神的自存 The Self-Existence Of God

作者: 史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul) 译者: 姚錦榮

摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the Christian Faith》P34 ,更新傳道會出版

當聖經宣稱神是宇宙的創造時，它同時也指出神自己並不是被造的。創造者和受造物之間有很大的區別，受造之物帶著創造者的印記，見證創造者的榮耀。但受造之物永遠不應該受人敬拜，因為受造之物不是至高的實存。

沒有一件事物能夠自己創造自己，自我創造（self-creation)這概念其實是矛盾的。請讀者稍微想一想：豈有某件事物是自我創造出來的嗎？連神都不能自己創造自己。如果神能夠創造自己，祂便在自己以先已經存在了，所以連神也不能夠自我創造。

凡事有果必有恩，從定義上說，這句話是正確的。但神並不是果，在祂並沒有開始，因此在神也沒有一個前在的因。神是永恒的，過去如是，今天如是；神在祂自己𥚃面擁有存在的能力，並不需要借助外力才能繼續存在，這就是自存（self-existent) 一詞的意思。自存是一個高超可畏的概念，我們所知道的一切事物沒有一件是自存的。凡在我們參考座標下的一切事物，都是受造的且具依賴性，我們不能完全理解什麽叫做自存。

按定義來看，說受造之物不能自存，並不等於說創造責不能自存。神與我們一樣，不能創造自己，但是神不像我們，祂能夠自存。事實上，這正是創造者和受造物在本質上最主要的分別。神之所以能夠成為至高的實存，成為其他本體的本源，原因就在這𥚃。

自存的概念並不違背理性、邏輯和科學。自存是一個在理性上能成立的概念，但自我創造的概念卻是違背理性、邏輯和科學最基本的定律----------非矛盾定律。自存是理性的，但是自我創造是非理性的。

論到自存，不但在理性上是可能的，而且是必須的。再說，理性也要求，獨立存有的個體其本身必須擁有實存的能力，不然便不可能存在。除非有某些事物是自存的，不然便沒有任何存在的可能。

有一個古老而深奧的問題就是：宇宙中為什麽總是有所存在，而非一無所有？對這個問題，最起碼而必要的回答就是：因為神存在。神永遠自存，祂是一切存有的根本和源頭。只有神自身擁有存在的能力。保羅說，我們都是依賴神存有的能力而存在，所以他宣稱：「我們生活、動作、存留，都在乎衪。」（徒17：28）

總結

1. 凡事有果必有因。

2. 神不是果，所以在神也沒有因。

3. 自我創造是個非理性的概念。

4. 自存是個理性的概念。

5. 自存不但在理性上是可能的，也是必須的。

思考經文

詩九十2；約一1-5；徒十七22-31；西一15-20；啟一8

12. THE SELF-EXISTENCE OF GOD

When the Bible declares that God is the Creator of the universe it indicates that God Himself is not created. There is a crucial distinction between the Creator and the creation. The creation bears the stamp of the Creator and witnesses to His glory. But the creation is never to be worshipped. It is not Supreme.

It is impossible for something to create itself. The concept of self-creation is a contradiction in terms, a nonsense statement. I ask the reader to pause  and reflect a bit. Nothing can be self-created. Not even God can make Himself. For God to create Himself He would have to be before He is. Even God can’t do that.

Every effect must have a cause. That is true by definition. But God is not an effect. He has no beginning and therefore no antecedent cause. He is eternal. He always was or is. He has, within Himself, the power of being. He requires no assistance from outside sources to continue to exist. This is what is meant by the idea of self-existent. Granted, it is a lofty and awesome concept. We know of nothing else quite like it. Everything we perceive in our frame of reference is dependent and creaturely. We can’t fully comprehend anything as self-existent.

But just because it is impossible (by definition) that a creature be selfexistent does not mean it is impossible for the Creator to be self-existent. God, like us, cannot be self-created. But God, unlike us, can be selfexistent. Indeed, this is the very essence of the difference between the Creator and creation. This is what makes Him the Supreme Being and the source of all other beings.

The concept of self-existence violates no law of reason, logic, or science. It is a rationally valid notion. By contrast, the concept of self-creation violates the most basic law of reason, logic, and science—the law of noncontradiction. Self-existence is rational; self-creation is irrational.

The notion of something being self-existent is not only rationally possible, it is rationally necessary. Again, reason demands that if anything is, then something must have, within itself, the power of being. Otherwise there would be nothing. Unless something existed in itself, nothing could possibly exist at all.

Perhaps the oldest and deepest question of all is, why is there something rather than nothing? A necessary answer to at least part of the question is because God exists. God exists in Himself eternally. He is the source and fountainhead of all being. He alone has, within Himself, the power of being. Paul declares our dependence upon the power of God’s being for our own existence when he says: “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)

Summary

1. Every effect must have a cause.

2. God is not an effect; He has no cause.

3. Self-creation is an irrational concept.

4. Self-existence is a rational concept.

5. Self-existence is not only rationally possible, but rationally necessary.

Biblical passages for reflection:

Psalm 90:2

John 1:1-5

Acts 17:22-31

Colossians 1:15-20

Revelation 1:8