349. 一些真理聚攏如同打包成捆, 提升並完善信
從當今教會中盛行的信仰觀念, 看不出信是諸真理的組合; 更看不出人自己能為獲得信做些什麼。然而, 信的實質就是真理, 是真理在其光中, 正如真理可以後天習得, 信也可以獲取。只要人願意, 有誰不能轉向接近主呢？人若願意, 誰不會從聖言積累真理呢？在聖言中的,或源自聖言的一切真理, 都照耀放光。在光中的真理, 就是信。
主是光本身, 照在每一個人裡面。如果人從聖言中掌握真理, 祂便使這些真理在人裡面發光, 使它們成為信的一部分。這就是主在『約翰福音』中所說, 人當住在主裡面, 祂的話便住在人裡面(約翰福音15:7)。主的話, 就是真理。
為了讓"一些真理聚攏如同打包成捆, 來提升並完善信"這個概念, 易於認知, 分成下列幾部分逐一討論:
(1)信之真理可無限增加。
(2)信之真理彙聚, 形成類似神經束的結構。
(3)信的提升與完善, 取決於真理的數量及其組合得如何。
(4)不管聖言內容怎麼多, 看起來如何各種各樣, 卻被主聯合為一。祂自己就是聖言, 是天地的上帝, 是全人類的上帝; 是葡萄園或教會的上帝; 是信之上帝; 是光本身; 是真理本身; 是永生。
349. 4. Having a Quantity of Truths That Are Bound Together like Strands in a Cable Elevates and Improves Our Faith
If all we had was an awareness of the faith that exists nowadays, it would be impossible for us to know that in its proper surroundings faith is an array of truths; still less could we see from today's faith that we are capable of doing something to acquire faith for ourselves. Yet faith in its essence is truth. Faith is truth in its own light. Therefore as truth is something that we can acquire, so is faith. We can all turn to the Lord if we want to. We can all gather truths from the Word if we want to. Every truth that is in the Word, or from the Word, shines; and faith is truth in light.
The Lord, who is light itself, flows into us all. If we have truths from the Word, he makes them shine in us and become part of our faith. This is what the Lord is saying in John, that we live in the Lord and his words live in us (John 15:7). The Lord's words are truths.
To correctly understand this statement - that having a quantity of truths that are bound together like strands in a cable elevates and improves our faith - the discussion needs to be broken into the following points:
a. Truths of faith can be multiplied to infinity.
b. Truths of faith come together to form structures that are like fascicles of nerves.
c. Our faith improves depending on the quantity of truths we have and how well they fit together.
d. However numerous these truths are and however divergent they appear, they are united by the Lord who is the Word; the God of heaven and earth; the God of all flesh; the God of the vineyard, or the church; the God of faith; the light itself; the truth itself; and eternal life.
349. IV. The mass of truths, which cohere as it were in a bundle, raises the level of faith and brings it to perfection.
Looking at present-day faith does not permit one to recognise that faith taken all around is a collection of truths. Still less does it suggest that a person can make some contribution to the acquisition of his faith. Yet faith is in essence truth, being truth in its own light, and so just as truth can be acquired, so can faith. Is there anyone who cannot approach the Lord, if he wishes? Or who cannot gather truths from the Word, if he wishes? Every truth in the Word and taken from the Word shines, and truth in light is faith. The Lord, who is light itself, flows into everyone; and if a person possesses truths from the Word, He makes them shine in them, so making them part of faith. This is what the Lord says in John, that they should remain in Him and His words would remain in them (John 15:7). The Lord's words are truths. But in order to allow the idea to be correctly grasped, that the mass of truths cohering, as it were in a bundle, raises the level of faith and brings it to perfection, the comments on this must be split into the following parts:
(i) The truths of faith are capable of being multiplied to infinity.
(ii) Their arrangement is into groupings, thus, so to speak, into bundles.
(iii) Faith is perfected in proportion to their volume and coherence.
(iv) However numerous the truths are and however varied they appear, they are made one by the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all flesh, the God of the vineyard or the church, the God of faith, and light itself, truth and everlasting life.
349. IV. AN ABUNDANCE OF TRUTHS COHERING, AS IF IN A BUNDLE, EXALTS AND PERFECTS FAITH.
From the conception of faith that prevails at the present day it cannot be seen that faith in its compass is a complex of truths, still less that man can contribute anything toward acquiring faith for himself; and yet faith in its essence is truth; for it is truth in its own right, and as truth can be acquired so also can faith. Who cannot go to the Lord if he will? Who cannot collect truths from the Word if he will? And every truth in the Word and from the Word, gives light; and truth in light is faith. The Lord who is Light itself, flows into every man; and in everyone in whom there are truths from the Word, He causes truths to shine and thus to become truths of faith. And this is what the Lord teaches in John:
That they should abide in Him, and His words in them (15:7).
The Lord's words are truths. But to make it properly understood that an abundance of truths cohering as if in a bundle exalts and perfects faith, the consideration of the subject shall distributed under the following heads:
(1) Truths of faith may be multiplied to infinity.
(2) They are disposed into series, thus, as it were, into bundles.
(3) According to their abundance and coherence faith is perfected.
(4) However numerous truths are and however diverse they appear, they make one from the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all faith, the God of the vineyard or the church, the God of faith, light itself, the truth, and life eternal.
349. IV. A NUMBER OF TRUTHS, THAT COHERE AS ONE WHOLE, EXALTS AND PERFECTS FAITH.
From the idea of faith prevalent at the present time, it cannot be realized that faith, in its comprehensive sense, is an aggregate of truths, and still less that a man can contribute anything towards its attainment. Nevertheless, faith in its essence is truth, for it is truth in its own light; and just as truth can be acquired, so also can faith. Who cannot approach the Lord, if he is so disposed? Who, again, if he so desires, cannot collect truths from the Word? And every truth in and from the Word shines as light, and truth, when seen in light, is faith. The Lord, who is Light Itself, enters by influx into every man; and He causes truths from the Word, in whomsoever there should be any present, to shine as the light, and so to become the truths of faith. This is what the Lord means in John, where He says:
men should abide in the Lord, and that His words should abide in them, John 15:7;
and the words of the Lord are truths. But to enable one to understand rightly the proposition that "a number of truths, that cohere as one whole, exalts and perfects faith," the subject will be treated under the following heads:
(1) The truths of faith can be multiplied to infinity.
(2) They are arranged in series, and thus, as it were, into groups.
(3) Faith is perfected according to the number and coherence of truths.
(4) Truths, however numerous and diverse they may appear, make one from the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all flesh, the God of the vineyard or Church, the God of faith, and Light itself, Truth, and Life eternal.
349. IV.
Quod copia veritatum sicut in fasce cohaerentium exaltet et perficiat fidem.
Ex perceptione de fide quae hodie est, non potest cognosci, quod fides in suo ambitu sit complexus veritatum, et adhuc minus quod homo ad fidem sibi comparandam possit aliquid conferre, cum tamen fides in sua essentia est veritas, est enim veritas in sua luce, et quod sicut veritas potest comparari, ita quoque fides; quis non potest adire Dominum si vult, et quis non potest ex Verbo colligere veritates si vult; et omnis veritas in Verbo et ex Verbo lucet, ac veritas in luce est fides; Dominus qui est ipsa Lux, influit apud omnem hominem, et in quo veritates ex Verbo sunt, in illo facit ut luceant, et sic fiant fidei; et hoc est, quod Dominus dicit apud Johannem, Ut maneant in Domino, et verba Ipsius in illis, Johannes 15:7, verba Domini sunt veritates. Sed ut rite comprehendatur, quod copia veritatum sicut in fasce cohaerentium exaltet et perficiat fidem commentatio dispescenda est in haec momenta, 1. Quod veritates fidei sint multiplicabiles in infinitum. 2. Quod dispositio illarum sit in series, ita sicut in fasciculos. 3. Quod secundum copiam et cohaerentiam illarum perficiatur fides. 4. Quod veritates utcunque numerosae sunt, et diversae apparent, a Domino, qui est Verbum, Deus Coeli et Terrae, Deus omnis carnis, Deus Vineae seu Ecclesiae, Deus fidei, et ipsa Lux, Veritas, et Vita aeterna, unum faciant.