活在上帝面前的現實TheReality of Living Before God
作者: Burk Parsons 譯者: Maria Marta
我有一個好朋友，他認為我太守舊。我們相識這麽多年來，他從未停止過提醒我他的觀察所得。雖然我努力保持一種與時俱進的人生觀，但我必須承認，守舊的性情往往能讓我的潛能得到最有效的發揮。我仍舊認為，當男士向女士求婚，適當的做法是男士首先要和被求婚女士的父親交談，然後再和求婚對象交談。這種想法對我來說一點也不守舊。
我還記得那次與我岳父交談，表示要向他女兒求婚的情景。 雖然我們兩個人在交談時都感到有些尷尬-----之前我從未有過這類的交談，而且他首先提到的是他五個女兒中最年長的一個 -----我們將所知道的一切都說給對方聽。 我告訴他，我會竭盡全力在所不辭的支持和愛他的女兒。 他問了很多問題，顯然我正確回答了所有的問題。談話結束時，他深深注視著我的眼睛，並問了一個簡單問題：「你愛她嗎？」 我回答：「是的。」
雖然他的問題直接說到點子上，但當他目不轉睛地看著我的時候，他無疑努力地傳達著某種信息-----遠超於那簡單問題的答案範圍。 實質上，他在傳達我們剛剛達成的，他同意把女兒嫁給我的重要性。
當我回憶那次談話，和從此以後與岳父和岳母建立起來的美妙關系時，我想到的不僅是我和他們之間存在的盟約，而且我和上帝之間也存在的盟約。就好像我岳父對我所說的：「 年輕人，你最好信守諾言，否則你就得對付我。雖然我不能隨時隨地和你在一起，但上帝會注意你，確保你像你所說的那樣愛護和關心我的女兒。」
盡管記錄在創世記卅一章的拉班和雅各之間的對話，有別於我和岳父之間的對話，但這兩次談話都有一個共同點。 這共同點就是承認一個事實：上帝在婚姻聖約中的主權指引和問責。
雅各與他的岳父拉班立約，雅各拿一塊石頭立做柱子，標記他們之間立約的所在地。拉班認識到石頭的重要性，說：「今日這石堆做你我中間的證據」（48節）。接著拉班向雅各宣告：「我們彼此離別以後，願耶和華在你我中間鑒察。你若苦待我的女兒，又在我的女兒以外另娶妻，雖沒有人知道，卻有神在你我中間做見證。」（49-50節） 拉班的聲明讀起來很有趣，雖然「守舊」，但它不但顯示出他的權利，他對婚姻的正確理解，而且也顯示了他對上帝屬性的正確理解。拉班的神學至少在這些方面是正確無誤的：上帝是無所不知（全知）和無所不在（超越時間和空間的實存；在所有時間和所有空間中都豐滿的存在）。他也明白上帝不輕視聖約 -----尤其是婚姻盟約，在我們當今這個時代，許多夫妻視婚姻盟約為隨時可以拆毀的合約。
拉班要雅各向上帝交賬，藉此要他對自己的說話負責。 拉班清楚表明，上帝是雅各信守自己說話的最高執法官。約翰·加爾文在他的創世記註釋書中，解釋卅一章時說道：「拉班將審判交託給上帝，因為報復，對任何一方的所有冒犯，都是侵犯不在場的另一方的犯罪行為; 拉班似乎在說『雖然因為我身處遙遠他方，傷害的情況不會傳到我的耳中，然而上帝無處不在，祂的眼看顧鑒察。』 後來當他說『雖沒有人知道，卻有神在你我中間做見證』時更清楚地表達出這種感受。他的意思是說，雖然世上沒有審判官來判斷因由，但上帝將嚴厲的懲治萬惡。
加爾文用自己的話複述雅各和拉班之間的對話，直截了當地表達：「雖然我身處遙遠他方，然而上帝無處不在，祂的眼看顧鑒察。」盡管拉班不能隨雅各到任何地方，但拉班知道上帝無所不在，所以雅各要對這至高者交帳。
因為我們明白關於上帝的教義真理，所以我們明白我們活在無所不在、無所不知的上帝面前的現實。不管我們是否透切理解上帝是如何無所不在和無所不知，不管我們身在何方，我們都要面對祂的臨在和全知。 我們不能躲避祂的臨在，也不能用我們的謊言愚弄祂。 因此上帝讓我們遵守我們所立的盟約。上帝讓我們恪守我們的說話, 祂的目的是讓我們要負責任，祂不單單讓我們恪守我們的說話，祂自己也恪守祂的說話。祂總是信實於我們，只要我們活著，無論疾病還是健康，祂都會珍愛我們，看顧我們，直到永永遠遠。
本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。
The
Reality of Living Before God
FROM Burk Parsons
I
have a good friend who thinks I am too old-fashioned. Through all the years
we’ve known each other, he has never ceased to remind me of his observation. And
while I certainly try to maintain an age-appropriate outlook on life, I must
admit that my old-fashioned tendencies too often get the best of me. Although
it does not seem old-fashioned to me in the least, when asking for a woman’s
hand in marriage, I still think it is appropriate for a man first to speak with
the father of the woman he hopes to marry prior to speaking with the woman.
I
recall the occasion on which I spoke with my father-in-law about having his
daughter’s hand in marriage. Although the conversation was somewhat awkward for
both of us — I never having had such a conversation before, and he having the
first conversation regarding his oldest of five daughters — we said all that we
knew to say to one another. I told him I would do everything it takes to
support and love his daughter, no matter how much I had to work. He asked many
questions, and I apparently responded with all the right answers. Then, at the
end of our conversation he looked deep into my eyes and asked the simple
question: “Do you love her?” To which I responded, “Yes.”
Though
his question was straight forward and to the point, as he looked at me
intensely he was certainly trying to communicate something far beyond the scope
of his simple question. In essence, he was communicating the weight of the
agreement we had just reached regarding his daughter’s hand in marriage.
As I
reflect on that conversation and the wonderful relationship I have had with my
father and mother-in-law ever since, I am reminded of the covenant that exists
not only between myself and them but the covenant that exists between myself
and the Lord. It was as if my father-in-law had said to me, “Young man, you
better keep your word, or else you’re going to have to deal with me. Although I
am not able to be with you everywhere you go, the Lord will keep His eye on you
to make sure you love and care for my daughter as you said you would.”
Although
the conversation that took place between Laban and Jacob, recorded in Genesis
31, was different than the conversation I had with my father-in-law, there is
one thing the two conversations have in common. They both recognized the
reality of the Lord’s sovereign direction and accountability in the covenant of
marriage.
In
the covenant Jacob made with his father-in-law, Laban, Jacob took a stone and
established it as a pillar, marking the place where the covenant was made
between them. Laban recognized the importance of the stone, saying, it is “a
witness between you and me today” (v. 48). Laban then proclaimed to Jacob these
words: “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s
sight. If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters,
although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me” (vv.
49–50). Laban’s statement is fascinating. It reveals not only his right, albeit
“old-fashioned,” understanding of marriage but his right understanding of the
character of God. Laban’s theology was accurate insofar as he understood that
God was omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere present). He also
understood that God does not take covenants lightly — especially the covenant
of marriage, which so many couples in our day and age treat like a contract
that can be torn up at any given time.
Laban
held Jacob to his word by holding him accountable to God. Laban made it
absolutely clear that God would be the supreme agent in holding Jacob to his word.
In his commentary on Genesis 31, John Calvin comments, “Laban commits to the
judgment of God, for vengeance, whatever offense either of them should be
guilty of against the other in his absence; as if he would say, ‘Though the
knowledge of the injury should not reach me, because I shall be far distant,
yet the Lord, who is everywhere present, will behold it.’ Which sentiment he
more clearly expresses afterwards, when he says, ‘No one is with us; God will
be witness between me and thee.’ By which words he means, that God will be a
severe avenger of every wickedness, though there should be no judge upon earth
to decide the cause.”
Calvin’s
explanation is right to the point as he retells the conversation between Jacob
and Laban in his own words, saying, “I shall be far distant, yet the Lord, who
is everywhere present, will behold it.” Even though Laban would not be with
Jacob everywhere he went, Laban knew that the Lord is omnipresent and therefore
the ultimate one to whom Jacob would be accountable.
Inasmuch
as we understand doctrinal truths about God, we understand the practical
realities of living before an omnipresent and omniscient God. For whether or
not we fully understand how God is omnipresent and omniscient, we are faced
with the reality of His presence and knowledge wherever we go. We cannot escape
His presence, nor can we fool Him with our lies. Therefore, the Lord holds us
to the covenants we have made. He holds us accountable as He holds us to our
word, and not only does He hold us to our word but He holds Himself to His own
word. He is always faithful to us, loving and cherishing us even in our
sickness and health, as long as we shall live and through eternity.
This
post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.
