文/陳鳳翔 Chen Virginia | 0523/23
Our Beloved Ones Don’t Become Angels When They Die
我們所愛的親人死了之後不會變成天使 –原譯: 基督徒死後或變成天使
2023年5月14日，台灣媒體報導歌手余天和李亞萍夫婦在女兒因癌症去世後首次出現在螢光幕上，李亞萍訴說對女兒的思念與愛提及：「我女兒上了天堂……她終於成為了天使」顯示出台灣人相信基督徒死後會變成天使，好人死後會成為比人類更高等的存在形式。
On May 14, 2023, Taiwanese media reported on the first TV appearance of the famous singer couple Yu Tian and Li Yaping since their daughter died of cancer. In the TV program, the couple talked about their mourning and love for their daughter, and the audience was much moved when Li said, “My daughter has gone to heaven. … She has finally become an angel.”
在台灣，抱持這種信念的人很多，我自己也聽過小孩子說去世的爺爺奶奶或外公外婆變成天使，網路上也有不少「人死後會變成天使」的文章。每年清明掃墓，更常看到一些基督徒站在墓碑前，低頭默禱向已故親人訴說生活大事，期求亡者能護佑遺族，甚至也可以在基督教追思禮拜中，聽到牧者如此教導或暗示這種觀念。
It is not uncommon for people in Taiwan to believe their loved ones become angels (or some other forms of beings higher than humans) when they die. Personally, I have not only heard children say that about their grandparents who passed away but have also seen many internet discussions about “Do we become angels when we die?” Every year during the Qingming tomb sweepings, many people—including Christians—stand in front of the tombstones, telling their deceased loved ones about their life events and praying for blessings. The idea is even taught or implied by some pastors in Taiwan, especially at Christian memorial services.
流行文化和中國宗教的影響 Influence from pop culture and Chinese religions
但是問題是“好基督徒死後或變成天使”符合聖經和基督教正統信仰嗎？
But is the belief in our becoming angels after dying consistent with the Bible and orthodox Christian beliefs?
對於台灣人而言，基督教是外來宗教。根據台灣中央研究院社會學研究所2019年公佈的調查結果，在台灣人口中只有5.5%是基督徒，多數民眾信奉傳統民俗宗教（49.3%），佛教（14%），道教（12.4%），或沒有宗教（13.2%）。多數台灣人對基督教的理解，還是從歐美電影、戲劇、小說、繪本等娛樂文化來認識。許多人——無論是基督徒或是非基督徒，皆相信好的基督徒死後會進天堂，成為天使，因為那是他們從（後基督教時代）歐美影視、流行文化中得來的印象。
To people in Taiwan, Christianity is a foreign religion. According to a survey published in 2019 by the Academia Sinica of Taiwan’s Institute of Sociology, only 5.5% of the Taiwanese population are Protestant and 1.3 percent are Catholic, with the majority of the population following traditional folk religions (49.3%), Buddhism (14%), Taoism (12.4%), or no religion (13.2%). The majority of Taiwanese still understand Christianity through the popular culture of European and American films, television programs, plays, novels, and picture books. Thus, many Taiwanese—Christians and non-Christians alike—believe that good people will go to heaven and become angels after death because that is the impression they get from such (post-Christian) pop-cultural influences.
此外，死後成為天使的信仰源於中國傳統文化的影響。中國的佛教、道教、儒教和民間傳統宗教都認為，“虔誠”的信徒死後會成為高於人的存在，能夠保佑子孫後代。因此，在這種宗教邏輯下，可以合理推論“虔誠”的基督徒死後成為“天使”（對他們來說，這是西方對神聖化的高等生物的稱呼）。
In addition, the belief about becoming angels after death stems from the influence of traditional Chinese culture. Chinese Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and traditional folk religions all believe that “devout” believers become higher beings than humans after they die and can bless future generations. Therefore, Chinese religious logic reasonably deduces that devout Christians will become “angels” (which, for them, is the Western name for sanctified higher beings).
華人的儒教參天地、贊化育，修養內在的心體、性體，從普通人向上到君子、賢人、至終為永恆的聖人，教化萬世。
Confucian religion emphasizes joining heaven and earth to promote all things to thrive in harmony. This is done through cultivating one’s inner heart and inner nature, starting as a normal person, then becoming a gentleman, a wise man, and finally an eternal sage, teaching and transforming all things.
佛教宇宙觀為六道輪迴，透過靈修往上層層爬升，從人到阿修羅、天人，至終跳出輪迴，進入不生不滅的涅槃成佛，普渡眾生。
The Buddhist view of the universe centers on the Six Paths. One ascends level by level through spiritual discipline, going from human to asura to deva and finally liberated from reincarnation, entering nirvana as an eternal buddha and working to deliver all people.
道教透過練炁追求長生，至終得道而飛昇成仙，恩澤眾人。傳統民俗宗教更是「好」人死後成為神靈，保佑後輩子孫。
Taoism seeks immortality through practicing Qi, finally becoming one with the Way and flying away as an immortal to bless all people. And traditional folk religion believes that after death one becomes a spirit to watch over one’s descendants.
在這種宗教觀點的影響下，人們會以為基督教靈修的目標類似力求飛升成聖、成佛、成仙的目標。
Under the guidance of such religious views, the goal of spiritual discipline becomes that of striving to ascend and become sages, buddhas, or immortals.
不符合聖經的迷信 Unbiblical superstition
然而在聖經裡面，從來沒有人變成天使的教義。人就是人，天使就是天使，是完全不同的受造。
However, the Bible contains no teaching of humans becoming angels or higher beings. Humans are humans, angels are angels, and the two are completely different created beings.
創世記1:1 「起初，神創造天地。」本節「天地」的希伯來文是「那諸天（הַשָּׁמַיִם）和這地（הָאָרֶץ）」。上帝創造了兩個世界，一個是人肉眼不可見的超自然世界（俗稱屬靈世界），即「諸天」（英文是複數的“heavens”，無論是NIV還是NRS、YLT，很多英文版本都是翻譯成“heavens”，更接近希伯來文原文的意思）；另一個是人肉眼可見、人所處的世界—「這地」。
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The Hebrew words, הַשָּׁמַיִם for “the heavens” and הָאָרֶץ for “the earth” show that God created two worlds. The first is a supernatural world invisible to the human eye (commonly known as the spiritual world): the “heavens” (plural in many English versions, although that is not observable in Chinese translations). The other is the world visible to the human eye, the world in which humans live: this “earth.”
詩篇115:16 把這種“天地有別”的觀念述說得更清楚：「天，是耶和華的天；地，他卻給了世人。」(The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.) 諸天的概念也可見哥林多後書 12:2，保羅曾提及自己被提到第三層天上，指的就是那個人肉眼不可見的「那諸天」——超自然世界。
Psalm 115:16 makes this idea of the difference between heavens and earth even clearer: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind.” The concept of the heavens is also found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, where Paul refers to himself as being caught up to the third heaven, implying that there are “heavens” invisible to the human eye—the supernatural world.
而「這地」創造的最高潮是人類。人類是照著上帝的形像（צֶלֶם）與樣式所造！צֶלֶם這字也用來指君王塑像的建立。人類是上帝設立在「這地」最尊貴榮耀的受造，人類是上帝在受造世界的代表。人類六日工作，反映上帝創造天地，受造萬物從人類的工作，看見上帝智慧與大能的持續。人類工作本身就是榮耀上帝的行為，人類代表上帝管理「這地」。而六日工作之後，得一日安息，無論何工都不可做。在那日，人類全心全意來紀念上帝、敬畏上帝，知道世界的運轉是靠耶和華，而非人類。也在那日，人類回顧手所做的工，為自己過去六日的成就，充滿上帝的智慧、創意、巧思，而感謝讚美歸榮耀給造物上帝。
And the climax of creation on “the earth” was humans. Humans were created in God’s image (צֶלֶם) and likeness. The word צֶלֶם can also refer to the setting up of royal images. Humans are the most honored and glorious created beings that God has set up on this earth, and they are God’s representatives in the created world.
Humans work for six days, reflecting how God created the heavens and earth, and all created things can see God’s wisdom and power continued through human work. Human work is a God-glorifying act, and humans are God’s representatives in governing this earth. After six days of work comes one day of rest, in which no work is done. On that day, humans are to wholeheartedly remember and honor God, knowing that the world runs because of the Lord, not because of humankind. On that day, humans look back on the work of their hands and thank, praise, and glorify the Creator God for his wisdom, creativity, and brilliance reflected in these achievements.
在另一些聖經經文中則有人類與天使的比較。詩篇8:4-8，詩人觀看上帝所造的天，與陳設的月亮星宿，便說：「人算甚麼，你竟顧念他？世人算甚麼，你竟眷顧他？你叫他比天使（אֱלֹהִים）微小一點，並賜他榮耀尊貴為冠冕。你派他管理你手所造的，使萬物，就是一切的牛羊、田野的獸、空中的鳥、海裡的魚，凡經行海道的，都服在他的腳下。」從這段經文來看，人類是比天使低一等級的受造。
Other biblical passages show comparisons between human beings and angels. In Psalm 8:4–8, upon looking at the heavens God has made and at the moon and the stars he has set up, the psalmist says, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”
然而，越來越多的聖經學者認為這裡原本的翻譯不好（אֱלֹהִים譯作天使，但אֱלֹהִים在聖經中大多翻譯為「上帝」，天使有其他的字מַלְאָךְ。），較新的中文聖經紛紛將之修訂。
《和合本修訂版RCUV》譯為「然而你使他比『上帝』微小一點，賜他榮耀尊貴為冠冕。」
《現代中文譯本修訂版TCV》譯為「然而，你造他僅低於『你自己』；你用光榮尊貴作他的華冠。」因為詩篇8:4-8呼應著創世記第一章。
Some Christians believe this passage implies that humankind is a lower creation than angels. However, an increasing number of biblical scholars feel that in this passage “angel” is a poor translation of the Hebrew word אֱלֹהִים. It is usually translated as “God,” and other words such as מַל ְאָךְ are used for “angels.” Newer Chinese Bibles, including the Revised Chinese Union Version (RCUV) and Today’s Chinese Version (TCV), translate this verse as “You have made them a little lower than God” because it echoes Genesis 1.
詩人稱頌著上帝的創造，也讚美上帝派人類代表祂，管理上帝手所造的一切萬物，人類怎麼有這種殊榮？從新的翻譯來看，人類不是比天使低一等級的受造。
The psalmist praises God’s creation and praises God for sending humans to represent him and govern all he has created. How are humans given such a special honor?
簡單的說，上帝創造了兩個世界，天使、基路伯、活物是諸天世界的受造，而穹蒼、諸水、陸地、日月光體、動植物與人類是在這地世界的受造。人與天使是完全不同的受造。當這地過去，新天新地來臨，人也不變成天使，信耶穌的都早已跟著耶穌成為新造的人。人就是人，天使就是天使。
Put simply, God created two worlds. Angels, cherubim, and the four living creatures are the created beings of the heavenly world, whereas the sky, the waters, the land, the sun and moon, animals and plants, and humans are the created beings of this earthly world.
Humans and angels are completely different created beings. When this earth passes away and the new heaven and new earth arrive, humans will not turn into angels. Those who believe in Jesus have already become new creations in Jesus. Humans are humans. Angels are angels.
在聖經裡面，人的地位可能還比天使重要。因為天使並沒有照著上帝的形像與樣式所造，另外天使墮落，聖子上帝耶穌也沒有為他們道成肉身、死在十架上拯救。而這個觀念會影響著華人基督徒對靈修的看法。
In fact, in the Bible, humans may be given more important status than angels. Angels were not made in the image and likeness of God. Furthermore, when angels fell, Jesus the Son did not become flesh and die on the cross for their salvation.
對靈修的影響 Implications for spiritual discipline
儒教的靈修目標是成聖，佛教的靈修目標是成佛，道教的靈修目標是成仙，傳統民俗宗教的靈修目標是成為神靈。在成聖、成佛、成仙、成神靈的宗教觀念影響下，不少基督徒會以為基督信仰的靈修目標是從人往上層層爬升，到天使，至終成為神。臺灣的世界宗教博物館對靈修的定義見下，而華人基督徒對靈修的理解亦與此不遠：
「靈修是一種宗教的修行，涉及嚴肅的思維或沈思；此詞源自於拉丁文，意謂著深奧且專注的思考。…靈修的實踐可定義為在知覺上探索的一種生命新道。經歷了初階的淨化與統和，修行者讓自我空靈超脫以求轉化新生，終至能將此覺醒整存於日常生活之中……」
“Meditation is a religious discipline, involving solemn thought or contemplation; the word originates from Latin, referring to deep and focused thought. . . The practice of meditation can be defined as exploring a new order of life through one’s consciousness. After experiencing the initial purification and harmonizing, the practitioner allows the spirit to transcend the self and so transform and renews their life, and is ultimately able to preserve this awakening in their daily life. . . ”
我們對死後會變成什麼樣的人的理解，會影響我們對靈修的看法。 靈修的目標，在儒教是成聖，在佛教是成佛，在道教是成仙，在民間傳統宗教是成神。 受宗教成聖、成佛、成仙、成靈觀的影響，台灣很多基督徒認為基督教靈修的目的是向上奮進：成為“天使”，甚至最終成為“神”。
Our understanding of what beings we become after we die affects our view of spiritual discipline. The purpose of spiritual discipline in Confucian religion is to become a sage, in Buddhism to become a buddha, in Taoism to become an immortal, and in traditional folk religion to become a spirit. Under the influence of religious views on becoming a sage, a buddha, an immortal, or a spirit, many Christians in Taiwan assume that the purpose of spiritual discipline in Christianity is to strive upward: to become an “angel” and perhaps ultimately a god.
大多基督徒對「靈修」的理解，不外乎是讀經、唱詩、禱告。但有些帶著成聖、成佛、成仙、成神靈的觀念來實行靈修，就會引進世界諸宗教的靈修方法。
Most Christians understand spiritual discipline to generally involve reading the Bible, singing hymns, and praying. But some bring their understanding of becoming a sage, a buddha, an immortal, or a spirit into their practice of spiritual discipline, incorporating practices from various world religions—a form of syncretism.
聖經從來沒有這種「人成為更高一級的受造」地位爬升的靈修概念，甚至聖經多處強調人類受造本身就是充滿上帝的榮耀。讀經、唱詩、禱告，都是為了更認識聖父、聖子、聖靈，瞭解上帝在我們身上的恩典何其浩大，在生活中所行、所做反應祂，將一切歸榮耀給祂。
The Bible doesn’t indicate that spiritual discipline is for the purpose of striving to “become a higher level of created being.” In fact, the Bible emphasizes many times that humans are created beings filled with God’s glory. Reading the Bible, singing hymns, and praying are all for the purpose of learning more about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; of understanding the vastness of God’s grace in our lives; of reflecting him in all that we do; and of giving him all the glory.
若真的要說基督教的「靈修」目標是甚麼？應該是聖靈所結的果子：仁愛、喜樂、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信實、溫柔、節制。（加拉太書5:22-23）追求現在的自己比過去的自己更懂得甚麼是愛，愛上帝、愛鄰舍，因為耶穌為此而來。
If we had to state a purpose for Christian spiritual discipline, I would argue that it is to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23). The purpose of spiritual discipline is to strive for the new self to better understand love than the old self did, to love God and love our neighbors. That is what Jesus came for.
聖靈保惠師幫助信耶穌的，個人生命品質漸次成長、脫去罪惡，反映上帝公義和慈愛的屬性，因我們本就照其形象和樣式所造。
The Holy Spirit, our advocate, helps those who believe in Jesus so that the quality of their character gradually matures. We can be set free from sin’s bondage and reflect the righteousness and love of God, because we are created in God’s image and likeness.
我們不需羨慕成佛、成聖、成仙，要知道別的受造，甚至是天使，都不是照著上帝的形象和樣式所造。因此，基督徒都可稱頌上帝創造我們是個人！不用認定天使是比我們更高一級的存在。我們只比上帝微小一點。祂賜我們榮耀尊貴為冠冕，派我們管理祂手所造的。主耶穌愛我們，為拯救我們，不是為了拯救天使，而死在十架上。
We need not desire the Buddhahood or immortality because we know that no other creatures—not even the angels—are made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, Christians can praise God for creating us as human beings. We do not have to believe that angels are higher beings than we are. We are lower than God alone. He has given us a crown of glory and honor and sent us to rule over the works of his hands. Jesus loved us and died on the cross to save us, not the angels.
