附录问答:
答(一) 神是个灵,充满乎宇宙之间,无所不在。主耶稣基督降世,乃神一部份运用他灵力的作为,并不因主耶稣基督降世,而影响到天上神的存在。比方:圣灵只有一位,我既受了这位圣灵,应该天上就没有圣灵了,别人也不能再受圣灵了。却不是这样的,我受了圣灵,乃是受同一个灵。千千万万,均可受同一位的圣灵,也不因多人受圣灵的缘故,而减少了圣灵的力量,或存在。
Appendix of Questions and Answers:
1. Since
the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world and God dwelled among men, thus when
the Lord Jesus Christ was in the world, shouldn’t there be no God up in heaven?
Ans: God is
Spirit, He fills the universe and is omnipresent. The Lord Jesus Christ’ coming into the world
is God working only a part of His spiritual power. The Lord Jesus Christ coming into the world
does not affect the presence of God in heaven.
Take for instance, since there is one Holy Spirit, therefore does it
mean that when I receive this Holy Spirit, there is no more Holy Spirit in
heaven, or that no one else can receive the Holy Spirit? No, it is not so; by
receiving the Holy Spirit, I have received the same Holy Spirit. Thousands can receive the same Holy Spirit,
yet the power or presence of the Holy Spirit is not reduced because of the
number of people receiving the Holy Spirit.
问(二) 若说主耶稣基督就是神,为什么他在世时还要向神祷告?岂不是另有一位比主耶稣基督更大的神么?主耶稣基督不也曾说过父是比我大么?(约14:28)
答(二) 主耶稣基督既是一部份的神力,那么一定要求大部份的神力来帮助,因为一部份的力量,是比较小的,主耶稣基督在世为人子之时,比天使小一点。(来2:9,5:7-8)
所以,主耶稣基督才说,父比我大。因此主耶稣基督时常祷告,恳求助力。当主耶稣基督将要被钉之时,自己也怕力量不足以担当大难,故於祷告时,泪流如血,说:父若愿意,就把这杯撤去,彼时不免呈出软弱之状。旋有一位天使,从天显现,加添他的力量。(路22:42-44)
因为主耶稣基督既成了血肉之躯,力量不免受了限制。俟(si)至肉体被钉,复活成为神之体时,就与神复合为一,权能比前有肉身之时就大得多多了。所以,他在复活之后,就对他的门徒说:天上地下所有的权柄,都赐给我了。(太28:18)可见在复活以前是有限的力量,故有祷告之必要。
好像我们已经受了圣灵的人,还要求圣灵充满,求圣灵帮助。
2. If we say that the
Lord Jesus Christ is God, why does He still need to pray to God when He was in
the world? Shouldn’t there be a God greater than the Lord Jesus Christ? Did not
the Lord Jesus Christ also say that the Father is greater than He? (John 14:28)
Ans: Since
the Lord Jesus Christ is a part of God’s power, then He must seek the help of
the greater part of God’s power, because a part of God’s power is smaller, for
when the Lord Jesus Christ was in the world as the Son of Man, He was made a
little lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:9,
5:7-8)
That is why the Lord Jesus Christ
said that the Father is greater than He.
Thus the Lord Jesus Christ prayed for strength frequently and
earnestly. When the Lord Jesus Christ
was about to be crucified, He was also afraid that He might not be strong
enough to face the sufferings. Thus when
He prayed, His sweat was as it were as great drops of blood falling down to the
ground and He exhibited weakness in the flesh saying, “Father, if thou be
willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be
done. And there appeared an angel unto
him from heaven, strengthening him.” (Luke
22:42-44)
Since the Lord Jesus Christ became
flesh and blood, His power was limited.
It was after His body was crucified and He was resurrected to take on
God’s form, that He was united with God as one.
His power and authority was then much greater than that when He was
still in the flesh. Therefore after He
was resurrected, He told the disciples, “All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
Apparently, His power was limited before He was resurrected, thus there was a
need for prayer.
Just
as we who have already received the Holy Spirit, we still need to pray for the
infilling and help of the Holy Spirit.
问(三) 司提反被击之时,看见天开了,主耶稣基督站在神的右边(徒7:56)这岂不是神为神,主耶稣基督另为主耶稣基督么?
答(三) 司提反所见的,是异象,不是实形,因为临难之时,神特显异象坚固,使他不至丧胆。若是实形,那就与圣经不合了。圣经说:从来没有人见过父,又说不能看见的独一神。(提前1:17)尚有许多圣经都是记载着,看不见的神,不能看见的父。且上文亦曾说过神本无像,既是无像,则司提反所见的,就不是实形了。
3. When Stephen was attacked, he saw the
heavens open and the Lord Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:56) Does this not mean that God
is God by Himself and the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord Jesus Christ by
Himself?
Ans: What Stephen
saw was a vision, not a true image.
During his time of trouble, God showed him a vision to strengthen him,
lest he be disheartened. If that is a
true image, then it is not in agreement with the Scriptures. The Bible says that no one has seen the
Father, and mentions concerning “the invisible God”. (1 Timothy 1:17) Many other verses record that God the Father is
invisible. It is also mentioned earlier
that God does not have an image. Since
there is no image, what Stephen saw was not real.
问(四) 父子圣灵既是一位,何以保罗又常说,愿天父的慈爱,主耶稣基督的恩惠,圣灵的交通,常与你们众人同在,这不是明明有了三位么?
答(四) 这是保罗为人祝福的话。神既分有三时期的工作,在各期的恩典。
4. Since the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
are one, why did Paul always say, “Grace be to you and peace from God the
Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ?” Does this not mean that there are
three?
Ans: These are
the greetings of Paul to the people.
God’s work can be divided into three periods, each with His grace.
问(五) 当主耶稣基督受洗时,天开了,圣灵仿佛鸽子降下,从天有声音说,这是我的爱子,我所喜悦的。在这个时候,岂不是父子圣灵同时表现,证明三位么?
答(五) 这是神彰显祂的权能和作为,证明主耶稣为基督,使施洗约翰得以认识明白,所以同时有三种的表现,但在全能的神,就是同时有千百种的表现,也不算为难的。
5. When the Lord Jesus Christ was
baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a
dove. And there came a voice from
heaven, saying, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” At that
moment, didn’t the Father, Son and Holy Spirit each appear? Does this not prove
the presence of three?
Ans: This is God
manifesting His power and workings to prove that Jesus is the Christ, that John
the Baptist might know and understand.
Therefore three forms were manifested.
Nevertheless to the almighty God, a manifestation of thousands of forms
simultaneously would also not be considered difficult.
问(六) 在以弗所书四章,保罗说,一圣灵、一主、一神,可见不是有了三位么?
答(六) 分开说,太阳是一件东西,光线也是一件东西,热力又是一件东西。合拢起来说,只有一个太阳。神是个灵,主耶稣基督是神荣耀所发的光,圣灵是神所运用的能力,分开说,有父、子、圣灵,合拢起来说只有一位独一神。
6. In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul said,
“One Spirit, One Lord, One God”.
Therefore shouldn’t there be three?
Ans: If we speak
of each separately, the Sun is an object, so are its light and its heat. But if we speak in conclusion, there is only
one Sun. God is Spirit, the Lord Jesus
Christ is the light of the glory of God, the Holy Spirit is the power worked by
God. Therefore if we speak of each
separately, there is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but if we speak in
conclusion, there is only one God.
问(七) 主耶稣基督将要升天之时,曾嘱咐他的门徒说:你们要去,使万民作我的门徒,奉父子圣灵的名,给他们施洗。(太28:19)这不是主耶稣基督并称有了三位吗?
答(七) 父子圣灵,不是个名,“耶稣”才是神的名,主耶稣基督是父与圣灵的化身,也就是父子圣灵的真像。当时使徒们明白此理,所以为人施洗时,只说:「奉主耶稣的名」为你施洗,圣经所记,都是如此,请看下列之经节:(徒2:38,8:16,10:48,19:5)并没有记载使徒们奉父子圣灵的名为人施洗。因为奉了主耶稣基督的名,连父和圣灵都有了。神要成全他救赎的工作,只赐了主耶稣基督之名,所以圣经说,除他之外,别无拯救。因为在天下人间,没有赐下别的名,我们可以靠着得救。(徒4:12)施洗乃实行赎罪,故非奉主耶稣基督的名不可。
7. When the Lord Jesus Christ was about
to ascend to heaven, He said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
(Matthew 28:19) Did not the Lord
Jesus Christ here declare that there are three?
Ans: The Father,
Son and Holy Spirit is not a name; “Jesus” is the name of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the embodiment of
the Father and the Holy Spirit, He is the express image of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The apostles at that time
understood this and therefore only said, “In the name of the Lord Jesus” when
baptizing the people. It is so recorded
in the Bible, as in the following verses: Acts
2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5. It is not
recorded that the apostles baptized “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.” Because it is done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
and Holy Spirit is also included. To
fulfill His salvation plan, God gave only the name the Lord Jesus Christ, thus
the Bible records, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Baptizing is for the
remission of one’s sins, thus it must be done in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ.