第三週．週三
晨興餧養
羅六５～６ 『我們若在祂死的樣式裏與祂聯合生長，也必要在祂復活的樣式裏與祂聯合生長；知道我們的舊人已經與祂同釘十字架，使罪的身體失效，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕。』
羅馬六章五節啟示一項真理的要點：信徒既在基督死的樣式裏與祂聯合生長，也必要在祂復活的樣式裏與祂聯合生長。這節包含了我們在基督裏長大的兩個步驟。第一個步驟已經發生了，第二個步驟還在進行中。一面，我們在受浸時已經與基督聯合生長；另一面，我們要在祂復活的樣式裏，就是在生命的新樣中，與祂聯合生長。（新約總論第十冊，四八頁。）
信息選讀
〔羅馬六章五節〕裏『死的樣式』這辭，就是前一節所說的『浸』。浸就是基督死的樣式；在受浸裏，我們與基督聯合生長。『聯合生長』這辭叫繙譯的人很為難。然而，我們若仔細來看原文的意思，就不會有難處。譯為『聯合生長』的希臘原文用於路加八章七節，說到與麥子一同生長的荊棘。同樣，我們與基督一同生長。我們浸入基督，就一面說我們被治死，就另一面說我們開始生長。這與將種子撒在地裏非常相似。表面上種子撒播下去，實際上它開始生長。我們被放入水中的時候，就像種子種到土裏；受浸乃是屬靈生長最好的土壤。藉著浸入基督，我們都在基督死的樣式裏與祂一同生長。
保羅認為受浸是我們生命長大的一個步驟。〔羅六5。〕我們在受浸時，不僅被埋葬進入死，也開始生長。雖然我們用人的心思無法充分明白，這卻是事實。重要的點是：受浸乃是與基督聯合生長。
基督在信徒裏的生長是個奧祕，正如與生命有關的事總是個奧祕。受浸是一個生長的過程，與胎兒在母腹裏的生長過程類似。…在受浸中，信徒也在基督死的樣式裏與祂聯合生長，這真是奇妙。我們不該輕看信徒被擺在水裏並經過水的那一刻，因為在那一刻他們是在基督死的樣式裏與祂聯合生長。他們的受浸完成時，他們就已經在基督死的樣式裏與祂聯合生長。受浸不是無關緊要的事。儘管受浸看來是個形式，將人浸入耶穌基督裏會導致極大的改變—那靈使基督在受浸的信徒裏生長。
我們在傳揚基督耶穌時，必須領悟在我們所傳的話裏有那靈。…我們傳揚話語，必須相信我們是在傳揚耶和華的話、活神的話、和耶穌基督的話。此外，話就是靈。（約六63。）我們向人傳揚話語，帶他們得救，將他們浸入水裏，聖靈會尊重這樣的受浸，叫基督在他們裏面生長。當一個罪人聽見福音、相信、禱告，並且知道自己是個得救的人而承認救恩，我們就該將他浸入受浸的水裏。浸入水裏是一個表記，指明他被浸到經過過程的三一神裏，就是浸入與三一神的聯結裏。人如此被擺進三一神裏，是為著使他與基督—三一神的具體化身（西二9）—聯合生長。因此，新人相信主耶穌之後，我們該相信受浸的功效，立刻為他施浸。（新約總論第十冊，四八至五○頁。）
參讀：國度，第二十章。
WEEK 3 — DAY 3
Morning Nourishment
Rom. 6:5-6 For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, indeed we will also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin as slaves.
Romans 6:5 reveals a crucial point of truth: the believers, having grown together with Christ in the likeness of His death, will grow together with Him also in the likeness of His resurrection. This verse includes two steps of our growth in Christ. The first step has already taken place, whereas the second step is progressive. On the one hand, we have grown together with Christ in baptism; on the other hand, we will be growing together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection, that is, in the newness of life. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 3053)
Todays Reading
The phrase likeness of His death in Romans 6:5 refers to the baptism mentioned in verse 4. Baptism is the likeness of the death of Christ. In baptism, we have grown together with Christ. The phrase grown together has presented a challenge to many translators. However, if we adhere to the meaning of the Greek word, there will be no difficulty. The Greek word translated as “grown together” is used in Luke 8:7 to speak of the thorns that grew up together with the wheat. Similarly, we have grown together with Christ. When we were baptized into Christ, in one sense we were put to death; in another sense we began to grow. This very much resembles the sowing of a seed into the earth. Apparently, the seed is sown; actually, it begins to grow. When we were placed in the water, we were like a seed planted in soil. Baptism is the best soil for spiritual growth. By being baptized into Christ we have all grown together with Christ in the likeness of His death.
Paul regards baptism as a step in our growth in life [Rom. 6:5]. In baptism we were not only buried into death, but we also began to grow. This is a fact, even though we cannot adequately understand it with our human mind. The important point is that to be baptized is to grow together with Christ.
The growth of Christ in the believers is a mystery, just as matters related to life are always a mystery. Baptism is a process of growth similar to the process of human growth in the mother’s womb…It is marvelous that just as in human conception fetuses grow into the likeness of their parents, in baptism the believers grow with Christ in the likeness of His death. We should not despise that moment when the believers are put into and pass through water, for at that moment they are growing with Christ in the likeness of His death. After their baptism is completed, they have grown together with Christ in the likeness of His death. Baptism is not an insignificant matter. Regardless of how formal a baptism might be, baptizing people into Jesus Christ results in a great change—the Spirit causes the growth of Christ in the baptized believer.
When we preach Christ Jesus, we have to realize that in the word we preach, there is the Spirit…When we preach the word, we must have faith that we are preaching the word of Jehovah, the word of the living God, and the word of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the word is the Spirit (John 6:63). When we preach the word to others, lead them to salvation, and baptize them into the water, the Holy Spirit will honor this baptism by causing the growth of Christ within them. When a sinner hears the gospel, believes, prays, and acknowledges salvation by recognizing that he is a saved person, we should put him into the water of baptism. Being baptized into the water is a sign indicating that he is being baptized into the processed Triune God, that is, immersed into the union with the Triune God. For him to be put into the Triune God in this way is for him to grow with Christ, the embodiment of the Triune God (Col. 2:19). Therefore, after a new convert believes in the Lord Jesus, we should baptize him immediately, believing in the effectiveness of baptism. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 3053-3055)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” ch. 20
