72 神的国——基督徒须彰显国度的生活The Kingdom of God -Christians must manifest kingdom life
《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。
72 神的国——基督徒须彰显国度的生活
The Kingdom of God - Christians must manifest kingdom life
法利赛人问神的国几时来到，耶稣回答说：[神的国来到，不是眼所能见的。人也不得说：看哪，在这里！看哪，在那里！]因为神的国就在你们心里。（路17:20-21）
有关神国度的主题贯穿新旧两约当中，其焦点落在神对世界历史所定的目的上。在旧约时代里，神宣告说，祂要在一个蒙福的黄金岁月里，将祂的国度（由祂做主管治祂百姓的生活和环境）设立在祂所选择的君王下（大卫家的弥赛亚，赛9:6-7），藉此行使祂的王权（祂的主权，但4:34-35）。这个国度与弥赛亚耶稣同来，是普世性的，是一个关系性的实体，无论在哪里，只要有人肯籍着信靠、悔改并表现出新的顺服精神，来肯定耶稣为主的主权，那里就有神的国存在。耶稣——这位圣灵所膏立、所充满，又蒙神指定的神国管治者（路3:21-22；4:1,14,18-21,32-36,41），曾死过，又复活了。之后升天到天上，现今在天上坐宝座，为万有的统治者（太28:18；西1:13），万王之王，万主之主（启17:14；19:16）。那个蒙福的黄金岁月是由今日由属灵福分的时代起始（即由人脱离罪得蒙救恩，并得以与神交通开始），再进一步迈入未来新造宇宙中那单纯喜乐的美境中。这个国度虽然其丰满还有待将来才能实现，但是今日已经开始；就某种意义而言，它已经临到了，不过就其最丰满的意义而言，尚有待它真正的来临（路11:20；16:16；17:21；22:16,18,29-30）。
这个国度来临时不只是带着怜悯，也带着审判，正如耶稣的先锋施洗约翰所说的（太3:1-12）。那些肯顺服接受耶稣的话，并将他们的命运放在祂手里的人，必要得着怜悯；而不愿如此做的那些犹太教领袖们，则要受到审判。严格来说，这些犹太教的领袖们也是被他们自己审判，因为他们远离救主，选择要住在黑暗里（约3:17-20）。
教会的任务，是籍着信实的基督徒生活和所作的见证，将看不见的神之国度表明出来。基督的福音仍旧是与国度有关的福音（太4:23；24:14；徒20:25；28:23,31），这好消息是要告诉人，籍着作活生生之主的门徒，人必得着公义、平安并圣灵中的喜乐（罗14:17）。教会一定要将神国度生活的实际彰显出来，它的信息才能成为可信的。
国度的降临意味着神救赎历史之计划中一个新的阶段。弥赛亚来过了，救赎了，又回到祂的宝座上，并留下祂要再来的应许。神所赐给以色列人，好叫他们能与祂交通的安排，都是预表性的、暂时性、不完全的，这些如今已成为过去。亚伯拉罕的后裔，属神的以色列民已被重新定义为在耶稣里的信徒伙伴了（加3:16,26-29）。圣灵已经浇灌了，新的生活样式，也就是在基督里与主同活的生活，已成为这世界的实体。于是乎全球教会得以一同交通并同传福音的新国际观，于焉诞生（弗2:11-18；3:6,14-15；启5:9-10；7:9；太28:19-20；西1:28-29）。虽然这些是很大的改变，但是没有一处意味着出现了一套新的道德标准，如有时候有些人所以为的。基督徒的道德律，即神现今国度的法律，仍是我们在十诫和先知书里所发现的律法，只是如今将之应用在新的处境上。耶稣未曾废去律法，仅是充分实现它的真义而已（太5:17-48）。
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
CHRISTIANS MUST MANIFEST
KINGDOM LIFE
Once,
having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus
replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor
will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is
within you.” LUKE 17:20-21
The
theme of the kingdom of God runs through both Testaments, focusing God’s
purpose for world history. In Old Testament times God declared that he would
exercise his kingship (his sovereignty, Dan. 4:34-35) by setting up his kingdom
(his rule or reign over people’s lives and circumstances) under his chosen king
(the Davidic Messiah, Isa. 9:6-7) in a golden age of blessing. This kingdom
came with Jesus the Messiah as a worldwide relational reality, existing
wherever the lordship of Jesus is acknowledged in repentance, faith, and new
obedience. Jesus, the Spirit-anointed, Spirit-filled ruler-designate (Luke
3:21-22; 4:1, 14, 18-21, 32-36, 41), died, rose, ascended, and is now enthroned
in heaven as ruler over all things (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:13), King of kings and
Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). The golden age of blessing is an era of
present spiritual benefit (salvation from sin and fellowship with God) leading
to a future state of unmixed joy in a reconstructed universe. The kingdom is
present in its beginnings though future in its fullness; in one sense it is here
already, but in the richest sense it is still to come (Luke 11:20; 16:16;
17:21; 22:16, 18, 29-30).
The
kingdom came as not only mercy but also judgment, just as John the Baptist, its
forerunner, had said it would (Matt. 3:1-12). Those who obediently received
Jesus’ Word and put their destiny in his hands found mercy, while the Jewish
leadership, which would not do this, was judged. Strictly speaking, the Jewish
leaders were self-judged, for they chose to live in darkness by retreating from
the Savior (John 3:17-20).
The
task of the church is to make the invisible kingdom visible through faithful
Christian living and witness-bearing. The gospel of Christ is still the gospel
of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 24:14; Acts 20:25; 28:23, 31), the good news of
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit through entering a disciple’s
relationship to the living Lord (Rom. 14:17). The church must make its message
credible by manifesting the reality of kingdom life.
The
coming of the kingdom meant a new stage in God’s redemptive-historical program.
The Messiah arrived, redeemed, and withdrew to his throne with a promise that
he would come again. All that was typical, temporary, and imperfect in the
God-given arrangements for Israel’s communion with himself became a thing of
the past. God’s Israel, Abraham’s seed, was redefined as the company of
believers in Jesus (Gal. 3:16, 26-29). The Spirit was poured out, and a new way
of life, namely life in Christ and with Christ, became a reality of this world.
Thus the new internationalism of global church fellowship and global evangelism
was born (Eph. 2:11-18; 3:6, 14-15; Rev. 5:9-10; 7:9; Matt. 28:19-20; Col.
1:28-29). Although these were great changes, none of them meant that a new set
of moral standards emerged, as is sometimes supposed. The moral law for
Christians, the law of God’s present kingdom, is the law found in the Ten
Commandments and the prophets, now applied to the new situation. Jesus has not
abolished that law but has merely filled out its meaning (Matt. 5:17-48).