343# 在说明信仰如何产生，即通过靠近主，从圣言学习真理，并照之生活产生之前，有必要先阐述信仰的概要，从中可以获得存在于信仰的一切细节中的总体观念；因为这样不仅能更清晰地理解本章关于信仰的教导，还能更清晰地理解随后几章关于仁爱（TCR 392-462节）、自由意志或自由选择（TCR 463-508节）、悔改（TCR 509-570节）、改造和重生（TCR 571-625节）、归算（TCR 626-666节）的教导；事实上，信仰进入任何神学体系的一切部分和每个部分，就像血液流入身体的各个部位一样，并给它们带来生命。当今教会关于信仰的教导总体上在基督教界，具体地通过教会阶层或神职人员而广为人知；因为只论述信仰和唯信的书籍塞满了教会教师的图书馆。事实上，如今除了信仰之外，几乎没有任何东西被视为有效的神学话题。但我们在对当今教会关于信仰的教导进行审查和考虑（这将在附录中完成）之前，先介绍新教会关于信仰所教导的一般原则。它们如下。
343. 獲得信的方法:接近主, 從聖言學真理, 憑藉所學真理生活
在我闡述如何產生信之前, 我需要先說明何為信的概要, 也就是在信的每一細節基礎上形成的總體概念。這樣不僅使關於信的本章易於讀懂, 還利於之後各章的理解, 也就是關於義(392-462),自由意志(463-508),悔改(509-570),改造與更新(571-625)以及歸算(626-666)等各章。因為信進入神學系統的各個和所有方面, 如同血液流進身體各部分並帶來生命。
當今教會關於信的教導被基督徒世界廣泛接受, 特別是教會的神職人員; 教會的神學圖書室中除了關於信,以及關於因信稱義, 幾乎沒有別的什麼圖書。實際上, 沒有什麼比信在當今被視為真正的神學課題。不過, 在當今教會關於信的教義被提出,細察與評價之前, 我先將新教會關於信的教義的總體觀念列舉如下:
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343. 3. The Way We Receive Faith Is by Turning to the Lord, Learning Truths from the Word, and Living by Those Truths
Before I begin demonstrating how faith arises (which occurs when we turn to the Lord, learn truths from the Word, and live by those truths) and before we move into individual aspects of faith, I first need to present categories of faith to give you an overview. This will help you understand more clearly not only things in this chapter on faith, but also points made in chapters to come on goodwill [392-462], free choice [463-508], repentance [509-570], reformation and regeneration [571-625], and the assignment of spiritual credit or blame [626-666]. Faith runs through each and every part of a systematic theology the way blood runs through the body's limbs, bringing them to life.
What the church today has to say about faith is generally known in the Christian world and specifically known among those in its religious hierarchy. Books only about faith and about faith alone fill the libraries of the church's theologians. In fact, hardly anything other than faith is considered to be a valid theological topic these days. Before taking what the church is saying nowadays about its faith and examining it in an appendix, I will first list the general points that the new church teaches about its faith. They are as follows:
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343. III. A person acquires faith by approaching the Lord, learning truths from the Word, and living by them.
Before starting to show the origin of faith, which is approaching the Lord, learning in addition truths from the Word, and living by them, I must first present a summary of faith, which will allow a general idea to be formed on each detail of faith. For this will make more readily intelligible not only what is said in this chapter about faith, but also what will be said later on about charity, free will, repentance, reformation and regeneration, and imputation. For faith enters into each and every part of a theological system like the blood into the parts of the body, and gives them life. The teaching of the present day church about faith is widely known in the Christian parts of the world, and particularly among the ordained clergy of the church; for the libraries of the theologians of the church are full of books about nothing but faith, and about faith alone. Indeed hardly anything but that is regarded as really theological at the present time. But before the doctrines of the present-day church regarding its faith are taken up, scrutinised and evaluated (which will be the subject of an appendix), I present the general doctrines of the new church on the subject of its faith, as follows.
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343. III. MAN ACQUIRES FAITH BY GOING TO THE LORD, LEARNING TRUTHS FROM THE WORD, AND LIVING ACCORDING TO THEM.
Before proceeding to show how faith originates, namely, by going to the Lord, learning truths from the Word, and living according to them, it is necessary first to set forth the summaries of faith, from which may be gained the general idea that runs through the several parts; for thus what is taught not only in this chapter on Faith, but also in those on Charity, Free Will, Repentance, Reformation, and Regeneration, and on Imputation, will be more clearly comprehended; for faith enters into all parts and each part of a system of theology, as blood flows into the members of the body and vivifies them. What the present church teaches respecting faith is known in the Christian world generally, and particularly in its ecclesiastical class; for the books treating solely of faith and faith alone fill the libraries of the doctors of the church, and almost nothing beyond this is regarded as properly theological at the present day. But before what the present church teaches respecting its faith is taken up, considered and examined (which will be done in an Appendix), the general principles which the New Church teaches respecting its faith shall be presented. They are the following:
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343. III. A MAN ACQUIRES FAITH BY APPROACHING THE LORD, LEARNING TRUTHS FROM THE WORD, AND LIVING ACCORDING TO THEM.
Before I proceed to show how faith originates, namely, by approaching the Lord, learning truths from the Word, and living according to them, it is necessary to state first in summary form what constitutes faith, so that the general idea present in all the particulars of faith may be discerned. It will thus be possible to understand more clearly not only this chapter on Faith, but also those that follow on Charity, Free Will, Repentance, Reformation, Regeneration and Imputation; for faith enters into and vivifies every part of any theological system, both in general and in particular, as the blood does the members of the body. The doctrine of the present Church concerning faith is generally known throughout the Christian world, and particularly by its clergy; for the libraries of the teachers in the Church are filled with books solely on faith, and on faith alone, since scarcely anything beyond that is regarded at this day as properly theological. Before, however, we undertake an examination and consideration of what the present day Church teaches concerning faith (which will be done in an Appendix), the general principles which the New Church teaches respecting its faith, will now be presented. They are as follows.
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343. III. Quod homo Fidem accipiat, per quod adeat Dominum, Veritates ex Verbo discat, et secundum illas vivat.
Antequam ingredior demonstrare ORIGINEM FIDEI, quae est, ut adeatur Dominus, addiscantur veritates ex Verbo, et vivatur secundum illas, necessum est, ut Summaria fidei praemittantur, ex quibus communis notio in singulis fidei partibus haberi potest; sic etenim plus conspicue comprehendi possunt non modo quae in hoc Capite de Fide, sed etiam quae in sequentibus de Charitate, de Libero Arbitrio, de Poenitentia, de Reformatione et Regeneratione, deque Imputatione, traduntur; nam in omnes et singulas partes systematis Theologici intrat Fides sicut sanguis in membra corporis, et vivificat illa. Quid hodierna Ecclesia de Fide tradit, in Orbe Christiano generaliter notum est, et specifice in Ordine ejus Ecclesiastico, nam Libri de Fide solum et de Fide sola implent Libraria Doctorum Ecclesiae, vix enim quicquam ut proprie Theologicum praeter illam hodie censetur: sed antequam illa, quae hodierna Ecclesia de sua Fide tradit, assumuntur, lustrantur, et expenduntur, quod fiet in APPENDICE, afferentur Communia, quae Nova Ecclesia de sua Fide docet, quae sunt haec sequentia.