《圣经》洗礼系列第十五课:

洗礼：神的爱令我们悔改

使徒行传2:38；罗马书2:4

作者：谢德华 (©By Edward Short)

Baptism Verse-by-Verse series #15

Baptism: God’s Love Produces Repentance

Acts 2:38; Romans 2:4

©By Edward Short 

在美国，我认识不少华人来美留学。成绩都很好。我想知道“华人为什么那样认真，那样努力呢？”部分答案是“光宗耀祖”一句。

也许，“光宗耀祖”这个观念会帮助我们明白《圣经》里的“悔改”。（请让我先告诉您一个秘密：我会把“光宗耀祖”这句话稍微改一点点，好吗？）

《新约圣经》时常记载耶稣，耶稣的使徒和门徒教导人们要悔改。比方说，使徒彼得讲道，说，“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]。

当时，耶稣基督已经为万人受难、埋葬、复活。彼得告诉听众神的恩典就在眼前，但是，他们要伸出双手接受。使徒彼得强调伸出双手的过程包括悔改和受洗。彼得告诉群众，在他们受洗之前，要先悔改。

为什么要悔改呢？悔改的动机是什么？

《圣经》确认“...世人都犯了罪”，没有达到神的标准[罗马书3:23]。使徒保罗说明悔改的动机。他说，神的“恩慈是领你悔改”[罗马书2:4]。

唐朝诗人孟郊（A.D. 751-814）劝儿女报母爱，他写道：

慈母手中线

游子身上衣

临行密密缝

意恐迟迟归

谁言寸草心

报得三春辉

孟郊鼓励子女要付出具体的行动感谢母爱。

如同母爱使得儿女“光父耀母”，同样，“神爱你”和“耶稣为你牺牲他的性命”这两个事实，是很强烈的动机，使得您我认罪、悔改、改变生命。

我们是否为我们的过失和罪孽感到难过呢？我们是否要悔改归正，改弦更张，悔改，信仰耶稣，“光上帝耀耶稣基督”呢？

请您快一点接受神的恩典，快一点“悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受洗，叫你们的罪得赦”， “光上帝耀耶稣基督”。

Several of the university students I know in the United States are from China. Sometimes I wonder why the Chinese make such good grades, and why they study so hard.  I believe that part of the answer is found in the phrase “guang zong yao zu,” which means to bring honor to one’s ancestors.  (“Honor the ancestors, credit the forbearers” is the literal meaning the phrase.)  Chinese see their diligent study and their good grades as honoring their parents and ancestors.

I believe the term “guang zong yao zu” will help us understand the Biblical concept of repentance.  (But I will change the phrase “guang zong yao zu” slightly.)

The New Testament often records that Jesus, his apostles and disciples taught that people should repent.  For example, the apostle Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven…” [Acts 2:38]. 

When Peter said this, Jesus Christ had already suffered, been buried and resurrected.  Peter told his audience that God’s grace was right in front of their eyes, but that they should reach out and receive it.  Peter emphasized that the way for them to reach out and receive that grace was through repentance and baptism.  Peter told them that repentance preceded baptism.

Why repent?  What motivates a person to repent?

The Bible affirms that “…all have sinned and fall short” of what God wants us to be [Romans 3:23].  The apostle Paul also explains what motivates repentance; he said:  “Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” [Romans 2:4, NRSV].

The poet Meng Jiao (A.D. 751-814), who lived during the Tang Dynasty, encouraged people to repay their mother’s love.  Meng wrote:

Needle and thread in a mother’s hand

A wandering child wears the garment she made

Meticulously stitched before he departed

Fearing that he might not return in time

How can one express gratitude for a mother’s love?

Can the grass thank the sun for all its light?

In this poem, Meng Jiao urged children to express thanks to their mother through concrete actions.

Just as a mother’s love causes children to “guang fu yao mu,” to honor their parents (“honor father, credit mother”), so “God loves you” and “Jesus died for you” are strong motivations for us to confess our sins, repent and change our lives.

Are we sorry for our sins?  Do we want to repent, to turn our lives around, to make a fresh start?  Do we want to become followers of Jesus, and to “guang Shang Di yao Yesu Jidu”?  Do we want to honor our true ancestor (God), to “honor God and credit Jesus”?

Please consider the gospel message and then “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven…” and thus “honor God and credit Jesus Christ.”