加尔文主义这个神学体系冠以宗教改革家加尔文（John Calvin）之名，但加尔文本人是否属于加尔文主义呢？ 我们就以「有限代赎」为例，作点简单的说明。
定义：「有限代赎」（Limited Atonement），又称为「特定救赎」（Particular Redemption），是加尔文主义五要点（通常简称为 TULIP）的第三点。 意思是「主耶稣在十字架上的死，虽然足以（sufficient）拯救所有人，但只是对蒙拣选的人有效（efficient）。 」或者说，十字架的死虽然足以使所有人都得着救恩的益处，但神却定意只给祂所拣选的人。
摘录自加尔文（John Calvin）著，《加拉太书注释》，五12
加拉太书五12:「恨不得[他们]⋯⋯把自己割绝了。 」
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这位使徒应该是愿意所有人都得救，没有一个人灭亡的⋯⋯因为神的旨意是要我们寻求所有人——毫无例外地——得救，因为基督是为全世界的罪而受苦的。
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12. Would that they were even cut off. His indignation proceeds still farther, and he prays for destruction on those impostors by whom the Galatians had been deceived. The word, “cut off,” appears to be employed in allusion to the circumcision which they pressed. “They tear the church for the sake of circumcision: I wish they were entirely cut off.” Chrysostom favours this opinion. But how can such an imprecation be reconciled with the mildness of an apostle,
who ought to wish that all should be saved, and that not a single person should perish
? So far as men are concerned, I admit the force of this argument;
for it is the will of God that we should seek the salvation of all men without exception, as Christ suffered for the sins of the who le world.
But devout minds are sometimes carried beyond the consideration of men, and led to fix their eye on the glory of God, and the kingdo m of Christ. The glory of God, which is in itself more excellent than the salvation of men, ought to receive from us a higher degree of esteem an d regard. Believers earnestly desirous that the glory of God should be promoted, forget men, and forget the world, and would rather choose th at the whole world should perish, than that the smallest portion of the glory of God should be withdrawn.
——John Calvin,
Commentary onTHE EPISTLES OF PAUL to the GALATIANS AND EPHESIANS
, trans. by William Pringle (Baker Books, 2009), pp. 156-57
另一个译本：
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这位使徒应该是愿意所有人都得救，没有一个人灭亡的⋯⋯因为神所托付我们的，是所有人——毫无例外——的救恩，正如基督是为全世界的罪而受苦的。
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...
for God commends to us the salvation of all men without exception, even as Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world....
——John Calvin,
Calvin's New Testament Commentary: GALATIANS, EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS AND COLOSSIANS
, trans. by T. H. L. Parker ( Eerdmans, 1965), p. 99
待续
待续
另見:
加爾文相信 "有限代贖論" 嗎？
加尔文相信“有限代赎论”吗？（2）
