Noah Was a Righteous Man

 

Noah Was a Righteous Man

Today, let us continue from our last lesson and talk more about the story of Noah.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”
(Genesis 6:8–12)

The Bible records Noah in a very remarkable way. It says that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, that he was a righteous man, that he was perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God. This is truly amazing.

Romans 3:10 clearly states, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”
If that is the case, then Noah too must have had many faults. How, then, could he be called righteous? How could he be said to be perfect and to have walked with God?

If we misunderstand the Bible, we may think that we have to live a perfect life like Noah—that we must not sin, that we must live pure and good lives in order to walk with God.

It is easy to assume that Noah became righteous, perfect, and recognized by God because he did not sin and lived a good, clean life. But if we read the Bible carefully, we will immediately see that this is not the case. Romans 3:10 declares, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” This already proves it.

Genesis 6:8 also says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” This confirms the truth: If righteousness could be achieved by never sinning, by keeping every commandment, by living a perfectly pure life, then no human being on this earth could ever achieve it.

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Although Scripture says that there is not a single righteous person, it still says that Noah was righteous. This may confuse us.

The book of James says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Romans also says, “The just shall live by faith.”
How are we to understand these words?

Noah truly was a righteous man—but not because he lived without sin or lived a good life. He was righteous because he found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah was perfect in his generation—not because he never broke God’s Word or perfectly obeyed God—but because he received grace from the Lord, and God called him perfect.
He walked with God—not because he had no rebellion against God—but because grace was given to him.

Many people misunderstand this. They think that men like Abraham, David, Noah, and Joseph were flawless and perfect in human eyes, and therefore conclude that they too must reach that level to receive similar blessings. But no matter how hard they try, they cannot, and eventually they give up. We must understand clearly—there is no perfect person in this world.

We do not become perfect because we live perfectly; we do not walk with God because we have no flaws. We walk with God because we have received grace.

When the prodigal son returned home, he was clothed with the best robe, given a ring, and welcomed with joy—not because he had earned much money or obeyed his father’s will while living in a far country, but because his father gave him grace. Though he came back as a beggar, his father treated him the same as one who had never sinned.

To be righteous, perfect, and to walk with God is not achieved by avoiding sin but by receiving God’s grace. God desires to show us grace and to forgive all our sins. Therefore, God does not look at our sins, but through the blood of Jesus makes us righteous. Through the precious blood of Christ, God has made us—who were filthy and unclean—forever perfect.

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Through the story of Noah finding grace and becoming righteous, through Lot being saved by grace, and through Rahab the prostitute being spared when Jericho was destroyed, God shows us how we can be saved.

Perhaps Noah became righteous, perfect, and able to walk with God not because he was better than those who perished, but precisely because he was more corrupt and unclean in his own eyes. Maybe others of his time seemed good and self-reliant, while Noah recognized his own depravity and knew he could never approach God by his own effort. Thus, he received grace.

Let me say this again: in Jesus’ time, those who came to Him and received grace were not the outwardly virtuous, but the despised—tax collectors and sinners.

Have you sinned before God?
Do not swear, “I will never sin again!” Such vows are useless. Peter once swore he would never deny Jesus, even if it meant death—but how futile that promise was!

Instead, acknowledge that you cannot avoid sin. Admit that no matter how much you desire to do good, you cannot. Confess before God that you are someone who prefers evil over good, falsehood over truth.

Say to God:

“I wanted to live kindly and please others, but I cannot.
Before God, I give up. I cast myself away.
Now, I only hope the Lord will change me, cleanse me, deliver me from sin, turn my steps from the world toward the church.
I only hope the Lord will change me.”

Pray with this heart.
We are not justified because of our good deeds.
Abandon your self that has no goodness, and let the Lord work in you. Be justified by His grace.

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If you try to make yourself righteous, perhaps for a few days you might appear righteous—but when you sin again, that “righteousness” will shatter.
But if the Lord makes you righteous, then you will have eternal righteousness and remain righteous forever.

You may try to wash away your sins, but soon you will fall back into them.
However, if Jesus Himself washes your sins, you will become eternally pure and undefiled. Then you are forever righteous.

You may try to live perfectly, but your imperfections will soon destroy that “perfection.” Yet if God helps you, you can walk with Him as a perfect man. When you receive the Spirit of Jesus Christ into your heart, you will lack nothing and walk with God.

In many parts of the Bible, God repeatedly teaches that no one can become perfect by his own effort, but that through His grace and mercy we can become perfect, righteous, and holy.

Yet people continue striving to make themselves holy, agreeing that “There is none righteous, no, not one.” They know they can never become righteous by their own effort and therefore conclude, “Of course I am a sinner.”

But the truth is different.
There is no true goodness, righteousness, perfection, or holiness within us. To rely on our own effort to walk with God only leads to pain and death. But when we receive God’s grace, we become people who lack nothing and can walk with Him.

If God gives us grace, no sin can be found in us, and He will walk with us.

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Through Noah, God has shown us the path of salvation. Though we are corrupt and destined for destruction, if we receive His grace and walk with Him, we will one day leave this world and enter the holy place of salvation, escaping condemnation.

Like Noah, it is not by our effort but by God’s grace that we can become new. God desires to show grace to you—just as He did to Noah, Abraham, and David.

Are you a sinner? Are you wicked and unclean? Then receive the grace of God. Through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for your salvation, may your sins be forgiven. May you, like Noah, receive God’s grace, walk with Him, and enjoy eternal life in Heaven.

挪亚是义人

 

今天，我们接着上一堂课，继续讲一讲有关挪亚的话语。

“惟有挪亚在耶和华眼前蒙恩。挪亚的后代记在下面。挪亚是个义人，在当时的世代是个完全人。挪亚与神同行。挪亚生了三个儿子，就是闪、含、雅弗。世界在神面前败坏，地上满了强暴。神观看世界，见是败坏了；凡有血气的人，在地上都败坏了行为。”（创6：8~12）

神以一种奇妙的方式记录了挪亚，说挪亚在神眼前蒙恩，说他是义人，说他在当时是个完全人，还说他与神同行。不得不说，这真的很神奇。《罗马书》3章10节中分明说：“没有义人，连一个也没有。”这么说来，挪亚也是有很多缺点的人，怎么能说他是完全人，怎么能说他与神同行呢？我们一旦误解《圣经》，就会认为我们得完全地生活，才能变成挪亚那样；不能犯罪，要干净、善良地生活，才能与神同行。

我们很容易认为，挪亚不犯罪、善良、干净地生活着，所以成了义人、完全人，且得到了神的认定。但只要仔细读《圣经》，就能马上知道事实并非如此。《罗马书》3章10节中说：“没有义人，连一个也没有。”这话语就证明了这一点。《创世记》6章8节中说：“惟有挪亚在耶和华眼前蒙恩。”这话语也印证了这个事实。如果从不犯罪，遵守诫命、不违背诫命，干净地生活的人能成为义人，能与神同行，且能成为完全人，那么恐怕这世上没有一个人能做得到。

 

话语中分明说一个义人也没有，却又说挪亚是义人，这一点很容易让我们费解。《雅各书》中说：“义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。”《罗马书》里也说：“义人必因信得生。”要如何理解这些话语呢？

挪亚真的是义人。但他不是因为不犯罪，善良地生活，才成为义人，而是蒙了耶和华的恩典。挪亚在当时的世代是完全人，不是因为他从来没有违背圣经话语，完全遵行神的话语，而是因为蒙到了耶和华的恩典，神说他完全了。他之所以能与神同行，并不是因为他没有违悖神，而是蒙了神的恩典，才与神同行的。

很多人错误地认为，像亚伯拉罕、大卫、挪亚、约瑟这样的人，是没有缺点的，在人看来是完全人，所以他们想，我们也得做到那样，才能得到他们那样的祝福。然而，很多人想要这样做，却做不到，最终只能放弃。我们得明确地知道一点，这世上没有一个完全人。

我们不是因为做到完全了，才成为完全人的；不是因为没有缺点，才与神同行的，而是因为蒙了恩典，才与神同行的。浪子回来时，之所以能够穿上好衣服、戴上戒指、吃喝快乐，并不是因为他在遥远的他乡赚了很多钱，没有违悖父亲的旨意，也不是因为做得好。虽然他沦为乞丐回到父家，但父亲施给了他恩典，给了他和没犯罪的人同样的待遇。

我们要想在神面前成为义人，成为完全人，与神同行，并非要靠不犯罪，而是要蒙到神的恩典。神想施恩给我们，赦免我们所有的罪。所以，神不看我们的罪，而是藉着耶稣的血，使我们成为义人。并且，神藉着基督的宝血，使丑陋、肮脏的我们永远完全了。

 

神通过挪亚蒙恩成为义人的话语，罗得蒙恩得救的话语，以及耶利哥城灭亡时，妓女喇合得救的故事告诉我们，我们怎样才能得救。或许挪亚成为义人、成为完全人、能够与神同行，反而是因为他比当时遭到灭亡的人更丑陋、更肮脏。也可能是因为当时的那些人都很善良，他们能依靠自己，但挪亚发现自己太丑陋、太肮脏了，知道凭借自己的努力和劳苦不可能走到神面前，所以在神面前蒙了恩典。

我再重申一次，在耶稣时代，到耶稣面前蒙到恩典的人，不是当时在人看来特别良善的人，而是丑陋、肮脏、可憎的税吏和罪人。

大家在神面前犯罪了吗？希望大家不要发誓：“我再也不犯罪了！”我们的誓言不知道有多么的徒劳无益。彼得信誓旦旦地说死也不会不认主，这是多么徒劳无益？希望大家承认自己不可能不犯罪。希望大家承认自己再怎么想行善也不行。希望大家在神面前承认自己是比起善，更喜欢恶，比起真实，更喜欢不义的人。

“我想过善良、讨人喜悦的生活，但我做不到。在神面前，我放手了，我抛弃自己了。如今，我只希望主来改变我。我只希望主来洁净我，使我战胜罪恶，把我走向世界的脚步引向教会，希望主来改变我。”

请大家带着这样的心祷告。我们称义，并不是因为各位做得好。请大家放弃没有善的自己，让主来作工，凭借主的恩典称义。

 

各位努力想要成义，可能在几天之内，各位看起来像有义似的，但再次犯罪时，义就被打碎了。主若使各位成义，各位就能得到永远的义，就能永远成义了。各位想要洗净罪，但坚持不了多久，就会重新陷到罪恶中。如果耶稣来洗净各位的罪，各位就能成为永远不被玷污、洁净的人。那么，各位就永远成义了。各位想要完全地生活，但会因为各位满是缺点而打碎这“完全”，但若神帮助各位，各位就可以作为完全人与神同行。将耶稣基督的灵迎接到心里，你将会成为没有任何缺乏、与神同行的人。

在《圣经》中很多地方，神以各种各样的形式告诉我们，没有一个人能依靠自己成为完全，所以让我们藉着神的恩典、怜恤成为完全、成义、成为圣洁。但人们总想自己努力成为圣洁，所以觉得“没有义人，连一个也没有”这话是对的。因为知道自己再怎么努力也成不了义，所以觉得自己当然是罪人。但重要的是，我们得记住，事实并非如此。在我们里面没有真正的善、真正的义，没有完全、没有圣洁。所以，依靠我们的努力想要与神同行，预示着痛苦与死亡。但是，如果蒙到神的恩典，各位就能成为没有任何缺乏、与神同行的人。如果神施恩给我们，在我们心里就找不到任何罪，神就会与我们同行。

神通过挪亚向我们指明了得救的道路。虽然我们是丑陋、肮脏、只能遭到灭亡的人，但若蒙到恩典，与神同行，那么在离开这个世界的日子，我们就能进入到神圣的得救的位置，从而摆脱灭亡。像挪亚一样，不是各位努力去做，而是蒙到神的恩典时，各位才能成为新人。

神想要施恩给大家。就像施恩给挪亚、亚伯拉罕、大卫一样，今天神也想向大家施下恩典。大家是肮脏的罪人吗？是凶恶、丑陋的人吗？请接受神的恩典吧。希望各位能通过为拯救各位在十字架上流血死去的耶稣基督的宝血罪得赦免，成为蒙神的恩典与神同行，享受永远天国的人。

What does it really mean to confess our sins? How should we confess them?

Q: 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What does it really mean to confess our sins? How should we confess them?

A:
I once had an experience of being deeply trapped in sin. I made countless resolutions not to sin again, but every single one ended in failure. Although I was the president of the church youth group, a choir member, and a Sunday school teacher, I was hiding many unspeakable sins inside me. Because of this, I spoke with many pastors.
“Pastor, how can I have my sins washed away?”
“Confess and repent!” they told me.

Although I confessed my sins again and again, the problem of sin was never resolved. I could not understand what 1 John 1:9 meant when it said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I thought that as long as I confessed each sin I had committed one by one before God, my sins would be cleansed. Later I realized that this was wrong. When it says, “If we confess our sins,” what exactly is “sin”? Is stealing, lying, murder, or adultery sin? Absolutely not!

What is leprosy? Are rotting fingers, falling eyebrows, and a collapsed nose leprosy itself? No, those are the symptoms of leprosy. What is a cold? Is it coughing, a runny nose, and fever? No, those are just symptoms caused by the cold virus invading the body. Likewise, sin and the acts of sin (symptoms of sin) are not the same.

Lying, stealing, hating, killing, and committing adultery are all symptoms of sin. Because there is sin, these symptoms appear. In other words, people commit sins because they already have sin within them.

Then, if someone doesn’t steal or commit adultery, does that mean he has no sin? No. He still has sin; it’s just that the symptoms haven’t appeared yet.

In several places, the Bible compares sin to leprosy. There’s an old saying: “When one contracts leprosy, for the first three years even he himself doesn’t know it; for the next three years, people don’t know it; after another three years, everyone knows it.”

One day, when leprous symptoms appear on a person’s body, does that mean he just became a leper that day? Of course not. He had already been a leper long before; it was only that the disease finally manifested outwardly.

In the same way, even if you haven’t stolen, killed, committed adultery, or hated others, the Bible still says you are a sinner. Some people might say, “Pastor, please don’t keep calling people sinners. That’s too much.”

One night, a man called me.
“Pastor, I want to meet you.”
“Okay, come over,” I said, giving him my home address. When he arrived, he said,
“Pastor, I just got out of prison—this is the ninth time. That’s the kind of person I am. Pastor, please give me some money.”
His tone carried a subtle threat.

So I asked him, “Do you know who I am?”
“Of course—you’re a pastor.”
“What does a pastor do? Is he someone who gives you money or food?”
“No.”
“A pastor gives you spiritual food. Although money is important, feeding your soul is more important. A pastor preaches the bread of life. So, sit down and listen first…”

I began preaching the gospel to him.
He interrupted, “Pastor, I already know all that… Don’t keep saying ‘sinner, sinner.’”
“Yes, I also don’t want to keep saying ‘sinner,’ but you must be freed from sin.”

All people are bound by sin. Stealing, lying, murder, and adultery are not the real problem; the real problem is the sinful nature that leads you to steal, lie, or hate.

When you hear that someone hates another person, do you sometimes feel a strange sense of satisfaction? When you hear gossip about others, do you find it interesting? When a relative buys a good piece of land, do you feel jealous? Isn’t that what your heart is like? If so, it means you have the “disease of sin.”

Just as leprosy causes eyebrows to fall out and fingers to rot, and a cold causes coughing, fever, and a runny nose—having the “disease of sin” naturally produces symptoms like hatred, murder, adultery, and theft.

If you have a cold, is it enough to just reduce the fever? If you have leprosy and your finger rots, is simply bandaging it enough? Of course not—you must treat the root cause!

Sin and the acts of sin are not the same. Stealing, lying, and murder are not sin itself—they are acts of sin. The Bible clearly distinguishes between the two. When the Scripture says, “If we confess our sins,” it doesn’t mean confessing the acts of sin you’ve committed, but confessing the sin itself.

In the Old Testament, there was a king named David. One day, he defiled the wife of one of his generals. Tormented by this sin, he confessed before God. How did he confess? Did he say:

“God, one day while walking on the roof of my palace, I saw a beautiful woman. I lost my mind and brought her to me. I slept with her, and she became pregnant. Oh God, I’m so sorry…”

No, he didn’t confess that way. In Psalm 51:5, David said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

He didn’t list out the sins he had committed; instead, he acknowledged that he was fundamentally a person who could only commit sin—that he was born in iniquity.

Confessing the fruits of sin and confessing the root of sin are completely different.

If someone asks me, “Can you drive?” and I reply, “Yes, but I can’t use the turn signal, can’t start the car, can’t shift gears, and can’t turn the wheel…”—then clearly, I can’t drive. If I can’t do only one thing, like using the turn signal, then I can say, “I just can’t use the turn signal.”

It’s the same with sin. If you hadn’t committed any other sins except lying, you could say, “I lied.” If you only hated others, you could say, “I hated.” But in reality, we are sinful from head to toe—we are trees of sin, children of sin, born of sin.

Therefore, trying to make ourselves holy or to stop sinning through our own effort is impossible. A heart that does not sin must enter into us.

Those who take their spiritual life seriously realize that no matter how hard they try, they cannot stop sinning. But those who live carelessly in faith will keep trying to stop sinning by effort. When they finally realize their efforts are useless, they will say, “I truly can’t do it!” and give up.

We were sinners even from our mother’s womb. If we can be freed from that fundamentally sinful state, then all our sins will naturally be forgiven.

Therefore, when 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins,” it does not mean we should confess each act of sin (the fruits of sin), but that we must acknowledge we are fundamentally sinners who can do nothing right—and then ask the Lord to save us. When we completely entrust the problem of sin to the Lord, He will surely solve it perfectly for us. 

问:《约翰一书》1章9节说:“我们若认自己的罪,神是信实的,是公义的,必要赦免我们的罪,洗净我们一切的不义。”这里提到“我们若认自己的罪”,究竟该如何认罪呢?

 

答:我曾有过一段深深陷入罪恶之中的经历,我为了不犯罪无数次下过决心,可每次都以失败告终。我虽然是教会的青年会会长、唱诗班成员,又是主日学老师,但是我里面隐藏着许多难

以启齿的罪。为此,我和很多位牧师交通过。“牧师,怎样才能洗净罪呢?”“认罪悔改吧!”虽然我一次又一次认罪,但是罪的问题始终得不到解决。我一直不能理解《约翰一书》1章9节的话语:“我们若认自己的罪,神是信实的,是公义的,必要赦免我们的罪,洗净我们一切的不义。”

我认为只要把所犯的罪一一地向神告白,罪就可以洗净了,后来才明白那是错的。“我们若认自己的罪”,那么到底什么是罪呢?偷盗、撒谎、杀人、奸淫,这些是罪吗?断乎不是!什么是麻风病?手指头烂掉、眉毛脱落、鼻梁塌陷,这些是麻风病吗?不是,这只不过是麻风病的症状。什么是感冒?是咳嗽、流鼻涕、发烧吗?不是,这只是感冒病毒侵入体内时所产生的症状而已。和这一样,罪和犯罪(罪的症状)是不一样的。说谎、偷盗、恨人、杀人、奸淫,这都是罪的症状,有罪必然会产生这样的症状,也就是说因为有罪,所以会犯罪。那么,不偷盗、不奸淫的人就没有罪吗?不是的。他也有罪,只不过那些症状没有显露而已。

圣经有几处把麻风病比喻成罪。有句话说:“长了大麻风,前三年己不知,后三年人不知,再三年无人不知。”有一天,在一个人身上发现了麻风病的症状。那么,这个人是从那天开始才成为麻风病患者的吗?不是的。他早已是麻风病患者了,只不过那天才显露出来而已。同样,你虽然没有偷盗,没有杀人,没有奸淫,没有恨人,但圣经说你是罪人。有人会说:“牧师,你别总是说罪人罪人的,不要太过分了。”

有一天晚上,有个人给我打了电话:“牧师,我想见你。”“好,你来吧!”我把家里的地址告诉了他,他就来了。他对我说:“牧师,我刚从监狱出来,这是第九次了,我就是这样的人。牧师,你给我点钱花吧!”他的要求暗带威胁。我就问他:

“你知道我是谁吗?”

“不就是牧师吗?”

“牧师是干什么的?是给你钱的吗?是给你饭吃的吗?”

“不是。”

“牧师是给你灵魂粮食的人。虽然给你钱也重要,但给你

灵魂的粮食更重要。牧师是传讲生命粮食的人,你先坐下来听听

吧 …… ”我开始给他传福音。

“牧师,那些我都知道 …… 牧师,别总说罪人罪人的。”

“对呀!我也不想说罪人罪人的,但是你必须从罪恶中解脱出来。”

众人都被捆在罪恶中。偷盗、撒谎、杀人、奸淫这些都不成问题,成问题的是牵引你偷盗的品性。每当听说一个人恨另一个人时,你就会产生奇妙的快感;每当听到一个人在毁谤另一个人时,你就会感到津津有味;当你的亲属买了一块好地时,你就会嫉妒得红了眼 …… 难道你心里不是这样吗?如果是,这就说明你患了“罪病”。好比得了麻风病,就会眉毛脱落、手指烂掉;得了感冒,就会咳嗽、发烧、流鼻涕;得了“罪病”,自然就会有恨人、杀人、奸淫、偷盗这些症状。如果得了感冒,只退烧就可以吗?得了麻风病,手指头烂掉了,只用绷带裹上就行吗?应该治根治本!

罪和犯罪不一样。偷盗、说谎、杀人,这不是“罪”,乃是“犯罪”,圣经明确区分了“罪”和“犯罪”。“我们若认自己的罪”这句话并不是叫你认所犯的罪,乃是叫你认“罪”。旧约时代有一个王,名叫大卫。有一天他玷污了自己手下一位将军的妻子。大卫因这罪甚是痛苦,就在神面前认罪。他是怎样认罪的呢?“神啊,我有一天在王宫的房顶散步,看见了一个美貌的女子。那时我好像疯了,稀里糊涂地就把她带来了,并且和她同寝了,不料她怀了孕。神啊,呜呜 …… ”他是这样认罪的吗?

我们看一下《诗篇》51篇5节,大卫根本不是这么认罪的,而是说:“我是在罪孽里生的,在我母亲怀胎的时候就有了罪。”他没有说自己犯了什么罪,而是承认自己根本是只能犯罪的人,说自己是在罪孽里生的。可见,认“罪的果子”和认“罪的根本”是完全不同的。假如有一个人问我:“你会开车吗?”我说:“会。但不会打转向灯,不会启动,不会换档,不会打方向盘 …… ”不会开车的人说“不会开”就可以了。如果只是不会打转向灯,可以说:“我就不会打转向灯。”如果说:“我不会刹车。”意思是除了不会刹车之外别的都会。

罪也是如此,如果你没犯别的罪,只犯了说谎的罪,可以说“我说谎了”;如果别的罪一点儿都没犯,只犯了“恨人”这一个罪 ,可以说“我恨人了”。但是,我们从头到脚都是罪,我们根本就是一棵罪树,是罪恶之子、罪恶的种类,因此想靠自己成圣、不犯罪,那是不可能的。必须让不犯罪的心进到我们里面才行。认真对待信仰生活的人会明白,即使自己再怎么努力,也绝不可能不犯罪。但那些马马虎虎过信仰的人会为了不犯罪而努力,当他们发现自己再怎么努力也是枉然的时候,就会说:“我实在不行!”之后便会放手。我们人是从母亲怀胎的时候就有了罪,若能够从根本就是罪人的状态中得以释放,那么一切的罪自然就得到饶恕了。

所以,《约翰一书》1章9节说“我们若认自己的罪”,不是让我们认自己所犯的罪(罪的果子),乃是承认我们根本就是一个罪人,怎么做也不行,之后求主来拯救。当把罪的问题完全交托给主时,主必会为我们彻底解决。

Doesn’t this mean that Abraham was justified by his works when he offered Isaac as a burnt offering?

 Faith Q&A

Q: James 2:21–22 says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” Doesn’t this mean that Abraham was justified by his works when he offered Isaac as a burnt offering?

A:
Christians who are saved by grace often feel confused when reading the book of James. James 2:17 says, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” At first glance, this seems to contradict the book of Romans, which clearly teaches that a person is justified by faith apart from works. However, there is no real contradiction between these two passages — they simply view the same truth from different perspectives.

If we use a tree as an example, we can say that Romans focuses on the root. If the root of a tree rots, even if its branches and leaves look lush, it is still a dead tree. The leaves represent works. Romans 11:18 says, “Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.”

Isaiah 6:13 says, “But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.” The Bible tells us that all people are judged because of sin. Likewise, although all of Israel was cut down and made desolate, the root of life — the seed of Christ — remained. The “seed of Christ” refers to the stump, the root.

Even if a tree’s branches and trunk are cut off, as long as the root remains, the tree is not dead. Faith in Christ is that very life — once a person has this life, even before seeing anything outwardly, he already possesses true life and is made complete. Therefore, Romans is centered on the root: if the root remains, the tree is alive; if the root is gone, the tree is dead. The root symbolizes faith.

So what does James focus on? It focuses on the fruit. When the root is healthy, and the trunk, branches, and leaves are sound, the tree naturally bears fruit. A lack of fruit indicates a problem with the root — the tree is dead. Fruit represents works, and the root represents faith. In other words, if there are no works, the problem is not merely with the works themselves, but with the faith from which they should spring. The absence of works reveals the absence of true faith. True faith naturally produces corresponding works.

In fact, James emphasizes the most essential element of faith even more strongly than Romans, and both books are consistent in their overall message.

Let’s now consider Abraham’s faith. Was Abraham justified by offering his son Isaac as a burnt offering — that is, by his works? Genesis 15:6 had already declared that Abraham was justified by faith: “And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Though it is true that Abraham offered Isaac, what James wants to emphasize is not the outward act itself, but the faith that enabled him to do so. Thus, when James 2 says that Abraham was “justified by works,” it is highlighting the fruit of works that naturally grow out of the root of faith.

No work that is not born from faith can bear fruit. James is reminding us that without faith, no fruit — that is, no true works — can appear; but when there is genuine faith, fruit will naturally follow. In other words, works without faith are dead.

At first, Abraham believed in himself. He thought that he was the source of blessing. But over time, he came to realize that the true source of blessing was not himself, but Jesus who would come through him.
He thought, “Ah, God’s plan is for Jesus to be born into this world through my family! Then I can only be blessed through Jesus. My son Isaac will not die — even if he dies, he will rise again. Why? Because Jesus must come through Isaac.”
When Abraham’s faith reached this level, he was able to offer Isaac when God asked him to, fully trusting in God’s promise. God saw the fruit of faith — the act that James 2 calls “works.”

Therefore, even in this passage, the central message is still about faith — that one is justified by faith.

信仰疑难解答

 

问:《雅各书》2章21、22节中说:“我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕把他儿子以撒献在坛上,岂不是因行为称义吗?可见信心是与他的行为并行,而且信心因着行为才得成全。”这里说亚伯拉罕是通过把儿子以撒献为燔祭而称义的,这不是因行为称义的意思吗?

 

答:藉着恩典得救的基督徒在读《雅各书》时都会产生这样的混沌。《雅各书》2章17节说:“信心若没有行为就是死的。”从某些角度来看,这些话语好像与《罗马书》的话语完全相反。因为《罗马书》中说人是因信称义,与行为没有任何关系,《雅各书》中却说是因行为称义。其实这二者之间并不矛盾,只不过是视角

不同。

如果用树来做比方,那么可以说《罗马书》是以根为中心展开思考的。如果树根腐烂了,即使外表枝繁叶茂,也是一棵死树。树叶好比是行为。《罗马书》11章18节说:“你就不可向旧枝子夸口;若是夸口,当知道不是你托着根,乃是根托着你。”

《以赛亚书》6章13节说:“境内剩下的人若还有十分之一,也必被吞灭,像栗树、橡树,虽被砍伐,树墩子却仍存留。这圣洁的种类在国中也是如此。”圣经说所有的人都因着罪遭到了审判,同样,即便以色列所有的一切都被砍伐,变为荒废,但生命的根源 -- 基督的种子却仍要保全。基督的种子指的正是树墩,是根。

就算把树枝砍掉,把树干砍断,但只要留下根,树就不会死。相信基督的信心就是生命,只要拥有这生命,即使事先什么也看不到,也是已经有了生命,已经完全了。所以说,《罗马书》是以根为中心展开思考的。只要树根还在,就是活树;树根没了,就是死树。这里的根喻指信心。

那么《雅各书》是以什么为中心展开思考的呢?是从果实。只要树根健康,树干、树枝、树叶正常,那么必然会结出果实。没有果实的意思是,根出了问题。这里讲的不仅仅是果实。能否结出果实取决于树根、树干和枝叶的状况,所以结不出果实就可以断定树有问题,树已经死了。

果实喻指行为,根喻指信心。也就是说,如果没有行为,并不只是行为的问题,而是行为的根源 -- 信心出了问题。所以,如果没有行为,就说明所拥有的不是信心。如果有信心,自然会在行为上显明出来。事实上,《雅各书》比《罗马书》更加强调了最基本的信心,而且基本脉络是一致的。现在,我们来思考一下亚伯拉罕的信心。亚伯拉罕是因将儿子献为燔祭,即因行为称义的吗?《创世记》15章6节早就说过亚伯拉罕是因信称义的。他将以撒献为燔祭,这虽然是事实,但这里想要讲的并不是表现出来的行为,而是能够使他做出这些行为的根源 -- 信心。所以《雅各书》2章所讲的“因行为称义”,这句话所强调的是以信心为根基自然结出的行为的果实。

不是出于信心的行为,是不可能结出果实的。这是在向我们呼喊,如果没有信心,就结不出果实;相反,如果有信心,自然会结出果实。也就是说,没有信心的行为是死的。起初,亚伯拉罕相信自己,他以为自己是福的根源。但是随着岁月的流逝,他发现神所说的福的根源不是他,而是居住他里面的耶稣。“原来,神是要让耶稣通过我的家族诞生在这世上啊!那么,我只能因着耶稣蒙福啊!我的儿子以撒不会死,即便死了也会活过来。为什么呢?因为耶稣诞生,必须通过我儿子以撒。”亚伯拉罕的信心到达了这样的境界,因此神让他献以撒的时候他能够献上,他对神的应许充满信心。神看到了出于信心的果实,即《雅各书》2章里所说的行为。因此,这段经文里讲的依然是有关信心的内容,即因信称义。

The Road to Obed’s Birth

 The Road to Obed’s Birth

Once, when I returned to my home country, I met my mentor. We had a meal together and chatted over tea.
After talking for a while, our conversation turned to a missionary who had worked with me in China to preach the gospel.

“How is that missionary doing?”
“He’s doing well.”
“Do you communicate well as coworkers?”
“Not really.”
“Why not?”
“He’s not only introverted but also has some psychological trauma from his childhood.”
“What kind of trauma?”
“When he was in the first grade, he came home from school one day and found his father hanging in the room. That shock has followed him ever since. It became a habit—he avoids talking to people, which makes communication between us difficult.”
“Wait, is that missionary saved?”
“Yes, he is.”
“If he’s saved by the blood of Christ, how can he still be bound by the trauma of childhood? Can the blood of Christ not overcome a psychological shadow? Is that the extent of its power? When I was young, I too lost my mother. But look at me—am I bound by such things?”

Hearing my mentor’s thunderous voice, I was at a loss for words.
That day, I realized that the gospel within the servant’s heart was greater than anything in this world. Within the gospel dwell the righteousness and power of God.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

Whatever problem we face, once it is connected with the gospel, it ceases to be a problem. If we have received a clear promise from God, we can overcome any circumstance.

Let us look at Naomi, once the most unfortunate of women. Naomi followed her circumstances and went to Moab. There she lost her husband and two sons, and returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth. Such a woman seemed to have no hope. Yet the Bible says she had hope—it even tells her to sing of the promise:

“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1)

What could a lonely woman like Naomi do? Nothing but sing.
She said, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Mara.” Naomi means pleasant, while Mara means bitter. She had come to see her true self. Though she had lived in Bethlehem by God’s grace, she failed to regard that grace as grace, refusing God’s guidance and choosing Moab by her own will—never realizing how painful the cost would be.

If our hearts are not filled with God’s Word—if we do not follow the leading of His promise—we cease to be “Naomi (sweet)” and become “Mara (bitter).”
Now, all Naomi could do was sing.

One day, Ruth went out to glean in the fields and gathered an ephah of barley—a great amount, more like harvesting than gleaning.
“Where did you gather all this grain?”
“I gleaned in the field of a man named Boaz.”
“He is one of our kinsman-redeemers,” Naomi said, her face lighting up with hope.

Naomi then instructed Ruth not to glean in any other field. From that moment, Naomi began to focus on Boaz. She sought to bring Ruth and Boaz together, telling Ruth to lie at his feet. Eventually, Boaz took Ruth as his wife and redeemed her inheritance. Later, Ruth bore a son named Obed.

The name Obed means “Naomi has a son.” Obed became the father of Jesse, the father of David—thus Obed was David’s grandfather, honored to be included in the genealogy of Jesus.
Why does the Bible say “Naomi has a son”? Naomi had been the most unfortunate and miserable of women—a widow left utterly alone. Yet even in that state, God made her sing; He caused her to speak forth His promise.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for.
The promise is the substance of that hope—it means storing the Word of promise in our hearts.
The only power that can overcome circumstances is the Word.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

“More are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
Just as this Word declares, Naomi bore Obed. She received a fruit beyond imagination.

Once connected with the gospel, any circumstance ceases to be a problem. What hope could a woman have after losing her husband and two sons? Her life seemed filled only with regret, condemnation, complaint, and bitterness. A heavy psychological shadow could have crushed her completely. Yet Naomi came to see herself—she realized that living by her own will only made her “Mara.” Turning back from her own path, she placed her hope in Boaz, the one who would redeem her inheritance, and from that moment her life began to flourish.

Our lives are the same.
If we place our hope in the promise and lift our voices in praise, no psychological shadow can bind us—for the gospel is truly the power of God.

“Wait, is that man saved? How can the gospel not even overcome a psychological shadow?”
My mentor’s piercing voice still echoes in my ears.

生俄备得的道路

 

一次，我归国和我的恩师见面，一起用餐、喝茶聊天。

我们聊了一会儿，后来聊到了在中国和我一起传福音的一位宣教士。

“那位宣教士过得还好吧？”

“是，他挺好的。”

“你们同工之间交流得还顺畅吗？”

“不够顺畅。”

“为什么呢？”

“这位宣教士不仅性格内向，小时候还有过心理阴影。”

“什么心理阴影？”

“他上小学一年级的时候，放学回到家里，发现爸爸在房间里上吊自杀了。那次受到的冲击一直伴随在他左右。这成了一种习惯，令他不愿和人说话，导致我们之间交流不畅。”

“等等，那位宣教士得没得救呢？”

“得救是得救了。”

“藉着基督的血得救的人，难道还没摆脱小时候的心理阴影吗？难道基督的血连个心理阴影都无法战胜吗？血的能力难道只有这一点吗？我小时候也失去了母亲。但看看我，我被那些东西捆绑了吗？”

听到恩师咆哮般的呐喊声，我顿时有些手足无措。

那天，我发现仆人心中的福音大过世上的一切。福音里蕴含着神的公义和大能。

“我不以福音为耻；这福音本是神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是犹太人，后是希腊人。”（罗1:16）

我们遇到的任何问题，只要和福音连接起来，就不成任何问题。我们若从神那里得到确切的应许，那么无论遇到什么样的环境，都能得胜。

我们来观察一下曾是最不幸女子的拿俄米的一生。拿俄米跟随环境，来到了摩押。她在那里失去了丈夫和两个儿子，只好领着儿媳路得，回到了伯利恒。这样的女子不可能有什么盼望。但圣经中却说她是有盼望的，还说要歌唱应许。

“你这不怀孕、不生养的，要歌唱；你这未曾经过产难的，要发声歌唱，扬声欢呼。因为没有丈夫的比有丈夫的儿女更多。”（赛54:1）

孤苦伶仃的女子拿俄米能做的是什么呢？除了歌唱，别无其他。她说，不要叫我拿俄米，要叫我玛拉。“拿俄米”是“甜”的意思，而“玛拉”是“苦”的意思。她发现了自己的面目。她藉着神的恩典一直住在伯利恒，却不把恩典当成恩典，不接受神的引导，按照自己的意愿选择了摩押。她从未想过这样的选择会让她付出如此惨痛的代价。

我们心里若没有神的话语，若不接受应许的引导，我们就不是“拿俄米（甜）”，而是“玛拉（苦）”。

如今，她所能做的只有歌唱而已。

一天，路得外出捡麦穗，捡到了一伊法大麦。她能弄来这么多大麦，与其说是去拾取麦穗，不如说是去收割麦穗。

“你在哪里拾取了这些麦穗？”

“我是到一个叫波阿斯的人的麦地里拾取的。”

“此人是将承受我们基业之人。”

拿俄米的脸上洋溢着希冀。

拿俄米随即吩咐路得，不要到其他人的麦地里拾取麦穗。从此，拿俄米开始关注波阿斯。她试图使波阿斯和路得结为伉俪，吩咐路得躺在波阿斯的脚那里。最终，波阿斯迎娶了路得，承受了她的基业。后来，路得从波阿斯那里生下了俄备得。

“俄备得”的意思是“拿俄米得孩子了”。俄备得生耶西，耶西生大卫，即俄备得是大卫的爷爷。他得到了录入耶稣家谱的荣耀。为什么说“拿俄米得孩子了”呢？拿俄米本是最为不幸、悲惨的女子，是失去丈夫的孤苦伶仃的女子。可即便身处这样的处境中，神也让她歌唱，即让她说出应许。

信心是所望之事的实底。应许，即为实底。意思是让我们心里存放应许的话语。能战胜环境的力量唯有话语。

“我将你的话藏在心里，免得我得罪你。”（诗119:11）

“没有丈夫的比有丈夫的儿女更多。”正如这话语所说，拿俄米生了俄备得。她得到了无法想象的果子。

只要和福音连接起来，任何环境都不成问题。失去丈夫和两个儿子的女子还能有什么指望呢？她的生活中只能充斥着悔恨、定罪、抱怨、不平。巨大的心理阴影将压制她的生活。然而，拿俄米发现了自己，知道若按照自己的意愿生活，就只能是“玛拉”。她从自己的道路上回转过来，寄希望于将承受产业的波阿斯身上，至此她的生活开始变得顺利起来。

我们的人生也是如此。我们只要寄希望于应许，高声歌唱，那么任何心理阴影都不成问题，因为福音本是神的大能。

“等等，此人得没得救呢？福音怎么可能连个心理阴影都战胜不了呢？”仆人振聋发聩的吼声，仿佛还在耳边回响。