210626 XZWCF 23 2

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210627 新莊改革宗福音教會成人主日學：西敏信仰告白23                    高阿丹（西敏信仰告白＝ WCF；西敏大要理問答＝ WLC；西敏小要理問答＝ WSC）參考書：Confessing the Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn; Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman; 新譯西敏信條； WCF 23 論政權 Of the Civil Magistrate 23.1-21. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory, and the public good; and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers.2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;c so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions. ·         政權建立在上帝的「命定 ordain」之上——因為至高掌權世界的上帝制定「在祂之下」的地上政權 civil magistrate。

為什麼人必須順從地上有權柄的？羅13:1-4；彼前2:13-14·         政權的目的/使命——上帝的榮耀+公眾利益·         為了完成使命，上帝賜予政權「佩劍的權柄 power of the sword」（新譯本沒有翻譯出來）——佩劍的官員是「上帝的僕人」；羅13:4。·         為要「保護+鼓勵」善良的人，懲戒作惡的人。·         問題：這在舊約和新約有何不同？所有的政權都是上帝的政權，然而如今上帝的選民不再活在某一個國家之下——以色列國如今成為基督教會，在地上不再有任何一國是上帝揀選的國度。

·         那麼，是否該o   否認政權之合法性，脫離社會，自組信仰族群o   與政權和平相處，但是不參與政權o   只參與「基督教」政權·         先賢們卻認知政權仍然是上帝的政權。羅13:1；箴8:15-16；·         因此，基督徒可參加政府運作、做官，為要維持「敬虔、公義、和平」。

提前2:2·         「according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth  按照每個政權有益的律法」·         「正當/公義與必要的時候 just and necessary occasion」可以爭戰。

23.33. 原版本 The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered, and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God.3. 現代版本 Civil authorities may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, nor should they interfere in any way in matters of faith. Yet, as caring fathers, it is the duty of civil authorities to protect the church of our common Lord without giving preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest—doing so in such a way that all church authorities shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of carrying out every part of their sacred functions without violence or danger. As Jesus Christ has appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, prevent, or hinder their proper exercise among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil authorities to protect the person and good name of all their people in such an effective manner that no person be allowed, either in the name of religion or of unbelief, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatever. They should also take care that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without interference or disturbance. 3. 1658 SAVOY Although the magistrate is bound to encourage, promote, and protect the professors and profession of the gospel, and to manage and order civil administrations in a due subservience to the interest of Christ in the world, and to that end to take care that men of corrupt minds and conversations do not licentiously publish and divulge blasphemy and errors, in their own nature subverting the faith and inevitably destroying the souls of them that receive them: yet in such differences about the doctrines of the gospel, or ways of the worship of God, as may befall men exercising a good conscience, manifesting it in their conversation, and holding the foundation, not disturbing others in their ways or worship that differ from them; there is no warrant for the magistrate under the gospel to abridge them of their liberty. ·         政權之限制，不掌有—— 聖道與聖禮，天國的鑰匙；太18:17；16:9·         舊約就有「政教分離」——代下26:18·         原版本：政權不僅支持教會、維持信仰純正、且介入教會運作。

現代版本：政權支持教會/信仰/宗教生活，但是不能介入教會運作/信仰生活，要保護人民宗教自由（不再決定何為純正信仰）。SAVOY 版本：政權支持福音，但是不能以福音為藉口介入人們的信仰教義和敬拜方式。o   問題：何為信仰自由的界線？基督徒的信仰自由？還是所有人民的信仰自由？·         政權不能決定誰屬於或不屬於教會（天國的鑰匙）。天國的鑰匙給誰？彼得代表誰？WCF 是否是長老會專用的文件？太16:19 o   使徒=天主教會？o   使徒à長老=長老會？o   教會=長老+會眾=各個教會？

·         政權是否可主導、召開大公會議（西敏會議！）？·         先賢引用舊約經文（引用經文第六段），但是在新約時代，上帝選民的國度是分散在各國的基督教會，不再是以色列政權。基督的國度不屬於這個世界；約18:36。·         主賜予教會禮物（弗4:11-12），政權是上帝賜予世人的禮物，卻不是給教會的禮物。

23.4 人民對掌權者的責任4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour their persons,i to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience’ sake.l Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted;n much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever. ·         人民有責任（duty 良心）為政權禱告；·         必須尊重掌權者；·         順服掌權者，在教會掌權的人也必須順服政權（而掌政權的人在教會中也必須順服教會中掌權的人）。

·         不可因政權是非基督徒/異端而不順服——上帝有賜予政權合法的權柄。·         教宗也不可剝奪政權權柄。