338.使徒们的信无非是信主耶稣基督，这一点从他们的书信明显可知，我仅从中引用以下内容：
现在活着的，不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活着；并且我如今在肉身活着，是因信神的儿子而活。（加拉太书2:20）
保罗对犹太人和希腊人证明当向神悔改，信靠我主耶稣基督。（使徒行传20:21）
那人领保罗他们出来，说：“二位先生，我当怎样行才可以得救？”他们说：“当信主耶稣，你和你一家都必得救。”（使徒行传16:30，31）人有了神的儿子就有生命；没有神的儿子就没有生命。我将这些话写给你们信奉神儿子之名的人，要叫你们知道自己有永生。（约翰一书5:12，13）
我们这生来的犹太人，不是外邦的罪人，既知道人称仁不是因行律法，乃是因耶稣基督之信，我们也信了基督耶稣。（加拉太书2:15，16）
因为他们的信是信耶稣基督，还因为信也来自祂，所以他们称其为“耶稣基督之信”，如刚才所引用的（加拉太书2:16），以及以下经文：
神的义，借着耶稣基督之信显明给一切已相信的人，为的是有耶稣之信的人称义。（罗马书3:22，26）
有信基督的义，就是因信神而来的义。（腓立比书3:9）
他是守神诫命和耶稣之信的。（启示录14:12）
（保罗提及拯救是因为）信基督耶稣。（提摩太后书3:15）
在基督耶稣里，信通过爱才能功效。（加拉太书5:6）
由此可见保罗在教会中经常引用的以下说法是指哪种信：
所以，我们看定了，人称义是因着信，不在乎律法的行为。（罗马书3:28）
也就是说，它并非信父神，而是信祂的儿子，更不是信有序的三位神，信一个来自祂，另一个为了祂，第三个通过祂带来救恩。
当今教会认为，保罗在此所说的信是神性三个位格的信，因为十四个世纪期间，或自尼西亚会议以来的教会，都不承认其它的信，因而不知道别的，故以为这是唯一的信，再不可能有其它信。所以，在新约中，凡出现信这个词的地方，人们都以为是指这信，并且那里的一切都适用于这信；因此，唯一得救之信，也就是对神，救主之信已丧失了；结果，大量谬论和大量有违正常理性的悖论渗透到教会的教义中。因为每一个教导和指出通向天堂或救恩道路的教义都取决于信；由于如此多的谬论和悖论渗透到信中，如前所述，故他们被迫宣布以下信条：理解力必须服从信。不过，由于按照保罗的说法（罗马书3:28），信这个术语不是指信父神，而信祂的儿子；律法的行为在那里不是指十诫律法的行为，而是指摩西为犹太人所制定的律法行为（这一点从那里的后续章节，以及保罗写给加拉太人的书信2:14，15中的内容清楚可知），现今之信的基石已坍塌，随同它倒下的还有建立在它上面的神殿，就象房子沉入地下，只剩下房顶露在地面上。
338. 使徒們的信, 唯獨信主耶穌基督, 可從他們的書信中明顯得知, 我只是引用以下章節:
現在活著的, 不再是我, 乃是基督在我裡面活著; 並且我如今在肉身活著, 是因信上帝的兒子而活(加拉太書2:20)。保羅對猶太人和希臘人證明當向上帝悔改, 信靠我主耶穌基督(使徒行傳20:21)。那人領保羅他們出來, 說:"二位先生, 我當怎樣行才可以得救？" 他們說:"當信主耶穌, 你和你一家都必得救"(使徒行傳16:30-31)。人有了上帝的兒子就有生命; 沒有上帝的兒子就沒有生命。我將這些話寫給你們信奉上帝兒子之名的人, 要叫你們知道自己有永生(約翰一書5:12-13)。我們這生來的猶太人, 不是外邦的罪人, 既知道人稱義不是因行律法, 乃是因耶穌基督之信, 我們也信了基督耶穌(加拉太書2:15-16)。
因為他們的信在於信耶穌基督, 這樣的信也是來自於祂, 因此他們稱其為"耶穌基督之信", 正如上面引用的(加拉太書2:16), 以及下列章節:上帝的義, 藉著耶穌基督之信顯明給一切已相信的人, 為的是有耶穌之信的人稱義(羅馬書3:22, 26)。有從基督之信而來的義, 就是上帝之信而來的義(腓立比書3:9)。他們是守上帝誡命和耶穌之信的(啟示錄14:12)。(保羅提及拯救是因為)"基督耶穌裡的信(提摩太后書3:15)。在基督耶穌裡, 有藉著義而工作的信(加拉太書5:6)。
以上引用的章節足以證明當今教會中常重複的這句經文中, 保羅所理解的信到底為何:因此我們看定了, 人稱義是因著信, 不在乎律法的行為(羅馬書3:28)。這裡的信, 並非信父上帝, 而是信祂的兒子。更不是指信按序排列的三位上帝。
當今教會認定保羅在此所說的信, 是信三個神性位格的上帝, 是因為自『尼西亞信經』確立至今十四個世紀以來, 除此之外,就不存在什麼別的信。結果不知道任何其它的信, 且堅信這是唯一的信, 不可能有別的信。因此在新約的任何地方, 只要說到"信", 人們就認定這就是聖言所表達的信。結果, 信拯救者上帝這唯一得救之信就喪失了, 如此之多的偽謬也就潛入到教會之中, 還帶進眾多違背常理的,似是而非的歪理。因為教會的任何教導都在於講解並展現通往天國的途徑(也就是得救), 而這樣教導都取決於信; 並且, 因為這麼眾多的謬論和歪理侵入到他們的信仰當中, 他們被迫宣佈如此教條:一切理解必須順從於信。
現在, 因為保羅所說的(羅馬書3:28)信, 並非信父上帝, 而是信祂的兒子; 那裡所講的"律法的行為"並非指十誡律法的行為, 而是指摩西頒給猶太人的各樣條例(從羅馬書3:28的後續經文, 還可從保羅寫給加拉太人的書信加拉太書2:14-15中類似的表達看出), 於是現代教會信仰的基石連同建立在其上的聖所一起坍塌了, 如同房屋塌陷沉入地下, 直至剩下房頂露在地面之上。
338. The faith that the apostles had was a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as many passages in their Epistles make clear. I will quote only the following:
I myself am no longer alive; instead Christ is living in me. I am indeed alive in the flesh, but with a living faith that is a faith in the Son of God. (Galatians 2:20)
To both Jews and Greeks, Paul proclaimed repentance before God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts of the Apostles 20:21)
The one who took Paul outside said, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then you and your household will be saved. " (Acts of the Apostles 16:30-31)
Those who have the Son have life. Those who do not have the Son of God, do not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:12-13)
We are Jews by nature, not sinners from the nations. Since we know that people are not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we too have come to believe in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 2:15-16)
Because their faith was a faith in Jesus Christ and also a faith that came from him, the apostles called it "the faith of Jesus Christ," as just above in Galatians 2:16, and also in the following passages: "Through the faith of Jesus Christ, God's justice is in and upon all who have come to believe, to justify those who have the faith of Jesus" (Romans 3:22, 26). Paul wished to "have the justice that comes from the faith of Christ, the justice that comes from the God of faith" (Philippians 3:9). "These are the people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 14:12). [Paul mentions salvation] "through faith that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). "In Jesus Christ there is faith working through goodwill" (Galatians 5:6).
The passages just quoted clarify which faith Paul meant in the well-worn phrase in the church today: "Therefore we conclude that people are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law" (Romans 3:28). It does not mean faith in God the Father; it means faith in his Son. Still less does it mean faith in three gods in a row, one from whom, a second for whom, and a third through whom [we have faith].
The reason the church today believes that Paul's saying refers to its own faith in three divine Persons is that for fourteen centuries, since the Council of Nicaea, the church has not recognized any other faith than this. As a result, it has not known any other faith, believing that this was the only faith and that no other faith was possible. Therefore everywhere that the Word of the New Testament says "faith," people have believed that this was the faith the Word meant. They have applied everything said about faith to this faith. Consequently, the only faith that saves - faith in God our Savior - has perished. Their position caused many mistakes to creep into their teachings, as well as many paradoxes that go against sound reason. In a church, every teaching that aims to teach and show the way to heaven and salvation depends on its faith. Since, as I say, many mistakes and paradoxes crept into their faith, it became necessary for them to proclaim the dogma that the intellect has to be kept under obedience to faith.
In Paul's words in Romans 3:28, "faith" does not mean faith in God the Father, it means faith in his Son, and "the works of the Law" do not mean the works of the law of the Ten Commandments, they mean the works of the Mosaic Law for the Jews (as you can see from the verses that follow Romans 3:28, as well as from similar words in Paul's Epistle to the Galatians 2:14-15). The foundation stone of the modern-day church crumbles, then, and so does the shrine built on it, like a house sinking into the ground until only the top of the roof remains visible.
338. The faith of the Apostles was solely in the Lord Jesus Christ, as is evident from many passages in their Epistles, of which I shall quote only the following:
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; but the reason that I now live in the flesh is that I live in faith, which is in the Son of God, Galatians 2:20.
Paul to Jews and Greeks proclaimed repentance before God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts of the Apostles 20:21.
The man who brought Paul outside said, What must I do to be saved? He replied, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, so shall you be saved and your household, Acts of the Apostles 16:30-31.
He who possesses the Son has life; he who does not possess the Son of God has no life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have everlasting life and you may believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:12-13.
We are by birth Jews, not sinners of gentile origin, but we know that man is not justified by the deeds prescribed by the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; so we too have believed in Jesus Christ, Galatians 2:15-16.
Since their faith was in Jesus Christ, and such faith also comes from Him, they called it 'the faith of Jesus Christ', as in Galatians 2:16 just quoted, and in the following passages:
The righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ [is manifested] to all and upon all who have believed, with a view to the justification of him who is of the faith of Jesus, Romans 3:22, 26.
To have the righteousness which comes from the faith of Christ, the righteousness of faith which comes from God, Philippians 3:9.
Those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus 1 . Revelation 14:12.
By faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15.
In Jesus Christ is faith working through charity, Galatians 5:6.
[2] These passages may serve to establish what faith was understood by Paul in the saying so often repeated nowadays in the church:
We conclude therefore that man is justified by faith without the deeds prescribed by the law, Romans 3:28.
This was not faith in God the Father, but in His Son; much less was it in a sequence of three Gods, one from whom, another for whose sake and a third through whom. The church's belief that his faith in three persons was meant by Paul in that saying is due to the fact that for the last fourteen centuries, that is, from the time of the Council of Nicaea, the church acknowledged no other faith, and so was unaware of the existence of any other, believing it to be the sole and only possible faith. Consequently, wherever the Word of the New Testament mentions faith, this is thought to be the faith intended, and everything said there about it is attributed to this faith. As a result the only saving, faith, that in God the Saviour, has been lost, and so many fallacies too have crept into its teachings, as well as so many paradoxes which are repugnant to sound reason. For any teaching of the church which is intended to teach and point out the way to heaven, that is, to salvation, is dependent upon faith; and because, as I have said, so many fallacies and paradoxes have crept into its teaching, they were obliged to propound the dogma, that the understanding must be kept in obedience to faith. Now since in Paul's saying (Romans 3:28) faith does not mean faith in God the Father, but in His Son, and 'the deeds prescribed by the law' do not there mean those prescribed by the Ten Commandments, but by the law of Moses given to the Jews (as is evident from the sequel to this passage, and also similar statements in the Epistle to the Galatians 2:14-15), the foundation stone of modern faith collapses, together with the shrine erected upon it, like a house subsiding into the ground until nothing is left showing but the top of the roof.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin has 'of Jesus Christ', but this is corrected in the author's copy.
338. That the faith of the apostles was no other than a faith the Lord Jesus Christ, is evident from many passages in their Epistles, from which I will present only the following:
I live; yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me but what I now live in the flesh, I live in faith which is in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20).
Paul testified,
Both to Jews and to Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts of the Apostles 20:21).
He who brought Paul out said, What must I do to be saved? And he said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thus shalt thou be saved, and thy house (Acts of the Apostles 16:30, 31).
He that hath the Son hath the life and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not the life. These things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:12, 13)
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:15, 16).
Because theirs was a faith in Jesus Christ, and also because faith is also from Him, they called it the faith of Jesus Christ, as in the passage just quoted (Galatians 2:16), and in the following:
The righteousness of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe that He may justify him who is of the faith of Jesus (Romans 3:22, 26).
Having the righteousness which is from the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9).
He that keepeth the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
Through the faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15).
In Jesus Christ is faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).
From all this it can be seen what kind of faith is meant by Paul in the saying now so often quoted in the church:
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law (Romans 3:28);
namely, that it is not a faith in God the Father, but in His Son, still less a faith in three Gods in order, in one from whom, in another for the sake of whom, and in a third through whom [comes salvation]. It is believed in the church, that its tripersonal faith is meant by Paul in that saying, for the reason that the church, during fourteen centuries, or ever since the Nicene Council, has acknowledged no other faith, and consequently has known no other, and has therefore believed this to be the one only faith, and that no other is possible. So wherever the word faith occurs in the New Testament that faith is supposed to be meant, and to it everything there has been applied; therefore the only saving faith, which is a faith in God the Savior, has perished; and in consequence so many fallacies and so many paradoxes adverse to sound reason have crept into the doctrines of the church. For every doctrine of the church that will teach and point out the way to heaven or to salvation depends on faith; and so many fallacies and paradoxes having crept into that faith, as before said, it became necessary to proclaim the dogma, that the understanding must be kept in subjection to faith. But since in that saying of Paul (Romans 3:28) the term faith does not mean faith in God the Father but faith in His Son; and works of the law do not there mean the works of the law of the Decalogue, but the works of the Mosaic law for the Jews (as is plain from subsequent verses there, and also from like passages in the Epistle to the Galatians,Galatians 2:14, 15), that foundation stone of the present faith is gone, and with it falls the temple built upon it, like a house sinking into the earth and leaving only the top of its roof above ground.
338. That the faith of the apostles was solely a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is evident from many passages in their Epistles, of which I will quote only the following:
"I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith which is in the Son of God (A.V., of the Son of God)" Galatians 2:20.
Paul testified "to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" Acts 20:21.
He brought Paul out, "and said... what must I do to be saved? and he said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" Acts 16:30-31.
"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" 1 John 5:12-13.
"We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ" Galatians 2:15-16.
As their faith was in Jesus Christ, and as such faith is also from Him, therefore they called it the faith of Jesus Christ, as in the passage just quoted, Galatians 2:18, as well as in the following passages:
"The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all of them that believe... that He might be the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" Romans 3:22, 26.
That he may have the righteousness "Which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from the God of faith." (A.V., of God by faith.) Philippians 3:9.
"Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus," Revelation 14:12.
"Through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15.
In Jesus Christ is "faith which worketh by love," Galatians 5:8.
From these passages it may be seen what Paul means by faith in that saying often quoted to-day in the Church,
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," Romans 3:28.
It is not a faith in God the Father, but in His Son; still less is it a faith in three gods ranked in order, as faith in one from whom, faith in another for the sake of whom, and faith in a third by means of whom, [the Divine operations are effected.] It is believed in the Church that its tri-personal faith is meant by Paul in this passage, because the Church for fourteen centuries, that is, since the Nicene Council, 1 has acknowledged no other faith, and consequently has known no other, believing as it does that it was the only faith, and that no other was possible. Therefore whenever faith occurs in the Word of the New Testament, this tri-personal faith is supposed to be meant, and to it everything there has been applied. Consequently there has perished the only faith that is saving, namely, faith in God the Savior; and as a result many errors and irrational paradoxes have crept into the teachings of the Church. For every one of its doctrines which would teach and point out the way to heaven, that is, to salvation, depends upon faith; and because all these errors and paradoxes have crept into its faith, it was deemed necessary to proclaim the dogma that the understanding must be kept in subjection to faith. Now since "faith" in the quotation from Paul, Romans 3:28, does not mean faith in God the Father, but in His Son; and since the works of the law do not mean those of the law of the Decalogue, but of the Mosaic law intended for the Jews, as is evident from the subsequent part of that Epistle, and also from similar passages in theEpistle to the Galatians 2:14-15, the foundation stone of the faith of to-day gives way, and the temple built upon it collapses like a house sinking into the ground, leaving only its roof above the surface.
Footnotes:
1. Nice (Nicaea), city of Asia Minor, in Bithynia. In A.D. 325 it was the seat of a Council summoned to settle the Arian controversy. The creed there adopted is known as the Nicene Creed.
338. Quod Fides Apostolorum non alia fuerit quam in Dominum Jesum Christum, constat ex multis locis in Epistolis illorum, ex quibus solum haec adducam, Vivo non amplius ego, sed vivit in me Christus; quod vero nunc vivo in carne, IN 1 FIDE VIVO, QUAE EST IN FILIUM DEI, Galatas 2:20. Paulus contestatus est Judaeis et Graecis poenitentiam in Deum, et FIDEM IN DOMINUM NOSTRUM JESUM CHRISTUM, 2 Actis Apostolorum 20:21. Qui eduxit Paulum foras, dixit, quid me oportet facere ut salver; ille dixit, CREDE IN DOMINUM JESUM CHRISTUM, ita salvaberis tu et domus tua, Actis Apostolorum 16:30-31. Qui habet Filium, habet vitam; qui vero non habet Filium Dei, vitam non habet: haec scripsi vobis, qui CREDITIS IN NOMEN FILII DEI, 3 ut sciatis quod vitam aeternam habeatis, et ut CREDATIS IN NOMEN FILII DEI, 4 1 Johannes 5:12-13. Nos ex natura Judaei, et non ex gentibus peccatores, cum scimus quod non justificetur homo ex operibus legis, sed PER FIDEM JESU CHRISTI, etiam NOS IN JESUM CHRISTUM CREDIDIMUS, Galatas 2:15-16. Quoniam fides illorum fuit in Jesum Christum, et quoque est ab Ipso, ideo vocabant illam, Fidem Jesu Christi, ut nunc supra Galatas 2:16, et in sequentibus his, Justitia Dei per FIDEM JESU CHRISTI in omnes et super omnes qui crediderint. Ut sit justificans eum, qui ex FIDE JESU est, Romanos 3:22, 26. Habeat justitiam, quae EX FIDE CHRISTI, justitiam quae EX DEO FIDEI, Philippenses 3:9. Hic 5 servantes mandata Dei, et FIDEM JESU CHRISTI, Apocalypsis 14:12. Per FIDEM QUAE in Christo Jesu est, 2 Timotheus 3:15. IN JESU CHRISTO EST FIDES PER CHARITATEM OPERANS, Galatas 5:6.
[2] Ex his constare potest, quae fides a Paulo intellecta est in Dicto hodie in Ecclesia trito, CONCLUDIMUS ERGO FIDE JUSTIFICARI HOMINEM SINE OPERIBUS LEGIS, Romanos 3:28, quod non in Deum Patrem, sed in Ipsius Filium, minus in tres Deos in ordine, in Unum a quo, in Alterum propter quem, et in Tertium per quem; quod credatur in Ecclesia, quod tripersonalis ejus Fides in illo dicto a Paulo intellecta sit, est causa, quia Ecclesia intra quatuordecim Saecula, seu usque a CONCILIO NICAENO, non aliam fidem agnovit, et inde non aliam novit, credentes sic quod unica esset, et non alia dabilis; quare ubicunque in Verbo Novi Testamenti legitur Fides, creditum est, quod illa esset, et ad illam ibi applicuerunt omnia ibi; inde periit fides unice Salvifica, quae est in Deum Salvatorem, et inde quoque tot fallaciae in doctrinas illorum irrepserunt, et tot paradoxa sanae rationi adversantia; omnis enim doctrina Ecclesiae, quae docebit et monstrabit viam ad Coelum, seu ad salutem, dependet a fide; et quia in illam irrepserunt tot fallaciae et paradoxa, ut dictum est, ideo necessum fuit, ut proclamarent dogma, quod Intellectus captandus sit sub obedientia fidei. Nunc quoniam in Dicto Paulino Romanos 3:28, per fidem non intelligitur fides in Deum Patrem, sed in Ipsius Filium, et per opera legis ibi non intelliguntur opera legis Decalogi, sed opera Legis Mosaicae pro Judaeis, ut patet a sequentibus ibi, et quoque ex similibus in Epist. ad Galatas 2:14-16, 6 cadit fundamentalis lapis Fidei hodiernae, et insuper fanum superinstructum, sicut domus subsidens in terram, cujus summitas tecti modo exstat.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: in.
2. Prima editio: CHRISTUM.
3. Prima editio: creditis in nomen Filii Dei (cum italicis).
4. Prima editio: credatis in Nomen Filii Dei (cum italicis).
5. Prima editio et Dicta 64: Hi.
6. Prima editio: 2:14, 15,.