歌罗西书2:12

作者：谢德华

-- Colossians 2:12

By Edward Short

《圣经》分为两个大部分，“旧约”和“新约”。新约写于第一世纪。新约里面的一卷“书信”是写给住在歌罗西的基督徒。歌罗西就是在今天的土耳其。〈歌罗西书〉的作者是耶稣的一名使徒，名叫保罗。

书信中，保罗提醒歌罗西的基督徒，他们成为基督徒的时候，他们受了洗礼。信中，保罗用短短的一句话，把有关受洗的真理解释清楚。在此，保罗不但帮助当时，第一世纪的基督徒明白他们的信仰，同时也使得我们今天的人了解“受洗”的意义。请听保罗的话：“你们既受洗与他一同埋葬，也就在此与他一同复活，都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用”。

从这短短的经文里可知，受洗包括六件事实，就是我以下要谈的。

第一：“你们”指歌罗西城的基督徒而言。在歌罗西书开头的第一句话里，保罗就说明他把信函写给在歌罗西的基督徒，所以“你们”指着基督徒。

第二：“你们既受洗”表示所有在歌罗西的基督徒都受了洗。

第三：“你们既受洗与他一同埋葬”。从这句话里，我们知道一个人受洗的时候他就在那时刻与耶稣基督一同埋葬。（下面，会把这句话解释清楚。）

第四：“也就在此与他一同复活”。张三受洗时，不但与耶稣基督一同埋葬，也与他一同复活。耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，死了，葬在坟墓里，第三天复活了，是基督徒都相信的，也是基督教的基础。当张三接受洗礼时，他就经历到耶稣的死和复活，使得保罗说，“…与他一同埋葬，与他一同复活”。

第五：“都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用”。在这句话里，保罗为我们解释清楚说，洗礼的意义和“力量”来自哪里。洗礼的意义和力量来自神和耶稣。来自耶稣的复活；来自叫耶稣复活的神。“因信”指着受洗者的信心。接受洗礼的那位相信神，相信耶稣，相信神使得耶稣复活。“都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用”。当张三受洗时，如果他没有信心，不信仰神，他受洗还不如他洗澡。但是，因为他相信那位耶稣，洗礼这件事，让他接触到耶稣的十字架、宝血和复活。换句话说，当张三受洗的时候，他表示他对耶稣的信心；他表达他相信耶稣复活了。所以，张三受洗时，才真正接触耶稣的死亡和复活。

第六：“都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用”。这句话又包含着另一个意思，就是让我们知道，受洗怎么能够让张三和耶稣的死亡和复活联结。这都是“神的功用”。神使得耶稣复活，神使得张三接触耶稣的宝血。神让张三在他受洗的时刻，因为耶稣的圣血而当时就使得他成为基督徒。这是人做不到的。张三，李四，您，我都做不到的；只有神才能做到。所以保罗说这都是，“神的功用”。是“神的大能”的意思。

把话讲回来吧，《圣经》的教导是，“你们既受洗与他一同埋葬，也就在此与他一同复活，都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用”。从此可知，当我们受洗时，我们与耶稣基督一同埋葬，一同复活。我们受洗表示我们相信耶稣复活了，表示我们要信仰耶稣为道路、真理、生命。我们承认只有神才会叫人复活，只有神才会使得我们成为基督徒。

朋友，请您快一点来信耶稣，受洗成为基督徒。

The Bible is composed of two major sections, the “Old Testament” and the “New Testament.”  The New Testament was written in the first century.  One of the letters in the New Testament was written to Christians in the city of Colosse, which was in what today is Turkey.  Paul, one of the apostles of Jesus, wrote Colossians.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul reminded the Christians in Colosse that they were baptized when they became Christians.  In one brief sentence, Paul made clear the truths regarding baptism, and in so-doing, Paul not only helped those first century Christians understand their faith, he also enabled us today to understand the meaning of baptism.  Here is what Paul said:  “when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” [Colossians 2:12, NIV]. 

There are six facts about baptism that we learn from this short verse.  Here they are: [Wording is based on the Chinese Bible—ES]

One:  “You”—The “you” in this verse refers to the Christians in Colosse.  In the opening sentence of the letter, Paul declares that he is writing to Christians in Colosse, so the “you” in this sentence refers to them.

Two:  “when you were buried …in baptism”—Indicates that all the Christians in Colosse had been baptized.

Three:  “…were buried with him in baptism”—In baptism, a person is buried with Jesus.  (This will be explained below.)

Four:  “you were also raised with him”—When a person is baptized, he not only is buried with Jesus Christ, but he is also raised with him.  Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, died there, was buried in a tomb and then was resurrected on the third day.  These facts are believed by all Christians and they are the foundation of the Christian faith.  When someone receives baptism, he participates in the death and resurrection of Jesus, which leads Paul to say, “you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him.”

Five:  “…through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”  Here Paul explains clearly what the meaning of baptism is and from where it obtains its “power.”  The significance of baptism comes from God and Jesus, as does its power.  Jesus’ resurrection and the God who raised him give meaning to baptism.  “…through faith” refers to the faith of the person who was baptized.  That person has faith in God, believes in Jesus and believes that God resurrected Jesus from death.  “…through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”  If a person who is baptized has no faith and does not trust in God, being baptized is for him no better than taking a bath.  Because he does have faith in Jesus, however, baptism enables him to contact the cross, the blood and the resurrection of Jesus.  In other words, baptism is itself an expression of one’s faith in Jesus and his resurrection.  Only when a person is baptized does he finally contact the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Six:  “…through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”  There is yet something else in Paul’s statement.  We see how baptism enables a person to contact the death and resurrection of Jesus—“the power of God.”  God called Jesus forth from the grave and in baptism God causes a person to contact the precious blood of Jesus and become a Christian.  Neither you nor I nor anyone else can accomplish this; only God can do it.  Thus Paul says that this is by “the power of God.” 

In conclusion, the Bible teaches that “when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” From this we know that when we’re baptized we’re buried with Jesus Christ and are raised with him.  In baptism, we acknowledge that we believe that Jesus was resurrected and that we want to put our faith in him as the Way, the Truth and the Life.  We admit that only God can raise the dead and only God can make us Christians.

I hope you will put your faith in Jesus, be baptized and become a Christian.

May 23, 2005; rev. Sept. 26, 2005.  ES/ OKDB