4. Manna issue 64 - Baptism for Salvation—Act of Faith or of Works? 救恩的洗禮-信心的行動，或是儀式的表現？
Based on “The Doctrine of Baptism”,
published by True Jesus Church Department of Literary Ministry
節錄自"洗禮的教義"
真耶穌教會文宣部出版
To baptize disciples of all nations is a direct command of our risen Lord Jesus
(Mt 28:18–20).
In addition, to be baptized is a calling of our Lord to all
who believe in Him and the gospel that offers the promise of salvation
(Mk 16:15–16).
Wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, His baptism must follow.
Whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus must be baptized.
Baptism is so integral to the proclamation of God’s kingdom and faith in Christ
that it is inseparable from conversion.
為萬國的門徒施洗，是我們復活主耶穌的直接命令
（太 28：18-20）。
此外，受洗是我們主對所有人的呼召，
凡是相信神，以及帶來救恩應許福音的人
（可 16：15-16）。
無論哪里傳揚耶穌基督的福音，祂的洗禮就必須接著施行。
凡呼求主耶穌之名的人，都必須受浸禮。
宣揚神國和相信基督的信仰，洗禮是不可或缺的，
自改信耶穌開始，就密不可分。
Yet there are many who deny the necessity of baptism or its saving effect.
然而，有許多人否認洗禮的必要性，或是洗禮有拯救的功效。
One chief objection to the belief in the necessity of baptism for salvation is that baptism is of works,
and as such cannot be a condition for salvation.
It is argued that assigning any saving effect to a rite
such as baptism discredits and nullifies the finished work of Christ on the cross.
If this understanding of baptism stands,
then teaching salvation through baptism would be dangerously close to requiring circumcision for salvation,
a position the apostle Paul vehemently rejects.
相信必須接受洗禮才能得救的主要反對意見，認為洗禮是出於行為，
因此不能成為得救的條件。
有人認為，若儀式有任何功效，
就如同，洗禮會破壞並消除了基督在十字架上完成的工作。
如果這種對洗禮的認知成立，
那麼教導藉由洗禮而得救，將很危險相近於需要割禮才能得救，
使徒保羅強烈反對這種立場。
In fact, Paul was one of the most prominent defenders of salvation apart from works.
He goes as far as declaring that any attempt to be justified by works is a total denial of God’s grace,
事實上，除了通過行為之外，保羅是最著名的救贖辯護者之一。
他甚至延伸出去，宣稱任何想要通過行為稱義，都是對神恩典的完全否認，
“And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised
that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.”
(Gal 5:3, 4)
3我再指著凡受割禮的人確實的說，
他是欠著行全律法的債。
4你們這要靠律法稱義的，是與基督隔絕，
從恩典中墜落了。
(加 5：3-4)
In view of the fundamental doctrine of salvation by grace through faith,
how are we to understand baptism?
鑑於得救本乎恩因著信的基本教義，
我們如何理解洗禮？
BAPTISM IS GOD IN ACTION 洗禮是神的作為
Those who deny the saving effects of baptism tend to speak of baptism primarily as something that man does.
This, however, is not the perspective of the Scriptures.
The passages that record New Testament baptism hardly mention the baptist
(examples: Acts 2:3–41, 8:4–17, 8:26–40, 9:17–19, 16:13–15, 16:29–34, 19:1–7).
Similarly, the act of being baptized on the part of the believer
is never viewed as being responsible for the spiritual benefits that result in baptism.
In baptism it is God who acts.
The human actions are only a humble reception of the divine act.
It is God who washes away our sins with the blood of Christ
(Hebr 10:19–22; 9:14),
buries us together with Christ into His death, raises us with Christ
(Col 2:12; Rom 6:1–11),
and brings us into the body of Christ
(1 Cor 12:12–13).
While willing participation on behalf of the believer is necessary,
it does not warrant any merit except for the fact that it is an act of obedience.
The Scriptures never consider this act of obedience
as the foundation of the saving effects in baptism,
but always attribute them to the grace of God in Christ Jesus
(Tit 3:4–7; Eph 2:4–9).
那些否認洗禮救贖效果的人，傾向認為洗禮主要是人所做的事情。
然而，這並不是聖經的觀點。
記錄新約洗禮的經節，幾乎沒有提到施洗者，
（如：徒 2：3–41，8：4–17，8：26–40，9：17–19，16：13–15，16：29–34，19：1–7）。
同樣的，信徒受洗的行為，
從來沒有被視為是導致洗禮有屬靈好處原因。
洗禮是神的行動。
人類的行為，只是因著神聖的行為而產生的謙卑接受。
是神用基督的寶血，洗淨我們的罪孽
（來 10：19-22；9：14），
將我們與基督一同埋葬在祂的死裡，使我們與基督一同復活
（西 2：12；羅 6：1-11），
並將我們帶入基督的身體
（林前 12：12-13）。
然而，信徒甘心樂意的參與是必要的，
除了只有順從的行為之外，它沒有帶來任何良善。
聖經從來沒有提過，這種順服的行為，
就是洗禮有拯救功效的基礎，
但只有把救贖的功效，歸因於基督耶穌裡神的恩典
（多 3：4-7；弗 2：4-9）。
BAPTISM IS GOD’S GRACE 洗禮是神的恩典
To examine whether baptism is of works,
we need to first consider the meaning of the term “works.”
By “works of the law” the Scriptures are speaking of
attempting to achieve righteousness by observing and meeting the requirements of the law.
The nature of this means to justification is that
it seeks to earn righteousness before God rather than to receive it freely.
Herein lies the distinction between justification by works and justification by faith:
the former claims man’s merit, but the latter does not;
the former denies the works of Christ, but the latter rests upon them.
Thus, it would be wrong to view any and all forms of actions as “works of the law.”
To believe is an action, just as repentance and confessing the name of Christ are actions.
But such actions are actions that respond to and receive the grace of God.
They do not constitute attempts to be justified by works.
要檢查洗禮是否出於人的行為，
我們要首先思考“人的行為”一詞的含義。
聖經所說的“遵行律法的行為”
是想要通過遵守和符合律法的要求，來達成公義。
這代表了成聖稱義的本質是，
它想要在神面前努力贏得公義，而不是白白地接受它。
這就有因行為稱義和因信稱義之間的區別：
前者認為是人之功勞，後者則不這麼認定。
前者否認了基督的功勞，後者則認為是因著基督的功勞。
因此，將任何一切形式的行為，都認為是“遵守法律行為的功勞”，就是錯誤的。
相信只是一種行動，正如悔改和承認基督的名，是一種行動一樣。
但這樣的行為，是回應神的恩典，接受神恩典的行為。
他們並不是構成人通過人的行為，因而稱義的猜想。
BAPTISM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
洗禮是完整救贖的一個步驟，因著信本乎恩典
Nowhere in the Scriptures can we find any reference to baptism
being associated with the works of the law.
On the contrary, the Scriptures present baptism in the context of grace and faith.
Take the baptism passage in Colossians for example:
我們在聖經裡，找不到有任何地方提到洗禮，
與遵守律法的行為有關。
相反的，聖經以恩典和信心為內涵，來呈現洗禮。
以歌羅西書洗禮的經節為例：
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh,
by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism,
in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God,
who raised Him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.
(Col 2:11–13)
11你們在他裡面也受了不是人手所行的割禮，乃是基督使你們脫去肉體情慾的割禮。
12你們既受洗與他一同埋葬，也就在此與他一同復活，都因信那叫他從死裡復活神的功用。
13你們從前在過犯和未受割禮的肉體中死了，神赦免了你們（或作：我們）一切過犯，便叫你們與基督一同活過來；
(西 2：11-13)
Even though baptism is at the heart of this passage,
we see no indication whatsoever that baptism is of the works of the law.
In fact, it is an instrument of God’s grace.
It is Christ who circumcises us, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.
It is He who makes us alive together with Him.
It is He who forgives all our trespasses.
All of these works done by the hand of Christ take effect in us in baptism.
儘管洗禮是這段經文的核心，
我們看不到有任何跡象表明，洗禮是出於遵守律法的行為。
事實上，它是上神恩典的工具。
就是基督給我們實行割禮，脫去肉體的罪惡。
是基督使我們與祂一同復活起來。
是基督赦免了我們一切的過犯。
這一切都出自基督之手的工作，讓我們受洗時發生了作用。
This passage further teaches us that
our resurrection with Christ in baptism is through faith in the working of God.
Faith in God’s grace underlies the spiritual effect of baptism.
Baptism is of faith, not of works.
這段經文進一步教導我們，
洗禮中我們與基督一起復活，是因著對神工作的信心。
對神的恩典有信心，是洗禮屬靈功效的基礎。
洗禮是出於信心，不是出於人的行為。
This is further re-emphasized in Ephesians 2:1–13, a key passage on God’s saving grace:
這是以弗所書二章 1-13 節，再次強調，關於神救恩的重要訊息：
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:4–9)
4然而，神既有豐富的憐憫，
因他愛我們的大愛，
5當我們死在過犯中的時候，
便叫我們與基督一同活過來。你們得救是本乎恩。
6他又叫我們與基督耶穌一同復活，一同坐在天上，
7要將他極豐富的恩典，就是他在基督耶穌裡向我們所施的恩慈，顯明給後來的世代看。
8你們得救是本乎恩，也因著信；這並不是出於自己，乃是神所賜的；
9也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇。
(弗 2：4-9)
Both the passage in Colossians and in Ephesians
talks about our former death in sin and state of uncircumcision.
Both speak of being made alive and raised up together with Christ.
Both attribute the spiritual transformations to the work of God.
While Ephesians 2:1–13 stresses that
we have been saved by grace through faith,
the parallel passage in Colossians highlights baptism as the occasion for God’s saving work.
There is perfect harmony between these passages,
and one supplements the other.
Baptism is in no way opposed to salvation by grace through faith,
but is actually an integral part of it.
歌羅西書和以弗所書兩處的經文，
都討論到我們以前死於罪中，以及未受割禮的狀態。
兩處都說到，與基督一起復活和甦醒。
兩處都將屬靈的改變歸因於神的工作。
而以弗所書二章 1-13 節強調，
我們得救是因著信本乎恩，
歌羅西書相似的經文強調，洗禮是神拯救工作的時刻。
這些節文之間完美吻合，
一篇文章補充說明另一篇文章。
洗禮絕不會反對因著信本乎恩的救贖，
而實際是其中不可或缺的一部分。
We’ve established that baptism is an action that responds to God’s grace,
and that it is God who works in baptism.
Through baptism the blood of Christ washes away the sins of the believer
(Acts 2:38, 22:16),
the body of sin is put off
(Rom 6:1–7; Col 2:11–12)
and salvation is given
(Mk 16:16; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21).
In other words, as sinners, our conscience is defiled
(Heb 9:9, 10:2,22; cf. Tit 1:15).
However, when our hearts are “sprinkled from an evil conscience”,
we are able to draw near to God
(Heb 10:22)
and respond to God with a good conscience.
This is exactly what God does through baptism:
He purifies our conscience with the blood of Christ,
so that we can have boldness in the day of judgment.
It is in this sense that baptism saves us.
It is for this reason that we need to be baptized to receive salvation.
我們已經確定，洗禮是回應神恩典的行為，
在洗禮中作工的是神。
經由洗禮，基督的寶血洗淨了信徒的罪孽
（徒 2：38，22：16），
脫去罪的身體，
（羅 6：1-7；西 2：11-12）
賜下了救恩，
（可 16：16；多 3：5；彼前 3：21）。
換句話說，作為罪人，我們的良心受到玷污
（來 9：9，10：2，22；參見，多 1：15）。
然而，當我們的內心“洗去邪惡的良心”時，
我們能夠親近神
（來 10：22）
並以無虧的良心回應神。
這正是神通過洗禮所做的：
他以基督的寶血潔淨我們的良心，
好叫我們在審判的日子剛強壯膽。
正是從這個角度來看，洗禮拯救了我們。
正因如此，我們需要接受洗禮才能得救。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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