100. 天堂 Heaven

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》266頁, 更新傳道會出版

有一首流行的抒情歌唱道：「天堂……就是當我與你在一起的時候。」與所愛的人享受親密相交，實在是一個無比的福分。不過，正如地上的經驗不足以比喻地獄的苦況，地上也沒有一種喜樂可與天堂的奇妙相比擬。

從聖經中我們可找到一些描繪地獄可怖的喻象，同樣地，我們也可找到描繪天堂的豐美和令人渴望的喻象。聖經把天堂比作樂園，亞伯拉罕的懷裏，和由天而降的榮美之城。新耶路撒冷被描繪成有如透明的黃金街，城墻上鑲有珍貴的寶石，是一個歡樂永不止息的地方。

　　

天堂最值得註意的是它所沒有和它所有的東西。天堂所沒有的是：（1）眼淚、（2）悲傷、（3）死亡、（4）痛苦、（5）黑暗、（6）不虔敬的人、（7）罪、（8）聖殿、（9）太陽或月亮，及（10）亞當犯罪所帶來的咒詛（創3：14～19）。天堂所有的是：（1）聖徒、（2）生命水的河、（3）醫治的果子、（4）神的羔羊、（5）敬拜、（6）羔羊及新婦的婚筵、（7）神敞開的臉，及（8）公義的日頭。

天堂是基督所居之處，與神人相交是永恒的福樂。愛德華滋（JonathanEdwards）曾試著表達信徒在天堂中的喜樂，他寫道：「聖徒將會在愛海中暢遊——永永遠遠地沈浸於神無窮明亮、溫和與甘甜的愛中；永永遠遠，充充滿滿地得著光，並且被光環繞，又永永遠遠地將光反映回真源頭。」

聖徒不但在天堂享受與神和救主的相交，我們也相信，我們在地上所認識的聖徒，在天堂上也會相認和相交。天堂是所有美事的匯聚。

在天堂的福分有不同的程度。保羅以星星作比喻來說明這點，眾星在同一個天空中，但亮度有別。關於福分有幾件事需要說明。第一，所有星星都在照耀，這表示，天堂沒有不愉快的事：每個人都蒙福，而且所蒙之福將遠超我們的想象，連最有洞見的心思也想象不出來。第二，基督救贖的工作對所有聖徒都有同樣的功效。第三，信徒所作蒙獎賞的「工」，其本身並沒有功效，全是因神願意按善工賞賜我們，而神這樣做，全是因為基督的緣故。地獄最恐怖的地方就是它是永遠的，而天堂叫我們最感喜樂的，也是它的永無窮盡。死亡，這個終極的仇敵，將永遠消失，路加福音二十章34至38節也向信徒保證，這個天堂的賞賜是永恒的。

天堂所帶來最大的喜樂是，我們得見神的面，而這非筆墨所能形容的喜樂，是藉靈魂的眼睛看見的。神是靈，因此祂的選民將在靈裏親眼看見祂。這是基督為祂子民所贏得的賞賜，讓祂的兒女可以享受。

總結

1．天堂中沒有任何會帶來痛苦和死亡的事物。

2．天堂是一個沒有罪，也不受罪影響的地方。

3．天堂是信徒享受與基督直接同在的地方。

4．天堂的福氣包括能看見神的面，這是我們今生所沒有的。

5．天堂是永遠享受神賞賜的地方。

6．地上沒有任何的知識與經驗，能夠減弱我們將在天堂享受的豐滿喜樂。

思考經文：

林前15:50- 57；林後5 ：1- 8；彼前1 : 3-9；啟21 -22 章

HEAVEN

A contemporary ballad declares, “This is heaven . . . when I’m with you.” Being in close communion with a loved one is indeed a blessing. Yet as there are no earthly situations worthy of comparison to the misery of hell,  so there are no earthly joys suitable to serve as accurate analogies of the marvels of heaven.

As we find grim and ghastly biblical images for hell, so we find rich and promising biblical images for heaven. It is likened to paradise, to the bosom of Abraham, and to a glorious city that comes down from heaven. The New Jerusalem is described in terms of translucent streets of gold, a place with walls of precious gemstones, and a setting of perpetual and everlasting joy.

What is most notable about heaven is what is absent from it as well as what is present in it. Things that will be absent include: (1) tears, (2) sorrow, (3) death, (4) pain, (5) darkness, (6) ungodly people, (7) sin, (8) temples, (9) the sun or moon, and (10) the curse from Adam’s sin (see Genesis 3:14-19).

What will be present in heaven includes: (1) the saints, (2) the river of the water of life, (3) healing fruit, (4) the Lamb of God, (5) worship, (6) the wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride, (7) the unveiled face of God, and (8) the Sun of Righteousness.

Heaven is where Christ is. It is the eternal bliss of communion with the God-man. Jonathan Edwards, in trying to give voice to the joy believers will find in heaven writes that the saints will swim in the ocean of love, and be eternally swallowed up in the infinitely bright, and infinitely mild and sweet beams of divine love; eternally receiving the light, eternally full of it, and eternally compassed round with it, and everlastingly reflecting it back again to its fountain.1

While the saints will delight in fellowship with their God and Savior, there is no reason to believe that they will not recognize and fellowship with saints they knew on earth. Heaven is the abode of all good things.

There will be degrees of blessedness in heaven. Paul uses a metaphor of the stars of differing brilliance shining in the same heaven to describe this. There are, however, several clarifying points that need to be made. First, all the stars will shine. That is to say, there is no unhappiness in heaven.

                                                

All are blessed beyond our most insightful imaginations. Second, the atoning work of Christ has the same saving efficacy for all saints. Finally, the “works” of the believer, which “merit” greater or lesser blessedness, are not good in themselves. Rather, it is the sovereign pleasure of God to regard these works as meritorious. He does so for Christ’s sake only. While the greatest horror of hell is its eternality, one of the greatest joys of heaven is the assurance that it will never end. The last enemy, death, will be no more. Luke 20:34-38 assures the believer that this reward of heaven is everlasting.

The greatest joy of heaven is the beatific vision, seeing the face of God. This unspeakable joy, however, comes through the eyes of the soul. God is spirit, and in spirit the elect shall see Him. This is the reward, earned by Christ, enjoyed by His children.

Summary

1. Heaven will include the absence of all that brings pain and death.

2. Heaven will be a place without sin and the effects of sin.

3. Heaven will be a place where believers will enjoy the immediate presence of Christ.

 4. Heaven will include the beatific vision, the glorious experience of gazing at the face of God, which is not possible in this life.

5. Heaven will be a place to enjoy God’s rewards forever.

6. No earthly knowledge or experience will be able to dim the fullness of joy we will have in heaven.

Biblical passages for reflection:

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 1 Peter 1:3-9 Revelation 21-22

1, Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 2 (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth, 1979), 29.