74. 得榮Glorification
作者:
史鮑爾
(R.C. Sproul) 譯者: 姚錦榮
摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the Christian Faith》p.197 , 更新傳道會出版
我還記得高中籃球錦標賽的那一重要時刻，上場前教練還忙著利用最後一分鐘來指導我們，給我們打氣，激勵我們要努力爭勝，他說：“孩子們，你們一直努力就是為這一時刻。上去吧，要披著光榮回來！”結果我們贏得了那場錦標賽，的確披著光榮回來――但那榮耀卻是短暫的，每個球賽季的每場比賽，我們都需要重爭這份光榮。
但每個聖徒在屬靈旅程中的終點，卻都有一份更大的，更恒久的、更令人欣悅的榮耀等待著他，這就是聖經所謂的得榮；也就是保羅所說救贖的終點；“因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法他兒子的模樣，使他兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。預先所定下的人，又召他們來；所召來的人，又稱他們為義；所稱為義的人，又叫他們得榮耀。”羅8：29～30）
得榮的教義是指著真信徒最後的光景說的。那時所有活著和已去世的信徒，都要在基督再來時，得著身體上完全和最後的救贖。蒙揀選者的救恩將終告完成，正如保羅所形容給哥林多人聽的：“這必朽壞的總要變成不朽壞的；這必死的總要變成不死的。”（林前15：53）死---人類那最後的仇敵---終於被吞滅了，成聖的過程完成了。
因此得榮乃是信徒對將來最大的盼望，神在永世裏要將一切都改正過來，因此得榮也是信徒今生的一種安慰。我們在這個墮落的世界裏，裏外都經驗罪惡，但因知道神現在已經開始在聖徒身上施行聖潔，預備他們將來的榮耀，這就成了我們的安慰。信徒在某方面來說，也已經得著榮耀，因為身上帶有印記，證明他們將永遠是神的兒女。
思考經文
約17：13--23
羅8：29--30
林前15：50--54
林後3：18
總結
1、 得榮是我們救恩的終點。
2、 得榮將完成我們的成聖過程。
3、 將來得榮的應許讓我們現在得著安慰和激勵。
74.
GLORIFICATION
I
remember a crucial moment before a championship basketball game in high school
when I huddled with my teammates for last minute instructions from our coach.
Trying to inspire us to victory the coach said, “Boys, this is the moment we’ve
all been working for. Now go out and cover yourselves with glory!” We did. We
won the coveted championship and basked in the glory of it. But that kind of
glory is fleeting. A new quest for it begins with the initiation of each new
season or each new contest.
There
is a greater glory, a permanent and far more satisfying glory that awaits every
saint at the end of his or her spiritual pilgrimage. It is what the Bible calls
“glorification.” Glorification is the terminus of Paul’s “golden chain” of
redemption:
For
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He
predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and
whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).
The
doctrine of glorification refers to that time when, at Christ’s second coming,
the true believers, both living and dead, will have full and final redemption
of their bodies and reach their final state. The salvation of the elect will be
complete. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “This corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53).
Finally, death, the last enemy will be swallowed up in victory. The process of
sanctification will reach its goal.
Glorification,
then, is the believer’s great hope for the future. God will make all things
right and keep it that way throughout all eternity. But glorification is a
present comfort as well. In this fallen world where we experience sin both
within and without, there is comfort in knowing that God is working even now to
purify his saints in preparation for their future glory. The believer is in one
sense already glorified, sealed for eternity, evermore a child of God.
Summary
1. Glorification is the endpoint of our salvation. 2. Glorification will
complete our sanctification. 3. The promise of future glorification gives
comfort and inspiration to us in the present.
Biblical
passages for reflection: John 17:13-23
Romans 8:29-30 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 2 Corinthians 3:18