什麼是自然啟示？What is Natural Revelation?

作者：Tim Bertolet  譯者: 駱鴻銘

http://www.placefortruth.org/blog/what-natural-revelation

https://www.facebook.com/peddrluo/posts/10156958887364653

重要的是要明白，除非上帝向我們啟示自己，否則我們無法瞭解任何關於祂的事。上帝是無限的，我們是有限的。上帝和人之間的距離是如此之大，以至於如果祂沒有向我們啟示自己，我們就無法瞭解任何關於祂的事，或祂對我們的要求是什麼（WCF 7.1）。正如以賽亞所說：「天怎樣高過地，照樣，我的道路高過你們的道路；我的意念高過你們的意念。」（賽五五9）上帝藉著兩種方式向我們啟示自己。神學家將這些歸類為「特殊啟示」和「普遍」或「自然」啟示。特殊啟示是上帝在聖經中說話，也包括上帝藉著聖子說話（希伯來書一1～2）。上帝說話，有特定的時間和地點，它是特殊的，乃是在於它是清晰的、直接的。

It is important to understand that we cannot know anything about God unless He reveals Himself to us. God is infinite, and we are finite. The distance between God and man is so great that we could not know anything about Him or what He requires if He did not reveal Himself to us (WCF 7.1). As Isaiah says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” There are two ways that God reveals Himself to us. Theologians classify these as “special” and “general” or “natural” revelation. Special revelation is when God speaks in His Word, the Bible, and would also include God speaking in the Son (Heb. 1:1-2). It is in particular times and places that God speaks, it is special in that it clear and direct.

自然啟示是上帝藉著祂所造的萬物說話，並使祂自己在其中被人認識。聖經教導說，上帝創造了一切被造物，並在其中為我們顯明祂的屬性。我們把這稱為「自然」啟示，因為它是上帝在被造界中讓人知道的。這並不代表被造萬物是神（這是泛神論的看法），而只是上帝使被造萬物反映祂榮耀的方方面面。我們也可以稱之為「普遍」啟示，因為它是向所有人發出的。每個人都可以看見它、聽見它。我們被這種啟示所包圍。因為我們是按照祂的形象被造的，上帝的知識就明明白白地擺在我們面前。

Natural revelation is God speaking and making Himself known in His creation. The Bible teaches that God made all creation and has put His attributes on display for us in it. We call this “natural” revelation because it is something that God has made known in creation. This does not mean that the creation is God but only that God makes creation to reflect aspects of His glory. We can also call this “general” revelation because it goes out to all people. Everyone can see and hear it. We are surrounded with this revelation of God. By virtue of being made in His image the knowledge of God is plainly before us.

所以被造萬物述說著上帝的榮耀：

So the creation speaks the glory of God:

詩十九1～4：諸天述說神的榮耀；穹蒼傳揚他的手段。這日到那日發出言語；這夜到那夜傳出知識。無言無語，也無聲音可聽。他的量帶通遍天下，他的言語傳到地極。神在其間為太陽安設帳幕.

Psa. 19:1-4: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,

自然啟示「如白晝一般明顯」。我們看得到它，且無法躲避。從某種意義上說，被造界正在對我們說話。它無論何時何地都在告訴我們，三位一體的上帝是真實的。這並不代表我們總是願意傾聽。

Natural revelation is ‘as plain as day.’ We see it and cannot hide from it. The creation is, in a sense, talking to us. It is telling us everywhere that the Triune God is real. This does not mean we are always listening to it.

保羅告訴我們，雖然這些知識在我們周圍，但我們阻擋它、壓制它：

Paul tells us that while this knowledge is all around us, we suppress it:

羅一19～21 神的事情，人所能知道的，原顯明在人心裡，因為神已經給他們顯明。自從造天地以來，神的永能和神性是明明可知的，雖是眼不能見，但藉著所造之物就可以曉得，叫人無可推諉。因為，他們雖然知道神，卻不當作神榮耀他，也不感謝他。他們的思念變為虛妄，無知的心就昏暗了。

Rom. 1:19-21 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

保羅告訴我們，我們在不義中阻擋、壓制神的真理（羅一18）。這裏描寫的圖畫是：被造界正在述說一切關於上帝的事情，祂是誰，祂像什麼樣子。它讓我們知道祂「無形的屬性」，即祂的「永能和神性」。這些東西顯然是存在的（「是明明可知的」）。然而，我們在罪中，就像小孩子把手指塞他的耳朵裏，說著：「我不聽......我不聽。」這並不能否定有人正在說話的事實。同樣，我們對上帝的拒絕並不能否定上帝已經在被造萬物中賜下關於祂自己的充足的知識。

Paul tells us that we suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18). The picture is that creation is telling all these things about God, who He is and what He is like. It makes known to us “his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature.” These things are clearly there (“being clearly perceived”). However, we in our sin are like the little child who crams his fingers in his ears and shouts “I’m not listening…I’m not listening.” This does not deny the fact that someone is speaking. So too, our rejection of God does not deny the fact that God has given sufficient knowledge of Himself in creation.

這種知識不是使人得救的知識。上帝乃是藉著祂的話語和聖靈，帶來救贖性的知識，並除去我們心中的盲目。然而，自然啟示是足夠的，足以使我們負責，也足以使我們受審判。當一個不知悔改的人在審判的日子站在上帝面前時，他們將找不到藉口說：「我不知道；我從未聽聞。」我們每天都「聽到」上帝是誰，正如祂在創造中所顯明的那樣。祂正在說話。

This knowledge is not saving knowledge. God uses the means of His Word and the Holy Spirit to bring redemptive knowledge and to remove the blindness from our hearts. Yet, natural revelation is sufficient to bring accountability and judgment. When an unrepentant person stands before God on the day of judgment they will not be able to make the excuse “I did not know; I had never heard.” We ‘hear’ every day who God is as He has evidenced it in His creation. He is speaking.

Tim Bertolet畢業於蘭凱斯特聖經學院和西敏神學院。他從南非比勒陀利亞大學（University of Pretoria）獲得博士學位。他是聖經團契教會的牧師，現任賓州約克的信心聖經團契教會（Faith Bible Fellowship）的牧師。他是四個女兒的丈夫和父親。你可以在Twitter @tim_bertolet上關注他。

Tim Bertolet is a graduate of Lancaster Bible College and Westminster Theological Seminary.  He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is an ordained pastor in the Bible Fellowship Church, currently serving as pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship Church in York, Pa. He is a husband and father of four daughters. You can follow him on Twitter @tim_bertolet.

作為基督徒，我應該同時學習神的聖言（聖經）和神的創造之書。這就是為什麼基督徒可以成為一名科學家的原因。我們可以探索上帝的被造萬物。如果人類有機會在火星上殖民或探索星際空間，我希望基督徒能夠參與，好叫他們能夠進一步關注上帝所造的一切。就現在而言，我們在世上，但我們不要忘記上帝藉著被造萬物向我們喊叫的神奇和榮耀。願我們有眼可看、有耳可聽，不是要讚美被造物，而是我們可能會被引導去讚美上帝這位造物主。

As a Christian, I should study both the book of God’s Word (the Bible) and the book of God’s creation. This is why a Christian can be a scientist. We can explore God’s creation. Should we ever have the chance to colonize Mars or explore interstellar space, I hope that Christians will go so that they can pay further attention to all God has made. For now, we are on earth, but let’s not forget the wonder and glory of God that He is shouting forth to us in creation. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear, not to praise creation, but so that we might be led to praise the creator God.