认识现代神学27、第十四章:神秘主义(续)
主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立弟兄_英文:XSS姐妹_中文:姣姐妹
认识现代神学第27讲,神秘主义。我们正在看神秘主义的危险。前面讲了神秘主义就不要圣经作为我们信仰生活的唯一的准则的。
好,第二个危险。Mysticism tends to forget,神秘主义人士一般来说都忘记,that a balance is needed regarding the use of the emotions.使用情感是需要平衡的。We are not to deny our emotions.我们不可以否认我们的情感。We must still “love the Lord . . . with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Luke 22:37).我们仍然必须“尽心、尽意、尽性的爱我们的上帝”的(参考路22:37)。Mysticism tends to let emotions control our faith.神秘主义的倾向是让我们的情感控制我们的信仰。On the contrary,反过来,our faith must control our emotions.我们的信仰,我们的信心必须控制我们的情感。
NO.3,第三方面的危险。Mysticism’s attacks on the church and its tendency to replace the church with the leadership of one man distort the biblical picture of the church and its ministers.神秘主义者往往抨击教会,他们一般都会以一个人的领导来取代整个教会,这样的做法是扭曲了圣经里对教会和教会的牧师们的教导。Paul could speak with great firmness concerning the corruption and inabilities of the church,保罗可以很坚决的批评教会的败坏跟无能的(参考林前1:10起,林前6:15起,林前11:20-21,还有林前15:12),but he could also see the “grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ”,但是他也能够看到“上帝借着耶稣基督所赐给你们的恩典”(林前1:4),and he could therefore call “them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus,called to be saints” as existing in fellowship “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,”and “the church of God which is at Corinth”(I Cor. 1:2).而他也可以称他们为“在基督耶稣里成圣的,蒙召做圣徒的”,“他们在各地呼求耶稣基督的名的人”是有交通的,保罗也称他们做“在哥林多那里的神的教会”的(林前1:2)。Paul could not limit the membership and vitality of the church beyond those limits set by God himself.使徒保罗不会在教会的成员里面做出任何的限制和区分,超过上帝所定的界限。
So also,Paul offers no distorted picture of some super-role for the minister.同样的,使徒保罗也没有在牧师的所扮演的角色方面没有扭曲,没有定出一个牧师的膨胀的角色。To the church at Corinth,which expressed such tendencies,因为哥林多的教会就有这种的倾向,Paul asks,所以保罗就问,not,“Who is Apollos? Who is Paul . . . ,”所以保罗不是问“亚波罗是谁?保罗是谁?”but rather,反之,“What then is Apollos? What is Paul?”.“亚波罗算什么?保罗算什么?”(林前3:5)。Paul looked on himself,not as a man,but as a tool which God used,“servants through whom you believed,as the Lord assigned to each.”使徒保罗看他自己不是一个人,乃是上帝所用的器皿,是神的仆人,“藉着我们,你们相信了,正如主所分配给个人的恩赐。”The church which has an over-exaggerated view of the importance of its ministers moves dangerously toward mysticism.教会假如对牧师的重要性有着夸张的观点的话,是很危险的,他们是直奔神秘主义的。
NO.4,第四方面的危险。Mysticism’s tendency to stress the spectacular gifts of the Spirit,神秘主义有这个倾向,过分的强调那些圣灵超自然的或者轰动的恩赐,often leads it into a neglect of the more abiding value of the ordinary gifts.往往就导致他们忽略那些一般的,但是有长期价值的恩赐(林前12:31,林前13:1和8)。It often suggests that such unusual spiritual experiences as the so-called “gift of tongues” are the secret of holiness and usefulness.往往他们会建议说,譬如说所谓的“方言的恩赐”这种的不寻常的属灵经验,乃是过圣洁生活,做有用基督徒的秘诀。Many in the history of the church have been powerful in character and ministry without them,在教会历史中有很多人没有这些超自然的恩赐,他们的品格、他们的事工都是大有能力的,while the Corinthians,who had some of them,remained carnal.而哥林多的教会虽然有一些这些的不寻常的恩赐,仍然是属血气的。Even if such special gifts of the Spirit are thought to be present,就算我们承认,这些的圣灵特殊的恩赐是存在的,they must be exercised,as all gifts of the Spirit,within the limitations set by God in His Word (I Cor. 14).教会也必须按照上帝指的话里面所定下的界限来用这些,和所有属灵的恩赐的(林前14章)。“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace”.“上帝不是一个混乱的神,乃是和睦的神”(林前14:33)。
NO.5,最后,神秘主义第五方面的危险。Mysticism’s emphasis on certain features of biblical eschatology distorts the balance of Scripture.神秘主义往往强调圣经的末世论的某一些的特点,就扭曲了圣经所持的平衡。The center of biblical eschatology is neither judgment on sinners nor salvation for God’s people nor any program which restricts biblical perspectives to present-day concerns,a la Moltmann or Bultmann.圣经的启示论的焦点,不是罪人的审判,也不是上帝子民的得救,也不是任何限制圣经的观点到现今的话题的,譬如说莫特曼或者布特曼等等,这些都不是圣经末世论的焦点。
The center of eschatology is the coming of God in Christ with power and glory.末世论的焦点是上帝在基督里带着大能和荣耀的降临。Even our emphasis on the millennium cannot replace our emphasis on the great fact of eschatology—he final manifestation of the glory of God in Christ.就算我们强调千禧年,这样也不可以取代我们强调末世论的最伟大的事件就是上帝的荣耀在基督里最后的彰显。Unfortunately,不幸的是,sometimes even conservatives fail in reminding us again and again of that overarching center.就算保守派的基督徒也失败了,没有一次再次的提醒我们这个在一切的世界以上的最伟大的事件,这个末世论的中心。
And again,eschatology in this light means much more than simply the second coming of Christ.从这个角度来看,末世论不仅仅是关于基督的第二次再来的。It includes also the first coming of Christ.末世包括了基督第一次来的(来1:1-2,这末世;徒2:17,约壹2:18)。But again this must be seen as that preliminary display of glory which shall find fulfillment in the new Jerusalem.当然,我们要看基督第一次的来到是一个初步的荣耀的彰显,整个的荣耀的最后的实现是要在新耶路撒冷。
第14章结束
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CHAPTER XV第15章PIETISM敬虔主义
The writing of this chapter in our study brings us to “a great gulf fixed” between everything that has preceded us and everything that follows us.好,我们写到这一章就到了一个“鸿沟”,就是所有上文,一到十四章的和从现在开始的,两种的神学之间的鸿沟。It is a gulf that basically divides all systems of thought on one side and all systems of thought on the other.所有一边的思想系统,和所有另外一边的思想系统之间,有这一个最基本的分隔。The gulf is,这个鸿沟就是,the trustworthiness of Scripture.圣经的可信、可靠性。Those who confess the inerrancy and authority of the Bible stand on one side of the gulf.所有相信圣经的无误和权威的人,在这个鸿沟的一边。Those who do not stand on the other.不信的,在鸿沟的另外一边。
In this sense,从这个意义上来看,though we have seen the diversity of viewpoint between Cullmann’s “salvation history” school and Tillich’s “theology of being,”虽然我们看到譬如说库尔曼的“救恩历史派”,和田立克的“存有神学派”之间,有着非常不同的观点,we can see also the unifying principle,我们也看到在他们中间的联合性的原则,that enables us to regard them as members of the same family,but living in different cities.是让我们当他们是同一个家庭的成员,不过住在不同的城市。Their systems,to a greater or lesser degree,do not ultimately seek to do full justice to the Bible as the Word of God.他们在不同的程度上都不愿意承认圣经是上帝的话。
In this sense also,同样的,从这个意义上来说,the remaining theological movements we shall be treating,我们从现在开始,下面的要处理的神学运动,though just as diverse,虽然中间有着同样的分歧,are all just as single in their desire to subject themselves to the complete integrity of the Bible.他们也有着一个合一的原则,就是他们都愿意服在整本圣经的原整性之下。They are united in their zeal to listen to the Lord,speaking in His Word.他们都是同心的、热心的,要听主在他的话语里面说话。And so our criticism is tempered by the bond that remains a symbol of our family unity,因此、我们的批判是节制的,因为我们有着一个家庭成员里面的一个合一的象征,就是—full obedience to the Word of the Father.完全顺服父上帝的话语。
This does not mean we are,thereby,automatically freed from self-criticism.但是,这个并不意味着我们就不必自我批判的。For in the struggle between historical Protestantism and what Van Til and others have called “post-Kantian thought,” we have not always challenged the would-be autonomous man in terms of the self-interpreting Christ of the Scriptures.因为在历史的基督教和范泰尔所称之为“康德后的思想”之间,就是正统的基督教,和康德之后的哲学神学之间,他们之间的冲突增长,在这个增长里面,我们没有很一致的按照圣经里的自我诠释的基督来批判,要做自主的人。就是说,虽然我们看到正统的信仰跟康德之后的思想是有着怎么样一种的争战,我们往往没有真正按照圣经和圣经里的基督来批判人的自主理性的。
那下面是范泰尔的话。“It is the Christ of Scripture and the false Christ of would-be-autonomous man that must be seen as engaged in mortal combat.一个打到死的争战,就是圣经里的基督,和自认是自主的人的基督的假基督,这两种基督的争战,是要打到死的。Reformed Christians will find themselves responsible for taking the leadership in this challenge.改革宗的基督徒会发现他们必须负起责任来,在这场的争战上做起领导的工作。For it is only in the Reformed Faith that the self-interpreting Christ of Scripture is accepted without compromise.因为唯有在改革宗的信仰里,圣经里的自我诠释的、自我建设的基督,是毫不妥协的被接受的。”
In the evangelical circles operating outside of Calvinism,那么在加尔文主义以外的,福音派的大圈子里,“concessions are made to the very principles of continuity and discontinuity derived from apostate thought.在改革宗以外的基督徒往往都让步,降服于一些离经背道思想那边而来的,连续性跟断层性的一些的哲学神学原则。In their doctrine of the will of man as free so far as it is independent of God,这些加尔文主义以外的福音派人士,他们的人论是人的意志是自由的,换言之是独立于上帝的,these forms of Christianity have,in a measure,yielded to the idea of metaphysical and ethical or ultimate freedom found in all apostate thought,这些的基督教多多少少都让步了,就是向所有离经背道的思想里面的形而上学的自由,道德上的自由,人的至高的自由,向这个自由投降让步了,but expressed more clearly in Kant and in post-Kantian theology,philosophy,and science.这种的人的自由的坚持在所有离经背道的非基督徒的思想里面都有的,但是在康德和康德之后的神学、哲学和科学,是表达的比较清楚。”
One of the deepest influences on historic Christianity appeared in 1675,1675年,对历史基督教、对正统基督教产生深远影响的一件事情发生了,when a Lutheran pastor in Germany,Philip Spener (1635-1705) published a little book,called in Latin,Heartfelt Desire.在那一年,德国有一位路德宗的牧师,Philip Spener,S-p-e-n-e-r,出版了一本小小的书,书名是拉丁文,意思就是Heartfelt Desire(《心中的愿望》)。The appearance of the book marked the birth of pietism.这本书的出版就标志着敬虔主义的诞生。
Spener was disturbed by the coldness and aridity of the Protestant church.当时的教会是冷淡的、枯干的,这个让Spener非常的不安。Contemporary preaching was sterile.当时的讲道是完全没有活力的。The sermon had become “an artificial rhetorical speech pieced together from the Bible.”讲道好像是“从圣经里面零碎的片段支起来的一个的虚假的演说。”So a seventeenth century sermon on Matthew 10:30 ,所以在第十七世纪有一篇的讲道是太10:30作为经文的(“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered,你头上所有的头发都被数过”) could be constructed by outlining,这篇讲道的大纲是,(1)第一点,the origin,style,form,and natural position of our hair,我们头发的来源、样式、形状和自然的位置,二(2),the correct care of the hair,正确的保护我们的头发的方法,(3) 第三,reminiscences,reminders,warnings,and comfort derived from the hair,我们的头发所给我们的回忆、提醒、警告和安慰,(4) 第四,how to care for the hair in a good Christian fashion and to make use of it.怎么用好的基督的方法来照顾我们的头发,使用我们的头发。让我想起美国洛杉矶一所神学院一些的专题讲道。
Against the background of preaching and thinking like this,面对这种的背景,这种的讲道和思想,pietism arose as a protest of living faith against a lifeless and impersonal religion.敬虔主义兴起了,他是要坚持一种活的信心,而来抗衡没有生命的、非位格的、宗教的一种的抗议。Through Spener’s book,an analysis of contemporary weaknesses was made,Spener的书对当时教会的软弱做了分析的—corrupt practices,败坏的做法,worldly clergy,贪爱世界的牧师们,formalism,对外表、形式的注重,lack of mission.没有宣教。
Five proposals were made to correct these abuses,他也做出五方面的建议,来纠正这些的这些的错误: (1) 第一,A more extensive use of the Word of God,第一,更加的广泛使用上帝的话,(2) 第二,A diligent exercise of spiritual priesthood,第二,更勤劳的活出属灵的、祭司的职分,(3)第三,The preaching of faith,讲道要讲信心,(4) 第四,A loving spirit in controversy,在神学争辩上要有爱的精神,最后,(5) 第五,The devotional nurture and pastoral training of theological students.对神学生要从事灵修性的培养和教牧方面的训练。这个是Spener所提出的当时的弊病和解决的方案。
下一讲我们要讲第二位敬虔主义者,和他们所启发出的运动,和带来的深远的影响。最后,我们才指出一些敬虔主义一些的软弱。我们下次继续。
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