3:1 無知的加拉太人哪,耶穌基督釘十字架,已經活畫在你們眼前,誰又迷惑了你們呢?
3:2 我只要問你們這一件:你們受了聖靈,是因行律法呢?是因聽信福音呢?
3:3 你們既靠聖靈入門,如今還靠肉身成全嗎?你們是這樣的無知嗎?
3:4 你們受苦如此之多,都是徒然的嗎?難道果真是徒然的嗎?
3:5 那賜給你們聖靈,又在你們中間行異能的,是因你們行律法呢?是因你們聽信福音呢?
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched
you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I
would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After
beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the
flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again
I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of
the law, or by your believing what you heard?
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在此保羅用一連串的問句來問加拉太的信徒,要他們思考信仰的本質,是因著「聽信福音」還是因著「行律法」?
這也是今天的基督徒要好好思考的,我們的信仰是「因信稱義」還是「因行為成義」?我們常常把「果」當成「因」,把「因」當成「果」。以為「重生」才是「得救」,其實是「得救」才能「重生」。也因此,造成許多基督徒以道德行為為評斷人有沒有得救,然後再來判斷這人是不是基督徒。
今天上帝讓我們「得救」不是憑我們的行為,而是出於上帝的慈愛與恩典,是上帝先讓基督為我們的罪而死、復活、升天,來證明將來祂必領我們進入上帝國,享受永生。
當我們知道這一切是由「信」而來,我們就會真真感受這是恩典,不是做工該得的工價或工資,我們就會對上帝心存感謝,而不歸功自己,這才是真正的謙卑。