為了上天堂而信耶穌，豈非功利主義？Is believing in Jesus for the sake of going to heaven, utilitarianism?
問：基督徒常說信耶穌，上天堂，這豈非一種賄賂上帝的貪念？多少帶有功利主義吧？
答：從問題可見你是一個廉潔的人，不願意佔誰的便宜，也不佔上帝的便宜，值得尊敬，但讓我們從幾方面考慮：
Question:
Christians often say that believing in Jesus leads to going to heaven. Isn't this a kind of bribery or a greedy desire to please God? Doesn't it carry a certain utilitarian mindset?
Answer:
From your question, it’s clear that you are an upright person who doesn’t want to take advantage of anyone, not even God, which is commendable. However, let’s consider this from a few different perspectives:
1.不能存心利用。
有些人會和上帝做交易：若耶穌讓他生意興隆、身體健康，或解決了困難，他就會去教堂、受洗、奉獻金錢，他們可能也對菩薩作出同樣的測試和要求，這就是貪念、賄賂、功利主義。人若為這樣的原因信耶穌，那不是真信，很多時候只要他再度碰到困難或挫折時，很快就會放棄耶穌。Some people try to make a deal with God: if Jesus helps their business prosper, restores their health, or resolves their problems, they will go to church, get baptized, or give offerings. They may also make similar demands and tests of the Buddha. This is greed, bribery, and utilitarianism. If a person believes in Jesus for such reasons, it is not true faith. Many times, if they face difficulties or setbacks again, they will quickly abandon Jesus.
2.人有求生本能。
假若你跌落斷崖，自己爬不上來，這時候有人把一條繩子垂到你的手可觸及之處，說：「抓住這條繩子，我把你拉上來。」你會不會說：「我豈可為能夠返回平地而讓你麻煩？」你若認識到自己正走在一條朝向死亡的道路上，上帝伸手來拯救，如此接受救恩是因為你不願意永死，出自人正常的求生慾望。If you fall off a cliff and cannot climb back up, and someone lowers a rope within your reach and says, "Grab this rope, I will pull you up," would you say, "How can I trouble you just to get back to the ground?" If you recognize that you are on a path leading to death, and God reaches out to save you, accepting salvation is simply a normal human desire to survive.
3.不必自鳴清高。
講這樣話的人似乎很清高，實際上是驕傲。上帝若有一份美好的禮物送給我們，我們是甚麼人，豈可不欣賞？不屑接受？豈能對祂說：「上帝啊！我不需要，祢自己留著吧！」豈不應該趕快謝謝祂，然後馬上接受祂的美意？你有沒有被別人拒絕好意的經歷？好受嗎？我們怎可這樣對待上帝？People who speak like this may seem very noble, but in reality, they are proud. If God offers us a beautiful gift, what kind of person would we be if we didn’t appreciate it? How could we refuse to accept it? Could we tell Him, "God, I don’t need it, please keep it for Yourself!" Shouldn’t we immediately thank Him and accept His good will? Have you ever been rejected when you offered kindness to others? How did that feel? How could we treat God this way?
4.討上帝喜悅。
事實上，上帝樂意看見人信主。耶穌有個比喻：某人有一百隻羊失去一隻，就丟下其他羊去找，找到後歡喜快樂。耶穌說：「一個罪人悔改，在天上也要這樣為他歡喜。」（路加福音15:7）反之，「……不信子的人……上帝的震怒常在他身上。」（約翰福音3:36）所以相信耶穌不僅不是貪念，反是一件討上帝喜悅的事。In fact, God is pleased to see people believe in Him. Jesus gave a parable: a shepherd who had 100 sheep lost one, so he left the others to search for it, and when he found it, he rejoiced. Jesus said, "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7) Conversely, "Whoever does not believe in the Son... God’s wrath remains on them." (John 3:36) Therefore, believing in Jesus is not about greed; it is actually something that pleases God.
5.正確態度。
信耶穌本身意味著我們承認自己是個罪人，「與上帝隔絕……心裡與祂為敵。」（歌羅西書1:21）所以我們應該悔改，扭轉方向，與上帝和好，這本來就是我們的本分。聖經說：上帝「藉著基督的肉身受死，叫你們與自己（上帝）和好……把你們引到自己面前。」（歌羅西書1:22）所以來到上帝面前的人，「得憐恤，蒙恩惠」（希伯來書4:16），將來在天堂裡我們都「要見祂的面」（啟示錄22:4）。所以「上天堂」是真心悔改，接受耶穌救恩所帶來的福氣，是上帝設定的，與貪婪、賄賂、功利全扯不上關係。
5.The correct attitude.
Believing in Jesus means acknowledging that we are sinners, "alienated from God... enemies in our minds." (Colossians 1:21) We should repent, turn our direction, and reconcile with God, which is our duty. The Bible says: "God reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ... and brought you to Himself." (Colossians 1:22) Therefore, those who come before God "will receive mercy and find grace." (Hebrews 4:16) In the future, in heaven, we "will see His face." (Revelation 22:4)
Therefore, "going to heaven" is about sincere repentance and receiving the blessings of salvation that come through Jesus, as ordained by God. It has nothing to do with greed, bribery, or utilitarianism.
本文鏈結：http://ccmusa.org/read/read.aspx?id=ctd20240906
「原載《中信》月刊第749期（中國信徒佈道會）」, tranalated by JY.
Comments
Post a Comment