於2015-04-28發佈

最棒的基督徒生命15

洗禮

在我們繼續談論何謂基督的僕人前,我們先更多來看馬太福音廿八章19-20節大使命的一些觀點:

所以,你們要去,使萬民作我的門徒,奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗(或作:給他們施洗,歸於父、子、聖靈的名)。

凡我所吩咐你們的,都教訓他們遵守,我就常與你們同在,直到世界的末了。

首先,我們被吩咐要『去』使萬門作門徒,而不是『留下來』。我曾聽過一位佈道家說:『很驚人的是你在離家五十哩處擁有更大的權柄』。無論這是出於先知在本鄉不受尊重的原則,或是我們失去對熟識者敬重的『熟識暴政』(tyranny of the familiar)所造成,對大部分遠離家鄉的人確實擁有更大的權柄。為此緣故,那些去到短宣隊回來的人,常為著神在外地如何使用他們感到驚奇。

其次,我們看到要帶門徒我們必須教導他們遵守『凡』主所吩咐的。這在我們的時候也是相當罕見的,我們往往教導一些強調我們教派或運動的教義,但有多少人可以像使徒保羅一樣說,他們『把這生命的道都講給百姓聽』?。

我們也看到此教導是從施洗開始。祭壇呼召真的是近代的發明,對許多人而言,其已取代初信者的洗禮。雖然洗禮只是個儀式,卻是重要又大有能力的儀式。在第一世紀,一個人一信主後便馬上受洗,其影響非常深刻。

有人說沒有按著這裡主所吩咐的持續施洗,儼然成為初信者不若初代教會如此委身並全都『加給教會』的一個主要原因。你不可能正確連結於頭,卻不連結於祂的身體。正如約翰壹書一章7節告訴我們:『我們若在光明中行,如同神在光明中,就彼此相交(希臘文koinonia,最深層的合一),祂兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。倘若在我們生命中沒有這樣的彼此相交,我們便沒有連於光中。

教會生活本是要成為我們大部分門訓不單是受教導的地方,更是行出來的地方。如此多『初信者』無法正確加入教會生活,顯然主要是因為教會和基督徒貧血。我們也必須思想,當我們的門訓沒有從大使命所強調的『施洗』這件事開始時,門訓的品質是如何受虧損。

賜給你們一條新命令,乃是叫你們彼此相愛;我怎樣愛你們,你們也要怎樣相愛。

你們若有彼此相愛的心,眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了(約翰福音13:34-35)。

你們多結果子,我父就因此得榮耀,你們也就是我的門徒了(約翰福音15:8)。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week15, 2015)


Baptism- The Greatest Christian Life, Part 15
Week 15, 2015
Rick Joyner

Before continuing with what it means to be a servant of Christ, we will look at a few more aspects of “The Great Commission” from Matthew 28:19-20: 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

“teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the end of the age” (NKJV).

First, we are commanded to “go,” not “stay” and make disciples. I once heard an evangelist say, “It is amazing how much more authority you have just fifty miles from home.” Whether it is the principle that a prophet does not have honor in his own home or the “tyranny of the familiar” that causes us to lose respect for those we know well, for most there is greater authority when they are away from home. It is for this reason those who go out on a temporary mission trip usually come back amazed at how God uses them when they are out.

Next, we see to make disciples we must teach them to observe “all things” the Lord has commanded. This too is rare in our times. We often have certain doctrines we impart that are the emphasis of our denomination or movement, but how many can say like the Apostle Paul that they have presented “the whole message of this life?”

We also see this teaching begins with baptism. The altar call is actually a recent invention, and for many, this has supplanted baptism as evidence of one’s conversion. Baptism is a ritual, yet it is an important and powerful one. In the first century, baptism was performed immediately after one’s conversion, and the affect was profound.

It has been said that the failure to keep baptism as the primary command given here is a major reason why all converts in the first century seemed to be of such greater substance and were all “added to the church.” Today, only a small percentage of those who claim to give their lives to Christ become a part of the church. You cannot be properly joined to the Head without also being properly joined to His body. As we are told in I John 1:7, “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another (Greek koinonia, the deepest kind of union), and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (NASB). If we do not have koinonia in our lives, then we are not abiding in the light.      

Church life is intended to be the place where most of our discipleship is not only taught, but walked out. The failure of so many “converts” to be properly incorporated into church life is obviously a major reason for anemic churches and anemic Christians. We also must consider how the quality of our discipleship is eroded when it does not begin with the one thing specified in The Great Commission—baptism.   

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35).

   “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8).