成長沒有捷徑NoShortcuts to Growth

 作者: R.C. Sproul 譯者: Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/no-shortcuts-growth/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/cnMYCkaye4r

每當看到汽車的保險桿貼紙上寫著「想象世界和平的景象」，我仍會感到詫異，這句標語的理念是：如果我與足夠多的人創造出一幅和平的心理圖畫，那麽和平将很快實現。令人訝異的是，有些人真的認為，愚蠢的技巧能實現這樣一個理想目標。

有一張寫著「和平共處」的保險杠貼紙非常流行。也許你曾經見過，它由不同宗教的標志組拼而成-------包括伊斯蘭教的新月形標志C，基督教的十字架標志T等等。這貼紙標語的理念似乎是，如果我們這些有宗教信仰的人停止關注我們的分歧，那麽我們就能實現世界和諧的願景。假若我們明白我們的信仰終歸一樣，那麽所有涉及戰爭與沖突的問題都會迎刃而解。

有趣的是，我們會拒絕這些出現在保險杠貼紙上的想法，但當它們出現在其他地方，我們會樂於接受。有多少商貿研討會作出這樣承諾：如果我們只專注於積極的目標或目標的景象，我們就會獲得更高的利潤？大多數我們所談論的保險杠貼紙神學，找到它的最初起源，那就是東方神秘主義，它已被「更可接受的宗教實踐」粉飾一新。定期冥想，當你想象萬物合一的情景時，重複一個咒語，那麽，人類就會邁向統一。也有一個推銷給我們的說法，說它是基督徒勝利生活的關鍵，即是說出你的願望，以耶穌的名宣稱這願望是你的，想象它會出現，那麽它就會屬於你。只要你念出你的願望，聲稱它們是你的，或實踐積極思想的能力，那麽你的療愈、財富、成功的人脈關系、幸福的家庭，得到改善的婚姻等等全都會到來。

我們尋找正確技巧與秘訣，使我們的願望變成現實。我們蔑視世界的心靈魔法，不料竟會給這些魔法施洗，親自實踐這些魔法。我們閱讀聖經，希望找到屬靈成長的捷徑，但卻忽略了正確，不是捷徑的答案------捷徑的答案不在聖經裡; 答案是聖經本身。

我們尋找屬靈捷徑的其中一個原因與現今時代有關，关于捷徑和立桿見影的效果的例子多不勝數。我們可以用藥物迅速緩解疼痛，用智能手機找到去餐廳的路線，在線獲取我們的問題的答案。本質上，這些都不是壞東西，但它們往往會引起我們對虛假期望的憧憬。如果科技能減輕我們的疾病，使我們的工作變得更方便高效，那麽科技肯定能讓我們的靈魂安息，對不對？

我們假設答案是肯定的，並且有太多的「專家」從中鼓動。只需看看當地書店的自助區，甚至你當地的基督教書店。一本又一本書作出這樣的承諾：掌握我們幸福的十二個或更少的關鍵步驟。事實上，沒有一個承諾能脫現，但卻阻止不了人們購買那些書，或新作家以更華麗的裝飾重新包裝那陳舊無效的答案。

但歸根結底，我們不能把尋找捷徑的責任歸於現代科技。自從人墮落以來，我們與生俱來的自主欲望，成為我們命運的主人，驅使我們尋找能讓我們變得更好的靈魂建造的技巧。我們認為，我們的信心不是目的本身，而是取得更大成就的手段。佈道家慣常地懇求人們來到基督的面前，說基督會讓他們更加快樂，更加自信，更加屬靈。耶穌變成一種手段，在改善我們的婚姻、財政的同時，更能把我們從各式各樣的強迫、消極的性格特征中釋放出來。

基督能做所有這些事嗎？當然可以。但耶穌不是其他目的的手段------祂是目的，我們生命的目標。祂到來，不是進入我們的生活，賜給我們特別的技巧，讓我們的生活更美好；為了祂的榮耀，耶穌藉著我們，在我們身上工作，改變我們。祂沒有神秘的祕訣，提供給信徒，讓他們登上更高的靈性層面。只要我們掌握真理，就不存在只有少數人能找得到的隱藏的真理，就不存在能保證在基督裡快速成熟的方法。

我們唯獨依靠恩典得救，唯獨藉著信心稱義，得救後，我們不只是等待死亡。基督教也是關於屬靈成長的宗教，屬靈成長涉及努力，包括成聖方面的竭力邁進。顯然我們不能作成我們的「重生」或「稱義」。這兩種作為都是單方面的（monergistic），由上帝單獨完成。只有聖靈能改變我們的心。唯有基督的義-------上帝的兒子對父上帝完全順服所確保的義，才能保證我們在上帝面前站立得穩。然而，成聖包含我們的努力。我們說成聖是合作的（synergistic），因為上帝和我們都在工作。但是我們不是平等的合作夥伴。上帝為了成全自己的美意，在我們裡面動工，使我們可以立志和行事（腓二12–13）。但當上帝在我們身上動工時，我們也在努力，我們在禱告中追求祂，依靠恩典的管道-------聖道的傳講和聖禮-------尋求與那些我們所得罪的人和好。成聖沒有捷徑的。這是一個過程，這個過程常常似乎過於單調乏味，其進展要數年才能辨別。

上帝的工作對耶穌來說是容易的。耶穌不尋找捷徑，因為祂從不厭倦疲惫。然而，我們卻感到疲倦沮喪。我們受試探尋找簡單的路徑、快速的答案、不費吹灰力的前進方式。但沒有一個能讓我們成長。成聖需要殷勤地使用上帝賜給我們的管道。屬靈成長可能是緩慢的，有時幾乎難以覺察，但卻是肯定的。

沒有魔鬼的技倆能夠阻止基督使我們效法祂的形像。基督祂呼召我們，使我們全然成聖。

對主的事慢不經心，我們自然得不到培育。想像或尋求秘密的公式對我們沒有幫助。我們應當恐懼戰兢地作成自己的救恩，因為我們知道基督，藉著聖靈，在我們身上工作。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2016年十二月號 。

No Shortcuts to Growth

by R.C. Sproul

I’m still amazed whenever I see the bumper sticker that reads, “Visualize world peace.” The idea is that if I, and enough other people, create the right mental picture of peace, it will soon come to pass. It’s astounding that some people actually believe that silly technique will bring about such a desirable goal.

Then, there’s the popular “Coexist” bumper sticker. You may have seen it, the one spelled out with the symbols of different religions—the Islamic crescent forming the C, the Christian cross forming the T, and so on. The idea seems to be that if we religious people would just stop focusing on our differences, we could achieve world harmony. If we understood that our beliefs are all ultimately the same, all of the problems of war and strife would go away.

The funny thing is, we’ll reject such sentiments when they appear on a bumper sticker, but we’ll accept them elsewhere. How many business seminars promise increased profit if we only focus on the positive or visualize a goal? Eastern mysticism, where much of the bumper-sticker theology we’re talking about finds its ultimate origin, dresses it up with more acceptable religious practices. Meditate regularly, repeating a mantra as you visualize the oneness of all things, and the human race will move toward unity. But there’s also a version sold to us as the Christian key for victorious living. Speak your desire, claim it’s yours in Jesus’ name, visualize it will happen, and then it will be yours. Your healing, wealth, relationship success, happy family, improved marriage will come as soon as you name it and claim it or practice the power of positive thinking.

We’re looking for the right technique, the secret that will turn our wishes into reality. We laugh at the world’s spiritual magic, only to baptize it and practice it ourselves. We’ll read Scripture hoping to find the shortcut to spiritual growth while missing the true but non-shortcut answer—the key is not in the Bible; it is the Bible.

One reason we look for spiritual shortcuts is related to our modern age where shortcuts and rapid results abound. We can quickly relieve pain with medicine, find our way to restaurants with our smartphones, and get immediate answers to our questions online. These aren’t inherently bad things, but they tend to foster false expectations. If technology can relieve our illnesses and make our jobs easier, it surely can give rest to our souls, right?

We assume the answer is yes, and there are all too many “experts” out there who’ll encourage that assumption. Just look at the self-help section at your local bookstore, even at your local Christian bookstore. Book after book promises to hold the key to our happiness in twelve steps or less. The fact that none of the promises pan out doesn’t deter people from buying those books or new authors from repackaging old, ineffective answers in fancier dress.

But we can’t ultimately blame our search for shortcuts on modern technology. Our innate desire since the fall for autonomy, to be masters of our own fates, drives us to search out soul-building techniques that will improve us. We see our faith not as an end in itself but as a means to greater fulfillment. Evangelists routinely implore people to come to Christ, saying that He will make them happier, more confident in themselves, and more spiritual. Jesus becomes a means to improve our marriages and finances while releasing us from all manner of compulsions and negative character traits.

Can Christ do all those things? Of course He can. But Jesus is not a means to other ends—He is the end, the goal of our lives. He doesn’t come into our lives to give us special techniques to make our lives better; He works in and through us, changing us for the sake of His glory. He provides believers no mystic secrets to take them to a higher plane of spirituality. There’s no hidden truth available to only a few, no method that guarantees quick maturity in Him as long as we master it.

We’re saved by grace alone and justified by faith alone, but having been saved, we don’t just wait around to die. Christianity is about spiritual growth as well, and spiritual growth involves effort—the hard work of sanctification. We manifestly don’t work for our regeneration or our justification. Both acts are monergistic, accomplished by God alone. Only the Holy Spirit can change our hearts. Only the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness of the Son of God secured by His perfect obedience to the Father, can secure our right standing before God. Sanctification, however, includes our efforts. We say it is synergistic because both God and we are doing something. Yet, we aren’t equal partners. God wills and works in us according to His good pleasure so that we progress in holiness (Phil. 2:12–13). But as God works in us, we work as well, pursuing Him in prayer, relying on the means of grace—the preached Word and the sacraments—seeking to be reconciled to those we have offended. There’s no shortcut for sanctification. It’s a process, and one that all too often seems overly plodding, with progress taking years to discern.

God’s work is easy for Him. He doesn’t look for shortcuts because He never grows weary. We get tired and frustrated, however. We’re tempted to look for the simple path, the quick answer, the effortless way forward. But there is none. Sanctification requires diligently attending to the means God has given us. The growth may be slow, almost imperceptible at times, but it is sure.

No technique of the devil’s can stop the process of Christ making us into His image. Those whom He calls He sanctifies.

Casually attending to the things of the Lord will not result in our nurture. Visualizing or seeking a secret formula won’t help. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that Christ, by His Spirit, is working in us.