提要
那些輕看天堂的人常嘲諷基督徒的盼望是一個虛幻的承諾。人們取笑那些盼望未來榮耀的人，就像他們嘲弄相信妖魔鬼怪或其他神話的人一樣。為什麼？因為天堂是感覺不到的。在這個經驗掛帥的世界裡，任何無法經由科學證明的盼望都被認為是愚昧的。
保羅說：「十字架的道理在那滅亡的人為愚拙，在我們得救的人卻為上帝的大能」（1：18）。那些能接受這個盼望的人是相信傳此信息的使者，而誰是那使者呢？保羅後來說：「屬血氣的人不領會上帝聖靈的事，反倒以為愚拙，並且不能知道，因為這些事惟有屬靈的人才能看透」（2：14）。使者就是聖靈，是上帝自己。盼望肇始於上帝，所以天堂也只對那些接受上帝話語的人才有意義。
怎樣的心能接受關於天堂的事？基督的心──「但我們是有基督的心了」（2：16下）。有基督的心才會相信並接受天堂、地獄、道成肉身的上帝、復活、罪、和救恩的真實性。那種心會倚賴上帝，而不是尋求獨立自主。然而，即使在如嬰孩般的倚賴中，思想仍是自由的，對人的愛也有實際的行動。這樣的心可以伸展至遙遠的地平線，但也不忘關懷門口的乞丐。它參與愚人的音樂會，演奏永恆的樂章。它是對上帝莊嚴呼召的深刻回應。
|
Overview
“Pie in the sky when you die by and by.” That’s how the Christian hope is cynically described by those who have a low view of heave. It’s easy, of course, to make fun of adults who hope for a glorious future with God, just as it’s easy to make light of adults who believe in leprechauns or any other mythology. Why? Because heaven is not available to the senses. And in a world where the empirical is king, any hope-defying scientific verification is seen as foolishness.
Paul says, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1:8). Those who embrace the hope are those who believe the Messenger, and who is He? Later, Paul says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit: God Himself. The hope has God as its initiator. So heaven has meaning only to those who have heard from heaven.
So what kind of mind is open to talk of heaven? The Christian mind – “we have the mind of Christ” (2:16b). It’s a mind that embraces the realities of heaven, hell, God in the flesh, resurrection, sin, and salvation. A mind that accepts dependence rather than seeking independence. Yet, even in its childlike dependence, it soars mentally and loves practically. It stretches out the far horizon and cares for the beggar at the door. It joins an orchestra of fools and plays the rocketing music of eternity. It is deep responding to the call of Deep.
|
Prayer
Lord, it’s true that You have prepared things which our eyes have not seen, o\nor our ears heard. Therefore, Lord, please give us greater insight through that revelation which Paul says You reveal to us through Your Spirit, even the deep things of Yourself. In Jesus’ name, Amen. |
