(495) 「灵粮主题 TODAY’s Topic」：基督教洗礼仪式象征着复活的重要性 The Ritual of Christian Baptism Symbolizes the Importanc

「灵粮经节 TODAY’s Verses」：「新约时代里最敢冒死传福音的使徒保罗在他的书信，哥林多前书 1 Corinthians 15: 29-30 节里特别提到，自古基督教对洗礼仪式都象征，拥有救主耶稣基督的复活的重要性，不然，他说：“那些为死人受洗的，能做甚么呢？如果死人不会复活，为甚么替他们受洗呢？我们为甚么要时刻（为耶稣给我们的大使命而事奉传教）冒险呢？。”所以，今日灵粮的分享也就选择这主题：“基督教洗礼仪式象征着复活的重要性”，探讨保罗如何看待献身为耶稣基督的大使命，给我们作基督徒的示范，因为有了耶稣的复活，我们相信耶稣跟随祂得救，就是去传福音事奉主到死，最后我们也都能得到救恩，在耶稣的面前领受神给的 “复活永生的赏赐”。所以，保罗在今日灵粮所引用的经节里再说一次：”岂不知我们这受洗归入基督耶稣的人是受洗归入他的死麽？所以，我们藉着洗礼归入死，和他一同埋葬，原是叫我们一举一动有新生的样式，像基督藉着父的荣耀从死里复活一样。”; In the New Testament era, the apostle Paul, who dared to risk his own life to preach the gospel, specifically mentioned in his letter, 1 Corinthians 15: 29-30, that since ancient times, Christianity’s baptism ceremony has symbolized and embraced the resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ. Otherwise, he said: "Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? (And serve for the Great Commission given to us by Jesus. What about the risk of missionary work)?" Therefore, today's sharing of spiritual food also chooses this theme: "The Ritual of Christian Baptism Symbolizes the Importance of Resurrection" to explore how Paul views the Great Commission of devoting oneself to Jesus Christ and gives us guidance with encouragement to serve others as Christians. To demonstrate this, because of the resurrection of Jesus, we believe that we will be saved by believing in Jesus as our savior and following Him. Even if we spread the gospel and serve him until death, we will eventually receive salvation and receive the "reward of resurrection and eternal life" from God in the presence of Jesus. Therefore, Paul once again said in the verses quoted in our today’s spiritual food: “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” 」（罗马书 Romans 6: 3-4 节）

「灵粮分享 TODAY’s Sharing」： 今晨在建道神學院的专栏：「爾道自建 Self-build Understanding of Scripture」里，读到蔡少琪牧师 Rev. Choi Siu Ki 写了一篇， “只要享受当下” 的分享。蔡牧师也引用哥林多前书 1 Corinthians 15: 29-34 节，尤其是 29 节里描述以前传统基督的信仰，因为有救主耶稣基督的复活，也都敢给替死人受洗礼，意眛着基督徒不是「只要享受当下」！因为有耶稣的复活，只要相信祂就能得救，也就拥有永生不死的赏赐，像耶稣一样能从死里复活，所以我们现在就可以坦然无惧地，「天天冒死」的为主事奉也值得！这也就是「今日灵粮 Spiritual Food TODAY」 主题要分享的, “基督教洗礼仪式象征着复活的重要性”。蔡少琪牧师给我们阐释一些常被人误解或难解的经文，引证救主耶稣的复活事实与事件，带给了我们作基督徒的，对 “传教和事奉的大使命” 有了决志的重要性。蔡牧师认为，“基督徒不是「只要享受当下」！因有复活，应该 「天天冒死」 事奉也值得！ 蔡牧师解释道：

救主耶稣若是没有打胜罪的代价死亡，让我们能跟祂一起复活过来得永生，那么，使徒保罗在哥林多前书 1 Corinthians 15: 29 节里就问得好：“不然，那些为死人受洗的，将来怎样呢？若死人总不复活，因何为他们受洗呢？” 保罗在这段丰富和有些复杂的段落，再一次用「负面」的反证论说，去指出：「若」「没有复活」，就有很多人的追求更奇怪和不合理的后果！就他自己在同 15 章 31 节里而论，「天天冒死」式的奋斗和劳苦，「若」「没有复活」，还有什么益处和价值呢？「若」「没有复活」，就像保罗在同 15 章 32 下半节说的， “若死人不复活，我们就吃吃喝喝罢！因为明天要死了。” 那么，希罗的享乐派主义就会得胜，因为， 这是人之常情，罪性难改，所以希罗的享乐派主义有句名言，【拉丁文Latin】Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero （引自 Horace’s Odes）. 中文翻译成这样说：“抓住今天，尽量轻信明天！” 各人就不重视明天。所以通常人就会走上「只要当下」和「享受当下」的放纵路线。保罗警告我们：若这样走下去，就是滥交恶友，就是会纵容自己多犯罪，就表示自己不认识神，最后这些人的下场就像他在同 15 章 34 节里形容的，只剩下「羞辱」。

接着，蔡牧师继续解释道，另一个的解释是参考早期教会后期，部分偏激团体的「以活人代替死人受洗」的偏激习俗。那时，某些偏激教派担心，没有受洗的信徒因没有圣礼而不得救，他们制造出了找「活人」代替「已经死了的人」「代受洗」的奇怪礼仪。四世纪末有名的金口约翰大主教 (John Chrysostom, c. 347-407) 曾记载过这些极端的做法：「当准备受洗的人在受洗前死去，他们流行一个做法，就是让一个活人藏在死人的床底，代表他回答牧者考问信德。然后这人代替死人去受洗。」保罗是否陈说这类他不同意的怪做法？我们不清楚！可能不是！无论如何，这些做法，都是我们正统教会反对的。大家星期五开心与周末愉快！

「灵粮祷告 TODAY’s Prayer」：「今日灵粮 Spiritual Food TODAY」 也就引用彼得前书 1 Peter 3: 20-21 节和大家在主的爱里相互勉励祷告。蔡少琪牧师在今日的分享里给我们的提醒，就是不要跟随，“「没有复活，只有今生」的「今生派」思维；这种「不理明天，只要当下」，「只要享受当下」的思想，就会让跟从者走向放纵的人生，不愿意走上「积极爱神爱人委身事奉」的人生。「没有复活真理」的人的结局，就会像前面保罗说的，最后换来的就是「羞辱」。所以在这今日灵粮结语所引用的彼得前书 3 章的经节里，彼得也都在劝勉我们要坚固我们的信心，等候复活的耶稣再来迎接我们回家入方舟式，说：“就是那从前在挪亚预备方舟、神容忍等待的时候，不信从的人。当时进入方舟，藉着水得救的不多，只有八个人。这水所表明的洗礼，现在藉着耶稣基督复活也拯救你们；这洗礼本不在乎除掉肉体的污秽，只求在神面前有无亏的良心。” 求神帮助我们每天也都能过着富有属灵的生活，坚守复活的信心就是神给的全副军装。求神怜悯让祂的神灵 WIFI （圣灵） 每天都能触动引领我们，走完那得救的人生义路。当复活的耶稣再来审判的日子来临时，我们就能过关得有 “永生死里复活的赏赐” 等候着你领受。祷告奉主名求的，阿们！

This morning in the column of Alliance Bible Seminary: "爾道自建 Self-build Understanding of Scripture", I read the sharing of "Just Enjoy the Present Moment" written by Rev. Choi Siu Ki 蔡少琪牧师. Pastor Choi also quoted the same 1 Corinthians 15: 29-34, especially verse 29, which describes the traditional Christian faith in the past. Because of the resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ, they also dared to baptize the dead, meaning that they were inspired by resurrection of Christ. Being a disciple is not about "just enjoying the moment"! Because of the resurrection of Jesus, as long as you believe in Him, you can be saved, and you will have the reward of immortality. Like Jesus, you can rise from the dead. Therefore, we can now serve the Lord without fear and "risk death every day" worth! This is what the theme of “今日灵粮 Spiritual Food TODAY" wants to share, " The Ritual of Christian Baptism Symbolizes the Importance of Resurrection." Pastor Choi explains to us some scriptures that are often misunderstood or difficult to understand, citing the facts and events of the resurrection of the Savior Jesus, which gives us as Christians a decision on carrying out the "Great Commission of Mission and Service" importance. Pastor Choi believes that “Christians don’t just “enjoy the moment”! Because there is resurrection, we should "risk death every day" to serve others! It is also worth it! Pastor Choi explained:

If the Savior Jesus did not die to defeat sin so that we could be resurrected with Him to eternal life, then the apostle Paul asked it well in 1 Corinthians 15:29: “Otherwise, who are the what will happen to the dead who are baptized? If the dead will never be raised, why should they be baptized?" In this rich and somewhat complex passage, Paul once again uses "negative" counter-evidence to point out: "If" "Without resurrection", there would be more strange and unreasonable consequences for many people's pursuit! As far as he himself said in chapter 15 verse 31, what benefit and value would there be in the struggle and labor of "risking death every day" if there was "no resurrection"? "If" there is no resurrection, as Paul said in the second half of Chapter 15, verse 32, "If there is no resurrection of the dead, let us eat and drink! For tomorrow we will die." Then Hero's hedonism will prevail, because this is human nature and sinful nature is hard to change, that is why there is a famous saying of Hero's hedonism, 【Latin】Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero （Quoted from Horace’s Odes）which is translated into Chinese English: "Seize the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow!" Everyone does not pay attention to tomorrow. So usually, people will take the indulgent route of "just be in the moment" and "enjoy the moment". Paul warned us: If we continue in this way, we will be indiscriminately keeping bad company, and we will allow ourselves to sin more, which means that we do not know God. In the end, the fate of these people is just like what he described in chapter 15 verse 34, leaving only " humiliation".

Then, Pastor Choi continued to explain that another explanation is based on the extreme custom of "baptizing the living instead of the dead" by some extreme groups in the later period of the early church. At that time, some extreme sects were worried that unbaptized believers would not be saved because they did not have the sacrament. They created a strange ritual of finding "living people" to "be baptized" on behalf of "dead people". The famous Archbishop John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) at the end of the fourth century recorded these extreme practices: "When a person who was to be baptized died before being baptized, it was a popular practice to hide a living person under the dead one. Under the bed, he answered the pastor's question on faith. Then the man was baptized on behalf of the dead." Was Paul describing this strange practice that he disagreed with? We don't know! maybe not! In any case, these practices are opposed by our Orthodox Church. Happy Friday and great weekend everyone!

In conclusion, “今日灵粮 Spiritual Food TODAY” would like to quote 1 Peter 3: 20-21 and encourages everyone to pray for each other in the love of the Lord. Pastor Rev. Choi Siu Ki 蔡少琪牧师 reminds us in today's sharing that we should not follow the "present-life" thinking of "there is no resurrection, only this life"; this kind of thinking of "ignoring tomorrow, only the present" and "just enjoying the present", This will lead the followers to a life of indulgence and unwillingness to lead a life of "active love for God, love for others, and devotion to service." The outcome for people who "do not have the truth of resurrection" will be like what Paul said before, and what they will end up with is "humiliation." Therefore, in the verses in 1 Peter Chapter 3 quoted in the conclusion of today’s spiritual food, Peter also exhorts us to strengthen our faith and wait for the resurrected Jesus to come back to welcome us home like into the ark, saying: “to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Ask God to help us live a rich spiritual life every day, and holding on to the faith in resurrection is the full armor given by God. Ask God to have mercy and allow His spirit like WIFI (the Holy Spirit) everywhere to touch and guide us every day to complete the path to salvation and righteousness in life. When the day of judgment comes when the resurrected Jesus returns, we will be able to pass the test and have the “reward of eternal life and resurrection from death” waiting for you to receive it. Pray in the name of the Lord, Amen!

(495) Whisper Dr.John 张皇卿博士 编写于 at 脸书网站：https://www.facebook.com/johnking9999 和 and 维克斯网站：Http://johnking9999.wixsite.com/website Edmonton, AB, Canada Friday 09. 29. 2023.