Life91.如今，人们普遍认为得救在于相信教会这样或那样的教导，而不在于遵守十诫，就是狭义和广义上的不可杀人、不可奸淫、不可偷盗和不可作假见证。因为人们坚持认为，神不看行为，只看信；而事实上，任何人陷入这些邪恶到何等程度，就在何等程度上没有信（参看42-52节）。请教理性，你会清楚发现，只要陷入对这些邪恶的欲望，任何杀人者，奸淫者，盗贼或作假证的人是否能拥有信。你也会清楚发现，除了不愿犯下这些邪恶，因为它们是罪，也就是说，因为它们是属地狱和魔鬼的之外，对它们的欲望能否以其它任何方式被驱散。因此，凡以为得救在于相信教会这样或那样的教导，同时仍留在自己恶欲中的人必是“愚拙的人”，正如主在马太福音（7:26）中所说的那样。当一个教会具有这种性质时，经上在耶利米书如此描述它：
你当站在耶和华家的门口，在那里宣告这话：万军之耶和华以色列的神如此说，改正你们的所作所为；你们不要倚靠虚谎的话，说，这些是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿。你们偷盗、杀害、奸淫、起假誓，且来到这称为我名下的家，又说，我们得救了，好再去行这一切可憎的事？这家岂不成了贼窝吗？看哪，我真的都看见了。这是耶和华说的。（耶利米书7:2-4，9-11）
91. It is generally thought nowadays that being saved is a matter of believing one thing or another that the church teaches, and that being saved is not a matter of obeying the Ten Commandments in particular - not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness; and it is said in a wider sense that the focus should not be on deeds but on faith that comes from God. However, to the extent that we are caught up in evils we do not have faith (see Matthew 7:26.
This is how Jeremiah describes this kind of church:
Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah and proclaim this word there: "Thus says Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of Israel: 'Make your ways and your deeds good. Do not put your trust in lying words, saying, "The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these." Are you going to steal, kill, commit adultery, and tell lies under oath, and then come and stand before me in this house that bears my name and say, "We are delivered" when you are doing these abominations? Has this house become a robbers' cave? Indeed, behold, I have seen it, ' says Jehovah." (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11)
91. It is a common opinion today that to be saved consists in believing this or that which the church teaches, and does not consist in obeying the Ten Commandments, which forbid murder, adultery, stealing and bearing false witness, in a strict sense and in a broader one. For we are told that God regards not works but faith, despite the fact that insofar as someone is caught up in evils, so far he does not have faith (see nos. Matthew 7:26.
A church of that character is described as follows in Jeremiah:
Stand in the gate of Jehovah’s house, and proclaim there this word..., “Thus says Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel: ‘Amend your ways and your doings.... Do not trust in lying words, saying, “The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these.”
“ ‘Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely..., and then come and stand before Me in this house which bears My name, and say, “We are delivered, ” when you do...these abominations? Has this house...become a den of thieves...? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, ’ said Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11)
91. It is a common opinion at this day that the way of salvation is to believe this or that which the Church teaches; and that it does not consist in keeping the commandments of the Decalogue, which are, not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to bear false witness, both in a restricted and in a wider sense. For it is asserted that works are not regarded, but faith from God; when yet, so far as any one is in those evils, so far he is without faith; as may be seen above, Nos. Matthew 7:26. When a Church is of this nature it is thus described in Jeremiah:
Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this word ...
Thus saith Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings ...
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, The temple of Jehovah, The temple of Jehovah, are these ...
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely ...
And come and stand before me in this house, whereon is called my name, and say, We are delivered, to do all these abominations?
Is this house ... become a den of robbers ... ? Behold, even I have seen it, saith Jehovah. Jer. Jeremiah 7:2-4; 9-11.
91. It is a general opinion at the present day that to be saved consists in believing this thing or that which the church teaches, and that it does not consist in keeping the commandments (which are, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness) in both the restricted and the extended sense. For it is maintained that works are not regarded by God, but faith, when nevertheless the truth is that in proportion as anyone is in these evils, in that same proportion he has no faith. (See above n. 42-52.)
Take counsel of reason and observe whether, so long as he is in the concupiscence of these evils, any murderer, adulterer, thief, or false witness is able to have faith; and also, further, whether the concupiscence of these evils can be shaken off in any other way than by refusing to will to commit them for the reason that they are sins, that is, because they are infernal and devilish. So that whoever imagines that being saved consists in believing this thing or that which is taught by the church, while himself remaining thus evil in feeling and in character, must needs be a "foolish man," in accordance with the words of the Lord in Matthew 7:26. Such a church is thus described in Jeremiah:
Stand in the gate of Jehovah's house, and proclaim there this word: Thus saith Jehovah of Armies the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings; trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered, while ye do all these abominations? Is this house become a den of robbers? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11).
91. Communis opinio hodie est, quod salvari sit credere hoc aut illud, quod ecclesia docet; et quod salvari non sit facere praecepta Decalogi, quae sunt "non occidere," "non adulterari," "non furari," "non false testari," in stricto et in lato sensu; dicitur enim, quod non spectentur opera, sed fides a Deo; cum tamen quantum quis in illis malis est, tantum non fidem habet (videatur supra, 42-52). Consule rationem, et perspice, num quis homicida, adulter, fur et falsus testis, quamdiu in concupiscentia illorum est, possit fidem habere; tum etiam, num concupiscentia illorum possit aliter discuti, quam per non velle facere illa quia peccata sunt, hoc est, quia infernalia et diabolica: quare qui opinatur quod salvari sit credere hoc aut illud quod ecclesia docet, et usque talis est, ille non potest non esse stultus, secundum Domini verba apud Matthaeum (7:26). Talis ecclesia describitur ita apud Jeremiam,
"Sta in porta domus Jehovae, et proclama ibi verbum hoc:... Sic dixit Jehovah Zebaoth Deus Israelis: Bonas reddite vias vestras, et opera vestra:... ne confidite vobis super verbis mendacii, dicendo, Templum Jehovae, Templum Jehovae, Templum Jehovae, illi. ...Num furando, occidendo, et adulterando et jurando per mendacium deinde venietis et stabitis coram Me in domo hac, super qua nominatur nomen meum, et dicetis, Erepti sumus, dum facitis abominationes... illas? num spelunca latronum facta est domus haec....? Etiam Ego, ecce, vidi, dictum Jehovae" (7:2-4, 9-11).