13 神的主权——神掌权Sovereignty - God reigns
《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs，巴刻（J. I. Packer）著/張麟至译，更新传道会，2007年。
13 神的主权——神掌权
Sovereignty - God reigns
日子满足，我尼布甲尼撒举目望天，我的聪明复归于我，我便称颂至高者，赞美尊敬活到永远的神，祂的权柄是永有的：祂的国存到万代。（但4:34）
主张神在创造中、在天命中和在恩典中都拥有绝对的主权之论点，对于合乎圣经的信仰与赞美来说，是十分基本的一种观念。神坐在宝座上统管的这个异像，在圣经中一再出现（王上22:19 赛6:1
结1:26 但7:9 启4:2 并参诗11:4 45:6 47:8-9 来12:2 启3:21）；圣经也不断清楚地告诉我们，耶和华作王掌权了，行使祂的管治，巨细靡遣（出15:18 诗47篇 93篇 96:10 97篇 99:1-5 146:10 箴16:33 21:1 赛24:23 52:7 但4:34-35 5:21-28 6:26 太10:29-31）。神的管治诗全面的；祂所拣选的，祂就定意；祂所以定意的，祂就执行。没人有可拉住祂的手，或延缓祂的计划。
有理性的受造之物---天使和人类---都有其自由的功能，这点在圣经各处都说得很清楚。若非如此，我们就不可能成为有道德意义的实证，无法回应神的审判；而人的恶意与神的美旨也就不可能像圣经所记载的那样，被区分出来了。其实神一向以其主权凌驾在人意之上，用祂计划的方法来达成祂的目的（创50：20
徒2:23 13:26-29）。由于神对我们自由、自决的活动的管制的完全，一如祂管制任何别的事物一样，我们并不知道。正规来说，神诗让事情顺其自然地发展，来行使祂的主权，而不是以神介入的方法拦阻或助成。
诗篇九十三篇教导我们，神主权的管制乃是为了：
（1）在所有混乱势力的逆境中，保证世界的稳定（诗93：1下-4）
（2）肯定所有神的话语和命令，都是值得信任的（诗93：5上）。
（3）呼召神的百姓向神的圣洁表示敬意（诗93：5下）。整篇诗洋溢着喜乐、 盼望与对神的信靠，却未见有神迹。我们要好好地将这个教训牢记在心。
SOVEREIGNTY
GOD REIGNS
At
the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my
sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him
who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures
from generation to generation. DANIEL 4:34
The
assertion of God’s absolute sovereignty in creation, providence, and grace is
basic to biblical belief and biblical praise. The vision of God on the
throne—that is, ruling—recurs (1 Kings 22:19; Isa. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26; Dan. 7:9;
Rev. 4:2; cf. Pss. 11:4; 45:6; 47:8-9; Heb. 12:2; Rev. 3:21); and we are constantly
told in explicit terms that the LORD (Yahweh) reigns as king, exercising
dominion over great and tiny things alike (Exod. 15:18; Pss. 47; 93; 96:10; 97;
99:1-5; 146:10; Prov. 16:33; 21:1; Isa. 24:23; 52:7; Dan. 4:34-35; 5:21-28;
6:26; Matt. 10:29-31). God’s dominion is total: he wills as he chooses and
carries out all that he wills, and none can stay his hand or thwart his plans.
That
God’s rational creatures, angelic and human, have free agency (power of
personal decision as to what they shall do) is clear in Scripture throughout;
we would not be moral beings, answerable to God the judge, were it not so, nor
would it then be possible to distinguish, as Scripture does, between the bad
purposes of human agents and the good purposes of God, who sovereignly
overrules human action as a planned means to his own goals (Gen. 50:20; Acts
2:23; 13:26-39). Yet the fact of free agency confronts us with mystery,
inasmuch as God’s control over our free, self-determined activities is as
complete as it is over anything else, and how this can be we do not know.
Regularly, however, God exercises his sovereignty by letting things take their
course, rather than by miraculous intrusions of a disruptive sort.
In
Psalm 93 the fact of God’s sovereign rule is said to
guarantee
the stability of the world against all the forces of chaos (v. 1b-4),
confirm
the trustworthiness of all God’s utterances and directives (v. 5a), and
call
for the homage of holiness on the part of his people (v. 5b). The whole psalm
expresses joy, hope, and confidence in God, and no wonder. We shall do well to
take its teaching to heart.