作者: Edmund Clowney 譯者: Maria Marta
小碧玉印章上雕刻著一只怒吼橫臥的獅子，上面還有一行古希伯來字的銘刻：「屬耶羅波安的仆人示馬」。這枚精致的碧玉印章在米吉多這個聖經事蹟的地方出土，它曾經是公元前785–743年以色列國王耶羅波安二世的一個王室侍從的所有物（王下十四23–29）。示瑪可能為他的獅子印章感到自豪，但對他來說這枚印章不是一塊裝飾玉石。相反，它是他的一件日常用品。在黏土或蠟上壓印，其戳印標志著他的所有權與權力。他會在新泥土封蓋的酒甕上蓋上他的印章; 他也會在購買契約或結婚契約上蓋章。他的印章充當他的簽名。
舊約聖經經常提及印記與封印：王後耶洗別以亞哈的名義寫了一些信給那些住在拿伯城裡的長老和貴胄（王上廿一8）；王後以斯帖為猶大人寫諭旨，她被允許用王的印戒蓋上-------「因為奉王的名所寫，用王的戒指蓋上印的諭旨，是沒有人可以廢除的。」(斯八8新譯本)
使徒保羅捕捉到了這一形像，用以描述上帝的印記：「信了基督，就在他裡面受了所應許的聖靈作為印記。這聖靈是我們得基業的憑據，直到 神的產業得贖，使他的榮耀得著頌讚。」（弗一13b–14新譯本）。
上帝的印記不像美國的官方大印章，一枚必需壓印在紙上的徽章。上帝的印記是祂的聖靈，印證上帝親臨與祂的子民同在。毫無疑問，上帝也賜給我們祂所有權的外在可見的記號和印記。在洗禮中上帝讓我們歸入祂的聖名，藉此來標記我們；在主的晚餐中我們有祂屬靈的實在臨在（於信徒的信心中）的印記。這些印記甚至具有超越外在可見記號的能力：上帝臨在的現實供應我們豐富的恩惠。然而上帝賜給我們的印記甚至超越所有這些的恩惠。這個最終的印記是祂自己這恩賜。
上帝親自在我們身上烙上印記，上帝有特權擁有我們，祂又賜我們特權擁有祂。聖靈在五旬節降臨，內住在上帝的新人身上；同時，祂賜下自己，祂自己要作我們的財產，要做我們的基業。
一、聖靈是上帝的印記
我們屬於上帝，因為祂創造我們：「我們是他造的，也是屬他的」（詩一零零3）。凱撒有特權，拥有印有其頭象的硬幣；我們烙有上帝形象的印記，我們屬於上帝所有。但還有更多，其它更多要說的。作為悖逆者，我們利用上帝在我們身上烙上的形象的榮耀。由於亞當的罪，上帝形象的承載者變成上帝的敵人。人擁有了上帝之後又失去上帝？ 不，上帝藉著耶穌基督為自己買贖屬自己的人：「我們在他愛子裡，藉著他的血蒙了救贖，過犯得到赦免。」（弗一7新譯本）
這就是保羅在以弗所書讚美的難以置信的奧秘。上帝不僅平定我們的叛逆，而且再次擁有我們，就好像我們是祂的；祂甚至吸引我們來親近祂，比祂創造我們的時候更親近祂。我們比亞當更親近祂，因為我們與耶穌基督，祂的兒子聯合。我們曾在罪中遠離上帝，現在被帶到上帝的面前，比寶座旁的基路伯更親近上帝，就像上帝的兒子，我們的救主那樣的親近。上帝在創立世界的時候就這樣計劃好了。祂在創世之先，就在基督裡揀選了我們（弗一4）。上帝的子民是祂的產業（出十九5）。上帝賜給以色列一份產業，但祂亦把以色列歸作自己的產業：「耶和華的份本是他的百姓」（申卅二9；四20）。上帝如何在基督裡將我們歸作祂的產業？藉著內住在我們心裡的基督的靈。我們不敢低估聖靈降臨的意義，雖然耶穌復活後教會失去了耶穌。但耶穌說，祂不會撇下我們為孤兒，祂要回到我你們這裡來（約十四18）。復活之後祂向門徒吹一口氣，讓他們領受聖靈；祂的聖靈在五旬節從寶座上降臨。
是的，耶穌將會再來，每一個人都將看見祂，但現在我們還沒有失去我們的主。祂告訴我們，祂去是對我們是有益的，如果祂不去，聖靈就不會到這裡來（約十六7），不是因為聖靈是比祂更好，而是因為藉著聖靈，聖子與聖父上帝也住在我們心裡。在以弗所書，保羅談到聖靈充滿，基督充滿，上帝充滿（弗五18；一23；四13；三19）。這些充滿都是沒有區別的充滿行動。聖靈充滿就是被基督充滿，就是被那充滿萬有的上帝所完全充滿。
當我們思想印記，腦海裡可能會浮現泰諾（Tylenol）瓶封印的圖畫，在泰諾和同類產品的內含物遭到非法竄改而造成致命性的後果之後，精心制作的封印設計隨之出爐。上帝印記的功能也是保護，防止假冒和仿制。聖靈是我們的盾牌和保護。上帝認識並保守那些屬於祂的人（提後二19；約十27–28）。上帝的子民是活神的印（啟七2，4；九4）。聖靈作為我們的印記，親自保守我們，而不是一種機械式的過程。祂使我們這些這因信而蒙祂保守的人得著基業（彼前一5–7）。我們可能會讓上帝的聖靈憂傷，但祂仍保守我們等候得贖的日子，聖靈亦可能懲罰我們；聖靈當然也會通過各種試煉來試驗我們的信心，但其目地總是為了最後能把我們引見給上帝。
二、聖靈是我們的印記
藉著在聖靈裡的同在，上帝不僅有特權擁有我們，而且也賜給我們擁有祂的特權。聖靈印證上帝的應許，聖靈是上帝（賣贖我們）的憑據。事實上，賜下聖靈是上帝對祂的應許的信守，上帝的買契印證得贖的日子，不僅藉著外在可見的記號（如割禮這記號是亞伯拉罕因信稱義的印證[羅4:11]），而且更如耶穌所說的藉著「父的應許」的信守（徒二22，33）。聖靈降臨的應許是亞伯拉罕所蒙的福（加三14）。因此，保羅說聖靈是上帝為完全和最終的救贖付下的「頭期款」（憑據）。
如果你的信用良好，汽車銷售員會很樂意安排一筆貸款，資助你購買。但你肯定他亦會要求你先付一筆頭期款。頭期款是總價當中的金額，是要提前支付的一部分金額。這是保羅描繪的圖畫。天堂本身供應的福分沒有大得過個人與上帝的團契交通。藉著上帝，聖靈的同在，這正是現在帶給教會，帶給你的福分。在我們與耶穌基督的聯合裡，我們「在他裡面也一同被建造，成為 神藉著聖靈居住的所在。」（弗二22） 舊約的會幕充滿上帝榮耀的雲彩，起初新約的會幕是被聖靈充滿的耶穌基督的物質身體，現在被聖靈充滿的耶穌基督的教會也是祂的身體。上帝的頭期款是這世上的上帝的榮耀。
因為在上帝兒子的靈裡，上帝賜給我們祂同在的印記，所以我們呼叫「阿爸、父！」（加四6）。因為我們領受耶穌基督兒子的名分，所以我們使用我們的救主所使用的詞語。我們在死中被賜予屬靈的生命；在錯誤中被賜予真理的靈；在腐敗中被賜予榮耀的靈。
當上帝賜給我們祂自己作訂金時，祂賜給我們祂的愛的確據。「盼望是不會令人蒙羞的，因為 神藉著所賜給我們的聖靈，把他的愛澆灌在我們的心裡。」（羅五5新譯本） 當我們還是上帝的敵人時，基督為我們死，上帝對我們的愛就在此顯明了。那麼，誰又能把我們與耶穌基督的愛分開？愛的印記在祂的恩典之心与大能的臂上，因此愛比死亡更堅強（雅八6）。
本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌May 1st, 1992
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克羅尼 Edmund Clowney 1917-2005
克羅尼於1966年至1984年擔任費城西敏神學院院長。在他的帶領下，全力發揚聖經神學、預設派護教學、聖經輔導等改革宗的特色。當時的西敏神學院教師群中，與克羅尼最熟的一位年輕教師，就是日後牧養紐約最大教會的牧師提摩太•凱勒(Timothy Keller)。常常與克羅尼一起禱告的凱勒說，克羅尼是他的靈性導師，教導他如何牧會、如何講道。
克羅尼是一位極富同情心的輔導，總是希望能幫助人把福音信息應用在生命中。他是耶穌基督熱心的僕人，熱愛祂的聖道與教會。他特別重視和睦與合一的工作，是一位有遠見、有異象的領袖。他熱心投入許多的福音事工，包括法國改革宗神學院、加州西敏神學院、三一教會（Trinity Church,
Charlotteville），洛桑福音大會、美國與英國校園福音團契（InterVarsity），費城的都市宣教研究中心（Center for Urban Theological
Studies）。他也喜愛研發兒童主日學與讀經夏令會的教材。
他最大的貢獻之一，就是以身作則地推廣救贖歷史（以基督為中心）的講道法。他對聖經熟悉到一個地步，可以把整本聖經串連起來，透過當日的證道經文，使聽眾看見基督一切的榮美，因而被吸引到救贖主的面前，愛祂、敬拜祂。克羅尼認為，能在神的百姓面前傳講神的話語，是極大的榮幸。一段經文，不論講過幾次，他總是苦心、徹底地再次研讀該段經文，好使他在講台上能清楚、正確地呈現出基督和祂的道。他也是一位孜孜不倦的重要作家，他的小書《天命與你》，感動了許多年輕人獻身作傳道人。他過世的前幾天，在神的保守下，寫完了《耶穌如何更新了十誡》（How Jesus
Transforms the Ten Commandents）這本重要作品。
相關著作：
揭開奧秘──發現舊約中的基督
講道與聖經神學
天命與你
The
Holy Spirit as Seal and Pledge
by
Edmund Clowney
The
figure of a roaring lion stretches across the little jasper seal. In ancient
Hebrew letters it bears the inscription, “Belonging to Shema, servant of
Jeroboam.” Recovered from the biblical site of Megiddo, the stamp seal was once
the property of an official of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, 785–743 B.C. (2
Kings 14:23– 29). Shema may have been proud of his lion-seal, but for him it
was not a decorative gemstone. Rather, he put it to daily use. Pressed on clay
or wax it marked his ownership and authority. Wine jars, stoppered with fresh
clay, would bear the stamp of his seal. He could seal a deed of purchase or a
marriage contract; his stamp could serve as his signature.
Seals
and sealing are often spoken of in the Old Testament: Queen Jezebel used Ahab’s
seal to order a conspiracy against the life of Naboth (1 Kings 21:8); Queen
Esther delivered the Jews when she was permitted to prepare a royal decree and
seal it with the king’s ring—“for no document written in the king’s name and
sealed with his ring can be revoked” (Esther 8:8).
The
apostle Paul grasped this image to describe the sealing of the Lord: “Having
believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is
a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God’s possession—to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13b–14).
God’s
seal is not, like the great seal of the United States, an emblem to be
impressed on paper. God’s seal is His Holy Spirit, who is God Himself present
with His people. To be sure, God has given us also outward signs and seals of
His ownership. In baptism God seals us by giving us His name; in the Lord’s
Supper we have the spiritual seal of His presence in the sacrament. Even these
seals have a power beyond the outward sign: the reality of God’s presence
provides the blessing. But God gives a seal that is even more than these gifts
of blessing. His final seal is the gift of Himself.
By
sealing us in person, God both claims us and gives us claim on Him. The Holy
Spirit came on Pentecost to possess the new people of God; at the same time, He
gave Himself to be their possession, their inheritance.
I.
The Spirit Is God’s Seal
We
belong to God because He created us: “It is He who made us, and we are His”
(Psalm 100:3). The coin stamped with Caesar’s image could be claimed by Caesar;
stamped with God’s image, we belong to Him. But there is more, much more. As
rebels we exploited the very glory of the image God stamped on us. Through
Adam’s sin, God’s image-bearers became His enemies. Had God, then, lost His
possession? No, for God has bought back His people for Himself through Christ:
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins”
(Ephesians 1:7).
Here
is the incredible mystery that Paul celebrates in Ephesians. God not only
defeats our rebellion to claim us again as His; He draws us even closer to
Himself than His creation could make us. We are brought closer than Adam, for
we are united to Jesus Christ, God’s own Son. We who were far off in sin are
brought near, nearer than the cherubim beside the throne, as near as God’s Son,
our Savior.
God
had planned it that way from the beginning. He chose us in Christ before the
creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). God’s people are God’s treasure (Exodus
19:5). God gave Israel an inheritance, but He took Israel as His inheritance:
“The Lord’s portion is His people” (Deuteronomy 4:20; 32:9). How does the Lord
mark us as His possession in Christ? By the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. We
dare not underrate the meaning of the coming of the Spirit, as though after the
Ascension the church had lost Jesus. Jesus said that He would not leave us
orphans, but would come to us (John 14:18). He breathed His Spirit on the
disciples after the Resurrection; He came in His Spirit from the throne of
glory at Pentecost. Yes, Jesus will come again, when every eye will see Him,
but we are not now bereft of our Lord. He told us that it was better that He
should go away so that the Spirit might come (John 16:7), not because the
Spirit is better than He, but because by the Spirit both the Son and the Father
are also present in our hearts. In Ephesians, Paul speaks of the filling of the
Spirit, the filling of Christ, and the filling of God (Ephesians 5:18; 1:23;
4:13; 3:19). These are not distinct acts of filling. To be full of the Spirit
is to be full of Jesus, to be filled with all the fullness of God.
When
we think of seals, we may picture the seal on a bottle of Tylenol. The
elaborate sealing developed for that and similar products came after the deadly
results of criminal tampering with the contents. God’s sealing also protects
against tampering. The Spirit is our shield and guardian. The Lord knows and
keeps those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19; John 10:27–28). God’s people are
sealed with the living God (Revelation 7:2, 4; 9:4). The Spirit as our seal
keeps us personally, not mechanically. He keeps us for our inheritance by
keeping us believing (1 Peter 1:5–7). We may grieve the Spirit of God by whom
we are kept till the day of redemption, and the Spirit may chastise us; He will
certainly prove our faith through fiery trials, but always with the purpose of
presenting us at last to God.
II.
The Spirit Is Our Seal
By
being present in the Spirit, God not only claims us for Himself, He also gives
us claim on Him. The Spirit certifies His promise, His pledge to us. Indeed,
the Spirit is God’s keeping of His promise. God’s deed of purchase is sealed to
the day of redemption, not merely by an outward sign (as circumcision was a
seal of Abraham’s faith [Romans 4:11]) but by the keeping of the “promise of
the Father” as Jesus said (Acts 2:22, 33). The coming of the Spirit is the
blessing promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:14). Paul therefore speaks of the
Spirit as God’s “down payment” on full and final salvation.
If
your credit is good, a car salesman may be happy to arrange a loan to fund your
purchase. But you may be sure that he will also demand a down payment. The down
payment is in the currency of the final payment; some of that final payout is
made up front. That is the picture Paul gives. Heaven itself offers no blessing
greater than that of personal fellowship with the Lord. That is precisely the
blessing now brought to the church, to you, by the presence of the Lord, the
Spirit. In our union with Christ we are “being built together to become a
dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). The Old Testament
tabernacle was filled with the cloud of God’s glory; the New Testament
tabernacle is first the physical body of Jesus Christ, who was filled with the
Spirit, and now is also the body of Christ, His church, which the Spirit fills
with Jesus. God’s down payment is the glory of the Lord begun here below.
Because
God gives us the seal of His presence in the Spirit of His Son, we cry, “Abba,
Father!” (Galatians 4:6). We use the very word our Savior used, for we have
received the claim of Christ’s Sonship. In death we are given the Spirit of
life; in error, the Spirit of truth; in corruption, the Spirit of glory.
In
giving us the deposit of Himself, God gives us the assurance of His love. “And
hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:5). The love that
God has for us is the love that He showed when we were His enemies and Christ
died for us. Who, then, shall separate us from the love of Christ? The seal of
love is on His heart of grace and His arm of power, love that is stronger than
death (Song of Songs 8:6).
