如何得到上帝的國？How To Obtain the Kingdom ofGod
Reformed
Reader/駱鴻銘譯http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2012/10/18/%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E5%BE%97%E5%88%B0%E4%B8%8A%E5%B8%9D%E7%9A%84%E5%9C%8B%EF%BC%9F.aspx
我們如何才能得到神的國度？上帝如何推進祂的國度？17世紀的清教徒 Thomas
Watson (1620 –
1686) 的看法是：要仔細聆聽所宣講的道。神藉著祂僕人所宣講的道是上帝力量的杖；這是祂所使用的引擎，在人心中建立恩典的國度。
“信道是從聽道來的...”（羅10：17）
雖然神可以透過聖靈或天使的事工直接賜予人恩典，但是祂選擇透過所宣講的道來達成這個目的。這是祂在人心中設立恩典國度的一般管道（usual mean）。神為什麼要這樣做呢？因為祂已經把神聖的獎懲（divine sanction）加諸在宣講的道上；祂指定它作為恩典施行的管道，而祂會尊榮祂自己的典章（林前1：21
世人憑自己的智慧，既不認識神，神就樂意用人所當作愚拙的道理，拯救那些信的人；這就是神的智慧了。）
讓我們忠心宣講神的道（特別是站講台的牧師們！），因為神的能力乃是伴隨著所宣講的道。
Watson
也用兩種語詞來描述神的國度。恩典的國度（kingdom of grace）是上帝在地上的國度，這個國度的高峰是榮耀的國度（kingdom of glory），也就是聖徒可以享受的，永遠與上帝和天使一同統治的榮耀狀態。“這兩個國度，恩典的國度與榮耀的國度，沒有具體的差異，只有時間上的差別；它們在本質上沒有不同，只有程度上的不同。恩典國度是榮耀國度的種子，而榮耀國度是恩典國度的花朵。恩典國度是還在爭戰中的榮耀國度，而榮耀國度是得勝的恩典國度…..恩典國度會帶來榮耀國度。”
華森的書，《主禱文》（Carlisl：Banner
of Truth，1982），54-150頁裡，討論了「願你的國降臨」。這整個段落非常詳細，而且非常有幫助。如果你想知道改革宗/長老會對上帝國度的看法，讀讀華森所寫的這個段落。
註：恩典國度和榮耀國度是16-17世紀古典改革宗常常用到的語詞，來描述上帝對祂國度的兩種治理方式。例如，布雷克，威萊姆斯（Wilhelmus à Brakel Th. F.）：《基督徒理所當然的事奉》在討論主禱文時，也用了同樣的語詞。
How To Obtain
the Kingdom of God Aug
by Reformed Reader
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:
“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.”
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.”
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.
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).
shane lems
sunnyside, wa
