哀三22~23 我们不至消灭，是出于耶和华的慈爱，因祂的怜恤不至断绝；每早晨这些都是新的；你的信实，极其广大。

　　罗九15 因为祂对摩西说，“我要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯；要对谁动怜恤，就对谁动怜恤。”

　　林前一章九节说，“神是信实的，你们乃是为祂所召，进入了祂儿子我们主耶稣基督的交通。”这话是接续八节，用对神信实的确信，加强八节的思想。在祂的信实里，祂必坚固信徒到底，使他们在主回来的日子无可指责。在祂的信实里，祂已呼召我们进入祂儿子的交通、分享，并且祂要以祂的信实保守我们在这分享和享受里。祂的信实向我们保证这享受。

　　约壹一章九节也启示神的信实：“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。”神在祂的话上是信实的（10）。祂的话，就是祂福音真理的话（弗一13），告诉我们，祂要因着基督赦免我们的罪（徒十43）。我们若认自己的罪，祂就要照着祂的话赦免我们，因为祂必须在祂的话上信实（新约总论第一册，一一○页）。

　　Lam. 3:22-23 It is Jehovah’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

　　Rom. 9:15 For to Moses He says, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”

　　First Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” This word is a continuation of 1 Corinthians 1:8, strengthening the thought with the assurance of God’s faithfulness. In His faithfulness He will confirm the believers till the end, making them unreprovable in the day of the Lord’s return. In His faithfulness He has called us into the fellowship, the participation in His Son, and He will keep us in this participation and enjoyment in His faithfulness. His faithfulness is an assurance to us for this enjoyment.

　　First John 1:9 also reveals God’s faithfulness: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God is faithful in His word (1 John 1:10), the word of the truth of His gospel (Eph. 1:13), which tells us that He will forgive us our sins because of Christ (Acts 10:43). If we confess our sins, He, according to His word, forgives us, because He must be faithful in His word. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 95)

　　〔在帖前五章二十三至二十四节〕我们看见，信实的神召了我们，也必要全然圣别我们，并保守我们全人得以完全。这里保罗的话向信徒保证神的信实。当然这神圣的信实是神一个甜美的属性。

　　罗马九章十五节提到神的怜悯和祂的怜恤：“祂对摩西说，‘我要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯；要对谁动怜恤，就对谁动怜恤。’”不仅如此，林后一章三节说，“我们主耶稣基督的神与父，就是那怜恤人的父，和赐诸般安慰的神，是当受颂赞的。”怜悯与怜恤有何不同？……怜恤与怜悯相近，不过怜恤比怜悯更深、更细、也更丰富。怜悯有点是外面的，但怜恤是里面的。不仅如此，怜恤比怜悯持续得更长久。

　　怜悯的希腊文，eleos，指由可怜一方的可怜光景所促起的一种反应。怜悯多指回应可怜光景的行动或显明。在罗马九章十五节和林后一章三节，怜恤的希腊文是oiktirmos。这字的基本字根乃指人里面的器官，一般相信是人里面柔细情爱的中心。因此，怜恤的希腊文，乃指爱人的一方心里所产生的内在感觉。这感觉不是轻淡的，乃是深挚的。因此，怜恤乃指人观察别人可怜的光景，所产生的内在感觉。这是最深刻的辞，显示神对可怜光景中的人内在的情爱。

　　看过这些定义，为着充分的对照，我们可以再看罗马九章十五节，将经文这样翻译：“我要向谁显示我怜悯的恩慈行动，就向谁显示我怜悯的恩慈行动；我要对谁动怜恤的最深感觉，就对谁动怜恤的最深感觉。”前者指神由我们可怜光景所促起的外在作为；后者指祂在爱的素质里所产生的内在情爱。我们都该珍赏神这种更甜美之情爱的属性。……平安由享受神作恩典所产生，也是我们在基督里所享受之神的一个属性（新约总论第一册，一一一、一一七至一一八、一二四页）。

　　参读：新约总论，第十至十一、二百五十二篇；神圣启示的中心路线，第一篇。

　　[In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24] we see that the faithful God who has called us will also sanctify us wholly and preserve our entire being complete. This is Paul’s word of assurance to the believers concerning the faithfulness of God. Surely this divine faithfulness is a sweet attribute of God.

　　Romans 9:15 mentions both God’s mercy and His compassion: “To Moses He says, ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’” Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions and God of all comfort.” What is the difference between mercy and compassion?…Although compassion is close to mercy, compassion is deeper, finer, and richer than mercy. Mercy is somewhat outward, but compassion is inward. Furthermore, compassion is more long lasting than mercy.

　　The Greek word for mercy, eleos, refers to the kind of response that is motivated by the wretched condition of the poor party. Mercy refers more to the action or manifestation in response to wretchedness. The Greek word for compassion in Romans 9:15 and 2 Corinthians 1:3 is oiktirmos. The basic root of this word refers to the inward organs of man which were believed to be the center of tender affections in man. Hence, this Greek word for compassion refers to the inward feeling that originates in the heart of the affectionate party. This feeling is not mild but deeply affectionate. Compassion, therefore, refers to the inward feeling that resides in the one who looks upon wretchedness. It is the deepest of words showing the inward affection of God for man in his pitiful condition.

　　With these definitions in view, we may consider Romans 9:15 again for a full contrast, translating the verse in this way: “I will display My kind act of mercy to whom I will display My kind act of mercy, and I will have the deepest feeling of compassion upon whom I will have the deepest feeling of compassion.” The former refers to God’s outward doing motivated by our wretched state; the latter refers to His inward affection originating in His loving essence. We all should appreciate such a sweeter affectionate attribute of God. Peace [that] results from the enjoyment of God as grace…is also an attribute of the God whom we enjoy in Christ. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 96, 101, 106)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 10-11, 252; CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 1, “The Central Line of the Divine Revelation,” ch. 1