问题35：既然我们是单单靠着恩典、凭着信心得救，那么这种信心是从何而来呢？
答：我们从基督那里领受的一切恩赐，都是通过圣灵得到的，包括信心本身。
儿童版：从圣灵而来。

Question 35: Since We Are Redeemed by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, Where Does This Faith Come From?
Answer: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.
For Kids: From the Holy Spirit.


歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《提多书》3 章4 节至6 节：

　　但到了神我们救主的恩慈和祂向人所施的慈爱显明的时候，祂便救了我们，并不是因我们自己所行的义，乃是照祂的怜悯，藉着重生的洗和圣灵的更新。圣灵就是神藉着耶稣基督我们救主厚厚浇灌在我们身上的。

注解

薛华

　　我们必须认识到，基督教是世界上最简单的宗教，因为只有它相信，父神、基督耶稣和圣灵做一切的工。神是造物主，我们得以存在和其他事物得以存在与我们毫无关系。我们可以塑造其他事物，但不能改变事物存在的事实。我们没有为自己的救恩做任何事，因为基督都做了，我们就不必做任何事。在所有其他宗教里，人都必须做点什么……但在基督教，我们什么都不必做，神已经做完了：祂造了我们，祂差遣祂的儿子；祂儿子死了，又因子是无限的，因此祂担当了我们所有的罪。我们不需要承担自己的罪，甚至也不需要配得上基督的救恩，因为祂主动做了这一切。所以在某种程度上，这是世界上最简单的宗教。

默想

米卡·埃德蒙森

　　「信心是怎么来的？」这个问题涉及信徒如何接受信仰，并因此得着基督赎买的救恩。最好是在我们回顾自己人生的时候问：「我，一个堕落的罪人，怎么就爱上耶稣，并相信了祂的福音呢？要知道，还有那么多人没有信呢。」

　　要了解这个问题的重要性，你必须明白，「十字架的道理，在那灭亡的人为愚拙」（林前1:18）。如果没有神施恩介入，就算我们能够从理性上认识福音中的事实，我们也还是会把它当作愚拙而拒绝接受。但要理问答提醒我们，神确实介入了。圣灵赐新生命给罪人，不然我们就会「死在过犯罪恶之中」（弗2:1）。当福音被传讲，圣灵就使我们生发出信心，让我们能够拥抱复活掌权的基督，正如祂在福音里所启示的那样。就连信心（使我们能以听从福音）都是神的恩典。这个惊人的事实对于我们如何看待救恩、基督徒生活和敬拜都有着巨大的影响。

　　首先，它证实我们的救恩是真正的恩典。没有人能自夸说，自己得救是因为充分利用了所临到的救恩。我们得救当然不是因为我们里面有足够的道德和灵性意识，使我们能相信福音，也不是因为我们被教导得多么好（虽然这很重要）。不，我们得救仅仅是因为复活的基督出于祂的怜悯给了我们属灵的看见，使我们得以相信福音。耶稣用祂的圣灵犁耕了我们心灵的石头地，以至当福音的种子撒下去之后，能够结出信心和悔改的果子。如果我们相信福音，我们就应该赞美神，因为是祂赐下恩典，使我们能够相信福音，唯有祂使我们变得不再一样。因此，基督徒的生活必须以感恩和谦卑为标记。就自身而言，我们并不比非基督徒更好。唯一的不同是，有个非常奇妙的东西（更确切地说，某人）进入了我们的生命，祂改变了我们的一切。

　　最后，知道我们的信心是神的恩赐，将改变我们对公开敬拜，特别是传福音的看法。借着福音的宣告，复活的基督向人彰显了祂拯救的大能，祂也借此使人们得永生。永远的生命并不是从基督再来的时刻开始的。借着福音，神救赎的大能，圣灵今天就已经将永生赐给了我们。当我们坐在教堂的长椅上听福音的时候，我们不只是在听一场宗教讲座。全世界最伟大的力量正在将新生命带给罪人。天堂降落在人间，荣耀的神的国临到了现在的世界。公开敬拜是神救赎行动的中心，直等到基督再来，全世界都要看见祂。在那以先，我们是用信心的眼睛看见祂。每周，我们奉祂的名聚会，一起敬拜祂，聆听祂的话语。并且，借着圣灵，我们都在逐渐地改变，直到最终进入永恒。

祷告

　　圣灵，当我们死在过犯罪恶之中不能寻见祢的时候，是祢找到了我们，是祢给予我们信心。若不是祢将我们的石心变为肉心，没有人会相信祢的重生之恩。求祢让我们在祢的怜悯中放下一切的自夸。阿们。

Scripture

TITUS 3:4–6

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteous- ness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Commentary

FRANCIS SCHAEFFER

We must realize that Christianity is the easiest religion in the world, because it is the only religion in which God the Father and Christ and the Holy Spirit do everything. God is the Creator; we have nothing to do with our existence, or the existence of other things. We can shape other things, but we cannot change the fact of existence. We do nothing for our salvation because Christ did it all. We do not have to do anything. In every other religion we have to do something . . . but with Christianity we do not do anything; God has done it all: He has created us and He has sent His Son; His Son died and because the Son is infinite, therefore he bears our total guilt. We do not need to bear our guilt, nor do we even have to merit the merit of Christ. He does it all. So in one way it is the easiest religion in the world.

Devotional

MIKA EDMONDSON

This question deals with how believers come to faith and so receive the salvation purchased by Christ. It’s a question best asked in retrospect, as we look back over our lives and ask, “How did I, a fallen sinner, come to love Jesus and believe his gospel where so many others have not?”

In order to understand the magnitude of this, you have to under- stand that “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing” (1 Cor. 1:18). Although we can intellectually comprehend the facts of the gospel, apart from the gracious intervention of God, we would reject it as folly. But the catechism reminds us that God does intervene. The Holy Spirit gives new life to sinners who were otherwise “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). As the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts so that we embrace the risen and reigning Christ as he presents himself through the gospel. Even faith (our obedient response to the gospel) is a gracious gift of God. This amazing truth has huge implications for how we view our salvation, the Christian life, and worship.

First, it confirms that our salvation is truly all of grace. None of us can boast that we’re saved because we made the most of the salvation offered to us. We certainly aren’t saved because we had enough moral and spiritual sense in and of ourselves to believe the gospel or because we were catechized so well (although that is important). No, we are saved only because, in his divine compassion, the risen Christ gave us the spiritual sight to believe the gospel. By his Holy Spirit, Jesus tilled the rocky soil of our hearts so that as the seed of the gospel was sown, it would bring forth the fruit of faith and repentance. If we believe the gospel, we should praise God for giving us the grace to believe it, for he is the only One who made the difference for us. Therefore, the Christian life must be marked by gratitude and humility. In and of ourselves, we are no better than our non-Christian neighbors. The only difference is that something (or, rather, someone) absolutely wonderful has come into our lives and changed everything.

Finally, knowing that our faith is a gift of God changes how we view public worship, particularly the preaching of the gospel. Through gospel proclamation, the risen Christ presents himself in saving power and transforms people for eternity. Eternal life does not begin when Christ returns; eternal life begins today as the Holy Spirit brings that life to us through the gospel, the power of God unto salvation. As we sit in our pews hearing the gospel, we are not just listening to a religious lecture. The greatest power in all the world is at work bringing new life to sinners. Heaven is coming to earth, a glorious “not yet” is breaking into the “here and now.” Public worship is the center of God’s redemptive action until Christ’s return when the world will behold him. Until that time, we behold him by faith, week by week, as we gather together in his name to worship him and hear his Word. And by the Holy Spirit, we are progressively being transformed in a way that will last for eternity.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, you sought us when we could not seek you because we were dead in our trespasses and sins. You are the giver of our faith; none of us would believe apart from your regenerating grace, by which you make hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Let us put aside all boasting in light of your undeserved mercy. Amen.