基督教的獨特性 (Uniqueness of Christianity)

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Tin-chee Lo

By T.C. Lo (盧天賜); August 4, 2013

(English version at the end)

前言 (Prolog)
拜偶像的人我不懷疑他們的誠心, 但如果你問他們為何要拜這些金, 木, 石的東西, 他們自己也難以自圓其說. 大部分自稱為佛教徒的人也是如此. 很多人想相信耶穌, 但很多疑難在他們的頭腦中, 使他們難以踏出信心的一步. 信心與理性常有段距離. 當這個距離縮短時, 我們的迷信成分便減低了. 基督教的合理性可由其對它的信仰的內涵的一貫性而獲得肯定. 本文只選四項基督教的獨特理念 (ideas) 來說明它們不但单獨地合理性而且它們總体地有連貫一致的思路. 這四個基本理念是:
• 神是宇宙和生命的創造者 (Creation)
• 道成肉身的奧秘 (Incarnation)
• 重生及信徒生命的更生變化 (Transformation)
• 天人合一的榮耀盼望 (Consummation)

這四個理念, 直接地或间接地或透過推論, 可用來回答下列四個主要的人生問题:
• 宇宙和生命從何而來? (源頭 Origin)
• 人的生命是否有目的? (意義Meaning)
• 人如何生活? (道德 Morality)
• 人死後往那哩去? (歸宿 Destiny)

人與動物最大的不同是人是會發問問题的. 兩三歲小孩所問的問題甚至成年人也難以回答. 我的兒子 (Tim) 三歲時問, “誰造神?” 這個問题成為我一生的挑戰. 我們每天一起床就自问, “今天我穿甚麼衣服? 吃甚麼早餐?” 這些問題我们都有答案, 但对上述人生四大關鍵性的問題我们豈能不花時間去思考嗎?

• 神是宇宙和生命的創造者 (Creation)
聖經沒有證明 (也不用證明), 只是帶着權威地宣告: “起初神創造天地 (創世記1:1).” 這句話的合理性可因其附合現實 (correspond to reality) 而肯定之:
o 每當我们看到可被理解的東西 (intelligibility), 我們都會假設其背後有智慧在其中.
o 每當我们看到有智慧在其中的東西 (intelligence), 我們都會假設其背後必有設計在其中.
o 每當我们看到有設計在其中的東西 (design), 我們都會假設其背後必有一位設計師.
o 每當我们看到設計師的存在, 我們都會假設他是有頭腦的 (mind).
o 每當我们看到頭腦和思想時, 我們都會假設他是有位格 (具有: 思想, 情感, 意志, 道德意識) 的 (personhood).

創造主 (Creator) 的觀念對基督徙而言是不證自明的 (self-evident). 如果無神論者硬說沒有創造主, 我就請他们考慮巳故量子物理學家 (quantum physicist, John Polkinghorne) 所用的隱喻 (metaphor) 來形容宇宙及生命的隱定性 (stability) 是平衡在一個極其精密的狀態 (fine-tuned condition) 之中, 其誤差 (margin of error) 必需小到一個程度好像你射一支箭從宇宙的一端射到宇宙的另一端—三千萬光年 (30 billion light-year)之距—而射中只有一吋直徑的圓圈 (bull eye). 這位本是無神論的科學家年到年老時信了耶穌. 無神論者說宇宙是 (物質 + 時間 + 機遇) 的產品, 但他們对物質和時間的源頭 (origin) 沒有交代. 達爾文在他的名著 “物種起源 The Origin of Species” 中說, “我不考慮第一因 (First Cause), 我單考慮第二因 (Second Cause).” 他怎能忽畧最重要的基本問题而建立一個無神的世界觀 (worldview)?

聖經記載, “上帝說, 我們要照着我們的形像, 按着我們的樣式造人….乃是照着自己的形像造男造女. (創世記 1:26-27).”
• 造—當製造者製造一件東西時必有其目的. 製造杯的人期望杯能盛水, 如果杯漏水, 不能達到它被造的目的, 此杯就變成廢物了.
• 形像—代表一種関係 (relation); 孩子像爸爸意味着一種父子關係.

這裡, 我們看到人生是有目標的 (purpose and meaning) 和上帝與人是同有位格上的関係的. 再次, 我們看到這是附合現實的而非不設實際的. 所以聖經中的上帝是有位格的, 不像泛神論 (Pantheism) 所信的一股無位格的能力, 散佈在宇宙每一件東西中, 也包括人類. 泛神論者的口號是: God in all; all in God; and you are God. 在此信仰中, 人和神都無格, 一切身分 (identities) 都失落了, 生命的神聖 (sanctity) 與尊嚴 (dignity) 更不用提了.

• 道成肉身的奧秘 (Incarnation)
如果這位創造萬有者是願與我們建立関係的神, 而我們是照祂的形像而被造, 那麼祂一定希望我們能知道祂:
o 上帝是誰?
o 祂的旨意是甚麼?
o 祂要我們如何活?
o 我們存在的意義何在?

我們無法知道答案, 除非祂啟示给我們. 如何啟示? 上帝的方法是透過 “道成肉身” 就是 “神成為人” 之意. 此神人有 100% 的人性 (humility), 與我們一樣, 只是在祂裡面沒有罪. 此神人也同時具 100% 的神性 (deity), 是從永恆到永恆都不間断地存在的.

與舊約創世記 1:1 (起初神…) 遥遥相对的新約中的約翰福音1:1-2 寫道, “太 初 有 道 ， 道 與 神 同 在 ， 道 就 是 神 。 這 道 太 初 與 神 同 在 。
怎能 “神又與神同在”? 這裡就揭示了 “三位一体”的奥祕了. 道 就 是 神, 而神是與我們發生関係的 (personal God), 那麼道是怎樣與我們發生関係呢? 答案在約翰福音 1:14, “道成了肉身，居住在我們中間。我們看到了他的榮耀，正是從父而來的獨生子的榮耀，充滿了恩典和真理。
o 看到了他的榮耀—指約翰在登山變相中所看到的情景.
o 從父而來—這是耶稣在世上時常說的一句話.
o 獨生子—再次看到三位一体的揭示.
o 道—話語, 是人能了解的.

由上分折, 這道就是耶稣, 祂是上帝的獨生子, 具有神性的榮耀. 道是可知的, 即耶穌是可以被我們了解的, 亦即上帝是可以被我們了解的. 這是一句非同小可的宣告, 因為不可知論者 (agnosticism) 認為神是不能被人認識的 (Cannot be known), 而基督教的上帝不但讓我们可認識神, 並给我們一條認識祂的途徑 (約翰 1:18):
從來沒有人看見神，只有在父懷裡的那位獨生子，他將神表明了出來。
神為了使我們更新變化, 祂參予在人類历史當中並涉及我們生活的细節. 這又使基督教與自然神論 (Deism) 分別出來了. 自然神論是有神論 (theism), 無神論 (atheism), 及自然主義 (naturalism) 的妥協產品, 他們相信上帝是鍾匠式的創造主 (clockmaker), 創造大自然後, 把它上了發條, 就任它自己運作, 然後去渡假了. 但耶稣的神性與人性及插入在人類當中:
• 耶稣是完全人, 祂在神面前代表我們. 既是人, 祂能代替我們死, 使罪得赦.
• 耶稣是完全神, 祂在人面前代表神. 既是神, 祂能從死裡復活, 使我們稱義並得永生.

所以耶稣是我們的中保和救主. 此神人二性亦反影於受造界中. 電子是光波也是粒子. 科學家不明白, 只好接受. 甚至賦予新名稱 “wavicle.” 我們能說神人二性是不合邏輯嗎?

• 重生及信徒的更新變化 (Transformation)
人類的罪性是最容易在經驗上被證明的事實, 但也是在哲學上最被拒绝的建議. 聖經对罪的指責是毫無保留, 罪就是罪, 絕不把它淡化. 而神对罪的處理方法就是從人心中作心意更生的工作. 此工作出於神, 绝非出於人.

世上宗教林立, 五光十色, 公有公理, 婆有婆理. 每一宗教都有其奇特古怪的東西. 但它们都有一個共同點 (common denominator), 就是認為 “好人上天堂.” 表面看來這說法是合理的, 而且是公平的. 試想想: 良善的神住在一個極好的地方, 怎能讓不良善的人進去呢? 但這種说法大有困難:
o 我要好到甚麽程度才算好?
o 甚麼是 “好” 的標準?
o 我現在是站在好壞的尺度上的那一點?
o 我要貯藏多少善事才能抵消我过去的惡行?
o 我是跟誰比呢? 希特勒? 或孔夫子?
o 我欠多少罪債? 向誰還?

這些問題沒有答案, 宗教經典沒有記載, 聖經也沒有說明, 聖經只提到人心比萬物都詭詐, 壞到極點, 並無把它數量化. 誰能决定誰上天堂呢?

在耶穌時代有两種人—法利賽人和文士—他們的職業就是行善, 他们是社會中的好人. 但耶稣却斥責他們為有禍之子. 然而耶稣轉身對門徒及群众說. “我告訴你們：你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義，斷不能進天國 (馬太5:20).” 試想想: 如果連行善高手都不能進天國, 你和我更不用想了.

然而在聖經記載中, 我們看到很多壞人—妓女, 強盗, 稅吏—却能上天堂. 同耶稣一起被釘十架的強盗, 他再沒有行善抵過的机會了, 但耶稣應許他說, “我實在告訴你：今日你要同我在樂園裡了。”

基督教不是 “好人上天堂”, 也不是 “壞人上天堂”, 而是 “被赦免的人 (forgiven people) 上天堂.” 耶稣代罪之死使赦免成為可能. 重生 (born again) 是罪人一次的更新变化, 重生後不断地被磨成基督的形像, 這是一生不斷的成聖更新. 兩者都是聖灵的工作. 生命更新是以道為仲介者 (agent). 詩篇 19:7-11 寫道:
Ps 19:7 耶和華的律法全備，能甦醒人心；耶和華的法度確定，能使愚人有智慧；
Ps 19:8 耶和華的訓詞正直，能快活人的心；耶和華的命令清潔，能明亮人的眼目；
Ps 19:9 耶和華的道理潔淨，存到永遠；耶和華的典章真實，全然公義。
Ps 19:10 都比金子可羨慕，且比極多的精金可羨慕；比蜜甘甜，且比蜂房下滴的蜜甘甜。
Ps 19:11 況且你的僕人因此受警戒，守著這些便有大賞。

這幾節經文中, 論到 “甦醒人心” 和 “ 使愚人有智慧” 這都是心意更新的果效. 這些形容詞, “潔淨”, “存到永遠”, “公義”, “可羨慕”, 和 “甘甜” 都是形容道化的人生. 更新變化不是改造, 不是修補, 乃是超自然的本質上的改变, 正如耶稣在祂所行的第一個神蹟, 就是在婚宴中, 把水变成美酒一般. 我想這個神蹟的目的是遠超過延長人間的歡樂, 耶稣把水变酒是有 “重生” 意義在內, 特别是這個故事緊接下來的一章便說到尼哥底母夜間見耶稣的故事, 耶稣对他及所有人說, “你們必需重生.”

• 天人合一的榮耀盼望 (Consummation)
生命的更新變化最終目标是 “與神完全完美的合一” 而 “合一” 亦是婚姻用語 (nuptial language). 當新郎和新娘互道婚誓之後, 牧師便宣告他們是丈夫和妻子. 但他們尚未 “完婚 consummation” 直至他們在洞房內行了 “周公之禮.” 首先, 讓我们看看人類第一次婚禮的情景, 記載在創世記2:21-25.
Ge 2:21 耶和華　神使他沉睡，他就睡了；於是取下他的一條肋骨，又把肉合起來。
Ge 2:22 耶和華　神就用那人身上所取的肋骨造成一個女人，領她到那人跟前。
Ge 2:23 那人說：“這是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉，可以稱她為‘女人’，因為她是從男人身上取出來的。”
Ge 2:24 因此，人要離開父母與妻子連合，二人成為一體。
Ge 2:25 當時夫妻二人赤身露體，並不羞恥。

這裡的 “並不羞恥” 和 “二人成為一體” 说明在婚姻內的性生活是神聖的, 純潔的, 和終生唯一的(exclusive). 性是神給人的礼物, 為了使人享受其樂及延綿後代使人類生生不息, 成全了神要人遍滿全地的旨意. 但聖經中对婚姻有更深的屬灵意義:
o 在舊約, 神以婚姻表達耶和華與以色列民的關係. 以色列是妻子 (雖不忠), 耶和華是丈夫 (永遠信實). 当神的子民離棄神去拜偶像時, 聖經便稱他們為淫婦 (耶利米3:9; 以西结23:37).
o 在新约, 使徒保羅致信给以弗所教會, 說到丈夫要愛妻子, 如同基督愛教會一般 (以弗所5:29-33).

今天教會可比作未婚妻, 而婚禮要待將來在天上才完婚:
Rev 19:6 我聽見好像群眾的聲音，眾水的聲音，大雷的聲音，說：“哈利路亞！因為主我們的　神，全能者作王了。
Rev 19:7 我們要歡喜快樂，將榮耀歸給他！因為羔羊婚娶的時候到了，新婦也自己預備好了，
Rev 19:8 就蒙恩得穿光明潔白的細麻衣。”這細麻衣就是聖徒所行的義。
Rev 19:9 天使吩咐我說：“你要寫上，凡被請赴羔羊之婚筵的有福了！”又對我說：“這是　神真實的話。”
為甚麼新婦会歡喜快樂? 因為地上的苦難巳过去, 再沒有苦難, 痛苦, 死亡, 舊事巳過, 萬象更新了. 所以天使宣告我們是有福的. 這就是信徒的歸宿 (destiny).

結語 (Epilog)
基督教並沒有說甚麼問題都有令人完全滿意的答案. 但它可能給予的答案都是前後一致, 互不矛盾, 雖然有些似非而是 (paradoxes) 的東西, 但它們終必被和解 (reconcilable). 所有其它的宗教, 思想系統, 和世界觀, 如果透过下面的真理考驗 (Truth Test), 必發現其不連貫一致 (consistency, coherent) 的地方. 這個考驗就是要回答四個最基本問題:
o 源頭 (Origin)
o 意義 (Meaning)
o 道德 (Morality)
o 歸宿 (Destiny)

在本文中源頭問題從 “創造” 中獲解釋. 意義和道德問题從 “道成肉身” 和 “更新變化” 得到答案, 人死後的歸宿問题, 可從 “天人合一” 的理念得到了解. 讀者如願意接受挑戰, 可看看別的宗教或哲學在真理考驗的放大鏡下, 有無如此驚人的和詣一致和連貫的思路嗎?

使徒保羅在受苦中说, “然而我不以 (福音) 為恥, 因為知道我所信的是誰, 也深信他能保全我所交付他的, 直到那日” (提後1:12). 你我對福音有沒有如保羅那般堅定的把握嗎!

The Uniqueness of Christian Faith

 Prologue

Evangelism is not about winning arguments but all about winning hearts and, ultimately, souls. But the heart cannot rest upon what the mind disagrees. Teaching people to understand the uniqueness of Christianity is one of the many tools the Holy Spirit employs to lead people to Christ. Here we consider four major ideas that set Christianity apart and above all other world religions.

1.    Creation

The Bible declares that there is a Creator, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth (Ge.1:1).”

  • Whenever we see intelligibility we assume intelligence;
  • whenever we see intelligence we assume design;
  • whenever we see design we assume a mind;
  • whenever we see the mind we assume personhood.

God is not just a cosmic force as pantheists claim. God is a Person with thought, will, emotion and intellect.

The Bible says we are created after His image. Inescapably, the implications are:

  • God is a relational Being
  • Our lives have purposes ordained by God.
  • Sanctity and dignity of life are to be respected in the Christian worldview.

Among all subjects studied and investigated over centuries that shape the minds and destinies of people, the subject of God is most argued. Why? Because more consequences for life and action follow from the affirmation or denial of God than any other questions.

If we humbly study the evidences given to us through God’s General revelation and are willing to move to where the evidences point, we shall find faith in God for He promises us that those who seek shall find and those who knock then the door will be opened for them.

2.    Incarnation

If our God is our Creator, our personal God, it follows naturally that He must desire us to know Him:

  • What are God’s attributes?
  • What is His will?
  • As His creatures, how should we live?
  • What is the meaning of our lives?

We don’t have answers to these questions apart from divine revelation. These lead to the second topic: “Incarnation” which means “God became man”. The Incarnate-God is Jesus who was 100% man like all of us except He is sinless and He is forever 100% God.

An interesting juxtaposition alongside Genesis 1:1 is John 1:1 which declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” As we read carefully, we would ask, “How can it be ‘God was with God’?” This gives us a glimpse of the concept of the Triune God—the Trinity.

If God has personhood, then we would ask, “Who is this Person?” The answer is in the Bible: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father” (John 1:14).

Our God participates in human history and intervenes in our personal lives. Standing before God, Jesus represents humanity; standing before human beings, Jesus represents God. His sinlessness and deity make Him qualified to be our Mediator and Savior.

3.    Transformation 

Human depravity is at once the most empirically verifiable fact but also the most philosophically resistant. Transformation is God’s supernatural way to deal with our sins. All religions have differences and peculiarities but they share a common denominator; they believe: “Good men go to heaven”. On the surface, it sounds logical and fair. Will a good God who lives in a good place called heaven allows bad people to enter into His good place? But this “Good-men-go” view has many problems:

  • How good is good enough?
  • Where’s the line?
  • Where do I currently stand?
  • Do I have enough time to stash away enough good deeds to counterbalance my bad ones?
  • I am good but compare to whom? Hitler? Or Mother Teresa?

But Jesus said, “As good as you are, you aren’t good enough.” In the Bible, instead of seeing “good people go to heaven” we see many bad people—prostitutes, robbers, and tax collectors—go to heaven! In Christianity, we say, “Forgiven people go to heaven” and forgiveness is made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Forgiven people are the born-again people. Two of my most liked phrases are:

  • Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good; He came to make dead people alive.
  • God accepts us just as we are, but He loves us that He doesn’t want us to stay where we are but transforms us into His image.”

This life giving process is called “Transformation.”

4.    Consummation

The ultimate purpose of transformation is Consummation which means the “Perfect union with God.” The word “Consummation” is also a nuptial expression. After the groom and bride exchanged their marriage vow, the pastor had pronounced them husband and wife, the marriage is said to be consummated only after the young couples engage in the holy, pure, and God-ordained sexual union. Paul said marriage is a mystery because it goes beyond sexual enjoyment and procreation, it has profound spiritual significance:

  • In the O.T., marriage was used as an image of relationship with God. Israel is the wife though unfaithful and Yahweh is the forever faithful husband. When God’s children turned away from God, they were said to have committed adultery.
  • In the N.T., we are taught that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves His church. Today, the church is the fiancée and the consummation will take place at the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7).
  • In the Bible, every time when illegitimate sex is mentioned as lust, it always relates to idolatry. Can I then relate legitimate sex—in its holiness, purity, and within the parameter of marriage—to true the worship of our living God by means of this parallelism? The Samaritan woman, having confessed to Jesus her past debauched sex-life, all of the sudden and out of nowhere, she changed the subject to Worship. Was there a reason? Jesus told her that the true worshiper must worship God in Truth and in Spirit.

Perfect union with God is God’s ultimate purpose for our salvation. In this bliss state of consummation, there will be no tears, no death, no suffering, but perfect joy. In this world, we have trouble, but in heaven we have eternal joy. Does this offer hope and comfort to those who are enduring pain and suffering now? The knowledge of consummation will give us strength in the midst of pain and suffering.

Epilogue

Christianity does not claim that it has answers to all questions in life. But there is an immense difference between a worldview that is not able to answer every question to complete satisfaction and one whose answers are consistently contradictory. There is an even greater difference between answers that contain paradoxes and those that are systematically irreconcilable. Once again, we see remarkable coherence among the issues of Origin, Morality, Meaningfulness, and Destiny, and thus the Christian faith stands out as unique in this truth-test, both as a system of thought and in the answers it gives. In my pursuit of the reasonableness of the Christian faith, my spiritual life grew and my faith became strengthened. I am inviting you to embark on the same journey to discover the awe and wonder of Jesus Christ.

References: Other related blog articles:

 

About Tin-chee Lo

Graduated from: National Taiwan University and Carnegie Mellon University. • Retired from IBM as engineer, scientist, and inventor since 2006. • Training: Computer Engineering (Semiconductor Devices, Circuit design, Memory design, Logic design, system-on-a-chip). • Interests after retirement: Christian apologetics, writing and teaching, and the art of painting.
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