042A 「与基督联合」的教义面面观
PERSPECTIVES ON THE DOCTRINE OF
UNION WITH CHRIST
导论 Introduction
(a) 有些基督徒一想到「与基督联合」﹐脑里情不自禁的浮现一个私人﹐甜蜜﹐神秘的灵命境界﹐好像一些福音派的诗歌描述的﹕“在花园里” 与基督同步﹐共话﹔耶稣是最甜蜜的名字﹐等等。
Sometimes, Christians conceive of “union with Christ” only in terms of a private, sweet, spiritual, mystical relationship – many of evangelical “gospel songs” express this sentiment, e.g. “I come to the garden alone”, “Jesus is the sweetest name I know”, etc. It is an image of a very ideal condition of our walk with God.
(b) 有些基督徒把「与基督联合」(union with Christ) 和「与基督相交」 (communion with Christ) 两个真理混为一谈。后者 (communion – 这里不是指圣餐) 可以是指个人的祷告﹐默想神的话﹐在基督徒的品格上操练等﹔不等于 “与基督联合。”
Other Christians confuse “union with Christ” with “communion” – “communion” is related to our regular exercises of personal devotion to and intimacy with Christ, in prayer, meditation on God’s Word, discipline in Christian character, etc. “Communion” is not the same as “union.”
(c) 对上面所指的基督徒来说﹐把「与基督联合」说成是一项「教义」﹐可能很不习惯。「与基督联合的教义」听起来﹐是否太过学术性﹖
For these Christians, it may be a little difficult to approach “union with Christ” as a theological subject matter. The “theology” or “doctrine” of union with Christ may sound a little too academic.
请忍耐一下﹐让我们思考﹕「与基督联合」的教义 ﹐须从几个不同的角度来理解。
I ask that these Christians be patient with us as we explore the different perspectives we should keep in mind as we think about our union with Christ.
- 永恒的角度﹕神的预旨ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: GOD’S DECREE
我们与基督的联合 (关系) 是建立在神永恒的计划 (预旨) 里。神在永恒里﹐在创世之前﹐「在基督里」拣选了我们﹔意思是﹐神在永恒里已经计划﹐使我们与基督联合。(弗1﹕3-4) 神的预旨﹐是我们与基督联合的基础。
The foundation for our union (relationship) with Christ is the fact that, in eternity, God has decreed to choose/elect us (his elect people) “in Christ”, that is, “in union with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3-4). God has planne din eternity to unite us with Christ.
注﹕每次新约 《圣经》用「在基督里」这词﹐我们可以理解为﹕「既然我们与基督联合」﹐或「与基督联合」。「在基督里」是一个意义丰富的词汇。
Note: Every time the New Testament uses the phrase “in Christ,” we can safely assume that it means: “as we are united with Christ,” “in union with Christ,” etc. It is a rich phrase heavily loaded with doctrinal/spiritual meaning.
- (救赎) 历史的角度﹕救恩的成就
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: ACCOMPLISHMENT OF REDEMPTION
神在既然在永恒里预旨我们与基督联合﹐祂就在历史 (时空) 里执行 (implement)了
。神在历史中成就 (accomplish) 了救赎 – 藉基督道成肉身﹐一生﹐十架上的死﹐复活﹐升天。基督的工作 (这些历史事实) 是神 (从旧约到新约) 救赎历史的高潮。
God’s eternal decree concerning our union with Christ, is implemented – salvation is accomplished – by the historical facts of Christ’s incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension. These historical facts are the climax of all that God has accomplished in the history of redemption (from OT to NT).
这些历史事实同样是建立我们与基督联合的基础。保罗说﹐基督若没有从死里复活﹐我们的信仰是枉然的 (林前15章)。当然我们不是靠着相信这些事实得救 (我们信的是主耶稣﹗)﹐可是我们的信仰/救恩﹐可不能缺少这些成就救恩的事实。
The historical facts of Christ’s accomplishment of salvation also form a “foundation” for our union with Christ. Paul says that if Christ was not risen physically, our faith is in vain (I Cor. 15:1-20; 21ff.). Now of course, our faith/trust does not rely on these historical facts alone (we trust in Christ!); but without these facts of Christ accomplishing redemption, we will not have true salvation. Our salvation depends on these facts.
- 圣经神学的角度﹕约里的联合
BIBLICAL-THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: COVENANTAL/FEDERAL UNION
耶稣基督在历史上成就的救赎事件﹐不只是一些「赤裸的事实」。这些事实有神亲自在《圣经》里﹐事先 (旧约﹐新约) 和事后 (新约) 的解释。我们认识这些事实﹐都是一些带着神的解释的事实。若要理解基督的位格 (祂是谁) 和工作(祂成就了什么) 的教义﹐必须从「神神如何对待祂的选民」的角度来看。
The historical facts of Christ’s work (incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension) are not “brute facts”. They are pre-interpreted (OT and NT) and post-interpreted (NT) by God in Scripture. So we come to know and understand these historical facts as pre-interpreted facts (pre-interpreted by God). In Scripture, the doctrine of the person and work of Christ is couched in the context of God’s dealings with his people.
在旧约《圣经》里﹐神与祂选民的关系﹐神如何对待他们﹐都要从「约」(covenant)
的角度来看。「约」乃是神与选民关系的主题。在新约《圣经》里﹐主耶稣宣讲祂与祂来要救赎的人(选民) 的关系﹔祂以「天国」(kingdom) 为主题。
In the Old Testament, “covenant” was the main theme of God’s relationship with his chosen people. In the New Testament, “kingdom” was the main theme of Christ’s proclamation concerning his relationship with the people he came to save.
无论是「约」﹐或是「天国」﹐神如何对待祂的选民﹖神以圣洁与公义﹔不过最明显的﹐是以恩典。因此﹐这救赎工作之「约」在神学上被称为「恩典之约。”」Whether in the “covenant” or in the “kingdom”, how does God deal with his people? In holiness and in righteousness, of course; but most evidently, God deals with them in grace. Therefore, this covenant in God’s redemptive plan is called “the covenant of grace” by theologians.
在旧约里﹐神向祂的选民说﹐「你们要作我的子民﹐我要作你们的神。」 这就是神在旧约里表达「我爱你」的说法。(出19﹕5-6﹐彼前2﹕9) 。
在新约里﹐耶稣基督向祂的门徒 (选民) 说﹕「我必永远与你们同在」 ﹐「我在你里面﹐你在我里面」 – 这样﹐耶稣说「我爱你。」
In the Old Testament, God’s pronouncement of grace and love is made when he says, “You shall be my people, I shall be your God.” This is God’s Old-Testament-way of saying, “I love you.” (Exodus 19:5-6; I Peter 2:9).
In the New Testament, Jesus says “I love you” with statements like: “I shall be with you always,” “I in you, you in me,” etc.
神的「约」的中心就是祂的恩典/爱。神的约﹐乃是表现祂的爱/恩典的的形式。
The heart of the covenant is God’s grace/love. The form of God’s grace is the covenant.
在恩典之约里﹐主耶稣基督乃是祂选民的头﹐主耶稣也是他们的代表。总之﹐耶稣基督是祂的选民的「约中之元首与代表」(federal/covenant head and representative) 。借着祂的顺服﹐耶稣的选民得到丰富的恩典﹐被称为义﹐永远在生命中作王 (罗5﹕15-21) 。
In the covenant of grace, Jesus Christ is the head of his people. Jesus is the representative of his people. Jesus Christ, in other words, is the federal (covenant) head and representative of his people. By his obedience, his people receive grace (which abounds to many), are justified, and live (as kings) forever (Romans 5:15-21).
我们可是说﹐下列名词大体上是同义词﹕
We consider the following to be rough equivalents:
旧约的「约」 = 新约的「天国」
OT “covenant people” = NT “kingdom”
「约」 = 「律法与福音」 = 「福音」 = 「恩典之约」
“Covenant” = “law and gospel” = “gospel” = “covenant of grace”
因此我们与基督的联合是「约中的联合。」我们必须了解神设立「恩典之约」的条件和条款﹐才能理解我们与基督的联合。神亲自﹐单方面订了「约」的所有条件。
Therefore, our union with Christ is that of “covenantal union.” We cannot understand our union with Christ without understanding the terms and conditions of the covenant, all of which were sovereignly and unilaterally laid down by God himself.
「约」这观念﹐帮助我们了解﹐神单方地﹐主权的计划。不过﹐「约」同时有 「人的责任」这方面的条件。「约」能帮助我们理解﹐我们与基督的关系﹐既是个人的﹐也是群体的 – 当我们与基督联合时﹐我们也同时与基督的子民/身体﹐教会联合了。
“Covenant” allows us to understand both the unilateral, sovereign designs of God, and the human responsibility which God requires of us. It helps us understand that our relationship with Christ is both individual/personal and corporate – as we are united with Christ, we are also united with his people, his body the Church.
- 圣灵的工作的角度﹕属灵的联合﹐奥秘的联合
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: SPIRITUAL/MYSTICAL UNION
在人的实际经历中将我们与基督联合的﹐是圣灵的工作。圣灵重生 (再生) 我们﹐以致我们能进入神的国里。圣灵赐给我们悔改和信心﹔这都是祂给的恩赐。圣灵是赐儿子名份的灵﹔圣灵与我们的心灵作证﹐我们是神的儿子。因此我们与基督的联合是一个属灵的联合。“属灵” 的意思﹐就是﹐是圣灵作成的联合。
It is specifically the Holy Spirit who unites us with Christ in human experience. The Spirit re-births (regenerates) us, so that we can enter the kingdom of God. The Spirit grants us the gifts (graces) of repentance and faith. The Spirit is the Spirit of adoption, testifying in our hearts and with our hearts, that we are children of God. Etc. Therefore, our “union with Christ” is a “spiritual union.” The word “spiritual” refers to the fact that it is the Holy Spirit’s work which brings about the union.
除此以外，「属灵」的意思是说﹐我们与基督的联合不仅是肉体/ 物质上的联合。我们不须爬上木架﹐再钉自己在十字架上 (每年﹐在拉丁美洲﹐菲律宾等地﹐都
有人这样作﹗)。我们与基督的关系﹐有圣灵的印记﹔圣灵亲自作为印记。
“Spiritual” also means that our union with Christ is not a mere “physical” union. We do not have to climb onto a wooden cross and hang there for 6 hours, in order to feel more intimate with Jesus (every year, some devout Catholic believers in Latin America and the Philippines do do that!). Our relationship with Christ is “sealed” by the sealing of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit IS our seal and pledge.
- 与基督联合的核心意义
THE CORE MEANING OF UNION WITH CHRIST
与基督联合的核心意义﹐就是在基督里﹐与基督同死。在基督里﹐与基督同复活。
The core meaning of “union with Christ,” is to die with Christ in Christ, and to rise from the dead with Christ in Christ.
- 奥秘的联合﹐真实的联合﹐个人 (亲自) 的联合
MYSTICAL/REAL/PERSONAL/INDIVIDUAL UNION
虽然我们与基督的关系是「属灵」的﹐可是的确是真实的关系/联合。不是想象出来的﹔不是由感情「制造」 ( 硬逼) 出来的﹗圣灵赐给神的选民祂自己的洗礼﹔圣灵使我们与基督联合﹔这是事实﹗我们与基督的联合是千真万确的事实。
Even though our relationship is “spiritual,” it is very real. It is not imaginary, it is not a relationship produced by our feelings. It is a fact that, the Holy Spirit baptizes God’s elect people, and unites them with Christ. Our union with Christ is very real.
我们与基督的联合﹐在我们的经验中是一个奥秘的﹐非常个人的﹐真实的联合。「奥秘」的意思是﹕当我们降服我们的理性在圣灵的掌管之下认识神大能的奇
妙的恩典大工﹔当我们降服我们的心与意志﹐终生信靠﹐顺服﹐敬拜﹐爱神的时 –
还有很多事情﹐是我们不可能理解的。这叫「奥秘」。
It is experienced as a mystical, personal, real union. “Mystical” means “mysterious” – after we surrender our reason to the Holy Spirit’s control, and try to understand God’s powerful, wonderful, gracious work for us and in us, after we surrender our will and heart to trust, obey, worship and love God all our lives, there is still much which we do not understand.
「神学就是赞美学。」奥秘催使我们诧异﹐在神面前降服﹐敬拜。
“Theology is doxology.” (Edmund P. Clowney, former president, Westminster Seminary.) Mystery drives us to worship God in awe and wonder.
可是﹐我们必须提防不要堕进神秘主义里。奥秘与神秘主义大不相同。
「神秘主义」的意思是﹕要认识神/耶稣基督﹐必须绕过理性 (远志明早期著作﹕理性是原罪﹐因此必须从理性中被拯救出来) ﹐或绕过我们的理性﹐心与意志 =绕过「魂」(倪柝声﹐李常受) ﹐只以直觉与神交通。在这种地理解中﹐信心里没有知﹐情﹐意 (是「空」了知﹐情﹐意的信心) 。
这不是 《圣经》宣讲的基督教!
However, we must guard against mysticism. “Mystery” and “mysticism” are totally different. “Mysticism” means: in order to know God, we must bypass our minds (Yuan Zhiming: reason is original sin; original sin consists of reason; we must be saved from our reason), or bypass our minds, hearts and wills (Watchman Nee, Witness Lee) and use our intuition. Faith, then, is exclusively a matter of intuition: faith excludes the use of the mind, emotions and will. Faith is devoid of mind, emotions and will.
This is not Christianity according to the Bible!
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