72. 居間之境 The Intermediate State
作者: 史鮑爾 (R.C. Sproul) 譯者: 姚錦榮
摘自《神學入門》《Essential Truths of the Christian Faith》p.194 , 更新傳道會出版
當耶穌準備使睚魯的女兒從死裏復活時，他這樣論及她：“他不是死了，是睡著了。”（路8：52）聖經中常用睡覺比喻死亡，因為用了這個喻象，所以便有人認為，新約聖經教導靈魂沈睡的教義。
靈魂沈睡的說法，通常是形容人死後至身體復活間的這段時期，靈魂出在一種暫時休眠狀態。當身體復活時，靈魂才蘇醒過來，開始意識到我們在天上個人的存在。雖然自死亡到身體覆活之間也許經過好幾個世紀，但“沈睡”的靈魂是不會察覺到時間的消逝，從死亡踏進天國只像一瞬間的事。
這種說法並非正統的基督教導，然而還是有不少基督徒如此相信，正統的看法稱作居間之境（intermediate state）.居間之境的教義指出，信徒死時，他的靈魂會立即與基督同在，一方面等候著最後身體的復活，一方面享受一種持續、自覺以及有位格的存在。《使徒信經》提到身體復活，但這不是指基督肉身的復活（雖然信經也確認基督的覆活），而是指我們在末日時身體的復活。
但是在身體覆活之前的這段時期，是怎麽回事呢？傳統的看法是，信徒死時，他們的靈魂立刻得榮，立刻成聖，並立刻進入榮耀裏。但是他們的身體仍然躺在墳墓裏，等候最後的復活。
耶穌應許十字架上的強盜說：“今日你要同我在樂園裏了。”（路23：43）支持靈魂沈睡說法的人認為，耶穌並不是說，當天他就會與那強盜在樂園裏想見，因為耶穌死去三天後才復活，而且他還沒有升天。然而，雖然基督還沒有升天，他的身體仍在墳墓裏，但他已經把自己的靈魂交給了父神了。我們確信，在耶穌死時，他的靈魂已在樂園中，誠如他自己所宣告的。
主張靈魂沈睡這看法的人甚至說，聖經的翻譯次序除了問題，他們認為，“今日你要同我在樂園裏了”這句話，應譯作：“我今日實在告訴你，你要同我在樂園裏了。”他們把今天一次用來形容耶穌說話的時間，而不是指耶穌與強盜同在樂園相會的時候。但這是不可能的。對那強盜而言，他顯然知道耶穌是在哪一天與他說話，因此耶穌不必多此一舉地解釋說，我今日與你說這話。在十字架上，人既然連說話的力氣都沒有了，看來也不會如此浪費唇舌。而且，若同時參考聖經其它各處有關居間之境的經文證據（見腓1：19～26，林後5：1～10），我們可以得知耶穌對那強盜的應許，應該是指當天他便可以與耶穌在樂園裏相會了。
信徒死後的光景與今生不同，且比今生更好，但仍比不上最後復活時的光景。在這居間之境裏，我們將會在基督面前，享受著一種持續、自覺以及有位格的存在。
人類的今生以死亡終結，我們終結的去處在死亡時決定了。人死後沒有第二次悔改的機會，也沒有一個好像煉獄的地方讓人去改善自己。對信徒來說，死亡使我們立刻脫離了今生的掙紮與苦難，並進入福樂之中。
雖然死亡使人的靈魂安息，聖經也委婉地用睡眠形容死亡，但以靈魂沈睡，來描寫人在等候最後覆活時處在一種無知覺、休眠的狀態下，則是不正確的說法。
思考經文
路8：49--56；路23：43；林後5：1--10；腓1：19--26；帖前4：13--18
總結
1、靈魂沈睡的說法認為，靈魂自死亡到最後身體復活期間，是處在一種無知覺的休眠狀態中，但這種說法與正統基督教的教導不合。
2、 居間之境指出死亡到最後復活期間，那離開了身體的靈魂，將在天上自覺地與基督同在。
3、 居間之境比我們現存的光景好，但卻比不上我們復活後的光景。
4、 人死後就沒有第二次悔改的機會了。
72.
The Intermediate State
“She
is not dead, but sleeping” (Luke 8:52). Jesus made this comment about Jairus’s
daughter when He was about to raise her from the dead. Frequently the Bible
refers to death by the figure of “sleep.” Because of this image, some have
concluded that the New Testament teaches the doctrine of soul sleep.
Soul
sleep is usually described as a kind of temporary suspended animation of the
soul between the moment of personal death and the time when our bodies will be
resurrected. When our bodies are raised from the dead, the soul is awakened to
begin conscious personal continuity in heaven. Though centuries may pass
between death and final resurrection, the “sleeping” soul will have no
conscious awareness of the passing of time. Our transition from death to heaven
will seem to be instantaneous.
Soul
sleep represents a departure from orthodox Christianity. It remains, however,
as a firmly entrenched minority report among Christians. The traditional view
is called the intermediate state. This view holds that at death, the believer’s
soul goes immediately to be with Christ to enjoy a continuous, conscious,
personal existence while awaiting the final resurrection of the body. When the
Apostles’ Creed speaks of the “resurrection of the body,” it is not referring
to the resurrection of Christ’s human body (which is also affirmed in the
Creed) but to the resurrection of our bodies at the last day.
But
what happens in the meantime? The classical view is that at death the souls of
believers are immediately glorified. They are made perfect in holiness and
enter immediately into glory. Their bodies, however, remain in the grave,
awaiting final resurrection.
Jesus
promised the thief on the cross that “today you will be with Me in Paradise”
(Luke 23:43). Those who support the concept of soul sleep argue that Jesus
could not have meant that He would meet the thief in paradise that very day
because Jesus would be dead for three days and He had not yet ascended.
Although Christ’s ascension had indeed not yet occurred and His body certainly
was in the grave, He had commended His spirit to the Father. We are assured
that at the moment of His death, the soul of Jesus went to Paradise as He
declared. Soul sleep advocates argue that most English editions of the Bible
have misplaced the comma. They read it this way: “I say to you today, you will
be with Me in Paradise.”
With
this change in punctuation the “today” then refers to the time Jesus is
speaking rather than the time Jesus will meet the thief in Paradise. This
punctuation is unlikely, however. It was perfectly obvious to the thief on what
day Jesus was conversing with him. It was hardly necessary for Jesus to say He
was speaking “today.” This waste of words for a man gasping for breath in the
throes of crucifixion is highly unlikely. Rather, consistent with the rest of
the biblical evidence to the intermediate state (see especially Philippians
1:19-26 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10), the promise to the thief is that he would be
reunited with Christ in Paradise that very day.
The
state of the believer after death is both different and better than what we
experience in this life, though not as different or as blessed as it will be in
the final resurrection. In the intermediate state we will enjoy the continuity
of conscious personal existence in the presence of Christ.
Mankind’s
probation ends at death. Our ultimate destiny is decided when we die. There is
no hope of a second chance of repentance after death, and there is no place of
purging such as purgatory to improve our future condition. For the believer,
death is immediate emancipation from the conflict and turmoil of this life as
we enter into our state of blessedness.
Though
death brings rest to the soul and the Bible often refers to death by the
euphemism of sleep, it is not proper to assume that in the intermediate state
the soul sleeps or that we remain unconscious or in a state of suspended
animation until the final resurrection.
Summary
1.
Soul sleep affirms a period of unconscious “suspended animation” of the soul
between death and the final resurrection. It is a departure from orthodox
Christianity.
2. The intermediate state refers to our
conscious presence with Christ in heaven as disembodied souls, between death
and the resurrection of our bodies.
3.
The intermediate state is better than our present state but not as wonderful as
our final state. 4. There is no second chance of repentance after death.
Biblical
passages for reflection:
Luke 8:49-56 Luke 23:43 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Philippians 1:19-26 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
