作者:
Steven Lawson 翻译:
Maria Marta
「恩典教義」（doctrine
of grace）是神學中一個有凝聚力的系統，在恩典的教義裡，上帝的主權在蒙揀選的罪人的救恩中清晰展現地出來。恩典教義不僅從微觀和宏觀這兩個角度承認，上帝掌管所有的人類歷史，而且它亦顯示上帝主權性地施行祂的救贖恩典。從創世記到啟示錄，聖經都在著重描寫，上帝絕對決定性地施予祂的憐憫。聖經亦顯示，在創立世界以前，上帝揀選那些祂將要拯救的人，並按時成就祂的拯救計劃。
使徒保羅清晰地宣告在人類的救恩中的上帝的主權恩典。保羅寫道，上帝從永恒揀選、定旨、決定、計劃拯救一些罪人。揀選就是選擇，上帝選擇那些將拯救的人。他寫道：「因為他對摩西說：『我要憐憫誰，就憐憫誰；我要恩待誰，就恩待誰。』這樣看來，既不是出於人意，也不是由於人為（『人為』原文作『奔走』或『奔跑』），只在於那憐憫人的 神」（羅九15–16）。也就是說，為了章顯祂的榮耀，上帝決定那些祂將會拯救的人：「就如創立世界以前，他在基督裡揀選了我們，使我們因著愛，在他面前成為聖潔，沒有瑕疵。 他又按著自己旨意所喜悅的，預定我們藉著耶穌基督得兒子的名分」（弗一4–5）；「神所愛的弟兄們，我們知道你們是蒙揀選的」（帖前一4）；「上帝從起初就揀選了你們，藉著聖靈成聖的工作，和你們對真道的信心，使你們可以得救」（帖前二13）；「神救了我們，以聖召呼召我們，不是按照我們的行為，卻是按照他自己的計劃和恩典；這恩典是在萬世以前，在基督耶穌裡賜給了我們的」（提後一9）；和「神的僕人、耶穌基督的使徒保羅（這是為著 神選民的信心，和那合乎敬虔真理的知識；」（多一1）。
使徒彼得和使徒約翰明確地教導，上帝在其選民的救恩中擁有同樣的至高主權。彼得寫道：「耶穌基督的使徒彼得，寫信給那分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞西亞、庇推尼寄居的人」（彼前一1）；「所以弟兄們，要更加努力，使你們所蒙的呼召和揀選堅定不移」（彼後一10）。使徒約翰也寫道：「你看見的那獸，先前在、現今不在、將來要從無底坑上來，然後走向滅亡。住在世上的人，凡是名字在創世以來沒有記在生命冊上的，看見了那先前在、現今不在、將來還要出現的獸，就都要驚奇。」（啟十七8）。
在這一神學系統中，上帝的榮耀是中心。象每一顆行星圍繞著熾熱的太陽旋轉那樣，每一項主權恩典的真理都圍繞著這個定點-------上帝的榮耀。無與倫比、擁有支配地位的上帝位於這個神學宇宙的中心點。上帝在顯示其恩典時，要成為讚美的主要對象，是真理這一太陽系的能量。就象指南針總是指向北方那樣，恩典的教義總是向上指向上帝榮耀的崇高之處。
什麽是上帝的榮耀？聖經以兩個主要方式講述上帝的榮耀。首先，上帝本身的固有榮耀是上帝所有的美善與屬性的總和。這就是上帝-------祂無限偉大。榮耀（kabod, 希伯來文）在舊約聖經裡的原意是「重量」、「重要」、「重要意義」，它表示某物體令人震驚的威嚴壯麗，如熾熱的太陽，或一個國王所顯示的皇家威嚴。因此，榮耀是用來描繪上帝親自向人啟示的威嚴榮美與令人敬畏的榮光。
在新約聖經裡，表示「榮耀」的詞是Doxa（希臘語）, 其意思是對某事物的「意見」或「估量」。在用於某人的聲譽時，其意思是「重要」、「偉大」、「名譽」、或「重要」等。上帝的固有榮耀是對受造物所啟示的，祂的偉大的神聖屬性。它包括上帝的偉大,
和向罪人, 特別是把人從罪中拯救出來時所彰顯的威嚴。沒有人能在上帝的固有榮耀上增添什麽。上帝是這樣一位神：從不減少、從不增加、始終如一、主權掌管、無所不知、無所不能、無所不在、全然真實、無限智慧、滿有慈愛、滿有恩典、滿有憐憫、公義與憤怒。上帝喜悅讓祂的受造物知道祂的固有榮耀。
其次，聖經也說到將榮耀歸給上帝，或給予上帝應得的榮耀。榮耀（Doxa）亦與讚美上帝的表達有關,
發出頌讚是以上帝至高威嚴的啟示為基楚的。對上帝所彰顯的完美的唯一正確回應是,
必須歸榮耀歸給上帝。人必須把上帝的名應得的榮耀歸給祂。人必須把完全屬於上帝的敬拜歸給祂。上帝彰顯自身的固有榮耀,
為的是讓人將榮耀歸回給祂。人在救恩中越多看到上帝的固有榮耀,
人就越歸榮耀給上帝。
這就是上帝在宇宙中的救贖計劃的重頭戲: 啟示和彰顯自己的榮耀。這就是上帝存在的中心:
為了自己的榮耀，熱切追求彰顯自己的榮耀。這亦應是每個人生活的中心:
宣揚上帝的榮耀,
也就是說要注視和愛慕上帝的榮耀。這是救贖每個失落的罪人的首要任務:
啟示上帝的榮耀，以致罪人在上帝的榮耀中滿有喜樂。保羅這樣寫是不足為奇的：「因為萬有都是本於他，倚靠他，歸於他。願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。阿們」（羅十一36）。
本譯文所引用的經文均出自聖經新譯本。
本文摘錄自《Foundations
of Grace》, Steven Lawson著。
The Centerpiece of God’s Saving Purpose in the Universe
FROM Steven Lawson
The doctrines of grace are a
cohesive system of theology in which the sovereignty of God is clearly
displayed in the salvation of elect sinners. Not only is God acknowledged to
reign over all of human history, both micro and macro, but He is also seen to
be sovereign in the dispensing of His saving grace. From Genesis to Revelation,
God is emphatically represented in Scripture as being absolutely determinative
in bestowing His mercy. He is shown as choosing before the foundation of the
world those whom He will save and then, within time, bringing it to pass.
The Apostle Paul clearly announced
God’s sovereign grace in man’s salvation. He wrote that, from eternity, God
chose, willed, decided, and planned to save some sinners. To elect is to
choose, and God chose who would be saved. Paul wrote: “For he says to Moses, ‘I
will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have
compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who
has mercy” (Rom. 9:15–16). “This is to say, God decides whom He will save in
order to display His glory: “He chose us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined
us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will”
(Eph. 1:4–5); “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you” (1
Thess. 1:4); “God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through
sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13); God
“saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because
of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages
began” (2 Tim. 1:9); and “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
for the sake of the faith of God’s elect” (Titus 1:1).
The Apostle Peter and John taught
precisely the same supreme authority of God in the salvation of His elect.
Peter wrote: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles
of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter
1:1); and “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling
and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). The Apostle John wrote: “The beast that you
saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to
destruction. And the dwellers on the earth whose names have not been written in
the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast,
because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev. 17:8).
In this system of theology, the
glory of God is central. As every planet revolves around the blazing sun, every
truth of sovereign grace rotates around this one fixed point—the glory of God.
The unrivaled pre-eminence of God stands at the focal point of this theological
universe. That God is to be the chief object of praise in the display of His
grace is what energizes this solar system of truth. As the compass always
points north, so the doctrines of grace constantly point upward toward the lofty
heights of the glory of God.
What is God’s glory? The Bible
speaks of God’s glory in two primary ways. First, there is the intrinsic glory
of God, which is the sum total of all His divine perfections and attributes. It
is who God is—His infinitely vast greatness. Glory in the Old Testament kabod
originally meant “heaviness,” “importance,” or “significance.” It came to
represent the stunning magnificence of certain objects, such as the blazing sun
or the regal majesty displayed by a king. Hence, glory came to be used to
describe the magnificent splendor and awesome radiance of God Himself revealed
to man. In the New Testament, the word for “glory” is doxa, which means “an
opinion” or “an estimate” of something. When used of someone’s reputation, it
means “importance,” “greatness,” “renown,” or “significance.” God’s intrinsic
glory is the revelation of the greatness of His divine attributes to His
creatures. It involves God’s greatness and grandeur being manifested to
sinners, especially in the salvation of man from sin. No one can add anything
to God’s intrinsic glory. God is who He is, never diminishing, never
increasing, forever the same, the sovereign Ruler, all-knowing, all-powerful,
all-present, all-true, allwise, loving, grace-giving, merciful, righteous, and
wrathful. It is this intrinsic glory that God delights in making known to His
creatures.
Second, the Bible also speaks of
the ascribed glory of God, or the glory that is given to Him. Doxa also has to
do with expressing praise to God based upon the revelation of His supreme majesty.
The only rightful response to the display of God’s perfections must be to give
Him glory. Man must bring the praise due His name. Man must give the worship
that belongs exclusively to Him. The display of God’s intrinsic glory causes
man to give ascribed glory to God. The more man beholds God’s intrinsic glory
in salvation, the more man ascribes glory to God.
This, then, is the centerpiece of
God’s saving purpose in the universe—the revelation and magnification of His
own glory. This is what is at the very center of God’s being—the passionate
pursuit of displaying His own glory for His own glory. This is what should be
at the center of every human life—the promotion of the glory of God, that is,
beholding and adoring His glory. This is what is primary in the salvation of
every lost sinner—the revealing of the glory of God so that sinners might
rejoice in the glory of God. No wonder Paul writes: “For from him and through
him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).
This excerpt is taken from
Foundations of Grace by Steven Lawson