644.基督教会领袖及其下属们将圣言中的报应理解为刻有基督功与义，从而被归于人的信之报应，原因在于，自十四世纪，即尼西亚公会以来，他们就不愿去了解任何其它信。因此，唯独这信被固化在他们的记忆中，扎根在他们心里，好象被系统化了。从那时起，这信就配有如同出自半夜火灾的光明，这光使这信看似神学真理本身，神学的所有其它事物象一条链上的各个环节一样，紧紧挂靠在这信上，如果那顶梁柱或支柱被推倒，这些环节就会分崩离析。因此，若当他们阅读圣言时，真的去思考其它信，而不是这报应之信，那么，那光连同他们整个神学体系就会被扑灭，黑暗就会升起，这黑暗将使得整个基督教会灭亡。因此留给他们的是：
由于这树砍伐毁坏而留在地内的树墩，直到经过七期。（但以理书4:23）
当这信被攻击时，现今教会的坚定扞卫者，谁不是听而不闻，就象耳朵里塞了一团棉花，以免听见反对它的声音？但是，我的读者朋友们，请张开你的耳朵，阅读圣言，你将对信和报应有一种清晰的觉察，绝不同于你此前所信服的那些东西。
644. 基督教会领袖及其下属们将圣言中的归算理解为刻有基督功与义, 从而被归于人的信之归算, 原因在于, 自十四世纪, 即尼西亚公会以来, 他们就不愿去了解任何其它信。 因此, 唯独这信被固化在他们的记忆中, 扎根在他们心里, 好象被系统化了。 从那时起, 这信就配有如同出自半夜火灾的光明, 这光使这信看似神学真理本身, 神学的所有其它事物象一条链上的各个环节一样, 紧紧挂靠在这信上, 如果那顶梁柱或支柱被推倒, 这些环节就会分崩离析。 因此, 若当他们阅读圣言时, 真的去思考其它信, 而不是这归算之信, 那么, 那光连同他们整个神学体系就会被扑灭, 黑暗就会升起, 这黑暗将使得整个基督教会灭亡。 因此留给他们的是:
由于这树砍伐毁坏而留在地内的树墩, 直到经过七期。 (但以理书4:23)
当这信被攻击时, 现今教会的坚定捍卫者, 谁不是听而不闻, 就象耳朵里塞了一团棉花, 以免听见反对它的声音? 但是, 我的读者朋友们, 请张开你的耳朵, 阅读圣言, 你将对信和归算有一种清晰的觉察, 绝不同于你此前所信服的那些东西。
644. We have seen, then, that the Word speaks of an assigning of spiritual credit or blame [after death]. Leaders and officials in the Christian churches have taken these passages to mean we are given spiritual credit if we have a faith that is inscribed with the justice and merit of Christ. Why? Because for fourteen centuries, from the time of the Council of Nicaea, they had not been willing to find out that faith meant anything other than this. Therefore this was the only faith that occupied their memory and became systematized in their mind. From that time on, this faith developed a light of its own that was like a bonfire at night. In that light, this faith looked like the profoundest of theological truths, a verity on which all other truths were leaning, one on top of the other. All other truths would have collapsed, they felt, if this chief truth, this central pillar were removed.
Therefore if they had given thought while reading the Word to any other meaning of faith than "the faith that assigns Christ's merit to us," that light and their entire theology would have been extinguished, and a darkness would have arisen and caused the entire Christian church to fade away. Therefore that concept of faith was left in place, "like the stump of a root in the ground, once the tree had been cut down and destroyed, until seven times would pass over it" (Daniel 4:23).
As for today, are there any leaders of the church devoted to this teaching who do not stuff their ears with cotton when that concept of faith comes into question? They do not want to hear it.
O reader of mine, unblock your ears and read the Word, and you will clearly perceive different concepts than the ones you have convinced yourself of until now - a different meaning of faith and a different sense of how spiritual credit or blame are assigned.
644. The reason why the leaders of the Christian churches, and thus their underlings, have understood imputation in the Word to mean the imputation of a faith with the righteousness and merit of Christ inscribed on it and so attributed to man, is that for fourteen centuries, that is, since the time of the Council of Nicaea, they have been unwilling to know about any other kind of faith. Thus that faith alone has settled in their memories and so their minds, as if systematised. From that time on their mind has borrowed the sort of light that comes from a house on fire at night. This light has made that faith seem like theological truth itself, and on it depends all the rest of theology like links in a chain; and these could fall apart if that headpiece or pillar were taken away. If therefore they had thought of any other kind of faith than that which is imputed, when they were reading the Word, that light together with their whole theological system would have been extinguished, allowing darkness to arise that would have blotted out the whole Christian church. That faith therefore was left, like a stump rooted in the ground, when a tree has been cut down and destroyed, until seven periods have passed (Daniel 4:23). Is there anyone among the established champions of the church at the present time who, when that faith is attacked, does not stop his ears as if with cotton-wool to avoid hearing a word spoken against it? Open your ears, my friend the reader, and read the Word, and you will clearly grasp a different faith and a different kind of imputation from the one of which you have so far been persuaded.
644. The rulers of the Christian churches and in consequence their subordinates, have understood by imputation in the Word the imputation of faith upon which were inscribed the righteousness and merit of Christ, which were thus ascribed to man, for the reason that for fourteen centuries, that is, since the time of the Nicene Council, they have not wished to know about any other faith. Therefore such faith alone is fixed in their memories and consequently in their minds, like a thing organized, which from that time has furnished a light like that which comes from a fire at night-time, from which light that faith has appeared like true theology itself, on which all other things hang in a linked series, and these would fall asunder if that head or pillar were removed. If therefore they were to think when they read the Word, of any other than this imputative faith, that light, together with their entire theology, would be extinguished, and a darkness would arise which would cause the whole Christian church to vanish. Therefore it is left to them,
Like a stump of roots in the earth, the tree being cut down and destroyed, until the seven times shall be accomplished (Daniel 4:23).
Who among the confirmed leaders of the present church does not, when that faith is attacked, close his ears as if with cotton against hearing anything opposed to it? But, my reader, open your ears, and read the Word, and you will have a clear perception of a faith and an imputation other than those which you have heretofore believed in.
644. The leaders of the Christian Churches and their subordinates have interpreted the imputation mentioned in the Word to mean an imputation of faith, on which the righteousness and merit of Christ have been inscribed and thus ascribed to man; because for fourteen centuries, that is from the time of the Nicene Council, 1 they have not desired to know of any other faith. Therefore this faith alone has become fixed in their memory, and consequently in their mind like part of their very being. From that time it has afforded such a light as comes from a fire in the night, and by this light that faith has appeared as theological truth itself. Upon it depend all things else in a connected series, which would fall to pieces if that head or pillar were to be removed. If, therefore, they were to think of any other than this imputative faith when reading the Word, that light together with all their theology would be extinguished; and darkness would arise in which the whole Christian Church would disappear. This faith, therefore, has been left,
As a stump of the roots in the earth, when the tree has been hewn down and destroyed... till seven times pass over him, Daniel 4:23.
There is not a confirmed leader of the Church to-day, if this faith is attacked, but stops his ears as with cotton wool lest he should hear a word against it. But do you, my reader, open your ears, and read the Word; and you will clearly perceive a different kind of faith and imputation from what you had persuaded yourself to believe.
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.
644. Causa, quod Praesules Ecclesiarum Christianarum, et inde subalterni illorum per Imputationem in Verbo intellexerint imputationem Fidei, cui Justitia et Meritum Christi inscripta sunt, et sic homini adscripta, est quia non de alia fide per quatuordecim 1 Saecula, hoc est, a tempore Synodi Nicenae, voluerunt scire; quare illa sola insedit memoriae et inde menti illorum, sicut organizata, quae ab eo tempore foenerata est lucem, qualis est ex incendio tempore noctis, ex qua luce illa fides visa est tanquam ipsum verum Theologicum, ex qua pendent omnia reliqua in serie concatenata, quae dilaberentur, si illud caput, seu illa columna amoveretur: quare si aliam Fidem, quam imputativam illam cogitarent, cum legerunt Verbum, lux illa una cum omni Theologico illorum, exstingueretur, et oborirentur tenebrae, e quibus tota Ecclesia Christiana evanesceret, quare relicta est illa, sicut stirps radicum in terra, excisa et deperdita arbore, usque dum septem tempora transirent, Daniel 4:20; 2 quis inter confirmatos antistites Ecclesiae hodie, dum impugnatur illa fides, non obturat aurem sicut gossypio ad audiendum aliquid contra illam. Sed, mi Lector, aperi aures, et lege Verbum, et clare percipies aliam fidem et aliam imputationem, quam hactenus tibi persuaseras.
Footnotes: