於2022-07-12發佈


選擇 8
雷克•喬納
2022.7.12

聖經揭示了神與人相處的歷史。神創造人是為了成為祂的特別朋友,分享祂的特別創造--地球的發展和監督。人的墮落打斷了這一計畫,給人和地球都帶來了悲慘的後果。現在,人和人的領域下的所有生物都必須經歷人所釋放的死亡。然而,這並沒有挫敗神對人或地球的計畫。相反地,神利用這個挫折為人設定了一個更高的目的:呼召那些希望成為神 "新造"的人,成為自然界和靈界之間的橋樑,救贖和恢復人和地球。

如果主不給人自由意志,墮落就不會發生。然而,神從頭到尾都知道結局,在人選擇違抗並在地球上釋放邪惡時並不驚訝。事實上,祂已經在祂的計畫中為此做了規定,使祂的計畫更進一步。人吃了致命的果子,因為他想成為神的樣式。神後來將為人創造一種方式,使他們像神一樣,特別是那些願意愛、信任並證明自己對神忠誠的人,以對抗邪惡的巨大衝擊。這些人將被接納為神自己家庭的成員,並被賦予祂的神性。

使徒保羅在《腓立比書》3:13-14中提到了這種 "崇高的呼召",他說他不認為自己已經得著了,但他要在基督裡向神的崇高呼召邁進。這位 "最偉大的使徒 "在他生命的最後時刻怎麼會說他還沒有得著呢?很明顯地,他說的不是救贖或永生,因為在他相信耶穌和祂的十字架救贖的那天,他已經得著了這些。他說的是 "神在基督裡的崇高呼召"。最高的呼召是被接納為神的家人,並獲得希伯來書11:35所說的 "更好的復活",即為神性復活。

那麼,所有已經相信基督的救贖,但還沒有得著這種 "崇高呼召"的人怎麼辦?聖經是模糊的,從我們自己的邏輯出發,對神只啟示了一部分的東西得出結論將是一個錯誤。我們所知道的是,所有相信基督和祂的十字架救贖的人都有永生。歷史上最偉大的教師相信,那些得著這種 "崇高呼召"的人將作為完美的人復活,像亞當墮落前那樣生活,並與基督一起永遠掌權。這是合理的,但我更願意等待和觀察,知道他們的位置將是完美的,因為我們的神和祂的計畫是完美的。

我們在整個經文中看到,與神的關係有不同的層次。有些人將成為祂的新婦;其他人將被邀請參加婚宴。為了有 "更好的復活",也必須有 "較少的復活",但我們知道每個復活都會比我們現在所能想像的更好。

同樣地,我們可以懷疑這種事情,但如果它們沒有在聖經中具體揭示,那充其量只是猜測,我們必須將其視為如此。許多教義之所以成為錯誤的教義,僅僅是因為有人對只是猜測的東西變得教條化。神所啟示的部分內容應該保持這種狀態,直到合適的時間。我們必須相信,神在經文中所啟示的是我們現在所需要知道的一切,以便執行祂的旨意,包括奔跑和向著崇高的呼召邁進。

經文表明有不同級別的復活,就像有不同級別的天使一樣,但現在主顯然希望有些事情保持神秘,這需要對祂有信心。這樣的奧秘使我們服事祂的生活保持了應該有的冒險。如果使徒保羅在他非凡的生命接近尾聲時,還不能確定他是否達到了崇高的使命,這顯然不是我們在復活之前能知道的。然而,這應該把我們帶到保羅在腓立比書3:13-14中所表達的生命的偉大焦點:

弟兄們,我不是以為自己已經得著了;我只有一件事,就是忘記背後,努力面前的,
向著標竿直跑,要得 神在 基督耶穌裏從上面召我來得的獎賞。

在基督裡有一個崇高的呼召,遠遠超過任何其他人的成就。在這一生中,有什麼比為這冠冕而奔跑更重要的呢?即使不是為了這樣一個深不可測的獎賞,我們的王也值得這樣的奉獻。 


Choices, Part 8
Rick Joyner

The Scriptures reveal the history of God’s dealings with mankind. God created man to be His special friends to share in the development and oversight of His special creation called Earth. The fall of man interrupted this plan, bringing tragic consequences on both man and Earth. Now man and all living things under man’s domain must experience the death man released. However, this did not foil God’s plan for man or Earth. Instead, God used this setback to set in motion an even higher purpose for man: to call those who want to be part of God’s “new creation” to become a bridge between natural and spiritual realms and to redeem and restore man and Earth.

The fall would not have happened had the Lord not given man free will. Still, God, who knows the end from the beginning, was not surprised when man chose to disobey and release evil on earth. In fact, He had already made provision for this in His plan, to take His plans a step further. Man ate the deadly fruit because he wanted to be like God. God would later make a way for man to be like God, especially those who would love, trust, and prove themselves faithful to Him against the great onslaught of evil arrayed against them. These would be adopted as members of God’s own family and be given His divine nature.

The Apostle Paul referenced this “high calling” in Philippians 3:13-14 when he said he did not consider himself to have attained this yet, but he would press toward the high calling of God in Christ. How could the “greatest of all apostles,” near the end of his life say he had not yet attained? Obviously, he was not talking about salvation or eternal life since he had attained these the day he believed in Jesus and His cross for his redemption. He was talking about the “high calling of God in Christ.” The highest calling ever is to be adopted into God’s own family and attain what Hebrews 11:35 refers to as a “better resurrection,” a resurrection to the divine nature.

So, what about all who have believed in Christ for their redemption but have not yet attained this “high calling”? The Scriptures are vague, and to draw conclusions from our own logic about what God has only revealed in part would be a mistake. What we do know is all who have trusted in Christ and His cross for their redemption have eternal life. The greatest teachers in history believed those who attained this “high calling” would be resurrected as perfect human beings, live as Adam did before the fall, and reign with Christ forever. That is reasonable, but I prefer to wait and see, knowing their place will be perfect because our God and His plans are perfect.

We see throughout Scripture there are levels of relationship with God. Some will be His bride; others will be invited to the wedding feast. For there to be “a better resurrection,” there must also be “a lesser resurrection,” but we know every resurrection will be better than what we can now imagine.

Again, we can wonder about such things, but if they are not specifically revealed in Scripture, it is speculation at best, and we must consider it such. Many doctrines became false doctrines simply because someone became dogmatic about what is only speculation. What God has revealed in part should remain that way until the right time. We must trust that what God has revealed in Scripture is all we need to know now to do His will, including running the race and pressing toward the high calling.

Scriptures indicate there are different levels of resurrection, just as there are different ranks of angels, but for now the Lord obviously wants some things to remain a mystery, and this requires faith in Him. Such mysteries keep our lives of service to Him the adventures they are supposed to be. If the apostle Paul, near the end of his remarkable life, could not be sure he had attained the high calling, this is obviously not something we will know until the resurrection. Nevertheless, this should bring us to the great focus of Paul’s life expressed in Philippians 3:13-14:

I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

There is a high calling in Christ that is far beyond any other human attainment. What, in this life, is more important than running the race for this crown? Even if it was not for such an unfathomable prize, our King deserves such devotion.