神救恩的步骤
我们热切等待救主,就是主耶稣基督,从诸天降临,祂“要按着祂那甚至能叫万有归服自己的动力,将我们这卑贱的身体改变形状,使之同形于祂荣耀的身体”。我们的身体改变形状,是神救恩的终极完成。神在祂的救恩里,首先重生我们的灵(约三6),现今变化我的魂(罗十二2),最终要将我们的身体改变形状,使我们全人三部分都与基督相同。
将卑贱的身体改变形状
保罗说到我们的身体是“卑贱的身体”。这描述我们天然的身体,由没有价值的尘土所造(创二7),且为罪恶、软弱、疾病和死亡所侵害(罗六6,七24,八11)。但有一天,这身体要改变形状,同形于基督荣耀的身体。基督荣耀的身体就是祂复活的身体,这身体为神的荣耀所浸透,并且超越朽坏和死亡(罗六9)。
无论我们如何喂养身体,给它穿着,无论我们用那一种汽车作它的交通工具,或给它住怎样的居所,它仍是卑贱的身体。然而,我们不该恨恶或轻视自己的身体。我们该为着主的缘故宝爱自己的身体。我们需要顾到身体,不允许它放纵。有一天,主耶稣要来,将卑贱的身体改变形状,使之同形于祂荣耀的身体。
领许多的儿子进荣耀里去
神莫大救恩的最后一步,是要领许多的儿子进荣耀里去。罗八告诉我们,神在我们身上恩典的工作,开始于祂的预知,经过祂的预定、呼召、称义,终结于祂叫我们得荣耀(罗八29-30)。罗八也告诉我们,一切受造之物,正在热切等待神的众子显示出来(得荣耀),指望着受造之物自己,也要得享神儿女之荣耀的自由(罗八19-21)。这要藉着主的再来得着成就(腓三21),那时我们要与祂一同显现在荣耀里(西三4);这是我们的盼望(西一27)。神的众子这样得荣耀,乃是神救恩的目标。
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Christ is Our Hope of Glory – Phil. 3:21
Steps of God’s Salvation
From the heavens we are eagerly awaiting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who “will transfigure the body of our humiliation, conforming it to the body of His glory, according to the operation of Him who is able even to subject all things to Himself.” The transfiguration of our body will be the ultimate consummation of God’s salvation. In his salvation God first regenerated our spirit (John 3:6), now he is transforming our soul (Rom. 12:2), and, consummately, he will transfigure our body, making us the same as Christ in all three parts of our being.
Transfiguration of the Body of Humiliation
Paul refers to our body as “the body of our humiliation.” This describes our natural body, made of worthless dust (Gen. 2:7) and damaged by sin, weakness, sickness and death (Rom. 6:6; 7:24; 8:11). But one day this body will be transfigured and conformed to the body of Christ’s glory. Christ’s body of glory is his resurrected body, saturated with God’s glory and transcendent over corruption and death (Rom. 6:9).
No matter how we may feed and clothe our body and no matter what kind of automobile we use to transport it or dwelling place to house it, it is still a body of humiliation. However, we should not hate or despise our body. In a very real sense, we should love our body for the Lord’s sake. We need to care for the body without allowing it to indulge itself. One day, the Lord Jesus will come and transfigure the body of humiliation and conform it to the body of his glory.
Bring Many Sons into Glory
The last step of God’s great salvation is to bring his many sons into glory. Romans Chapter 8 tells us that God’s work of grace upon us began with his foreknowing, passed through his predestination, calling, justification and will end with his glorification (Rom. 8:29-30). Romans 8 also tells us that the whole creation eagerly awaits the revelation (glorification) of the sons of God, in hope that the creation itself will enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom. 8:19-21). This will be accomplished by the Lord’s coming back (Phil. 3:21), at which time we will be manifested with him in glory (Col. 3:4); this is our hope (Col. 1:27). This glorification of the sons of God, as the goal of God’s salvation.