01在罪恶尚未进入世界之前，亚当能够与他的造物主面对面地直接交流；可是，人类因犯罪而与让自己与上帝分离，从那以后他们就失去了这种与造物主直接交流的特权。尽管如此，【上帝的所启动的】救赎计划，为人类开辟了一条途径，使地上的人仍能与天堂保持联络。上帝借着祂的灵与人类交流：神圣的【福音真理之】光，【通过圣灵的启示】，显示给上帝所拣选的先知，而后他们就把这些光分享给世人。 “预言，乃是上帝的虔诚的先知们被圣灵所感动而说的话。”（彼后1:21）　

 
01Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption, however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven. God has communicated with men by His Spirit, and divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen servants. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. {GC v.1}

　02During the first twenty-five hundred years of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, communicated their knowledge to others, and it was handed down from father to son, through successive generations. The preparation of the written word began in the time of Moses. Inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years--from Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel. {GC v.2}

　03《圣经》宣告上帝为其作者。祂借人的手【笔者】写成《圣经》；《圣经》不同的书卷中多样的笔调，显现出笔者们不同的性格。《圣经》中所表达的真理都是“上帝的启示所赐”（提后3:16），但这些真理，却是用人的言语所表达出来。全能的上帝借着祂的圣灵，启示祂的先知们的思想和心灵，给他们异梦，让他们看见异象，使他们明白祂所用的比喻和象征；这些先知们受到这些启示而明白了真理之后，就把这些真理用人类的语言表达出来。

03The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by human hands; and in the varied style of its different books it presents the characteristics of the several writers. The truths revealed are all "given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16); yet they are expressed in the words of men. The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was thus revealed have themselves embodied the thought in human language. {GC v.3}

　　　　04十条诫命是上帝亲口颁布，亲手书写的；完全是神的作品，而并非人的作品。然而《圣经》是用人类的话语来表达上帝所赐的真理，因此《圣经》代表着神与人的联合。这一神--人联合也存在于基督的属性之中：祂既是上帝的儿子，同时也是“人子” --- 正如经上对基督的描述，“道成了肉身，住在我们中间”（约 1:14）

　04The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself, and were written by His own hand. They are of divine, and not of human composition. But the Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union existed in the nature of Christ, who was the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it is true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14. {GC v.4}

05《圣经》中个不同的书卷，写于不同的时代，各个书卷的笔者，【就是先知们，】不仅在他们的身份和职业上也有很大的差别，他们的智力和属灵的恩赐也各异，所以，《圣经》的各卷的文风区别很大，所讲述的主题也各有不同。不同的笔者所用的表达方式不同：读者时常会发现，对于同一个真理，一位笔者的描述，会比另一位的表达显得更为突出和醒目。所以，同一个题目，会通过几个笔者，从不同的角度和关系上去表述。这对于一般肤浅，不求甚解，或有成见的读者，或许会觉得有问题甚至是自相矛盾的；但一个缜密思考、怀有虔诚的心的学生，就会有更清晰理解，并能看出不同笔者的表述之间所存在的和谐。

05Written in different ages, by men who differed widely in rank and occupation, and in mental and spiritual endowments, the books of the Bible present a wide contrast in style, as well as a diversity in the nature of the subjects unfolded. Different forms of expression are employed by different writers; often the same truth is more strikingly presented by one than by another. And as several writers present a subject under varied aspects and relations, there may appear, to the superficial, careless, or prejudiced reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, where the thoughtful, reverent student, with clearer insight, discerns the underlying harmony. {GC vi.1}

06通过不同笔者的表达与阐述，真理就会从不同的角度和层面显示出来。一个笔者对于一个题目的某一方面有较深的感受；因为他在这方面有亲身的体验，或他的理解和感受能力在这方面较强；而另一个笔者则对这个真理的另一方面颇有感触；于是每一个笔者都在圣灵的引导之下，将自己心中最深刻的体会和感受描述出来，每人各有其侧重点，但他们之间却有着完美的和谐。真理通过这样的描述，构成一幅完美的画面，适合于生活经历和处境不同的人来欣赏，并从中受益。

　06As presented through different individuals, the truth is brought out in its varied aspects. One writer is more strongly impressed with one phase of the subject; he grasps those points that harmonize with his experience or with his power of perception and appreciation; another seizes upon a different phase; and each, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, presents what is most forcibly impressed upon his own mind--a different aspect of the truth in each, but a perfect harmony through all. And the truths thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted to meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experiences of life. {GC vi.2}

07上帝乐意通过人类的先知，把他的真理传给世人；祂用祂的圣灵，赐给先知们能力来担任这一工作。祂引导先知们的思想，启示他们所要说的和所要写的是什么。宝贵的福音真理虽然在地上的先知那里，但它却是来自于天上的。 这些见证，虽然是用不完美的人类语言表达出来，它却是上帝的见证；那些顺从、并相信上帝的儿女，都可以在其中看到上帝大能的荣耀，看到丰富的恩典和真理。　07God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work. He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write. The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, nonetheless, from Heaven. The testimony is conveyed through the imperfect expression of human language, yet it is the testimony of God; and the obedient, believing child of God beholds in it the glory of a divine power, full of grace and truth. {GC vi.3}　

　　08上帝在祂的《圣经》中，把救恩所必需的知识赐给人类。人类应当把《圣经》视为具有权威性的、绝对可靠的上帝旨意的启示。它是品格的标准、真道的启示和经验的试金石。因为“《圣经》都是上帝所启示的，适于用来教导人、用来批评人、用来让人改邪归正、用来教导人如何去做义人，好让上帝的子民能够成为完全的人，去各种善事。”（提后3:16，17）

  08In His word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, R.V. {GC vii.1}

　　09上帝虽已借着《圣经》将他的旨意启示给人，但这并不是说我们已经不再需要圣灵的同在与引导了。恰恰相反，圣灵是我们的救主应许的，为了让他的仆人理解祂的话语，让他们明了《圣经》中的教导并运用在实际生活当中。另外，《圣经》既是上帝的灵所启示的，圣灵的教导就绝不会与《圣经》的教导相矛盾。　　09Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men through His word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings. And since it was the Spirit of God that inspired the Bible, it is impossible that the teaching of the Spirit should ever be contrary to that of the word. {GC vii.2}

10圣灵的赐予，绝不是──而且永不会──取《圣经》而代之的；因为《圣经》明确的阐明：上帝的圣言{《圣经》} 乃是检验一切理论与经验的标准。使徒约翰说：“一切的灵，你们不可都信，总要试验那些灵是出于上帝的不是；因为世上有许多假先知已经出来了。”（约壹4:1）以赛亚说：“人当以律法书和先知书【《圣经》】为标准，他们所说的若不与此相符，那是由于在他们里面没有光。”（赛8:20）
10The Spirit was not given--nor can it ever be bestowed-- to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state that the word of God is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. Says the apostle John, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1. And Isaiah declares, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20. {GC vii.3}

【待续】

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