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一。我们“得救是本乎恩也因著信”(以弗所书2:8-10)。
A.我们得救是百分之百依靠神的恩典和耶稣的宝血（提多书3:4-7)。
B.浸礼包括神的作为也包括人的反应。
C.神施恩，人受浸，两件事彼此没有任何冲突。
二。耶稣与洗礼（浸礼）
A.耶稣基督自己受了浸（马太福音3:13-17)。
B.耶稣传福音时，他叫人受浸（约翰福音3:22; 4:1-2)。
C. 耶稣命令使徒，当传福音时要教导人受浸归主（马太福音28:18-20)。
D. 使徒并其他的基督徒传福音时他们教导人们要受浸成为基督徒（使徒行传2:38; 8:12;
8:36; 9:18; 10:47; 16:15; 16:33; 18:25; 19:3-5; 22:16)。
E. 新约书信的作者都假设读者都受了浸（罗马书6:3-5;
哥林多前书1:13-17; 12:13; 加拉太书3:26-27;
以弗所书4:4-5; 歌罗西书2:12;
提多书3:5)。
三。浸礼的真理和意义
A. 使徒行传第二章：主耶稣复活后第一次使徒们传扬福音，也是神建立教会之日。
1.
使徒彼得讲道的主题是什么？
_______。
2.
讲道的结论是什么？（请参看第36节）
3. 听众的反应是么？
（请参看第37
节）
他们为什么说这样的话？
4. 彼得告诉他们要作什么？（请参看第38节）
5. 彼得提到受浸的两个目的（受浸所产生的结果）是什么？ （请参看第38节）
6. 第38节是否跟我们今天的人有关系？（请参看第39节）
7. 神“将得救的人天天加给”谁？（请参看第47节)。换句话说,成为
_______ 的（成员、会员、肢体,一份子），要 _______。
B.
罗马书第六章：保罗提醒早期的基督徒有关他们归主成为基督徒的时候。
1. 我们藉着浸礼与基督耶稣一同____
____。（请参看第3-4节）
2. 受浸的自然结果是什么？
___________________（请参看第4节）
3. 如果不接触到耶稣的宝血，我们能不能够接触到（接受）神的恩典？______
我们在什么时刻接触到耶稣的宝血？
_____________________________
4. 保罗描述受浸的方式，是什么？
_____________________________
C. 歌罗西书2:12：有关受浸的五件事情：
1. “你们”是谁？______________。
（等于今天的_______________)。
2. 受浸时，与基督一同__________。
3. 又与他一同____________。
4. 受浸的基础是什么？__________。
什么或谁带给浸礼它的“力量”？
___________________________。
如果没有____的____，浸礼就毫无功效。
5. 浸礼的功效在乎受浸者的_______。
如果受浸者没有______，他受浸还不
如他____________。
四。今为什么有人对浸礼／洗礼有不同看法、观念和解释？
A. 今天 “受洗”的不同方式是洒水、点水、浸水和 “乾洗。” 但是人们是否从新 约《圣
经》授权使用这些方法呢？
1. 新约《圣经》希腊原文
baptizw
（baptizo）是投入水中的意思。另外一个希腊文字，rantizw
(rantizo),是洒水的意思。新约的作者记载人家悔改罪过，成为基督徒的过程，他们都受
baptizw
(baptizo)
而不受 rantizw（rantizo）；相信者都投入水中而受了浸。
2.
只有“浸水”才能够代表“埋葬和复活”的意思。
3.新约归主的事例说明归入耶稣基督的那人下到水里面（使徒行传8:38)。
B.什么时候受洗？得救前，得救后或得救的同时？（更紧要的问题是：什么时候得救？
受洗前，受洗后或受洗的同时？）
1.新生儿或很小的小孩子应该受洗吗？
a.新约没有任何一个例子说明新生儿或不懂事的小孩子受了浸（洗）成为基督徒。
b.
不 懂事的小孩子没有罪（相反，耶稣教导门徒说他们应该变成小孩子：马太福音18:3)。
c.
新生儿受洗的传统是由天主教开始。因为天主教相信“原罪”所以为了赦免小孩子的“原罪”他们为孩子施洗。《圣经》里面并没有“原罪”这回事。
2.
今天很多传道人告诉听众要认罪、悔改、祷告，请求耶稣赦免他们，请耶稣进入他们心中，拯救他们。他们说相信者当时就成为基督徒。这些传道人不提到受浸（受洗），或者他们说受浸是不必要的或许是随己意的。另外有些广播电台的传道人告诉听众要伸出手来摸收音机，就可以获得神的恩典。这些说法都不合乎经训。
a.
关于洗礼，不重视洗礼的人有一些不同的说法，如：
1.
“点水礼，浸水里都一样；随你便。”
2.
“洗礼／浸礼是为了表示你的信心罢了；它跟救恩无关。”
3.
“洗礼／浸礼是为了让你作成教会的会员而已。”
4.
“请您等到圣诞节或复活节我们有很多人都要受洗时才受洗。”
5.
“耶稣自己受了洗 ，是为了留下好榜样给我们；我们受洗是跟随他的榜样罢了。”
6.
“你根本不需要受洗。”
b.
但 是 耶 稣 基 督 说 过：“信而受浸（受 洗）的必然得救...”（马可福音16:15-16)。耶稣又说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令”（约翰福音14:15)。
C. 为什么有人拒绝浸礼？为什么有说浸礼不重要?
1.
有人忽略了新约《圣经》对洗礼的说法。对这样的人，我们要像百基拉和亚居拉对待亚波罗一样，要“将神的道给他们讲解更加详细”（使徒行传18:26)。
2. 有人认为洗礼和神的恩典彼此之间有冲突，认为洗礼是一种“工作”（work），好让人家“配”得到神的恩典。他们的理论是：因为神的恩典是白白得来的，所以我们不能作任何事情使得我们“配”
得到神恩。是的，“我们得救是本乎恩也因著信...”而且神的恩典是白白得来的。但是浸礼不是一种“工作”；浸礼是我们向神表示信心的众方法之一。洗礼和悔改一样不能让我们“佩”获得神的恩典，但是《圣经》教导我们要悔改（耶稣说：“你们若不悔改都要如此灭亡”路加福音13:3)。难道悔改是一种“工作”吗？同样，《圣经》也教导我们说要受浸（“你们各人要悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受洗，叫你们的罪得赦...”使徒行传2:38)。请注意：神的恩典和我们的顺服没有冲突。
3.
有人认为受洗太麻烦。他们追求简单、容易。但是我们不要像旧约所记载的乃缦，因为不要下约旦河里洗，所以他的病差不多没有得到医治。最后乃缦顺服神，下了水，所以病才被神治好了。医治他病的不是那水，乃是神恩典和乃缦的顺服。请注意：在河之外乃缦不能顺服神！（请参看列王记下第5章)。
4.
有人认为“水不能拯救任何人；只有神才能拯救人。”此句话不错，水本身毫无力量拯救人，但是拯救人的不是水，乃是神，是神的恩典，是耶稣的宝血，是人的顺服。“人非有信，就不能得神的喜悦...”（西伯来书11:6)。“不服从圣子的人将看不到永生...”（约翰福音3:36
普通话本)。使徒彼得明白此真理，所以写道：“就是那从前在挪亚预报方舟、神容忍等待的时候，不信从的人。当时进入方舟，藉着水得救的不多，只有八个人。这水所表明的洗礼，现在藉着耶稣基督复活也拯救你们；这洗礼本不在乎除掉肉体的污秽，只求在神面前有无愧的良心”（彼得前书3:20-21)。
普通话本把这两个经节翻译为
“他们是那些在很久以前，挪亚时代就拒绝服从上帝的灵。挪亚并建造方舟时，上帝曾耐心地等待着他们，但是却只有八个人登上了方舟，在水中得救。这水就象征着现在拯救您们的洗礼。洗礼并不是洗涤你们身体的污垢，而是请求上帝赐予一颗
无愧的良心。这一切都是通过耶稣基督从死里复活而实现的。”在此经节，彼得告诉我们，洗礼拯救了我们，但是彼得的意思是神藉着洗礼施他的恩典给我们；刚好，我们受浸的那时刻神将他的恩典赐给我们，让们。
五.
结论：按照经训...
1. 浸礼是新约《圣经》最重要的真之一。
2.
在神的恩典和耶稣的宝血之外，浸礼毫无用处。
3.
受浸是表示信心，是顺服神。
4.
受浸之前要相信神的存在，聆听耶稣的福音，相信耶稣的神性，相信《圣经》的记载。要悔改罪过，承认对神和耶稣的信心。受浸不比听道、信道重要；受浸不比悔改罪过重要。相反地，如果不信道，不悔改转上神，受浸一百次都没有用。
5. 当受浸的时刻，发生几件事情，如：
►神用他的恩典拯救您（提多书3:4）
►神藉着耶稣的宝血拯救您（彼得前书3:21）
►神让您沐浴在耶稣的宝血里，接触耶稣的十字架，死亡和复活（罗马书6:3-4）
►神赦免您的罪（使徒行传2:38；
22:16）
►神把他的圣灵赐给您（使徒行传2:38）
►神把您加入到他自己的教会，使得您成为教会的一份子，基督身体的肢体（使徒行传2:47；哥林多前书12:13；歌罗西书1:13-14）
►您“披戴”基督（加拉太书3:26-27）您成为基督徒（以上所有的经节）等。
6.
全世界其他的基督徒都成为您的弟兄和姐妹。
7.
受浸后要参加主日敬拜，要过基督徒所应该过的生活，活出基督的真理来。
个人灵修
请阅读使徒行传第二章。使徒行传第二章是主耶稣复活以后第一次使徒们传扬耶稣“全备”的福音，也是神建立教会之日。
读经祷告以后，请回答以下的问题：
1.当天是犹太人什么节日？____
2.使徒彼得讲道的主题是什么？
3.听众本来不重视彼得的话；为什么？
4.彼得引用谁的话说服听众耶稣是神的儿子，是他们的救主？
5.彼得说耶稣已经从_______________。
6.讲道的结论是什么？第节
7.听众的反应是什么？第节
他们为什么说这样的话？
8.彼得告诉他们要作什么？第节
9.彼得提到受浸的两个目的（受浸所产生的结果）是什么？1)_______；
2)______。 第 ____ 节?
10.第38节是否跟我们今天的人有关系？_____
。 第 ____ 节?
11.当天几个人成为基督徒？（此问题有两个答案）
（1) ___ (2)__
12.早期的基督徒用什么方法敬拜神？第节
13.早期的基督徒用什么方法表示此相爱的心？第节
14.神“将得救的人天天加给”谁？
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I.
II.
It is by grace that we are saved, through faith
(Ephesians 2:8-10).
A. Our
salvation is based completely on God’s grace and the precious blood of
Jesus.
B.
Baptism involves both the work of God and the response of man.
C. There is
no conflict of any kind between the gift of God’s grace and a person
being baptized.
II. Jesus and Baptism
A.
Jesus
Christ Himself was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17).
B. When
Jesus was preaching, He told people to be baptized (John 3:22; 4:1-2).
C. Jesus commanded His disciples to teach
the people to be baptized into Christ whenever they preached the gospel
(Matthew 28:18-20).
D. When the apostles and other Christians
preached the gospel, they taught the hearers to be baptized to become
Christians (Acts 2:38; 8:12; 8:36; 9:18; 10:47; 16:15; 16:33; 18:25;
19:3-5; 22:16).
E. The
authors of the New Testament letters all assumed that the readers had
been baptized (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27; 1 Corinthians 1:13-17;
12:13; Ephesians 4:4-5; Colossians 2:12; Titus 3:5).
III. The Truth and Significance of Baptism
A. Acts 2: After
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the first time time the apostles
preached the gospel, was also the day God established the church.
1.
What
was the theme of Peter’s sermon?
2.
What was Peter’s conclusion? (See verse 36.)
3.
What was the reaction of the audience? (See verse 37.) Why did
they say this?
4.
What did Peter tell them to do? (See verse 38.)
5.
What are two purposes (results) of baptism that Peter mentioned? (See
verse 38.)
6.
Does verse 38 have anything to do with us today? (See verse 39.)
7.
God daily added to _______ those who were being saved (verse 47).
In other words, he who becomes a member of the
______ needs
to be _______.
B.Romans 6: Paul
reminds the early Christians of the time when they turned to the Lord
and became Christians.
1.
Through baptism, we are united with Christ’s ___________ and
________________ Verse_____.
2. What is the result of baptism? _______ Verse_____.
3. If
we do not come in contact with the blood of Jesus, can we come in
contact with (receive) the grace of God? ____ When do we come in
contact with the blood of Jesus?______
4.
Paul describes the mode of baptism. What was it?
___________
C. Colossians 2:12: Five questions
concerning baptism
1. Who are the “you” (verse
11)?________ (same as today’s_______).
2. In baptism, we
_______________ with Christ.
3. In baptism, we also are
_____________ with Christ.
4. What is the foundation
(basis) of baptism? __________ Who or what gives baptism its
“power”? _________ If baptism does not have _______’s _________ then
it is worthless.
5. The value of baptism
depends on the _____ of the person who is baptized. If he does not have ________
, his baptism is not as helpful as his ____________ [answer: taking a
bath].
IV. Why Do People
Today Have Different Feelings, Views and Explanations of Baptism?
A. Today various methods of “baptism” are
pouring, sprinkling, immersion and “dry cleaning,” but are all of these
authorized by the New Testament?
1. The original Greek word in
the New Testament,
baptizw
(baptizo),
means to immerse a person into water. Another Greek word,
rantizw
(rantizo),
means to pour. When the New Testament authors recorded someone’s
repentance of sins and baptism, they all used baptizo and not rantizo;
believers were baptized by immersion.
2. It is only by “being
immersed in water” that we can demonstrate “burial and resurrection.”
3. The New Testament examples
of people coming to the Lord show that their turning to the Lord
included their going down into the water (Acts 8:38).
B. When is one baptized? Before
salvation, after salvation, or do the two events happen at the same
time? (A more important question: When is one saved?
Before baptism, after baptism, or do the two events happen at the same
time?)
1.
Should infants and small children be
baptized?
a. There is not one example in the
New Testament of an infant or a child who is not old enough to
understand, receiving baptism and becoming a Christian.
b. Children are not accountable (not old
enough to understand) and have no sin. (On the contrary, Jesus taught
His disciples that they should become like children: Matthew 18:3.)
c. The tradition of baptizing
infants was begun by the Catholic church. Because the Catholic church
believes in “original sin,” in order to forgive the original sin of
infants, they baptize them. However, the Bible has no such idea as
“original sin.”
2.
Today many preachers tell their audiences
to confess sins, repent, pray, ask Jesus to forgive them, ask Jesus to
come into their hearts and save them. They say that by so-doing, a
person thus becomes a Christian. These preachers do not mention baptism,
or else they say that baptism is not necessary, or they teach that the
individual can make his own choice to be baptized or not. In addition,
there are some radio evangelists who tell their listening audiences to
stretch out their hands and touch the radio, and they will receive God’s
grace. These words are not according to the teaching of the Bible.
a. Speaking of baptism, the people
who consider baptism unimportant also say:
1. "Sprinkling and immersion are
the same; it’s up to you.”
2. "Baptism (whether by sprinkling or
immersion) only demonstrates your faith; baptism has nothing to do with
salvation.”
3. “Baptism is only to make you a member of a
particular church.”
4. “Please wait to be baptized until
Christmas or Easter when we will have many people to be baptized.”
5. “Jesus Himself was baptized; it was to leave an example for us; we
are baptized simply to follow His example.”
6. "You really do not need to be
baptized.”
b.
But Jesus said: “Those who believe and are baptized will be
saved...” (Mark 16:15-16). Jesus also said: “If you love me, you will
keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
C.
Why do people resist baptism and say it is
not important?
1. Some
people neglect the teachings about baptism in the Bible. We should treat
them as Aquila and Priscilla treated Apollos, and explain the way of God
more perfectly (Acts 18:26).
2. Some
people believe that baptism and God’s grace are in conflict. They think
that baptism is a “work” by which we would be trying to earn God’s
grace. Their philosophy is that God’s grace has freely come to us, so we
do not need to do anything to pay for receiving this grace. Yes, it is
true that “it is by grace we are saved through faith...” and that God’s
grace is freely given. But baptism is not a form of “work,” baptism
rather is a way for us to show our faith to God. Neither baptism nor
repentance can let us “earn” God’s grace, but the Bible teaches us to
repent. Jesus said: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”
(Luke 13:3). Repentance is not a “work,” is it? In the same way, the
Bible also teaches us to be baptized—“Repent and be baptized, every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven...“
(Acts 2:38). Thus we can confidently say that there is no conflict
between God’s grace and our obedience.
3. Some
people think that baptism is too much trouble. They are looking for
something simple and easy. But we do not want to be like Naaman as
recorded in the Old Testament; he did not want to go down into the
Jordan River to wash, and he almost was not cured of his disease.
Finally Naaman obeyed God; he went into the water, and his illness was
cured by God. It was not the water that cured him; it was the grace of
God and Naaman’s obedience. Please note that outside of the river Naaman
could not obey God! (Read the fifth chapter of 2 Kings.)
Some people say, “Water cannot save
anyone; only God can save man.” This saying is not wrong; water itself
has no saving power. But that which saves man is not the water, it is
God, it is God’s grace, it is the precious blood of Jesus, it is the
obedience of man. “Without faith it is impossible to please God...”
(Hebrews 11:6). “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life” (John
3:36). The apostle Peter knew this truth, and he wrote: “...who
disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while
the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all,
were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now
saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of
a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ” (1 Peter 3:20-21).
The Pu Tong Hua edition of the Chinese
Bible translates these two verses of scripture: “Those were the spirits
who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah. God was
waiting patiently for people while Noah was building the big boat.
Only a few people—eight in all—were saved in that boat. Those
people were saved by water. That water was like baptism that now
saves you. Baptism is not the washing of dirt from the body.
Baptism is asking God for a pure heart. It saves you because Jesus
Christ was raised from death.” (This English quoted from:
Easy-to-Read Version New Testament. © World Bible
Translation Center, Fort Worth, TX.) In this scripture Peter tells us
that baptism saves us, but Peter’s idea is that God grants us his grace
through baptism. That is, at the moment we are baptized God gives His
grace to us, and washes us clean with the blood of Jesus.
V. Summary:
According to Biblical Teachings…
1. Baptism is
one of the most important truths in the New Testament.
2. Outside of
the grace of God and the precious blood of Jesus, baptism is of no use.
3. Baptism
demonstrates faith and is obedience to God.
4. Before a
person is baptized, he must believe that God is, hear the gospel of
Jesus, believe that Jesus is divine, and believe the words of the Bible.
He must repent of his sins, confess his faith in God and Jesus. Baptism
is not more important than hearing and believing the gospel; baptism is
not more important than repentance. To the contrary, if a person does
not believe the gospel, does not repent and turn to God, he can be
baptized 100 times and it is still of no use.
5. At the time
of your baptism, several things happen:
►God
uses His grace to save you (Titus 3:4).
►God
saves you by the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 3:21).
►God
allows you to be washed by the blood of Jesus, and come in contact with
the cross, the death and the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:3-4).
►God
forgives your sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). God gives His Holy Spirit to you
(Acts 2:38).
►God
puts you into His church, and thus makes you a part of the church, a
member of the body of Christ (Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians
1:13-14).
►You
“put on” Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).
►You
become a Christian (see all of the above references).
6. All other
Christians in the world become your brothers and sisters.
7. After
baptism, you should take part in Sunday worship, you should live every
day as a Christian ought to live and be an example of the truth of
Christ.
QUESTIONS
Please read Acts 2. This chapter tells
about the time after Jesus’ resurrection that the apostles first
preached the gospel of Jesus in its entirety. Moreover, this is
the day that God established the church.
After reading and praying, please answer
the following questions:
1. What special
Jewish festival was that day? ______________________
2. What
was the theme of the apostle Peter’s preaching? _____________
3. At
first the people did not want to pay attention to Peter’s words.
Why? _____________
4. Whose
words did Peter quote to persuade the people that Jesus is God’s Son and
their Savior? _________________________________
5. Peter
said that Jesus had already been _________________________.
6. What
is the summary of the sermon? ________________ Verse ____
7. What
was the response of the audience? _________________ Verse
_____ Why did they say this kind of thing? __________ Verse ______
8. What
did Peter tell them to do? ___________ Verse ___
9. What
are two reasons for baptism that Peter mentioned? (Two results of
baptism) 1) ___________ 2) _________ Verse ___
10. Does verse
38 have anything to do with us today? _______ Verse ___
11. How
many people became Christians that day? (There are two answers to
this question.)
1) ___________________________
2) ___________________________
12. How
did the early Christians worship God?
_____________________________ Verse ___
13. How
did the early Christians demonstrate their love for each other?
________________ Verse ___
14.
To whom did God daily add those who were
being saved? ___________
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