ARMINIANISM AND CALVINISM

阿米念主义和加尔文主义

Arminianism is like a bridge in Lancaster County, Pa., that is wide but goes only halfway across the river. It fails to lead a hiker safely to the other side of the river. Arminianism is wide and easy to travel, but it does not lead a person to the harbor of God’s bosom. In the end, Arminianism is cruel in failing to deliver what it promises. It weakens the essence of God, exalts man, and opens the door to liberalism.

阿米念主义就像宾夕法尼亚州兰开斯特县的一座桥，很宽，但只跨过河的一半。它无法引导徒步旅行者安全到达河的对岸。阿民念主义的范围很广，很容易传播，但它并不能把人引向上帝怀抱的港湾。最终，阿民念主义残酷地未能兑现其承诺。它削弱了上帝的本质，高举了人，并打开了自由主义的大门。

The way of Calvinism seems narrow; in some sense it is, for it expects self-denial and teaches that man cannot meet God halfway. But in the end, Calvinism brings a believer across the river into the arms of Jehovah. Believed in the mind and experienced in the soul, Calvinism’s truths lead a sinner to salvation.

加尔文主义的道路似乎狭窄；从某种意义上来说确实如此，因为它期望自我否定，并教导人不能在半路上遇见神。但最终，加尔文主义能把信徒带到了河对岸，投入了耶和华的怀抱。加尔文主义的真理得以在心灵中相信，得以在灵魂中体验，引领罪人得到救恩。

Calvinism gives both God and man their due. It glorifies God, humbles the sinner, and encourages the saint. It invigorates the believer who knows that if a sovereign God is for him, no one can be successful against him (Rom. 8:31). As J. C. Ryle writes: “No soldiers of Christ are ever lost, missing or left dead on the battlefield.”

加尔文主义给予神和人应有的待遇。它荣耀神，谦卑罪人，鼓舞圣徒。它使信徒充满活力，因为他们知道如果有一位至高无上的神支持他，那么没有人能成功地反对他（罗马书8:31）。正如 J. C. 赖尔 (J. C. Ryle) 所写：“没有基督的士兵在战场上迷失、失踪或死亡。”

Erroll Hulse provides a helpful illustration of how salvation is worked by our sovereign God: 埃罗尔·赫尔斯（Erroll Hulse）提供了一个有用的例证，说明我们至高无上的上帝如何实现救恩：

In the town of Otley in Yorkshire a group of anxious onlookers surrounded a man who was lying down flat with his hand down a rainwater drain. Among the onlookers was a mother duck expressing deep alarm. She had been leading her ducklings along the gutter and hopped over the drain, but one by one her ducklings had fallen in. One by one the man lying flat retrieved them. All ten of them were brought up unscathed and happily followed mummy duck down to the Wharfe River. There is no way that they could have come out of that drain on their own. Power of a greater kind than duck-power was needed. In the case of our salvation we must affirm that it comes entirely from an omnipotent, gracious God.

在约克郡的奥特利镇，一群焦急的旁观者围住了一名平躺着、手伸进雨水排水沟的男子。围观者中，有一只鸭妈妈表达了深深的震惊。她牵着小鸭子沿着排水沟，跳过排水沟，但她的小鸭子一只一只地掉进去了。平躺着的男人一只一只地把它们救了出来。它们十个鸭子都安然无恙地长大，高兴地跟着鸭妈妈来到了沃夫河。他们不可能自己从那个排水沟里出来。需要比鸭子动力更强大的动力。就我们的救恩而言，我们必须确认它完全来自一位全能、恩典的神。

Some suggest that Calvinism and Arminianism should reconcile because the Bible affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. We must be Calvinists on our knees and Arminians on our feet, they say. But such a proposal is naive. Calvinism asserts the role of human responsibility every bit as much as Arminianism does. Calvinism and Arminianism cannot be joined together because of the following irreconcilable differences:

一些人认为加尔文主义和阿民念主义应该调和，因为圣经既确认了神圣的主权，也确认了人类的责任。他们说，我们必须跪下成为加尔文主义者，站起来成为阿民念主义者。但这样的提议是幼稚的。加尔文主义与阿米念主义一样，都主张人类责任的作用。加尔文主义和阿民念主义不能结合在一起，因为存在以下不可调和的差异：

•    The initiative in salvation is either with God or with man.

•    Depravity is either total or partial.

•    Election is either unconditional or conditional.

•    Atonement is either particular or universal.

•    Saving grace is either irresistible or resistible.

•    The saints either must persevere in faith or they may fall away.

• 救恩的主动权要么是神，要么是人。

• 堕落要么是完全的，要么是部分的。

• 拣选要么是无条件的，要么是有条件的。

• 赎罪要么是特定的，要么是普遍的。

• 拯救恩典要么是不可抗拒的，要么是可抗拒的。

• 圣徒要么必须信仰坚忍，要么可能会离弃。

These differences are not just matters of emphasis; they represent different systems of thought. The five points of Calvinism are biblical and need to be proclaimed with boldness and vigor.^[1]

这些差异不仅仅是侧重点的问题。它们代表不同的思想体系。加尔文主义的五点是符合圣经的，需要大胆而有力地宣讲。

^[1] Joel R. Beeke, Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2008), 127–129.