问题52：永生给我们带来什么盼望？
答：它提醒我们，目前这个堕落的世界并不是事实的全部；很快，我们将在新城、新天新地里与神同住，以祂为乐，直到永远。在那里，我们将完全、永远地脱离一切罪恶，带着更新、复活的身体，住在一个更新、恢复的创造中。
儿童版：我们将在新天新地与神同住，以祂为乐，直到永远。在那里，我们将永远脱离一切罪恶，住在更新、恢复的创造中。

Question 52: What Hope Does Everlasting Life Hold for Us?
Answer: It reminds us that this present fallen world is not all there is; soon we will live with and enjoy God forever in the new city, in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be fully and forever freed from all sin and will inhabit renewed, resurrection bodies in a renewed, restored creation.
For Kids: That we will live with and enjoy God forever in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be forever freed from all sin in a renewed, restored creation.


歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《启示录》21 章1 节至4 节：

　　我又看见一个新天新地，因为先前的天地已经过去了，海也不再有了。我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降，预备好了，就如新妇妆饰整齐，等候丈夫。我听见有大声音从宝座出来说：「看哪，神的帐幕在人间。祂要与人同住，他们要作祂的子民；神要亲自与他们同在，作他们的神。神要擦去他们一切的眼泪，不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭号、疼痛，因为以前的事都过去了。」

注解

莱尔

　　让我们首先明确一件事，就是得救的人将来会拥有永恒的幸福。尽管我们对此了解得不多，但这是没有尽头的：它永远不会结束，不会变旧，不会衰残，不会死亡。在神的「右手中有永远的福乐」（诗16:11）。一旦进入天堂，神的圣徒就不再离开。这基业是「不能朽坏，不能玷污，不能衰残的」，他们将要「得那永不衰残的荣耀冠冕」（彼前1:4，5:4）。他们的仗已打完，赛也比完，工也做成了。他们将不再饥渴。他们正走向一份「极重无比永远的荣耀」，一处永不会破碎的家园，一次不说再见的会面，一场没有离别的家宴，一个没有黑夜的白天。信心要成为眼见，盼望要归为确据。他们要看见和认识主，如同主已经看见和认识他们一样，并要「和主永远同在」。当使徒保罗补充说「你们当用这些话彼此劝慰」（帖前4:17-18）时，我并不感到奇怪。

默想

提摩太·凯勒

　　要理问答的答案告诉我们即将到来的荣耀未来的两件事，这是福音向我们保证的。

　　首先，我们将永远以神为乐，因为神是三位一体的，在祂里面，圣父、圣子、圣灵荣耀彼此，喜悦彼此，尊崇彼此，深爱彼此，因此，神自身拥有无限的喜乐，而我们被造是为了分享这些喜乐。我们被造是为了荣耀祂，并且参与到这荣耀与喜乐之中。但我们之中没有人，就算是今日最刚强的基督徒，也未曾经历过完美的、浩瀚的、无限的、永不停歇增长的喜乐，因为我们所有人都崇拜与喜爱其他的事情。但总有一天，我们将从罪中得释放，我们将会明了并经历那样的荣耀与喜乐，我们将以祂为乐，直到永远。

　　第二，我们将在一个新城中永远以祂为乐，就是新耶路撒冷城，就是新天新地。我们绝非纯粹的在精神层面经历那浩瀚无边的喜乐，而是在重新受造的身体上经历那喜乐，我们将会有像耶稣一样复活的身体。我的意思是，正如基督教所认为的，身体与灵魂、物质与属灵的部分会在完美的和谐中永远联合在一起。没有其他的宗教是这样认为的。我们不会是漂浮不定的游魂，我们可以在神的国中舞蹈、跑跳、拥抱、饮食，这意味着我们最深的渴望都会被满足，最大的哀伤都会被吞没。
还有什么比这更好呢？这是我们去往的地方，绝不落空。

祷告

　　永活的神，我们急切期待祢国度的降临，我们盼望祢擦干我们一切的眼泪，我们渴望不再与肉体交战的那一天。求祢赐予我们对永生确实的盼望，给我们面对今生试炼的勇气。阿们。主耶稣啊，我愿祢来！

Scripture

REVELATION 21:1–4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Commentary

J. C. RYLE

Let us settle it then in our minds, for one thing, that the future happiness of those who are saved is eternal. However little we may understand it, it is something which will have no end: it will never cease, never grow old, never decay, never die. At God’s “right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11). Once landed in paradise, the saints of God shall go out no more. The inheritance is “incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away.” They shall “receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 1:4; 5:4). Their warfare is accomplished; their fight is over; their work is done. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. They are travelling on towards an “eternal weight of glory,” towards a home which shall never be broken up, a meeting without a parting, a family gathering without a separation, a day without night. Faith shall be swallowed up in sight, and hope in certainty. They shall see as they have been seen, and know as they have been known, and “be for ever with the Lord.” I do not wonder that the apostle Paul adds, “Comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:17–18).

Devotional

TIMOTHY KELLER

The catechism answer tells us two things about the glorious future that the gospel assures us is coming.

First, we are going to enjoy God forever. Because God is triune within himself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been glorifying each other, delighting in each other, adoring each other, loving each other. Therefore, God within himself has infinite joy. And we were created to share in that joy. We were created to glorify him and to participate in that glory and joy. But none of us, even the strongest Christians today, have ever experienced what that joy is—perfect, cosmic, infinite, endlessly growing—because all of us worship and adore other things. Someday we will be freed from sin, and then we will know and experience that glory and joy. We will enjoy him forever.

Second, we will enjoy him forever in the new city, in the New Jerusalem, in the new heavens and new earth. We will experience this cosmic joy not in a purely immaterial condition. But, rather, we will be in a restored material creation. We will have resurrection bodies like Jesus’s body—physical bodies. And what that means is, as Christianity envisions, the body and the soul, the physical and the spiritual, are together in perfect harmony forever. No other religion envisions that. We will not float about as disembodied spirits, but we will dance. We will march. We will hug. We will be embraced. We will eat, and we will drink in the kingdom of God. It means all of our deepest longings will be fulfilled. All of our greatest sorrows will be swallowed up.

What could be better than that? And that’s what we’re in for. Nothing less.

Prayer

Eternal God, we eagerly await the fullness of your kingdom. We long for every tear to be dried. We groan for the day when we no longer struggle against the flesh. Let the sure hope of everlasting life give us courage to face the trials of this life. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!