《圣经》洗礼系列第十六课: 

洗礼：当先悔改

使徒行传2:38

作者：谢德华 (©By Edward Short) 

 Baptism Verse-by-Verse series #16

Baptism: Repentance Required

Acts 2:38

©By Edward Short 

有句话说，“百川归海”，没错。但是很多人也认为“百人归天”。其实，《圣经》不赞成这句话。耶稣说，“若不藉着我，没有人能到父那里去”[约翰福音14:6]。耶稣又说，“你们若不悔改，都要如此灭亡”[路加福音13:3]。使徒彼得说，“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]。

悔改是什么呢？《圣经》里的悔改包括三方面，如：想法、内心、行为。第一，想法：如果我要做彻底的悔改，必须改变我的想法。在神的面前承认我做错了，我没有达到标准。我知道应该做的和我实际上做到的有差别。我决定下次会做好一些。说悔改的第一点是“更改想法”，对您不新鲜；我们早知道“悔改”包括改变思想。

第三…（没有。我没有漏掉第二；先讲第三；等一下讲第二。）悔改的定义的第三部分是行为：如果不改变行为，我们就不懂悔改是什么。没有改变行为的悔改是个谎言。这个真理对您也不新鲜。

第二呢？《圣经》对悔改的定义的第二部分就是改变内心。也许，这句对您有一点新鲜。《圣经》里的悔改牵涉到内心。神的话要改变我们内心的深处。如果内心深处不改，我们也不懂《圣经》里的悔改是什么意思。

一般的犯人，从监狱出来以后，就不想回去。他决定改过自新。他不愿意回到牢狱。但是，我们还不知道他的心是否改了。说不定，心里还是那样刚硬，但，因为害怕坐牢，所以回家后，安安静静地过日子，听话，守规矩，不犯法。如果他的心里还是很刚硬的话，按照《圣经》的教训，他还没有悔改。

您我不同。神的话，神的爱，神的恩典，令我们悔改。神的爱改变我们的想法，使得我们归向神。耶稣奇妙的爱，在十字架上为我们舍命，抓住了我们的心，使得我们懊悔我们的过犯。我们的内心经过180度的转变，神的爱软化了我们刚硬的心灵。结果，我们的行为也改了。我们不再是以前的那个人，我们变成一位“新造的人”。

耶稣基督的故事，百听不厌。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”

There is an old saying that “all streams flow to the sea,” and so they do.  Some people also say that “all people go to heaven.”  The Bible, however, does not agree with this second assertion.  Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” [Romans 14:6].  Jesus also said, “…unless you repent, you will all perish…” [Luke 13:3].  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].

What is repentance?  Bible repentance includes three categories:  mind, heart and life.  First, mind:  If one wants to thoroughly repent, he must change his mind, and express to God that he’s done wrong and hasn’t lived up to God’s standard.  “What I know to do and what I do are two different things,” he would say.  “I determine to do better next time.”  For me to tell you that repentance includes changing one’s way of thinking is nothing new to you, I’m sure; you already know that repentance means change of thought.

Third… (No, I’ve not left anything out.  Let me deal with the third item, and then we’ll proceed to the second one.)  The third category of repentance is lifestyle:  if one does not change his life when he repents, he doesn’t understand what repentance is.  Repentance without changes in life is a lie.  You also already understand this truth.

What about the second part of repentance?  According to the way repentance is defined in the Bible, the second area of change is in the heart.  Perhaps this is something you’ve not thought about before.  Bible repentance involves the heart.  God’s word can change the innermost sections of one’s heart.  If the innermost part of one’s heart doesn’t change, then he doesn’t understand the meaning of repentance.

Once a criminal is released from prison, he certainly doesn’t want to return.  He determines to change his way of life because he doesn’t want to go back to jail.  We don’t know, however, whether his heart has changed or not.  Perhaps his heart is still hard as a rock, for all we know.  But he fears prison, so after he returns home he lives a quiet life, obeys all the laws and regulations, and commits no more crimes.  According to Bible usage of the word, however, he has not repented.

You and I are not like that.  The word of God and the love of God lead us to repent.  God’s love changes our thoughts and causes us to turn toward God.  The wonderful love of Jesus, including his dying on the cross for us, grabs our heart, and makes us sorry for all the wrong we’ve committed.  Our heart takes a 180 degree turn, as God’s love melts our stubborn heart.  The result is that our lifestyle changes.  No longer are we our former self, rather we become a “new person.”

The story of Christ never grows old.  Please accept the grace of God, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven…”