人有自由放棄『永生』 Men are Free to Decline “Eternal Life”

【一牧一棧系列（III）】
人有自由放棄『永生』（若12:44-50）

『永生』一詞，在《若望福音》出現過17次。第一次在耶穌與尼苛德摩對話結束時，耶穌說：「正如梅瑟曾在曠野裡高舉了蛇，人子也應照樣被舉起來，使凡信的人，在祂內得永生」（若3:14-15）。這是耶穌第一次預言自己要如何受難而說的，相信比在斐理伯的凱撒勒雅向門徒預言受難復活還要早（瑪16:21）。雖然沒有提及『復活』，但訊息非常清楚，就是『永生』。接著，若望寫下後世基督新教經常引述的金句：「神愛世人，甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信他的，不致滅亡，反得永生」（若3:16）。

在《新約》27本書裡，『永生』一詞在其中13本出現過50次。《若望福音》以外的12本書，『永生』一詞出現最多不超過5次，惟獨《若望福音》17次，可見『永生』是若望宗徒經過千錘百鍊得來的福音精髓！究竟『永生』是甚麼意思呢？是『不死』嗎？不是，在耶穌復活拉匝祿的神跡中，祂已經否定了這樣理解『永生』（11:37）。事實上，復活後的拉匝祿仍要再死，否則今天我們便有一個差不多2000歲的，耶穌所愛的朋友（11:3），正在為耶穌作見證，有誰還可以拒絕信耶穌呢？

倘若『永生』不是『不死』，那又是甚麼呢？後來在最後晚餐，耶穌以『新約大司祭』的身份向天父祈禱時說：「永生就是：認識祢，惟一的真天主，和祢所派遣來的耶穌基督」（17:3）！這樣，耶穌清楚明白地指出，認識耶穌基督，並藉著祂而認識天父（14:6），便得以享受/分享上主天主永恆的生命！所以耶穌在今天的福音選段裡說：「無論誰，若聽了我的話而不遵行，我不審判他，因為我不是為審判世界而來，乃是為拯救世界」（12:47; 3:17）。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，耶穌無意審判世人，分別送他們往天堂或者地獄。天主是自由的，因此天主按自己肖像所造的人類（創1:26）也享有自主自由。天主不會做自相矛盾的事，所以祂尊重人類的『選擇自由』，這是人類負有倫理責任的基礎。耶穌向世人宣講『永生』，宣講祂自己就是『永生』（若5:26; 6:35; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3），接受的人便得享『永生』；拒絕的人，自己選擇與『永生』絕緣，與人無尤。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

[One Shepherd One Fold Series --- III]
Men are Free to Decline “Eternal Life” (John 12:44-50)

“Eternal Life” appears 17 times in the Gospel of John. It first appears at the end of the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus says, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). This was the first time Jesus spoke of His Passion, earlier than His prediction of the Passion in Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:21). Although “resurrection” was not mention, the message of “eternal life” is explicit. Then John wrote the proof-text which Protestants often quote, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Among the 27 books in the New Testament, “eternal life” appears 50 times in 13 books. It appears no more than 5 times in the other 12 books. John alone wrote 17 times, indicating that “eternal life” is the essence of the gospel message. Then, what does “eternal life” actually mean? Does it mean “immortality”? No. Jesus rejected this understanding in the miracle of raising Lazarus (11:37). In fact, Lazarus finally died. Otherwise, we would now have a 2000-year-old Jesus’ friend whom Jesus loved (11:3), bearing witness for Jesus. Who could refuse to believe in Jesus?

If “eternal life” is NOT immortality, then what is it? Later in the Last Supper, Jesus prayed to the Father in the capacity of the “High Priest of the New Testament”, saying “Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (17:3)! Thus, Jesus has explicitly pointed out that whoever knows Him and through Him knows the Father (14:6), is able to enjoy/partake in the eternal life of the Lord God! Hence, in the gospel passage today, Jesus says, “And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world” (12:47; 3:17).

Beloved brethren! Jesus has no intention to judge humanity and sends them to heaven or hell accordingly. God is free. Therefore, humanity whom God created in His image (Genesis 1:26) is entitled to autonomy. God does not contradict Himself. Thus, He respects the autonomy of humanity. This is the foundation of the accountability and moral responsibility of our decisions and actions. Jesus proclaims “eternal life” to humanity, declaring that He himself is “eternal life” (John 5:26; 6:35; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3). Whoever accepts Jesus enjoys eternal life. Whoever rejects chooses to cut himself off “eternal life”. They only have themselves to blame. Amen.
God bless!