作者: Reformed Reader 翻译: 骆鸿铭
我们如何才能得到神的国度？上帝如何推进祂的国度？17世纪的清教徒 Thomas Watson (1620 – 1686) 的看法是：要仔细聆听所宣讲的道。神藉著祂僕人所宣讲的道是上帝力量的杖；这是祂所使用的引擎，在人心中建立恩典的国度。How does a person
obtain God’s gracious kingdom?
How is it advanced? By getting rid of graffiti or signing a petition so a
casino does not come into the city? Thomas Watson suggests otherwise:
“信道是从听道来的...”（罗10：17）
虽然神可以透过圣灵或天使的事工直接赐予人恩典，但是祂选择透过所宣讲的道来达成这个目的。这是祂在人心中设立恩典国度的一般管道（usual mean）。神為什麼要这样做呢？因為祂已经把神圣的奖惩（divine sanction）加诸在宣讲的道上；祂指定它作為恩典施行的管道，而祂会尊荣祂自己的典章（林前1：21 世人凭自己的智慧，既不认识神，神就乐意用人所当作愚拙的道理，拯救那些信的人；这就是神的智慧了。）“Keep close to the
word preached. The word preached, is virga virtutis, the rod of God’s strength;
it is the great engine he uses for setting up the kingdom of grace in the
heart. ‘Faith cometh by hearing’ (Rom 10.17). Though God could work grace
immediately by his Spirit, or by the ministry of angels from heaven, yet he
chooses to work by the word preached. This is the usual mean, by which he sets
up the kingdom of grace in the heart; and the reason is, because he has put his
divine sanction upon it; he has appointed it for the means of working grace,
and he will honor his own ordinance (1 Cor. 1.21)…. Let us keep the word
preached, because the power of God goes along with it.”
让我们忠心宣讲神的道（特别是站讲台的牧师们！），因為神的能力乃是伴随著所宣讲的道。
Watson
也用两种语词来描述神的国度。恩典的国度（kingdom of grace）是上帝在地上的国度，这个国度的高峰是荣耀的国度（kingdom of glory），也就是圣徒可以享受的，永远与上帝和天使一同统治的荣耀状态。“这两个国度，恩典的国度与荣耀的国度，没有具体的差异，只有时间上的差别；它们在本质上没有不同，只有程度上的不同。恩典国度是荣耀国度的种子，而荣耀国度是恩典国度的花朵。恩典国度是还在争战中的荣耀国度，而荣耀国度是得胜的恩典国度…..恩典国度会带来荣耀国度。” Watson also describes the
kingdom of God in a twofold way. The kingdom of grace is God’s kingdom on
earth, which culminates in the kingdom of glory, which is “that glorious estate
which the saints shall enjoy when they shall reign with God and angels for
ever” (heaven itself). “These two kingdoms of grace and glory, differ not
specifically, but gradually; they differ not in nature, but in degree only. The
kingdom of grace is glory in the seed, and the kingdom of glory is grace in the
flower. The kingdom of grace is glory militant, and the kingdom of glory is
grace triumphant…. The kingdom of grace leads to the kingdom of glory.”
华森的书，《主祷文》（Carlisl：Banner of Truth，1982），54-150页裡，讨论了「愿你的国降临」。这整个段落非常详细，而且非常有帮助。如果你想知道改革宗/长老会对上帝国度的看法，读读华森所写的这个段落。The whole section
on “Your Kingdom Come” in Watson’s book, The Lord’s Prayer (Carlisle: Banner of Truth, 1982), 54-150, is
amazingly helpful and detailed. If you want a good summary of the Kingdom of
God from a Reformed/Presbyterian perspective, read this section of Watson.
註：恩典国度和荣耀国度是16-17世纪古典改革宗常常用到的语词，来描述上帝对祂国度的两种治理方式。例如，布雷克，威莱姆斯（Wilhelmus à Brakel Th. F.）：《基督徒理所当然的事奉》在讨论主祷文时，也用了同样的语词。Note: “The kingdom of grace” and “the kingdom of
glory” are pretty common
terms in older Reformed theology. For
example, Wilhelmus ‘A Brakel (around
the same time as Watson) uses the same terms in The Christian’s Reasonable Service
(under the Lord’s Prayer).