預定與預知：世人都被預定上天堂或下地獄嗎？

摘錄自《新譯本研讀版聖經》p. 1744環球聖經公會（2013）

https://plus.google.com/u/0/106695469993489516884/posts/ShUiJfZAJnf

預定這個詞的希臘文proorizo一共在新約出現了六次（徒四28，羅八29-30，林前二7，弗一5、11）。在某個地方，它指神預先命定了世界歷史的所有事件（徒四28，林前二7）；在另一些地方，它指神在創世之前的決定，就是關乎罪人最終命運的決定——特別是那些蒙揀選得救恩和永生的人（羅八29-30，弗一5、11），而非那些最終要被定罪受永恒審判的人。不過，許多人指出，聖經也提及神已預定哪些人最終不獲拯救（羅九6-29，彼前二8，猶4）。而且，既然神已預定某些人得救，也必然定其余的人滅亡。有鑒於此，都會中的許多群體界定，神的預定包括他兩方面的決定：既定意拯救某些人脫離罪惡（揀選），也同時定意判定其余的人有罪（摒棄）。

要斷然否認聖經主張神預定某些人得救，是困難的，因為聖經確實用到proorizo這個詞（見上文）。但是，對於神根據什麽來預定某些人得永生這個問題，不同的教會傳統對此看法不一。有些派別認為，神的預定（或揀選）是基於他預先知道某些人的信心。這些派別假設，神早已知道有些人一旦聽到福音，就願意選擇接受基督為救主，所以神據此預定他們得救恩。如此說來，神的預知是被動的，他預見人憑自由意志作出什麽抉擇，但神不會催近他們。因此，神是探頭他預見將要發生的事，預定人的最終命運。

然而，改革宗神學家指出，羅馬書第八章29節和十一2節的「預先知道」（希臘文proginosko）,希臘文意指「預先愛」和「預先承認」（參彼前一20）。從以上經文可見，「預先知道」指神對人的預先認識，而不單是對未來事實或某人攸關生命之抉擇的預知。事實上，新約主張神按著他預先對人的愛和感情而揀選人，賜給人永生。

不但如此，因為所有人生來就死在罪裏（就是說，與神的生命隔絕，不會對他有任何反應），所以若有是神使人內心蘇醒(弗二4-10)，聽了福音的人也沒有一個能悔改信主（弗二4-10）。耶穌說：「如果不是父所賜，沒有人能到我這裏來」。（約六65；參約六44，十25-28）。假如神望向將來，看我們會作何抉擇，他只會看到我們堅決抗拒福音。罪人選擇接受基督，只因為神揀選他們去做這個決定，他更新人的心靈，感動人接受基督。

有人濫用預定的教義，用以支持不同形式的宿命論，不過，這絕非聖經的教導。事實是，聖經反對宿命論，並主張我們所做的抉擇和決定都是重要的，因為神已預先值班室，要透過這途徑成就他的旨意（例：腓二12-13）。聖經沒有鼓吹宿命論，相反，聖經教導預定論，目的是要讓信徒相信，既然他們已在基督裏，就是可以有把握神已預定他們得永生。預定論向我們得救的人保證，神是領袖的，我們確實已在基督裏找到永恒的歸宿。我們不必懼怕，誰也不能把我們從他手裏奪去（約十28）。見《西敏宣言》3.10；《比利時宣言》16；《多特法典》1。

羅馬書八章29的「預先知道」是什麼意思？ WhatDoes “Foreknew” Mean In Romans 8:29?

作者：James Faris   翻譯:   駱鴻銘

http://theaquilareport.com/what-does-foreknew-mean-in-romans-829/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2016/02/28/What_Does_Foreknew_Mean.aspx

因為祂預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法祂兒子的模樣，使祂兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 (ESV)

羅馬書八章29的「預先知道」是什麼意思呢？這節經文的意思是上帝看透時間，事先知道誰會相信基督，並因此預定他們會效法耶穌的模樣嗎（譯按：指亞米念主義）？還是它告訴我們，當上帝衡量各種變數和祂的被造物可能的決定時，所得到的某種「中間知識」（譯按：指莫連那主義[Molinism]）？這些與歷史上的改革宗對預知的理解相反的說法，試圖要保留的是人不受限制的意志。What does “foreknew” mean in Romans 8:29? Does it mean God looked ahead through time and knew in advance who would believe in Christ and thus predestined them to be conformed to the image of Jesus? Perhaps it reveals some kind of “middle knowledge” of God as he weighed various contingencies and possible decisions of his creatures? These options, which stand opposed to the historic reformed understanding of foreknowledge, seek to preserve unrestricted freedom of man’s will. It’s helpful to ask two questions of the text at this point. First, to get the context, what is the object of God’s foreknowledge? Second, what is the meaning of the word?

在羅馬書八章29節裏，上帝的預知，其預知的對象是人。上帝在這裏所說的不是祂預知人的傾向、選擇、或是行動。上帝所預知的不是人的信心，而是預知人。上帝選擇要拯救人，不是根據祂預見人的工作或決定。聖經很清楚說明，我們是靠著上帝主權的恩典、藉著信心得救的（如：羅九11-13；弗二8-9）。Robert Raymond 在他的系統神學著作（A New Systemic Theology of the Christian Faith）裏，註解以弗所書一章4節這節平行經文時寫到：「上帝在創世以前揀選我們，使我們成為聖潔，而不是因為祂看到我們會成為聖潔而揀選我們。」The object of God’s foreknowledge in Romans 8:29 is people. God does not say here that he foreknew inclinations, choices, or actions. It is not faith God foreknew; he foreknew people. God did not choose to save based on foreseen human works or decisions; Scripture is clear that we are sovereignly saved by grace through faith (e.g. Romans 9:11-13, Ephesians 2:8-9). Commenting on the parallel passage in Ephesians 1:4, Robert Reymond writes in his A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith, “God chose us before the creation of the world that we should be holy, not because he saw that we would be holy.”

這個字是什麼意思呢？在聖經裏，它的意思可以是「先見」（prescience），或僅僅是事先知道（如：徒廿六5；彼後三17）。威斯敏斯特大要理問答問答14是按這個意思來使用這個詞的：「上帝按照祂毫無錯謬的預知，以及祂自由的、永不改變的旨意計畫，以創造並護理之工，來執行祂的旨意。」What does the word mean? In Scripture, It can mean “prescience” or merely to know in advance (e.g. Acts 26:5, 2 Peter 3:17). The Westminster Larger Catechism Answer 14 uses the English word in that sense: “God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will.”

但是，既然上帝的預知，尤其在羅馬書八章29節，其對象是人，我們就必須看到舊約裏與「認識」平行的詞，它們的用法與這個詞之間的關聯。在舊約聖經裏，「認識」的意思是指有親密的知識，正如亞當「認識」夏娃，因而懷了他們的兒子（創四1；和合本譯為：亞當和夏娃「同房」）。這個詞常常被用來描述上帝揀選祂的子民。創十八19論到亞伯拉罕，說：「我眷顧他（按：《新譯本》作「我揀選了他」；希伯來文原文就是「認識」），為要叫他吩咐他的眾子和他的眷屬遵守我的道，秉公行義，使我所應許亞伯拉罕的話都成就了。」主在每個孩子誕生前就認識他們，因此當祂在耶利米書說到這點，祂頭腦裏對耶利米必定有更密切的認識：「我未將你造在腹中，我已曉得你；你未出母胎，我已分別你為聖；我已派你作列國的先知。」（耶一5）。類似的用法充斥在舊約聖經裏（參：詩一6，一四四3；何十三4-5；摩三2）But especially since the object of God’s foreknowledge in Romans 8:29 is people, we must see the connection to the use of the parallel word for knowing in the Old Testament. To know in the Hebrew Scriptures is to know intimately, as Adam did Eve when they conceived their son (Genesis 4:1). The word is frequently used to describe God’s election of his people. Genesis 18:19 says of Abraham, “For I have chosen [known] him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” The Lord knew of every child before he or she was born, so he must have something more intimate in mind when in speaking to Jeremiah when he said, “Before I formed you in the womb Iknew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). Similar uses abound in the Old Testament (c.f. Psalm 1:6, 144:3; Hosea 13:4-5, Amos 3:2).

 上帝對祂百姓親密的、充滿愛意的知識的這個主題，延續到新約聖經：「然而，上帝堅固的根基立住了；上面有這印記說：『主認識誰是祂的人』；又說：『凡稱呼主名的人總要離開不義』。」（提後二19；參：林前八3 若有人愛神，這人乃是神所知道的。）當然，從一個純粹知識的角度，主認識世上的每一個人，因此在這些例子裏，經文明顯是說到一個更親密的個人關係。The theme of God’s intimate, loving knowledge of his people carries into the New Testament, “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity’” (2 Timothy 2:19, c.f. 1 Corinthians 8:3). Certainly, the Lord knows every person on earth from a standpoint of bare knowledge, so the text is clearly speaking of something more personal in these cases.

在天父對祂愛子的預知上，最能看到這個愛的關係：「基督在創世以前是預先被神知道的，卻在這末世才為你們顯現。」（彼前一20）Love is seen most of all in the Father’s foreknowledge of his own Son, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20).

相對於此種對人的靈魂充滿愛意的認識，上帝對這些悖逆者宣告說：「我從來不認識你們」（太七23；參：太廿五11-12）In contrast to this loving knowledge of souls, God will declare to rebels “‘I never knew you” (Matthew 7:22, c.f. Matthew 25:11-12).

因此，慕理（John Murray）在他為羅馬書所作的注釋書裏，為「預知」這個詞所作的結論是，「它的意思是『祂所關心的人』，或『祂從永恆就以有區別的愛和喜悅所認識的人』」。Thus, in his commentary on Romans, John Murray concludes of the word “foreknew”, “It means ‘whom he set regard upon’ or ‘whom he knew from eternity with distinguishing affection and delight’ and is virtually equivalent to ‘whom he foreloved.’”

在下一節經文裏，上帝也預定這些人直到末了。這個預定的行動，從邏輯來說，是根植於祂對祂子民親密的預知。God also predestines these people to the end described in the next verse. That predestinating act is logically rooted in his intimate foreknowledge of his people.

因此，「預知」這個詞的意思是上帝「預愛」（forelove）祂的百姓。它是在描述這樣的一種愛：上帝出於祂單純的美意，在永恆裏愛祂的百姓。這對上帝的子民來說是個好消息，即既然我們救恩的確據是根植於上帝永恆的愛，我們就相信祂會叫萬事互相效力——即使我們現在有艱難的處境——使我們得著益處（羅八28），而且沒有任何事可以叫我們與上帝在我們主耶穌基督裏的愛隔絕（羅八39）。讚美主！So, the word “foreknew” means that God foreloved his people. It describes love with which he loved his people his people in eternity past out of his mere good pleasure. The good news for the people of God is that since our assurance of salvation is rooted in God’s eternal love we can trust that he is working all things – even difficult circumstances in our lives at present – for our good (Romans 8:28) and that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Praise the Lord!

James Faris是印城第二改革宗長老教會的牧師。這篇文章首刊於Gentle Reformation，蒙授權使用。James Faris is a pastor of the Second Reformed Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. This article first appeared at Gentle Reformation and is used with permission.