旧问题，新倡导者：当今时代的圣经充分性争论
Old Problems, New Proponents: The Sufficiency of Scripture Debate in Our Day
If You Will Diligently Listen: Hearing God’s Voice in Scripture By Michael W. Sciarra Christian Focus Publishing | 2026 | 160 pages (paperback) | $13.99
《若你肯殷勤聆听：在圣经中聆听上帝之声》 作者：Michael W. Sciarra Christian Focus Publishing | 2026 | 160页（平装） | 13.99美元
The church today finds itself amidst a revived trend of advocating for hearing God speaking to his people apart from his word. While there are new figures in this movement, the content of their message is hardly original. One can think of late medieval mysticism’s emphasis on a mystical encounter with God or the Quakers, who exalted the inner illumination of the Spirit over Scripture. There is nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9). While the recurring problem persists, so, too, the same solution solves: a recovery of the sufficiency, authority and perspicuity of Scripture. For Christians seeking a lucid and helpful guide on how to advocate for such doctrines in the midst of a strong tide of different views, Michael W. Sciarra’s If You Will Diligently Listen: Hearing God’s Voice in Scripture, is such a resource.
当今教会发现自己正处于一种复兴的趋势之中，即主张在上帝的话语之外聆听上帝对祂子民说话。虽然这一运动中出现了新的人物，但其信息的内涵几乎毫无新意。人们可以想到中世纪晚期神秘主义对与上帝神秘相遇的强调，或者贵格会（Quakers）将圣灵的内在启示置于圣经之上。日光之下并无新事（传 1:9）。虽然这个问题反复出现，但同样的解决方案依然有效：恢复圣经的充分性、权威性和清晰性。对于那些在各种不同观点的强力浪潮中，寻求一份清晰且有益的指南以捍卫这些教义的基督徒来说，Michael W. Sciarra 的《若你肯殷勤聆听：在圣经中聆听上帝之声》（If You Will Diligently Listen: Hearing God’s Voice in Scripture）正是这样的一份资源。
A Timely Book
一本及时的著作
With so many books coming out at such a rapid pace, it is worth asking the question: Why was this book written now? Sciarra explains, “I write because of the widely popular and deceptive false teachers today, standing in opposition to Scripture’s authority and sufficiency, claiming God speaks apart from Scripture” (2). To prove this claim, he takes two chapters to survey various individuals who advocate the view that God speaks to people individually and personally apart from his revealed word. Initially, attention is drawn to major figures such as Dallas Willard (1935–2013) and Henry Blackaby (1935–2024), both crucial individuals in this trend within modern evangelicalism.
在如此多书籍快速出版的今天，一个值得思考的问题是：为什么这本书在现在被写出来？Sciarra 解释道：“我写作是因为当今广泛流行且具有欺骗性的假教师，他们反对圣经的权威性和充分性，声称上帝在圣经之外说话”（2）。为了证明这一主张，他用了两章来考察各种主张上帝在启示的话语之外，以个人化且私密的方式向人们说话的观点。首先，他将注意力集中在诸如 Dallas Willard (1935–2013) 和 Henry Blackaby (1935–2024) 等关键人物身上，他们都是现代福音派中这一趋势的核心人物。
From there, Sciarra surveys this view amongst prominent evangelical figures today, such as John Mark Comer and John Eldredge. As a Presbyterian pastor, I was aware that such a belief existed, but unaware of just how widespread it has become amongst many evangelicals today. A major strength of this book is educating its readers on just how prominent this belief is as evidenced through the plethora of citations from works written by proponents of the view. As a reading practice, I often write exclamation points in the margins when I find something interesting or shocking. In these first two chapters, I found myself writing exclamation points next to quotes on each page out of pure shock. John Eldredge, on seeking to discern God’s answers to his questions, writes, “Still in quiet surrender, I ask the Lord, is it yes, you want us to go? Pause. In my heart, I am trying it on, letting it be as though this is God’s answer … By trying on the possible answers, I find it enables me to come into alignment with his Spirit” (32). If this is indeed as prevalent a method of deciphering God’s will as Sciarra claims it to be, then there is certainly a need for this book.
随后，Sciarra 考察了当今著名的福音派人物中的这一观点，例如 John Mark Comer 和 John Eldredge。作为一名长老会牧师，我知道这种信仰的存在，但并未意识到它在当今许多福音派信徒中已如此广泛。本书的一个主要优点在于，它通过大量引用该观点支持者的著作，让读者意识到这种信仰的盛行程度。在阅读习惯上，每当我发现有趣或令人震惊的内容时，经常会在页边空白处写下感叹号。在最初的两章中，我发现自己因为纯粹的震惊，在每一页的引用文字旁都写下了感叹号。John Eldredge 在论述如何寻求分辨上帝对他问题的答案时写道：“在安静的顺服中，我问主：‘是的，您想要我们去吗？’ 停顿。在心中，我尝试将其代入，就好像这就是上帝的答案……通过尝试可能的答案，我发现这使我能够与祂的灵达成一致”（32）。如果这种解读上帝旨意的方法确实如 Sciarra 所言那样普遍，那么这本书确实是非常必要的。
Defending the Sufficiency of Scripture
捍卫圣经的充分性
The cure this book provides to this problem of personal revelation is a recovery of the sufficiency of Scripture. In an age of confusion and questioning whether Scripture alone is sufficient for the Christian life, Sciarra does a good job defending the doctrine. He writes, “The sufficiency of Scripture means the Bible contains all the words of God He wanted us to have for salvation and for growth, everything we need for trusting and obeying Him” (61). Sciarra still gives guidance to earnest Christians who have questions about their lives, but encourages them to seek help through applying the principles of God’s word to their lives rather than expecting a personal spoken word.
这本书为个人启示的问题所提供的良药，就是恢复对圣经充分性的认识。在这个混乱的时代，人们质疑唯独圣经是否足以指导基督徒的生活，而 Sciarra 在捍卫这一教义方面做得很好。他写道：“圣经的充分性意味着，圣经包含了神希望我们拥有的、为了救恩和成长而赐下的所有话语，以及我们信靠并顺服他所需的一切”（61）。Sciarra 依然为那些对生活有疑问的虔诚基督徒提供指导，但他鼓励他们通过将神话语的原则应用于生活来寻求帮助，而不是期待一个个人的口头启示。
For a book about Scripture, the author avoids irony in rarely citing biblical passages alone, but in interacting with them in a way that tries to illustrate the truth of his argument. The reader is confronted with the truth and beauty of God’s word on nearly every page. Especially helpful is the section that does exegesis on popular passages used by those who promote the idea of God speaking apart from his word (74–82). Although, it is curious that Sciarra does not interact in depth with 1 Samuel 3 here, given that many authors examined earlier cite that passage as a support for their view.
对于一本关于圣经的书来说，作者巧妙地避免了讽刺——他很少单独引用圣经经文，而是通过与经文的互动，试图阐明其论点的真理。读者在几乎每一页都能面对神话语的真理与美感。尤其有帮助的是，书中有一节对那些宣称神在圣经之外说话的人所常用的经文进行了释经（74–82）。不过，令人好奇的是，Sciarra 在这里没有深入探讨撒母耳记上 3 章，因为他之前提到的许多作者都引用该章节来支持其观点。
While demonstrating that God’s word does not promise that we will receive private revelation, the book draws attention to a wonderful fact: God does speak to us in his word (Heb. 3:7; 4:2, 7). Because of this, attention is drawn to trusting the Spirit to illuminate God’s inspired word to his people (1 Cor. 2:6–16). Both of these facts help exhort readers to rich meditation on Scripture that will yield a delight in the Lord (Ps. 34:8). In doing so, Sciarra draws out one of the wonderful implications of trusting in the sufficiency of Scripture: It leads God’s people on a sure path towards delighting in and enjoying the riches of the Lord through his word (93–98).
在证明神的话语并没有承诺我们会收到私人启示的同时，本书引起了读者对一个奇妙事实的关注：神确实在他的话语中对我们说话（希 3:7；4:2, 7）。因此，本书引导人们信靠圣灵，使圣灵将神所启示的话语照亮他的子民（林前 2:6–16）。这两点都勉励读者对圣经进行丰富的默想，从而在主里得享喜乐（诗 34:8）。通过这样做，Sciarra 揭示了信靠圣经充分性所带来的一个美妙影响：它引导神的子民走上一条稳妥的道路，通过他的话语来喜乐并享受主的丰盛（93–98）。
Pastoral Guidance
牧养指导
Far from just defending the sufficiency of Scripture in a theological sense, Sciarra shows the rich and beautiful implications for the Christian life in holding to such a view. Even when engaging with those who disagree, the book frequently instructs Christians to be gracious, gentle, and prayerful (51, 111–112). While it may sound good in theory to believe that God does speak to people apart from Scripture, this book draws Christians back to the biblical truth of who God is and how we should expect him to work ordinarily in the life of a believer. Sciarra writes, “This is not merely about semantics; it is about our understanding of God and how He works” (109). Exactly. While some prominent and influential church leaders communicate that we should anticipate hearing God speak to us outside of his word, it is crucial to recover the freedom of trusting in God’s word alone. The church needs to recover teaching the ways God has promised to work—through his Holy Spirit and the ordinary means of grace—in the lives of believers rather than being shackled by unbiblical expectations.
Sciarra 不仅仅是在神学意义上捍卫圣经的充分性，他还展示了持此观点对基督徒生活所带来的丰富且美好的影响。即使在与持不同政见者交流时，书中也经常教导基督徒要恩慈、温柔且祷告（51, 111–112）。虽然在理论上，相信神在圣经之外对人说话听起来很美好，但本书将基督徒拉回到关于神是谁以及我们应当期待他在信徒生活中如何常态化工作的圣经真理中。Sciarra 写道：“这不仅仅是语义问题，而是关乎我们对神的认识以及他如何工作”（109）。确实如此。虽然一些显赫且有影响力的教会领袖传达出我们应当期待在圣经之外听到神说话，但恢复唯独信靠神话语的自由至关重要。教会需要恢复教导神应许工作的方式——通过他的圣灵和常态的恩典手段——在信徒的生活中运行，而不是被非圣经的期待所束缚。
In light of the power of the word, Sciarra urges churches to give a prominent role to Scripture in worship services, both in the reading and preaching of the word, and also in discipleship, all of which leads Christians to a deeper maturity in their faith and relationship with God.
鉴于话语的能力，Sciarra 敦促教会要在崇拜服务中给予圣经显著的地位，无论是在读经和讲道中，还是在门徒训练中，这一切都将引导基督徒在信仰和与神的关系上达到更深层的成熟。
Finally, the book concludes with a focus on what the main goal of a word-centered life is: the glory of Christ. Helpfully, several practical examples are laid out about how Christians can treasure Christ by faith and through his word. Sciarra notes, “The more you cherish Christ as your greatest treasure, the more saturated with Scripture you will want to be; your thoughts flavored by, answers shaped and desires bent to God’s self-revelation in Scripture” (130). May the Lord be pleased to use the words of this book to draw us back to his word and to his Son, the Word, his fullest revelation.
最后，本书在结尾处聚焦于以话语为中心的生活的主要目标：基督的荣耀。非常有帮助的是，书中列举了几个实际的例子，说明基督徒如何通过信心和他的话语来珍视基督。Sciarra 指出：“你越是将基督视为你最大的至宝，你就越希望被圣经浸透；你的思想被圣经浸染，你的答案由圣经塑造，你的欲望向神在圣经中的自我启示俯伏”（130）。愿主悦纳这本书的话语，将我们拉回到他的话语以及他的儿子——也就是那话语，他最完全的启示之中。
