作者: 巴刻 (J.I. Packer) 譯者: 張麟至 , 摘自《簡明神學》P.51, 更新傳道會出版
上帝的目標就是要得到榮耀。這點需要慎重解釋，因為很容易導致誤解。上帝為什麼要我們榮耀？不是有些人以為的，因為上帝自我中心、愛慕虛榮，而是因為上帝的愛。不錯，上帝是可頌贊的，上帝也要人頌贊，並尊崇的偉大與良善；要人欣賞的所是和一切的作為。
然而，上帝要得到榮耀，此目標事實上有兩個層面、兩個階段；說得準確些，它乃是雙方面的關聯︰ (1) 上帝在自己這邊啟示的作為中，對人、對天使揭示其浩大的榮耀，與 (2) 在人和天使那邊回應的敬拜中，為他們所看見、所領受的、根據感激而將一切的榮耀歸給──在這種關聯中，上帝所造的有理性的受造物原先所應進入，和墮落的人類在蒙上帝救贖之後，所要進入的那種愛的分享，都將得以實現。這種看見了上帝的榮耀，而將上帝的榮耀歸給的來回關系，是人性衷心真實的滿足；它也給神、給人帶來至極的喜樂（番3︰14-17）。
在舊約聖經中，「榮耀」一詞的份量、價值、豐滿、光耀、尊嚴都有關連。當上帝說要顯現的榮耀時，這些都會一同出現。當上帝向摩西宣告的名時（也就是的本質、性格和能力，出33︰18--34︰7），答應了摩西的懇求，將榮耀向他顯現。隨著宣告而來的是令人敬畏的顯現︰有光耀的聖雲彩（shekinah）出現，好像白熾的火焰（出24︰17）。聖雲彩本身被稱為上帝的榮耀；它出現在聖經歷史上重要的時刻，象征了上帝活潑的同在（出33︰22；34︰5；另參出16︰7、10；24︰15-17；40︰34-35；利9︰23-23；王上8︰10-11；結1︰28；8︰4；9︰3；10︰4；11︰22-23；太17︰5；路2︰9；又參徒1︰9；帖前4︰17；啟1︰7）
新約的作者們則指出，上帝榮耀的本質、特征、大能與目的，如今已在道成肉身的神子耶穌基督身上及的角色上，已成為有目共睹的事實（約1︰141-8；林後4︰3-6；來1︰1-3）。
上帝的榮耀藉著恩典的計劃和工作彰顯出來，為要叫人稱贊（弗1︰6、12、14）。藉著這恩典使罪人得蒙拯救。人們要借口中的言語（參啟4︰9；19︰6-7）將一切的榮耀歸給。人生一切的活動也應以尊崇神、榮耀上帝，並討神喜悅為目標。這是將榮耀歸給上帝實際可行的方式（林前10︰31）。
上帝不會將重建子民的榮耀與假神同享，因為偶像是虛假的，它們在恩典的作為上毫無可誇之處（賽42︰8；48︰11）。而今天上帝也不會將因救贖之恩而來的頌贊歸給屬的百姓，因我們除了需要救贖之外，對救恩本身提供不出任何的貢獻，我們的頌贊證明出自己的這種體認。這也就是為什麼改革宗神學當年堅守這個信念︰「榮耀 單單 歸給上帝」（soli Deo gloria），這也是為什麼我們今天仍要熱切謹守這個信念之故。
GLORY
GOD’S GLORY-SHOWING REQUIRES
GLORY-GIVING
Like
the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance
around him. EZEKIEL 1:28
God’s
goal is his glory, but this needs careful explanation, for it is easily
misunderstood. It points to a purpose not of divine egoism, as is sometimes
imagined, but of divine love. Certainly, God wants to be praised for his
praiseworthiness and exalted for his greatness and goodness; he wants to be
appreciated for what he is. But the glory that is his goal is in fact a
two-sided, two-stage relationship: it is, precisely, a conjunction of (a)
revelatory acts on his part whereby he shows his glory to men and angels in
free generosity, with (b) responsive adoration on their part whereby they give
him glory out of gratitude for what they have seen and received. In this
conjunction is realized the fellowship of love for which God’s rational
creatures were and are made, and for which fallen human beings have now been
redeemed. The to-and-fro of seeing glory in God and giving glory to God is the
true fulfillment of human nature at its heart, and it brings supreme joy to man
just as it does to God (cf. Zeph. 3:14-17).
“Glory”
in the Old Testament carries associations of weight, worth, wealth, splendor,
and dignity, all of which are present when God is said to have revealed his
glory. God was answering Moses’ plea to be shown God’s glory when he proclaimed
to Moses his name (i.e., his nature, character, and power, Exod. 33:18-34:7).
With that proclamation went an awe-inspiring physical manifestation, the
Shekinah, a bright shining cloud that could look like fire, white-hot (Exod.
24:17). The Shekinah was itself called the glory of God; it appeared at
significant moments in the Bible story as a sign of God’s active presence
(Exod. 33:22; 34:5; cf. 16:7, 10; 24:15-17; 40:34-35; Lev. 9:23-24; 1 Kings
8:10-11; Ezek. 1:28; 8:4; 9:3; 10:4; 11:22-23; Matt. 17:5; Luke 2:9; cf. Acts
1:9; 1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 1:7). New Testament writers proclaim that the glory of
God’s nature, character, power, and purpose is now open to view in the person
and role of God’s incarnate Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:14-18; 2 Cor. 4:3-6; Heb.
1:1-3).
God’s
glory, shown forth in the plan and work of grace whereby he saves sinners, is
meant to call forth praise (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14), that is, the giving of glory to
God by spoken words (cf. Rev. 4:9; 19:7). All life activities, too, must be
pursued with the aim of giving God homage, honor, and pleasure, which is
glory-giving on the practical level (1 Cor. 10:31).
God
would not share with idols the praise for restoring his people, for idols,
being unreal, contributed nothing to this work of grace (Isa. 42:8; 48:11); and
God will not share the praise for salvation with its human subjects today, for
we too contribute nothing more to it than our need of it. First to last, and at
every stage in the process, salvation comes from the Lord, and our praise must
show our awareness of that. This is why Reformation theology was so insistent
on the principle, “Glory to God alone” (soli Deo gloria), and why we need to
maintain that principle with equal zeal today.
