改革宗信仰基础07：创造Basics of the Reformed Faith:Creation
作者: Kim Riddlebarger 译者/校对者: 蔡璐/王一
刘易斯（C.S. Lewis）喜欢说：“上帝喜欢物质，是他创造了物质。” 基督教的上帝论与基督教的创造论是紧密相连的，尽管人们容易忽略这一重要的神学关联。创造包括了可见的世界和不可见的世界。当基督徒理解创造次序时，要考虑三个要点。
第一个要点是，圣经宣告上帝了创造万物。一切存在的事物，没有一个不是上帝创造的。因此，所有受造物的存在都因着上帝永恒的意旨而存在。基督教创造论的第二个明显要点是，正因为上帝创造了万物，上帝自己与所有受造物不同。这点从圣经最开篇的宣告就体现得很明显了——“起初，上帝创造天地”（创 1:1）。创造既不是上帝的一部分（泛神论，pantheism），也不是在上帝之内（万有在神论，panentheism）。仅这一事实就已经使基督教与许多宗教分别开来——尤其是那些东方宗教，或是那些含有希腊哲学的二元论的宗教。第三个需要思考的要点是，当上帝创造一切后，上帝称所造的一切是“好的”。这段话反复出现在《创世记》第一章那七日的创造中。这三个事实不仅建立了一个截然不同的基督教创造论架构，也同时站在许多当代观点的对立面。
上帝创造万物是完全藉着他创造性话语的力量（来 11:3），使万物从无到有 (creation ex
nihilo)。创造的记载反复提醒我们“上帝如此说”，事情就如此成就（《创世记》第一章）。日月、星辰到洋海、陆地、天空，再到各种各样充满被造世界的生物，万物都是藉着上帝而造的，上帝发出言语使他们存在。“万物”包括了那些我们可见的（我们生活的这个肉眼可见的世界），也包括那些我们不可见的（就是天使和不可见的世界）。即使不可见的世界不能被肉眼所见，它仍是真实存在的，且同样是由上帝创造，并充满了遵行他意旨的属灵生物（就如天使）。
基督教的创造论排除了上帝从永恒的物质创造宇宙的观念，也拒绝了永恒界理念形式（ideal forms）的概念。在这种观念中，物质本身固有缺陷和不足（即柏拉图主义）。与之相反，基督教的创造论坚持认为，在万有存在以先，上帝就存在，他完全自由、不需要依靠受造物而存在。同样，基督教创造论产生一些重要的推论。人类灵魂不是永恒的，我们也没有出生前就存在。我们在任何程度上都不具有“神性”。然而，在创造记载中，上帝宣告他赐给亚当的神圣祝福——这是第一个被造的人，他是从地上的尘土所造，由上帝亲自赐予他生命的气息（创 2:7）。
我们需要注意的的是，当我们说上帝创造万物，我们指的是三位一体的上帝，而不仅仅是圣父。圣经将创造这一行动归属于上帝的所有三个位格（圣父，圣子，和圣灵）。虽然圣经反复讲论圣父创造万物（创 1:1，尼9:5-6，诗篇33:6），圣子和圣灵同样也被提到与万物的创造有关。《约翰福音》的序言中（约1:1-14），约翰确认圣子（耶稣）创造万物（约 1:3）。使徒保罗（西 1:16），以及《希伯来书》的作者（来 1:2）也同样承认这一点。在创造记载中，我们读到：“上帝的灵运行在水面上”。的确，是三位一体的上帝创造了万物。
将这些事情记在心中会帮助我们避免陷入那些围绕我们的异教徒思考方式的陷阱。基督教的创造论（可见和不可见的世界）提醒我们创造主是与所有受造物区分开来的，也提醒我们常见的灵与物质二元论的致命性错误。物质并不因为本身是物质而成为邪恶的或是有缺陷的。创造记载清楚表明，是上帝从无有创造万物，并且他称这一切是“好的”。虽然因为人类集体反抗上帝，这个世界在我们脚下痛苦呻吟（罗 8:18-24），但我们不要忘记，在末后我们主再来的时候，他一定会更新他所造的万物，包括天上和地上的（彼后 3:1-13）。
上帝喜爱物质。他不仅创造了物质，他也会将这天地更新，使之与我们永恒的家园相称。
Basics of the Reformed Faith:
Creation
By Kim
Riddlebarger
As C.
S. Lewis was fond of saying, “God likes matter. He invented it.” Although
people can easily overlook this important theological connection, the Christian
doctrine of God demands a corresponding Christian doctrine of creation. There are
three important elements to consider when reflecting upon how Christians should
understand the created order, including things seen and unseen.
First,
Scripture affirms that God created all things. Nothing which now exists, exists
apart from the fact that God created it. All created things, therefore, owe
their existence to God’s eternal decree that particular things do exist. The
second distinct feature of a Christian doctrine of creation is that since God
created all things, God is therefore distinct from all created things and
beings. This is apparent from the very opening declaration of the Bible–“In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Creation is
not part of God (pantheism), nor is creation within the being of God (panentheism).
This fact alone sets Christianity apart from a number of religions–especially
those of the east, or those with a dualistic heritage located in Greek
philosophy. The third aspect to consider is that having created all things, God
pronounced them “good,” a refrain which is repeated throughout the seven days
of creation of Genesis 1. These three facts not only frame a distinctive
Christian doctrine of creation, they stand in opposition to a great deal of
contemporary opinion to the contrary.
When
God created all things, he created them from nothing (creation ex nihilo)
through the sheer power of his creative word (Hebrews 11:3). The creation
account reminds us over and over again that “God said” and it was so (Genesis
1). From the sun, moon, and stars, to the sea, land, and sky, to the various
creatures which fill these created realms, all things were created by God who
spoke them into existence. “All things” include those things we can see (i.e.,
the visible world in which we live), as well as those things we cannot see
(i.e., the angels and the invisible world). Although the invisible world cannot
be seen, it nevertheless is real, and it too has been created by God and filled
by spiritual creatures who do his bidding (i.e., the angels).
The
Christian doctrine of creation precludes the notion that God formed our
universe out of eternal matter, or that there was there a realm of eternal and
ideal forms in which matter participates as an indication of its inherent
deficiency and inadequacy when compared to the spiritual world above (i.e.,
Plato). Rather, the Christian doctrine of creation insists that before all
things came into being, God was, completely free and independent from his
creation. Here, too, there are important ramifications of a Christian view of
creation. There are no eternal human souls, nor do we in pre-exist our birth.
We are not “divine” in any sense. Yet in the creation account, God pronounces
his divine benediction upon Adam, the first man, who was created from the dust
of the earth and then given the breath of life by God himself (Genesis 2:7).
It is
important to keep in mind the fact that when we speak of God creating all
things, we are referring to the triune God, not just the Father. Scripture
assigns the act of creation to all three persons of the Godhead (Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit). Although scripture frequently speaks of the Father creating
all things (i.e., Genesis 1:1; Nehemiah 9:5-6, Psalm 33:6), the Son and Holy
Spirit are also mentioned in connection with the creation of all things. In the
prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1:1-14), John affirms that the Son (Jesus)
created all things (John 1:3). So does the Apostle Paul (Colossians 1:16), as
does the author of the Book of Hebrews (1:2). And then in the creation account,
we read, “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” It
is the Triune God who creates all things.
Keeping
these things in mind will help us avoid some of the pitfalls of the pagan
thinking around us. The Christian doctrine of creation (things visible and
invisible) reminds us the Creator is to be distinguished from all things
created, and that the common dualism between spirit and matter is fatally
flawed. Matter is not inherently evil nor flawed simply because it is material.
The creation account is crystal clear that when God created all things from
nothing, he pronounced them “good.” And although the world groans under our
feet because of humanity’s collective rebellion against God (Romans 8:18-24),
let us not forget, that at the end of the age when our Lord returns, he will
indeed renew all things which he has created, including the heavens and the
earth (2 Peter 3:1-13).
God
likes matter. He not only invented it, he will renew the heavens and earth and
make them fit for our eternal home.