起初那节经文就显明了圣约神学的必要性： “起初，神创造天地” (创 1:1)。
In its opening verse, the Bible displays the necessity of covenant theology: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).
整个现实可被分为两个部分——那位创造一切的神，和祂在自己之外所造的 “一切其他”。
All of reality can be divided into two groups—the God who created everything outside of Himself, and the “everything else” that He created.
人类怎能指望亲近这样一位远高于人的神呢？
How can mankind ever hope to be near to a God who is so far above him?
《西敏信仰告白》对此有答案。
The Westminster Confession of Faith has an answer.
根据信条7.1，神降卑与祂的受造物，特别是祂的子民建立关系，使祂自己成为他们的福乐，这种关系就是 “圣约”。
According to WCF 7.1, the relationship by which God condescends to be the blessedness of His creatures, specifically the blessedness of His people, is covenant.
因此，圣约神学就是努力透过神与祂子民立约的方式，来认识神以及祂与祂子民的关系。
Covenant theology, then, is the effort to understand God and His relationship with His people through the lens of His covenant dealings with them.
透过这圣约的视角，基督徒可以更清楚地认识这位超越的神，也更明白成为祂的子民意味着什么。
Through that covenantal lens, Christians can know more clearly who our transcendent God is and what it means to be His people.
从 创世记 1:1 继续往下读
圣经中第一个提到的圣约是神与亚当所立的行为之约 (创 1:26–2:25)。
Reading forward from Genesis 1:1, the first covenant addressed in Scripture is the covenant of works with Adam (Gen. 1:26–2:25).
在这个圣约中，有一个明确的教训：若要在神面前，必须是义人。
In this covenant, there was a clear lesson: to be in God’s presence, one must be righteous.
人在一切所行上必须正直圣洁。
He must be upright and holy in all his ways.
当然，亚当未能守住他在圣约中的义务，堕落犯罪，并且把他的后裔一同带入罪中 (罗 5:12–14)。
Adam, of course, failed to keep his covenant obligations and fell into sin, taking all his posterity with him (Rom. 5:12–14).
神的恩典之约初露端倪
就在亚当悖逆不久，神就暗示祂的形像所造的人类仍有盼望，以种子的形式宣告了后被称为 “恩典之约” 的应许。
With Adam’s rebellion still fresh, God intimated that His image bearers still had hope, announcing in seed form what is known as the “covenant of grace.”
在 创世记 3:15 中，神宣告祂要使祂子民的心转向祂，与蛇为敌，而不再与祂为敌。
In Genesis 3:15, God declared that He would turn the hearts of His people so that they would be at enmity with the serpent rather than at enmity with Him.
祂要保守他们，并应许将来差遣那一位要毁灭那恶者 (“伤他的头”)，虽然那一位在得胜时自己也要受伤 (“伤他的脚跟”)。
He would preserve them and promised to one day send the One who would destroy the evil one (“bruise” his “head”) even though He Himself would suffer in that victory (“bruise” his “heel”).
圣约神学中的 “救赎之约”
随着圣经继续展开，神其实在暗示圣约神学所称的 “和平之议” 或 “救赎之约”。
As becomes clearer later in Scripture, God was hinting at what covenant theology calls the “counsel of peace,” or the “covenant of redemption.”
“救赎之约” 是三位一体神格之间的永恒之约，父与子约定将选民赐给子，子则与父立约，作为中保为选民赢得救赎，圣灵则与父子立约，将子赢得的救赎施予选民 (参: 赛 53:10–12; 腓 2:5–11; 路 22:29; 弗 3:8–12)。
The counsel of peace is an eternal covenant amongst the persons of the Trinity in which the Father covenants to give the elect to the Son, the Son covenants to win the redemption of the elect as their Mediator, and the Spirit covenants to apply to the elect the redemption that the Son has won for them (see Isa. 53:10–12; Phil. 2:5–11; Luke 22:29; Eph. 3:8–12).
正是借着这个伟大的三位一体之间的圣约，神的儿子最终毁灭了蛇的作为 (约一 3:8)。
It is through this great intra-Trinitarian covenant that God the Son ultimately would destroy the works of the serpent (1 John 3:8).
救赎之约的实现过程
在历史中，这个永恒的救赎之约的旨意得以实现。
In history, the purposes of this eternal covenant of redemption were achieved.
神借着一连串历史性的圣约，将属祂的百姓带归祂自己，而这些圣约进一步启示了在 创世记 3:15 首次宣告的恩典之约。
God brought to Himself a people who were His through a succession of historical covenants, each of which further revealed the covenant of grace that was first announced in Genesis 3:15.
首先，神与挪亚立约，表明祂在 创世记 3:15 中的应许必定成就。
First, in His covenant with Noah, God showed that His promise in Genesis 3:15 certainly would come to pass.
表面上的延迟只是因为神在耐心等候，要召聚属祂的百姓归向祂 (参: 创 6:5–9:17; 彼后 3:5–10)。
Its seeming delay came only because God was waiting to gather in all His people and make them His own (see Gen. 6:5–9:17; 2 Peter 3:5–10).
神与亚伯拉罕所立的圣约
神随后与亚伯拉罕立约 (创 12:1–3; 15; 17)，应许赐下一个 “后裔”，最终指向基督 (加 3:16)。
In His subsequent covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3; 15; 17), God promised that He would give His people a seed, which ultimately spoke of Christ (Gal. 3:16).
祂应许赐给祂的百姓一块地，那地最终预表新天新地 (来 11:8–10)。
He would give His people a land, which ultimately spoke of the new heavens and the new earth (Heb. 11:8–10).
祂还应许亚伯拉罕的后裔要成为万国的祝福，这说明神圣约的旨意将普及到全世界 (加 3:8–9)。
And He would make Abraham’s seed to be a blessing to all the nations, which spoke of the worldwide reach of God’s covenant purposes (Gal. 3:8–9).
在这些应许中，圣约的祝福以轮廓形式展现出来。
In these promises, the blessings of the covenant were held out in silhouette form.
此外，神启示说祂的选民是借着信成为属祂的 (创 15:6)。
Furthermore, God revealed that His elect would be made His through faith (Gen. 15:6).
借着神与亚伯拉罕的立约，祂的子民对自己如何成为属神的子民以及这种身份所带来的祝福，有了初步的认识。
Because of God’s dealings with Abraham, His people knew something of how they would be made God’s people and the blessings that that status entailed.
摩西之约中的律法与赎罪
在与亚伯拉罕立约之后，神设立了摩西之约，其中启示了两个关键真理。
After His covenant with Abraham, God initiated the Mosaic covenant, in which God disclosed two critical things.
首先，借着律法，神向祂的百姓说明了何为义的生活。
First, in the law, He described for His people what a righteous life looked like.
作为蒙恩得救的百姓，遵行这律法的生活将使神的荣耀显明在全地 (出 19:5–6)。
As His graciously redeemed people, living a life according to this law would display God’s glory in all the earth (Ex. 19:5–6).
其次，透过献祭制度，神向祂的百姓表明：他们的罪可以借着流血的献祭得以洗净，并且祂自己要为他们预备洁净的方式 (来 10:4–10)。
Second, through the sacrificial system, God showed His people that their sin could be washed away by sacrificial blood and He Himself would provide a means for that washing to occur (Heb. 10:4–10).
大卫之约中的王与中保
在与大卫立约中，神教导祂的百姓将有一位大卫的后裔作王治理他们，而祂的顺服或悖逆将决定百姓在神面前的地位 (撒下 7:4–27)。
In His covenant with David, God’s people were taught that there would be One—a Davidic King—who would rule over them and whose obedience or disobedience would determine their standing with God Himself (2 Sam. 7:4–27).
新约的成就与归宿
最后，在新约中 (耶 31:31–34; 32:36–44)，神向祂的百姓表明，他们所盼望的那一位就是耶稣——那位大卫的君王，将以完全的公义治理属神的百姓，在神所赐的地上掌权 (结 37:24–28)。
Finally, in the new covenant (Jer. 31:31–34; 32:36–44), God showed His people that the One to whom they looked was Jesus—the Davidic King who would rule over all of God’s people in perfect righteousness in the land that God was giving to them (Ezek. 37:24–28).
神的百姓 (正如对亚伯拉罕所应许的) 将从地极被召来 (正如对亚伯拉罕所应许的)，住在天上的家乡 (正如对亚伯拉罕所应许的)。
God’s people (as promised to Abraham), drawn from all the earth (as promised to Abraham) would dwell in a heavenly home (as promised to Abraham).
圣约神学总结
所有这些方式中，圣约神学帮助我们明白，这位无限、超越的神，如何使有限、有罪的百姓成为属祂的。
In all these ways, covenant theology helps us understand how an infinite, transcendent God can make a finite, sinful people His own.
在祂永恒的旨意 (救赎之约) 中，神定意要祂的百姓表现出配得祂同在的义 (如 行为之约 所显)，
In His eternal will (the counsel of peace), God purposed that His people would manifest a righteousness worthy of His presence (as seen in the covenant of works),
因为祂要成就祂的救赎应许 (恩典之约所宣告)，
because as He brings to fruition His redemptive promises (announced in the covenant of grace),
借着祂的忍耐长久 (如挪亚所显)，
through His patient long-suffering (as shown with Noah),
神要带领祂的百姓相信祂 (如亚伯拉罕所示)，
God will bring His people to faith (as shown with Abraham),
使他们能过正直的生活 (如摩西所显)，
enabling them to live upright lives (as shown with Moses),
并仰望那位伟大的中保 (如大卫所预表)，将他们带进那永恒的家乡 (如新约所应许)。
even as they look to their great Mediator (as shown with David) to bring them to their eternal home (as shown with the new covenant).
借着圣约，神使祂的百姓成为属祂的 (申 29:12–13)。
Through covenant, God has made His people His own (Deut. 29:12–13).
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