马丁·路德的《罗马书》序言
（接上文）
(b) 罪
至于“罪”（sin），圣经用这个词不仅指可见的外在行为，更是指外在行为的每个变化和诱因——发生在内心深处及所有力量。据此，“犯罪”（crime）一词表示一个人完全堕落并陷入罪中。因为除非一个人全身心投入其中，否则任何外在的罪恶行为都不会发生。圣经特别关注心灵，以及所有罪恶的根源和主要来源，那就是内心深处的不信。因此，单单靠信心就能称义，并获得圣灵和从事外在行为的意愿。因此，单单不信就会犯罪，并激发肉体和外在恶行的欲望，就像在乐园里的亚当和夏娃所作的那样（创 3:6，12）。为此，基督只称不信为罪，他在约翰福音 16:8, 9 中说：“圣灵必责备罪恶的世人，为罪是因为他们不信我。”因此，在行善或作恶（即善果或恶果）之前，心中首先必须有信或不信，后者是一切罪的根源、汁液和主要力量。因此，圣经中将它称之为蛇的头和古龙的头，按照对亚当的应许，它必须被女人的后裔基督打伤（创 3:15）。
(c) 恩典
“恩典”（grace）和“恩赐”(gift)之间的区别是：恩典，该术语的正确意义是指神对我们的恩惠和美意，神将恩惠和美意珍藏在自己里面，并且基于此原因他愿意将基督和圣灵，连同圣灵的恩赐倾注给我们。在5:15中，圣保罗谈到“那因耶稣基督……神的恩典和恩典中的赏赐……”，现在，恩赐(the gifts)和圣灵(the Spirit)在我们里面天天加增，但还尚不完全；因此，邪恶的情欲和罪恶仍然存在于我们里面，它们与圣灵作战，正如罗马书 7：14, 23；加 5:17; 创 3:15 预言了女人的后裔和蛇的后裔之间彼此为敌。尽管如此，恩典却成就了如此多的事，使我们在神眼中被算为完整和完全的义。因为神的恩典不像恩赐那样是可分割的、零碎的，而是由于我们保惠师和中保基督的缘故，将我们完全接纳到神的恩宠之中，为此在我们里面开始有了恩赐。
现在你会明白第七章，保罗仍然责备自己是罪人，然而他在第 8 章 1 节宣称“在基督耶稣里的人就不被定罪了”，尽管他们领受到的恩赐和圣灵尚未完美。我们仍然是罪人，因为我们里面的肉体还没有被治死。然而，我们既然信了基督，有了圣灵的开始，神就施恩惠与我们，不顾念我们的罪，也不定罪我们的罪，而是按照我们对基督的信心来对待我们，直到罪被消灭了。
(d) 信心
“信心”不是某些人认为关于信仰和人类观念的梦想。 当他们看到随之而来的不是生活的改善，也不是善行，尽管他们能够听到和谈论很多信心，但他们这样说却犯了错误：“信心是不够的； 如果我们想变得敬虔并得救，就必须行善”。 原因是，当他们听到福音时，他们就去行善，并凭自己的力量在心里形成一个想法：我相信。 他们认为这是真正的信仰。 但是，由于它是人类的虚构和思想——内心深处无法感知，所以它一事无成，也不会带来任何改进。
相反，信心是在我们里面神的工作，它改变我们，使我们从神那里获得新生（约1:13），信心治死了老亚当，使我们在心灵、情感、思想和行为上和所有能力综合起来，成为新造的人，信心将圣灵带入新造的人。哦，这种信仰是一种活生生的、充满活力的、活跃的、强大的东西。它只能不断地行善。没有问否要做善事，但在问问题之前，善行已经行出来了，而且是持续不断的。但任何不行善的人都是没有信心的。他在黑暗中摸索，寻找信心和善行，他既不知道什么是信心，也不知道什么是善行，尽管他对信心和善行有很多胡言乱语。
信心是对神恩典的一种活生生的、大胆的信心，它敢于冒着千次死亡的确据。 这种对神圣恩典的信心和认识使人在与上帝和所有受造物的关系中感到快乐、勇敢和充满喜乐。 圣灵正在信徒里面做这事。 因此，一个人不受约束，愿意并热情地为每个人行善，为每个人服侍，承受各种苦难，出于对神的爱和对向他施予如此恩典的神的赞美。 因此，行为与信心是不可能分开的，就像不可能将燃烧和发光的能力与火分开一样。 因此，要提防你自己的错误思想和空谈者，他们假装有伟大的智慧来辨别信仰和善行，但实际上是最大的愚者。 祈求上帝，让他在你里面创造信心； 否则你将永远没有信心，是的，无论你计划什么、做什么。
（未完待续）
Martin Luther’s Preface to The Epistle to the Romans
（continue from above）
(b) Sin
As regards ‘sin,’ by this term Scripture denominates not only the external work of the body, but every movement and incitement to some external work that takes place in the inmost heart and all its powers. The term ‘commit,’ accordingly, denotes that a person falls completely and rushes into sin. For no external sinful work is done except a person rushes into it with his whole body and soul. Scripture takes particular notice of the heart and of the root and main source of all sins, which is unbelief in the inmost heart. Accordingly, even as faith alone justifies and obtains the Spirit and willingness for good external works, so unbelief alone sins and rouses the flesh and the desire for evil external works, as happened to Adam and Eve in paradise. Gen. 3:6. 12. For this reason Christ calls only unbelief sin, when He says, John 16:8, 9: ‘The Spirit will reprove the world of sin because they believe not on me.’ Hence, before good or evil works are done (which are good or evil fruits), there must first be in the heart faith or unbelief, the latter being the root, sap, and main strength of every sin. For this reason it is called in Scripture the serpent’s head and the head of the old dragon, which, in accordance with the promise made to Adam, must be bruised by Christ, the woman’s Seed. Gen. 3:15.
(c) Grace
The difference between ‘grace’ and ‘gift’ is this: Grace, in the proper sense of the term, denotes God’s favour and good will towards us, which He cherishes in Himself, and by reason of which He is inclined to pour into us Christ and the Spirit with His gifts. This is manifest from chap. 5:15, where St. Paul speaks of ‘the grace of God and the gift of grace, which is by . . . Jesus Christ.’ Now, the gifts and the Spirit are increased in us daily and are not yet perfect; hence evil lusts and sins still remain in us, which war against the Spirit, as is stated Rom. 7:14f. 23; Gal. 5:17; Gen. 3:15, where enmity between the woman’s Seed and the seed of the serpent is predicted. Notwithstanding this, grace accomplishes so much that we are accounted completely and fully righteous in the sight of God. For the grace of God is not divisible and piecemeal as the gifts are, but receives us altogether into God’s favour for the sake of our Advocate and Mediator Christ, and for the reason that there is in us a beginning of the gifts.
Now you will understand the seventh chapter, where Paul still chides himself a sinner, and nevertheless, in chap 8:1, declares that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, because of the imperfect gifts and the Spirit. We are still sinners because of the flesh in us that has not yet been mortified. However, since we believe in Christ and have the beginning of the Spirit, God is favourably inclined and gracious to us, so much so that He will not regard nor condemn our sins, but deal with us in accordance with our faith in Christ, until sin is slain.
(d) Faith
‘Faith’ is not the human notion and dream which some regard as faith. When they see that it is not followed by an improvement of life nor by good works, while they are, nevertheless, able to hear and talk much of faith, they fall into the error of saying: Faith is not sufficient; we must do works if we want to become godly and be saved. The reason is because, when hearing the Gospel, they go to work and by their own power frame up a thought in their heart which says: I believe. That they regard as genuine faith. But, inasmuch as it is a human figment and thought of which the inmost heart is not sensible, it accomplishes nothing and is not accompanied by any improvement.
On the contrary, faith is a divine work in us, which transforms us, gives us a new birth out of God, John 1:13, slays the old Adam, makes us altogether different men in heart, affections, mind, and all powers, and brings with it the Holy Spirit. Oh, it is a living, energetic, active, mighty thing, this faith. It cannot but do good unceas-ingly. There is no question asked whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked the works have been done, and there is a continuous doing of them. But any person not doing such works is without faith. He is groping in the dark, looking for faith and good works, and knows neither what faith is nor what good works are, although he indulges in a lot of twaddle and flummery concerning faith and good works.
Faith is a living, daring confidence in the grace of God, of such assurance that it would risk a thousand deaths. This confidence and knowledge of divine grace makes a person happy, bold, and full of gladness in his relation to God and all creatures. The Holy Ghost is doing this in the believer. Hence it is that a person, without constraint, becomes willing and enthusiastic to do good to everybody, to serve everybody, to suffer all manner of afflictions, from love of God and to the praise of Him who has extended such grace to him. Accordingly, it is impossible to separate works from faith, just as impossible as it is to separate the power to burn and shine from fire. Accordingly, beware of your own false thoughts and of idle talkers, who pretend great wisdom for discerning faith and good works and yet are the greatest fools. Pray God that He may create faith in you; otherwise you will be without faith for ever and aye, no matter what you may plan and do.
(to be continued)