必須的行動(necessary act)，而是自由的行動 (free act)（奧利金）。
F: The Son’s eternal generation (the Father begetting the Son) is not a necessary act, but a free and sovereign act of the Father.  (Origen)
正：父生子是三位一體在永恆里必須的存在模式；是必須的，不是自由（主權）的決定、計劃、行動。
T: The Father begetting the Son (eternal generation) is the very mode of existence and relationship of the 3 persons of the Trinity; it is necessary, not a free, sovereign plan/decision/act.

23. 錯誤：聖子是能變的（亞利烏）。
F: The Son is mutable (changeable) (Arius).
正：聖子與聖父，聖靈一樣，是不變的神。
T: The Son, like the Father and the Spirit, is God.  He is unchangeable.

24. 誤：「道」與耶穌（人）的靈魂在永恆里結合（奧利金）。
F: The Logos and the human soul of Jesus = united in eternity  (Origen).
正：「道」（耶穌基督的神性，三位一體的第二位）與耶穌基督的整個人性（身體，靈魂）在道成肉身的時聯合：聖靈感孕馬利亞的時候。
T:  The Logos/divine nature of Christ (the second person of the Trinity) united with the entire human nature of Christ (soul and body) at the Incarnation – when the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary.

25. 誤：基督的神性與人性混合，他是混合品，兩性並沒有融合。
F: The divine nature and human nature of Christ was composite.  There is no union, no fusion between the two natures.
正：基督的神性與人性是完全地聯合 (union)。
T: The divine and human nature of Christ united in perfect union.

基督是位格；子是父在永恆里生的
CHRIST IS PERSON; THE SON IS ETERNALLY BEGOTTEN OF FATHER
  
26. 誤：基督與父同質，可是他不是位格。只有一個位格，就是父。他只是神聖的理性、能力（特土良，動力神格唯一說：撒摩撒他之保羅）。
F: Christ is of the same substance as the Father, but he is not a person. God is only one person, i.e., the Father.  He is divine power or divine reason (Tertullian, Dynamic Monarchianism: Paul of Samosata).
正：基督與父上帝同質。他是位格，正如父是位格。（不要把「位格」當作屬性來看待！）子的生存形態與父不同（特土良）。
T: Christ is of the same substance as the Father.  But he is a person just like the Father is a person. But the Son has a mode of existence which is different from the Father’s (Tertullian).  (But don’t treat “person,” “personhood” as attributes.)

27. 誤：「道」是神里的理性，到創造等時候才有位格。
F: Logos is impersonal divine reason; only becomes personal at creation.
正：「道」（子）在永恆里就是位格。
T: Logos (Son) is person in eternity, from eternity.

28. 誤：子與父同質，可是只有父有全部的本質（特土良）。
F: The Son and the Father have the same substance, but only God the Father has all the substance (Tertullian)

正：子與父同質，子與父同有所有上帝的本性。
T: The Son and the Father are of the same substance.  Each has full divine nature (complete divine substance).

29. 誤：父創造子（亞利烏）。子是父從無有創造出來的（亞利烏派，在尼西亞會議）。
F: The Son is created (Arius).  The Father created the Son. The Father created the Son out of nothing (Arians, at Council of Nicea).
正：子與父同創造宇宙。父生子，不是創造子。
T: The Son is Co-Creator with the father of the universe.  The Father begets the Son, the Father did not create the Son.

30. 誤：父生子，是永恆里的作為（奧利金）。子有開始存在的時刻；有一段時間子並不存在（特土良）。
F: The Father begets the Son as an eternal act (Origen).  The Son has a beginning; there was a time when the Son/Logos was not (Tertullian).
正：父在永恆里生子；子沒有開始存在的時刻。所有上帝所「計劃」，所作的「作為」，都是三位一體一起作的「計劃」與「作為」。
T: The Father begets the Son in eternity; the Son has no beginning.  Every “plan” and “act” of God, is the plan/act of the three persons in the Trinity together.

從來沒有一刻，子不是（不存在）的。
There was never a moment when the Son was not.

人的被創造；基督的人性
CREATION OF MAN; CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE
31. 錯誤：人是在永恆里被創造的。
F: Man was created in eternity (eternal creation).
正：人是在七日的第六日被創造的；人是在時間的開始時被造的。
F: Man was created on the 6th day of 7 days; man was created at the beginning of time.

32. 錯誤：基督不真正是人。基督吃東西，並不是他真正需要食物，而是要藉此使人不能否認他的人性（革利免）。
F: Christ is not really a man.  Jesus ate food, not because he needed food, but simply to guard against a denial of his humanity (Clement of Alexandria.)
正：人不能否認基督的人性，因為他真正的是人。
T: We cannot deny the humanity of Christ, because Jesus Christ was/is fully human.

33. 誤：「道」所充滿的靈魂取了一個身體，這個身體被「道」穿入而神化 (divinized)（奧利金，動力神格唯一說的：撒摩撒他之保羅，後來基督新教中反對三位一體的教派）。
F: The soul, which was filled with the Logos, assumed a body.  This body, penetrated by the Logos, is divinized (becomes divine) by the Logos (Origen, Dynamic Monarchianism: Paul of Samosata, Socinians, Unitarians).
正：「道」（三位一體的第二位）取了人性（靈魂與身體）。結果不是人性被神化，乃是：道成肉身的耶穌基督是一個位格，一位耶穌基督：他是100%神，又是100%人。
T:  The Logos (The 2nd person of the Trinity) took on human nature (both body and soul).  The result is not that the human nature of Jesus Christ becomes divine.  Rather, Jesus Christ incarnate is ONE person, ONE Jesus Christ: he is 100% God, 100% man.

34. 誤：耶穌被父認（收養）為兒子，因此被人尊敬為上帝的兒子（亞利烏）。
F: Jesus is recognized/adopted by the Father as Son, therefore men esteem him as God’s Son (Arius).
正：子在永恆里就是父的獨生子。因道成肉身的基督成就了救贖大工，父上帝榮耀他，高舉他，承認/宣稱他為愛子。可是這宣稱並不是基督成為上帝兒子的原因，而是聖子完成救贖大工的獎賞。
T: The Son was the only-begotten Son of the Father in eternity.  When the incarnate Christ finished his work of redemption, the Father chose to glorify him, exalt him, and “adopt”/declare him to be Son of God.  This declaration is not the reason why Jesus Christ is God’s Son; rather it is the reward for the Son’s completion of the work of redemption.

35. 誤：耶穌（人）取了「功德」，如：聖潔，對上帝的意識 （士來馬赫）等。因此他成為上帝的兒子，被稱為上帝的兒子。
F: The man Jesus took on “meritoriousness” such as: holiness, consciousness of God (Friedrich Schleiermacher), etc.  Therefore he became the Son of God.
正：上帝的兒子從來在永恆里就是上帝的兒子，與父同等。他在道成肉身（聖靈感孕馬利亞）的時候穿上了人性。
T: The Son of God was always God in eternity, and equal with the Father.  He took on human nature at the Incarnation, when the Holy Spirit came upon Virgin Mary.

道成肉身、神人二性的基督是救贖主
CHRIST, THE INCARNATE GOD-MAN, IS THE REDEEMER
  
36. 正：基督若是上帝，那麼他來到世間，就是上帝來到世間。
T: If Christ is God, and only if He is God, in the full sense of the word, without qualification, God has entered humanity.  (Reinhold Seeberg.)

37. 誤：基督只是教師，榜樣，賜律法者。
F: Christ is only a teacher, an example, the lawgiver.
正：基督來更為罪捨命。他是救主。
T: Christ came mainly to die for sins as a substitute.  He is the Redeemer.

38. 錯誤：基督借着付贖價 (ransom) 給魔鬼來拯救我們：基督欺騙了魔鬼。
F: Christ rescued us by paying the ransom to the Devil.  Christ deceived the devil.
正：基督的捨命，滿足了父上帝的公義和公義的要求，因此平息了父的忿怒（ = 挽回祭的意義）。
T: Christ’s death satisfied the justice and just requirements of God the Father, thus removed his wrath.  (= propitiation)

39. 誤：基督的神性，在耶穌被掛在十字架的時候，已經離開耶穌（人）。
F: Christ’s divine nature left the human Jesus when the man Jesus hung on the cross.
正：神人二性的耶穌基督在十字架上捨命。這是莫大的奧秘。
T: Jesus Christ, the God-man, died on the cross (this is a profound mystery).

40. 誤：救贖就是神人合一：人能神化（愛任紐）。
F: Salvation involves the union of man and God. Man is deified (Irenaeus).
正：救贖是上帝與人和好。人不成為上帝！
而只有神自己：只有一位自己就是上帝的救主，才能使我們與上帝聯合（啊阿他拿修）。
T: Salvation is God reconciling himself with man.  Man doesn’t become God!
And, only one who is himself God can unite us with God (Athanasius).

41. 誤：基督的神性與人性混合，因此基督升天的時候，就等於成為無所不在 (unibiquitous)。（奧利金，馬丁路德。）
F: The Divine and the Human in Christ was so co-mingled, that by his glorification, he became virtually ubiquitous.  (Origen, Martin Luther.)
正：基督的神性與人性完全的聯合。基督的神性從來就是無所不在的。他升天的時候，是以神人二性一基督的身份升天的。今天，道成肉身的神人基督在天上。
T: Christ’s divine nature was perfectly  united with his human nature at the Incarnation.  Christ’s divine nature includes omnipresence; the 2nd person of the Trinity was always omnipresent.  When Christ ascended into heaven, he ascended as 100% God and 100% man.  The God-man, Incarnate Christ is in heaven today.

42. 誤：耶穌基督的人性，在升天的時候消失了。
F: The human nature of Jesus Christ disappeared when he ascended into heaven.
正：今天在天上的是神人二性的耶穌基督。
T: Today Jesus Christ, in both his divine nature and human nature, is in heaven.
   
三位一體
THE TRINITY
43. 誤：三位一體的三位，好像戲劇里的演員，角色，什至像面具。（形體上的神格唯一說，即：撒伯流主義；參：周聯華，《信徒神學》。）
F: The three persons of the Godhead are like three actors/roles in a drama, or one actor wearing three masks.   (Modalism, or Modalistic Monarchianism, i.e., Sabellius; cf.: Rev. Chow Lien-hwa.)
正：三位一體的三位，每一位都是位格，有別與其他兩位；每位都是上帝。
T: There are three distinct persons in the Trinity, but there is only one God.

44. 誤：聖父道成肉身，被釘在十字架上。（聖父受苦說。）
F: The Father became Incarnate, hung on the cross.  (Patripassianism.)
正：聖子道成肉身。
T: The Son became Incarnate.

45. 誤：上帝是三位一體，「一體」或「同質」就像泥土，金，銀，木頭一樣。
F: God is three persons in one substance: substance is like clay, gold, silver, wood.
正：三個位格的「位格」，和一體的「體 / 質」，這兩個觀念都是廣泛的。我們可以說：上帝是三個位格，同時是一個位格。不過很少人這樣說，只有范泰爾 (Cornelius Van Til, 20世紀最偉大的護教家) 這樣說。
T: “Person” (persona, hypostatis) and “substance” (ousia) mean “something” – God is “three of something” and “one of something.”  We can say God is three persons and one person.  Very few people say it this way, only Cornelius Van Til, the greatest apologist in the 20th century, says it this way.

《威敏斯特信仰告白》 第三章 論上帝與三位一體
Westminster Confession of Faith   Chapter 3 On God and the Trinity
三、上帝是獨一的上帝，但他裡面有三個位格，同屬一個本質，權能相同，同樣永恆，這三個位格就是：父、子、聖靈(三位一體的)上帝 (o)。父不屬於、不受生於、也不出於任何其他來源；子在永恆里為父所生 (p)；聖靈在永恆里由父和子而出 (q)。
3.  In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and
eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (o). The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the e Son is eternally begotten of the Father (p) ; the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son (q) .  

第八章 論中保基督   Chapter 8  On Christ the Mediator
二、上帝的兒子，三位一體中的第二位，正是永恆的上帝， 與父同質、同等；當日期滿足的時候，就取了人性 (k)，並人性一切基本的性質、共通的軟弱，只是無罪 (l)﹔借着聖靈的大能，在童貞女馬利亞的腹中成孕，有她的本質(m)。所以在耶穌裡面是兩個完整的、無缺的，且相異的性質（就是神性與人性），不可分地結合於一位格里，沒有轉化、合成、混合 (n)。這個位格是真正的上帝，也是真正的人，卻是一位基督，神人之間的惟一的中保 (o)。
2.  The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being truly and eternally God,
of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time had come, take upon Him man’s nature (k), with all its essential properties and common frailties, yet without sin (l).  He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary and of her substance (m).  In this way two whole natures, the divine and the human, perfect and distinct, were inseparably joined together in one person without being changed, mixed, or confused (n).  This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man (Romans 1:3-4).

The Nicene Creed

　　I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
　　And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
　　Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
　　And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
　　And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Definition of the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)
　　Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.