681. 第5节 洗礼的第二个作用是, 基督徒可以认识并承认主耶稣基督, 救世主, 救主, 并跟从祂
洗礼的第二个作用是, 会认识并承认主, 救世主, 救主, 耶稣基督, 它紧跟第一个作用, 即被引入基督教会而来, 与灵界的基督徒相联。 除非第二个紧随其后, 否则第一个作用不就是一个名称吗? 实际上, 它就象一个发誓效忠国王的臣民, 却拒绝接受该国王或他国家的法律, 宣誓并效忠于外来的国王; 或象一个仆人, 把自己与某个主人连在一起, 穿上他的衣服当作制服, 然后又跑掉了, 并且仍穿着前主人的制服去伺候另一个主人; 或象一个旗手, 带着军旗逃跑, 并把旗子撕成碎片, 将它们扬到空中或掷于士兵脚下任人践踏。 总之, 他名为基督徒, 即属于基督, 然而却不承认并跟随祂, 即照祂的诫命生活, 这就象一个影子, 一缕烟雾, 或一幅漆黑的图画一样空洞, 没有意义; 因为主说:
你们为什么称呼我“主啊, 主啊”却不遵我的话行呢? (路加福音6:46)
当那日, 必有许多人对我说: “主啊, 主啊”, 我就明明地告诉他们说: “我从来不认识你们” (马太福音7:22-23)。
681. The Second Function of Baptism Is to Allow Christians to Know and Acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Savior, and to Follow Him
This second function of baptism, that it allows those who have been baptized to know the Lord the Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ, follows baptism's first function, which is to bring people into the Christian church and also to bring them into the company of Christians in the spiritual world.
What would the first function be if it were not followed by the second? Those who were baptized would be Christian in name alone. They would be like subjects who swore allegiance to their monarch but refused to accept the monarch's or the nation's laws and gave their loyalty and service to some barbaric foreign leader instead.
They would be like servants who promised to serve their master and received a uniform that indicated whom they served, but then ran away and served someone else while still wearing the same uniform.
They would be like a standard-bearer who ran off with the flag, cut it up, threw some of the pieces in the air, and tossed other pieces under the feet of soldiers marching by.
Having the name of being Christian (that is, being a disciple of Christ) but not acknowledging him and following him (that is, living by his commandments) is as featureless as a deep shadow, or smoke, or a painting all in black. The Lord says, "Why do you call me Lord but do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46; see also the rest of the chapter). "Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord,' but I will then say to them, 'I do not know you. '" (Matthew 7:22-23).
681. V. The second purpose of baptism is so that a Christian may get to know and acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Saviour, and follow him.
This second purpose of baptism, which is getting to know the Lord, the Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ, comes as the inseparable companion of the first, which is being brought into the Christian church and being associated with Christians in the spiritual world. What would that first purpose be, without this second one to follow it, but a mere name? Yet it would be like a subject who swears allegiance to a king, but then rejects the king's or his country's laws, and swears allegiance to and serves a barbarian king. Or it would be like a servant who goes into service with a master and takes his clothing to wear as a livery, and then runs away and serves another master while still wearing the livery of his former master. Or he would be like a standard-bearer who goes off with the colours, cuts them in pieces and throws them to the winds or to be trampled under the soldiers' feet. In short, his name of Christian, that is, of belonging to Christ, without acknowledging Him and following Him, that is, living in accordance with His commandments, is as meaningless as a shadow, smoke or a blacked-out painting. For the Lord says:
Why do you call me Lord, and not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46ff.
Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord. But then I shall admit to them, I do not know you, Matthew 7:22-23.
681. V. THE SECOND USE OF BAPTISM IS, THAT THE CHRISTIAN MAY KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE REDEEMER AND SAVIOR, AND FOLLOW HIM.
This second use of baptism, which is to know and acknowledge the Lord, the Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ, inseparably follows the first, which is introduction into the Christian church and insertion among Christians in the spiritual world. And what is this first use but a mere name unless the second follows? Is it not really like a subject who attaches himself to a king, and yet repudiates the king's laws or those of the country, and yields allegiance to a foreign king and serves him; or like a servant who binds himself to some master, accepting his livery as a token thereof, and then runs away and serves another master in the livery of the first; or like a standard-bearer who runs away with the standard and cuts it in pieces, throwing the pieces in the air or under the feet of the soldiers to be trodden upon? In a word, to have the name of being a Christian, that is, of belonging to Christ, and yet not acknowledging and following Him, that is, living according to His commandments, is a thing as empty as a shadow, as smoke, or as a blackened picture; for the Lord says:
Why call ye Me, Lord, and do not the things that I say? (Luke 6:46, seq .).
Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord; and then will I profess unto them, I know you not (Matthew 7:22, 23).
681. V. THE SECOND USE OF BAPTISM IS, THAT THE CHRISTIAN MAY KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE REDEEMER AND THE SAVIOR, AND FOLLOW HIM.
This second use of Baptism, which is, that one may know the Lord, the Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ, inseparably follows the first, which is that there may be introduction into the Christian Church and insertion among Christians in the spiritual world. This first use is nothing but a name, unless the second accompanies it. For it is like a subject who swears allegiance to a king, and yet repudiates his laws, that is, the laws of his own country, and goes over to a foreign king and serves him; or like a servant who engages himself to a certain master and accepts his livery as a token of his service, and then runs away and in that livery serves another; or like a standard-bearer who decamps with the standard, cuts it up, and either throws the pieces to the winds or to be trodden underfoot by the soldiers. In a word, if one bears the name of Christian, or follower of Christ, and yet does not acknowledge and follow Him, that is, live according to His commandments, the name is as void of meaning as a shadow, or a puff of smoke, or a blacked out picture; for the Lord says,
"Why call ye me Lord... and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46, and following verses.
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you" Matthew 7:22-23.
681. Quod secundus Usus Baptismi sit, ut Christianus cognoscat et agnoscat Dominum Jesum Christum Redemptorem et Salvatorem, et sequatur Ipsum.
Alter hic usus Baptismi, qui est ut cognoscat Dominum Redemptorem et Salvatorem Jesum Christum, inseparabiliter sequitur Primum, qui est quod sit introductio in Ecclesiam Christianam, ac insertio inter Christianos in Mundo spirituali, et quid primus ille usus absque sequenti hoc altero, quam solum nomen, et tamen non est nisi sicut subditus, qui addicit se Regi, et tamen leges ejus seu patriae repudiat, ac addicit se Regi barbaro et ei servit; aut nisi sicut famulus, qui emancipat se alicui Domino, ac vestes ut insignia ejus accipit, et aufugit, et in vestibus ejus servit alteri: aut nisi sicut signifer, qui cum vexillo abit, et id dissecat, ac frusta ejus vel projicit in aerem, vel sub pedes militum ut proculcetur. Verbo nomen quod Christianus sit, hoc est, quod Christi sit, et non agnoscere Ipsum et sequi Ipsum, hoc est, vivere secundum mandata Ipsius, est tam inane, sicut umbra, sicut fumus, ac sicut pictura atrata, nam dicit Dominus, Quid Me vocatis Domine, et non facitis quae dico, Luca 6:46, seq. Multi dicent Mihi in die illo, Domine, Domine, sed tunc confitebor illis, non novi vos, Matthaeus 7:22-23.