耶稣基督的教会是在耶稣复活以后的第五十天建立的。教会被建立的第一天就有三千多人成为基督徒。基督教会的建立和开始,被一位耶稣的门徒,名叫路加,记载在〈使徒行传〉里。〈使徒行传〉是《圣经》里的一卷书。路加在使徒行传第二章记载教会的建立。当天的过程包括众人聆听诸位使徒讲论耶稣基督的福音,尤其是使徒彼得的教训和劝勉。
彼得的口才很好,让听众明白,五十天之前,他们钉十字架的那位就是上帝的儿子,就是他们多年所期待的弥赛亚。耶稣既是无罪的行善者,他又是人类救世主。彼得不但说服听众耶稣从坟墓里复活了,他还使得他们承认自己犯了罪。
因此,听众问彼得说,我们怎么办呢?[普通话本]。彼得回答说:你们个人要悔改,奉耶稣基督的名受洗,叫你们的罪得赦,就必领受所赐的圣灵[使徒行传2:38]。
朋友,对基督教来说,彼得所讲的这句话,非常重要。今天不跟您讲别的,只要解释一下这句话所告诉我们有关洗礼的意义。彼得告诉听众他们要奉耶稣基督的名受洗。彼得清楚地告诉听众说,悔改是洗礼的先决条件。彼得又说,洗礼所产生的结果有两个:第一,洗礼叫你们的罪得赦,第二,受洗时就必领受所赐的圣灵。
张三的罪得到赦免完全依靠神的恩典和耶稣的宝血。人不能拯救人;只有神才能拯救人。
但是在这里彼得说明张三怎么样让神的恩典透过耶稣的宝血拯救张三。彼得说,一,你们个人要悔改,二,要受洗。当受洗的时候,一,罪得赦,二,领受所赐的圣灵。(两取两得。)
朋友,现在您知道为什么基督徒那样重视洗礼。虔诚的基督徒回想他受洗的日子,就知道那是神赦免他的罪的日子,也是他领受圣灵的日子。基督徒因此而感到很快乐。我请您参与他们的快乐,好吗?我请您信仰耶稣基督,而接受使徒彼得的话,悔改,奉耶稣基督的名受洗,叫你们的罪得赦,就必领受所赐的圣灵。
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The church of
Jesus Christ was established fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. On
the very first day of the existence of the church, more than 3,000 people
became Christians. The establishment of the church of Christ was recorded
by Luke, a disciple of Jesus. This history is written in the second chapter
of the book of Acts, one of the books of the New Testament portion of the
Bible. As events unfolded that day, the crowd heard the apostles discuss
the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the speakers was the apostle Peter who
taught and encouraged.
Peter was an
excellent speaker, and he enabled those present to understand that the
person they had nailed to a cross some fifty days earlier was the Son of God
and the Messiah. The Jews had longed for this Messiah for many years.
Jesus not only was a sinless man who went from place to place doing good
things, he was also the Savior of mankind. Peter not only convinced the
crowd that Jesus was raised from the grave, he also persuaded them that they
had committed sin.
In reaction to Peters message, the audience
responded with the question, What shall we do?
Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of
you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you
will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:38, NIV].
As far as
Christianity is concerned, these words spoken by Peter are very important.
My purpose in this brief study is simply to explain what Peter said
regarding the meaning of baptism. Peter told his audience that they should
be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ. Peter indicated that baptism must be preceded by
repentance, and that baptism produces two results: 1) Baptism is for
the forgiveness of your sins and 2) When a person is baptized he will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
A person
cannot receive forgiveness of sins except by Gods grace and through the
blood of Jesus. Man cannot save himself; only God can save man.
In this
Scripture, however, Peter explains clearly how Gods grace is extended
through the blood of Jesus to save us. Peter says, 1) Repent
. . . every one of you, and 2) be baptized,
every one of you. When someone is baptized, 1) it is for
the forgiveness of your sins, and 2) you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Now you
understand why Christians place so much emphasis on baptism. Whenever a
sincere Christian thinks back to the day he was baptized, he happily
remembers that that was the day when God forgave his sins and he received
the Holy Spirit. I invite you to join in that same joy! I urge you to
place your faith in Jesus Christ and accept Peters admonition, Repent
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Rev. Nov. 23, 2005
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