末世论_15 中介·状态(续)
Doctrine of the last things,Session 15末世论第十五讲
主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立弟兄_英文:陈弟兄_中文:自由的荣耀弟兄
B.These doctrines in history. 教会历史上的灵魂消灭论和有限不朽论。
The doctrine of annihilationism was taught by Arnobius and the early Socinians,灵魂消灭论是由”Arnobius和早期的苏锡尼派人士所倡导的,and by the philosophers Locke and Hobbes,还有哲学家洛克和霍布斯。but was not popular in its original form.但是,他原来版本的说法并没有那么受人欢迎。In the previous century,however, 但是到了19世纪的时候,the old idea of annihilation was revived with some modifications under the name of conditional immortality,到了19世纪的时候,灵魂消灭论又复苏了,不过经过一些的修改,因此,这种的修正版叫做有限的灵魂不朽论。
and in its new form found considerable favor.而这个新的版本呢,受到某些人的欢迎到的。It was advocated by E. White,J. B. Heard,and the Prebendaries Constable and Row in England,by Richard Rothe in Germany,by A. Sabatier in France,by E. Petavel and Ch. Secretan in Switzerland,and by C. F. Hudson,W. R. Huntington,L. C. Baker,and L. W. Bacon in our own country,这些是在英国、德国、法国、瑞士,还有美国支持这个新的有限的不朽论的人士,and therefore deserves special notice.因此我们必须要正面考虑这个说法。
They do not all put the doctrine in the same form,他们对这个教义不是用同样方法来论述的,but agree in the fundamental position但是在一个基本的立场上是统一的,就是, that man is not immortal in virtue of his original constitution,就是人体起初被造的时候,他的构造并不是不死的,but is made immortal by a special act or gift of grace.是上帝特别的作为,或者所赐的恩典而成为不死的。As far as the wicked are concerned那么恶人又怎么样呢?some maintain that these retain a bare existence,though with an utter loss of consciousness,有些人认为,恶人还是有一个最基本的存在,但是,完全没有意识了。
while others assert还有其他的人这样坚持说,that they perish utterly like the beasts,他们好像动物、禽兽一样就灭亡了,though it may be after longer or shorter periods of suffering.可能是经过比较长或者比较短的一些的受苦的年日,之后就不见了。
C.Arguments adduced in favor of this doctrine. 支持这两项教义的一些论点。
Support for this doctrine is found partly in the language of some of the early Church Fathers,早期的教父,某些人的说法好像是支持这个教义的。which seems to imply at least that only believers receive the gift of immortality,他们的说法好像暗示着说,唯有信徒们才会领受到不死的恩典的,and partly also in some of the most recent theories of science,另外一些的支持,就是在近代的一些科学的理论,which deny that there is any scientific proof for the immortality of the soul.科学不承认有任何科学的证据来支持灵魂不灭。
The main support for it,however,is sought in Scripture.但是,他们主要是想在经文里面找到他们的证据。他们是这样说的:It is said that
(1)the Bible: teaches that God only is inherently immortal,I Tim. 6:16; 圣经教导说,唯有上帝才是本质上不朽的。
提摩太前书六章第16节:就是那独一不死,住在人不能靠近的光里,是人未曾看见,也是不能看见的,要将他显明出来。但愿尊贵和永远的权能都归给他。阿们!
(2)never speaks of the immortality of the soul in general,圣经从来没有一般地论述过灵魂不灭,but represents immortality as a gift of God to those who are in Christ Jesus,而圣经所表达的是,灵魂不灭是上帝的恩赐,赐给那些在基督耶稣里的人。他们所用的经文是:John 10:27,28;John 17:3 ;Rom. 2:7; Rom. 6:22,23;Gal. 6:8;
(3)Bible threatens sinners with “death” and “destruction,” 圣经警告,罪人将来要遭受死和沉沦或者是灭亡,asserting that they will “perish,”圣经声称他们要灭亡,terms which are to be taken to mean that unbelievers will be reduced to non-existence,这些词汇,他们认为,这些词汇的意思就是,非信徒最后就会降到不存在的状态。Matt. 7:13 ; 马太七章13节;Matt. 10:28;马太十章28节;John 3:16;约翰三章16节;Rom. 6:23 ;罗马书六章第23节; Rom. 8:13;罗马书八章13节; II Thess. 1:9.帖后第一章第9节。
D.Consideration of these arguments.对这些论点的评估。
It cannot be said that the arguments in favor of this doctrine are conclusive.我们不能说,支持这个教义这些的论点是完全有说服力的。The language of the early Church Fathers is not always exact and self-consistent,and admits of another interpretation.早期教父的著作,他们的说法不一定是精准的,也不一定是前后一致的,我们可以用另一个方法来解释的。
And the speculative thought of the ages has,on the whole,been favorable to the doctrine of immortality,而在整个历世历代的哲学思想里,大部分都是支持灵魂的不灭,while science has not succeeded in disproving it. 而科学并没有成功地证明灵魂不灭是错的。The Scriptural arguments may be answered in order as follows: 而他们用经文的证据,我们顺序地来回答他们。
(1)第一个回应。God is indeed the only one that has inherent immortality.不错,唯有上帝是那个本质上不朽坏的那一位。Man’s immortality is derived,而人的不灭呢,是从上帝那里衍生而来的,but this is not equivalent to saying that he does not possess it in virtue of his creation. 可是这并不等于说,就是因为人被造,因此他没有不灭。
(2)第二个回应。In the second argument在第二个论点里,the bare immortality or continued existence of the soul is confused with eternal life,他们把那个灵魂仅仅存在、不灭与永生混为一谈。while the latter is a far richer concept.永生是一个丰富得多的一个的概念, Eternal life is indeed the gift of God in Jesus Christ,永生诚然是上帝在耶稣基督里要赐给人的礼物,a gift which the wicked do not receive,而这个是恶人不会得到的礼物,but this does not mean that they will not continue to exist. 但这并不意味着恶人以后就不再存在了。
(3)第三方面对这论点的回应。The last argument arbitrarily assumes that the terms “death,” “destruction,” and “perish” denote a reduction to non-existence.最后第三方面的论点,很随意地假设认为,死亡、毁灭、沉沦都是指被降到不存在的状态。It is only the baldest literalism that can maintain this,唯有一个完全字义来解经,才能够支持这种说法。and then only in connection with some of the passages quoted by the advocates of this theory.而必须要用支持这个观点的人所用的经文一起来看,才有说服力。
E.Arguments against this doctrine.反对这两项教义的论点。The doctrine of conditional immortality is plainly contradicted by Scripture where it teaches: 有限的不朽论,很清楚地有圣经反对。圣经是这样教导的:
(1)圣经的教导说,that sinners as well as saints will continue to exist forever,罪人和圣徒都永远地继续存在的。
Eccl. 12:7 ; 传道书十二章第7节:尘土仍归于地,灵仍归于赐灵的上帝。
Matt. 25:46;马太福音二十五章46节:这些人要往永刑里去,那些义人要往永生里去。”
Rom. 2:8-10;罗马书第二章8到10节:惟有结党不顺从真理,反顺从不义的,就以忿怒、恼恨报应他们。将患难、困苦加给一切作恶的人,先是犹太人,后是希腊人;却将荣耀、尊贵、平安加给一切行善的人,先是犹太人,后是希腊人。
Rev. 14:11 ;启示录十四章第11节:他受痛苦的烟往上冒,直到永永远远。那些拜兽和兽像,受它名之印记的,昼夜不得安宁。
Rev. 20:10; 最后,启示录二十章第10节:那迷惑他们的魔鬼被扔在硫磺的火湖里,就是兽和假先知所在的地方。他们必昼夜受痛苦,直到永永远远。
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(2)第二要反对的论点。The Bible teach that the wicked will suffer eternal punishment,圣经教导说,恶人要遭受到永远的惩罚的,which means意思就是说,that they will be forever conscious of a pain which they will recognize as their just desert,他们会永远意识到有一种的痛苦,他们知道这个是他们的报应,是应得的。and therefore will not be annihilated,所以,他们不会成为已经消灭掉的不存在的东西。cf. the passages just mentioned; 请参考刚才已经提过的一些的经文。
(3)还有第三方面对这些论点的回应。that there will be degrees in the punishment of the wicked,while extinction of being or consciousness admits of no degrees,but constitutes a punishment that is alike for all,虽然对恶人所颁布的惩罚有不同的程度,但是不再存在或者没有意识,就没有程度了,就变成每一个人都受到同样的惩罚的。
Luke 12:47,48;路加十二章47、48节:仆人知道主人的意思,却不预备,又不顺他的意思行,那仆人必多受责打;惟有那不知道的,作了当受责打的事,必少受责打。因为多给谁,就向谁多取;多托谁,就向谁多要。”
Rom. 2:12.罗马书二章第12节:凡没有律法犯了罪的,也必不按律法灭亡;凡在律法以下犯了罪的,也必按律法受审判。
还有下面两方面的考虑,也是反对这个理论的。有三方面的另加的考虑,除了上面我们看到一些的经文的回应以外,下面伯克富再做出一些的考虑的。
The following considerations are also decidedly opposed to this particular doctrine: 下面一些的考虑,也是决定性的不支持或者反对这个教义的。
(1)Annihilation would be contrary to all analogy.当我们讲灵魂的毁灭,去跟别的事情比较的时候,这个是不符合事实的。God does not annihilate His work,however much He may change its form.上帝是不毁灭他所做的工作的,不论他怎么样改变受造物的外在形式。The Biblical idea of death has nothing in common with annihilation.圣经讲的“死”的概念,和“灵魂的消灭”是完全两码事。Life and death are exact opposites in Scripture.在圣经里面“生”和“死”是相反词。
If death means simply the cessation of being or consciousness,life must mean only the continuation of these;假如“死”的意思就是不再存在,或者不再有意识的话呢,那么生命就只不过是继续存在,会继续有意识。but as amatter of fact it means much more than that但是事实上,生命所指的远远超过这一点点。cf. Rom. 8:6; I Tim. 4:8 ; I John 3:14.参考罗马书八章第6节;提摩太四章8节;约翰一书三章14节。
Rom. 8:6;罗马书八章6节:体贴肉体的就是死,体贴圣灵的乃是生命平安。
伯克富的意思就是说,死的相反词不仅仅是存在,还有平安等等。
I Tim. 4:8:操练身体,益处还少;惟独敬虔,凡事都有益处,因有今生和来生的应许。
这里的意思就是说,今生也有上帝的应许。若有敬虔的话,生命不仅仅是存在,还有各种的益处的。
I John 3:14.约翰一书三章14节:我们因为爱弟兄,就晓得是已经出死入生了。没有爱心的,仍住在死中。
就是说,真的生命里面包括了爱,有爱、有应许、有平安、有益处等等,生命不仅仅是存在而且有应许。The term has a spiritual connotation,生命这个词是有着它的属灵的含义或者联想的,and so has the word death. 死这个字也是如此。Man is spiritually dead before he falls a prey to physical death,人还没有落入身体死亡这个结局之前,他已经是灵里死了。but this does not involve a loss of being or consciousness,可是属灵的死并不牵涉到不再存在,或者不再有意识。
我们来看经文:Eph. 2:1,2; 以弗所书二章第一节跟第二节:你们死在过犯罪恶之中,他叫你们活过来。那时,你们在其中行事为人,随从今世的风俗,顺服空中掌权者的首领,就是现今在悖逆之子心中运行的邪灵。
I Tim. 5:6;提摩太前书五章6节:但那好宴乐的寡妇,正活着的时候也是死的。
属灵的死的人呢,是活得好好的,在宴乐。
Col. 2:13 ; 歌罗西书二章13节:你们从前在过犯和未受割礼的肉体中死了,上帝赦免了你们(或作“我们”)一切过犯,便叫你们与基督一同活过来,
所以,活过来包括罪的赦免,是个属灵的概念。
Rev. 3:1启示录三章第1节:……我知道你的行为,按名你是活的,其实是死的。
这里是写给撒狄教会的使者。
(2)第二方面的考虑。Annihilation can hardly be called a punishment,灵魂消灭,完全不可以被称为是一种的刑罚,since this implies a consciousness of pain and ill-desert,因为惩罚是包含着意识到有痛苦,是应得的报应。while,when existence terminates,consciousness also ceases.而另外一方面,假如一个人不再存在,灵魂不再存在的话呢,他也不再有意识了。惩罚是意识到有痛苦的。
It might at most be said that the dread of annihilation would be a punishment,人们最多可以说,怕灵魂消灭本身,这个惧怕本身,可能是一种的惩罚,but this punishment would not be commensurate with the transgression.可是这种的惩罚与罪行或者罪孽呢不相称,就是说,这个惩罚太轻了,And naturally the dread of a man who never had within him the spark of immortality,will never equal that of him who has eternity in his heart,Eccl. 3:11. 而一个人,假如他在里面从来没有永恒的火花而怕灵魂消灭是一件事,但是有永恒在心里面就不一样喽。
传道书三章11节:上帝造万物,各按其时成为美好,又将永生安置在世人心里(“永生”原文作“永远”)。然而上帝从始至终的作为,人不能参透。
(3)第三方面的考虑。It often happens that people consider the extinction of being and of consciousness a very desirable thing,事实上有些人认为呢,假如不再存在或者不再有意识呢,是非常好的,他们很喜欢这个结局。when they grow tired of life. 可能他们已经厌倦了生命了。For these such a punishment would be in reality a blessing.对这些人来说,这种的惩罚事实上是一种的福分呢。这里我们讲了这段了,我们来到F部分。
F.The Intermediate State not a State of Further Probation.中介状态,就是说死和复活之间这段时期那个人的灵魂的状态,不是上帝进一步考验人的一种状态。
1.STATEMENT OF THE DOCTRINE.这个教义的陈述。The theory of the so-called “second probation” found considerable favor in the theological world of the nineteenth century.在19世纪的神学世界里面,所谓第二次的考验这个理论呢,满多人接受的。It is advocated,among others,接受的人包括这些人,Mueller,Dorner,and Nitzsch in Germany,德国的一些思想家, Godet and Gretillat in Switzerland,瑞士的,还有Maurice,Farrar,and Plumptre in England,英国的,and by Newman Smythe,Munger,Cox,Jukes and several Andover theologians in our own country.美国有这些的神学家,包括“Andover”就是在波士顿附近一间的公理宗浸信会的神学院的神学家。包括这些的英国、瑞士、德国跟美国的神学家跟哲学家,他们认为呢,死之后上帝会给人第二次的机会跟考验。
This theory is to the effect这个理论要说的是,that salvation through Christ is still possible in the intermediate state for certain classes or,perhaps,for all;在中介状态,就是人死了之后,借着耶稣基督得救,仍然是可能的。可能是对某一类的人,甚至乎对全人类都是可能的。and that this is offered on substantially the same terms as at present,在死后这种的福音的邀请呢,与现今的人生条件是一样的,基本上是一样的,namely,faith in Christ as Saviour.就是说人要信基督作救主。
这里说到的是,人死了之后,还会有福音邀请他们、呼吁他们信基督而得救。Christ is made known to all who still need Him unto salvation,对于那些需要耶稣基督而得救的人呢,福音会传给所有这些人,让他们知道耶稣基督,and acceptance of Him is urged on all. 传福音的人,会劝全人类接纳他。No one is condemned to hell without being subjected to this test,没有人,除非要经过这个考验,就是要不要接受基督,没有人会被定罪进地狱的,and only they are condemned who resist this offer of grace. 唯有拒绝这个恩典的邀请的人,才会被定罪进到地狱里。
The eternal state of man will not be irrevocably fixed until the day of judgment.人永恒的结局呢,不会一成不变地定好,直到末日的审判。The decision made between death and the resurrection will decide,whether one will be saved or not.所以在死之后复活之前所做的决定,就会决定一个人将来是不是会得救的。The fundamental principle on which this theory rests is这个理论背后的基本原则是,is that no man will perish without having been offered a favorable opportunity to know and accept Jesus.没有一个人会沉沦,除非他已经得到一个正面的、积极的机会认识耶稣,接受耶稣。Man is condemned only for the obstinate refusal to accept the salvation that is offered in Christ Jesus.人被定罪唯有一个原因,就是他固执拒绝接受在基督耶稣里所提供的救恩。那这个不是改革宗的立场啊。然后呢,甚至乎连今生我们是不是就是因为不信耶稣而被定罪的,这个也不是改革宗的立场。伯克富会继续讲这个立场,然后,进一步告诉我们,这个立场背后是建立在怎么一个基础上。
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