請問，您家有洗衣機嗎？當洗衣服時，把衣服浸到水裡面呢？還是，把一些水灑在衣服上？您一定認為我的問題既好笑又奇怪，不是嗎？
事實上，基督教辯論一個問題跟我剛才問您的那問題差不多一樣。我想您一定聽說過“洗禮”這個詞。對基督教來講，“洗禮”是一件非常重要的動作和儀式。
如果“洗禮”那樣重要，有什麼好辯論的呢？是這樣：有的人解釋洗禮為，把一點水灑或倒在人的頭上。又有人認為洗禮一定是“投入水中”的浸禮。換句話說，要把整個的人浸到水中，才算是“受洗。”
這個問題，就好像其他《聖經》問題一樣，要從《聖經》獲得答案。
《聖經》里的羅馬書形容洗禮，說，“豈不知我們這受洗歸入基督耶穌的人，是受洗歸入他的死嗎？所以我們藉着洗禮歸入死，和他一同埋葬，原是叫我們一舉一動，有新生的樣式，像基督藉着父的榮耀從死里復活一樣”（羅馬書6:3）。 在此，作者提醒早期的基督徒也告訴我們洗禮是一種“死”和“埋葬。”成為基督徒時，在水裡面埋葬。因此，洗禮必須是投入水中的浸禮。埋葬，不可能只用一點點土灑在屍體上；必定把屍體埋在土裡面。“土葬”需要很多土才做得到。
使徒約翰告訴我們施洗約翰在撒冷的哀嫩為人施洗，“因為那裡的水多”（約翰福音 3:23）。
《聖經新約》的原文是希臘文。“洗禮”的希臘原文是 βαπτιζω (baptizo)，就是浸水的意思。此外，歷史記載也告訴我們早期的教會為人施洗的時候，都是投入水中的浸。
洗衣服的時候，洗盤子、碗、筷子等，不可能把水灑在上面罷了；一定要把盤子等物，進水泡，“埋葬”一下子，才放心東西乾淨清潔。
成為基督徒時也是如此，張三要進水，在水裡面“受洗歸入[耶穌]的死…藉着洗禮歸入死，和[耶穌]一同埋葬，”然後，從水裡上來“有新生的樣式，像基督藉着父的榮耀從死里復活一樣。”
朋友，現在您比一般人多了解基督徒的洗禮。請您使用這份知識在自己的生命上。如果您想要成為基督徒，請您準備受洗 (受浸)，如同保羅所說的，“受洗歸入基督耶穌…和他一同埋葬。”
【洗禮】五：洒水或浸水？
“Baptism” 05: Sprinkle or Dip?
作者：謝德華 ©By Edward Short
Sprinkle or Dip?
Romans 6:4-5
Say! Do you own a washing machine? When you wash clothes, do you submerge the clothes in water or do you sprinkle some water on top of the clothes? “What a strange question,” you say.
In fact, there’s an on-going debate in Christianity that is quite simi¬lar to the question I just asked. You’ve heard the term “baptism.” To Christians, baptism is a very significant word; it’s one of Christianity’s most important ceremonies.
“So, if baptism is all that important, what is there to debate?” It’s like this: Some people explain baptism as sprinkling water on a candidate’s head, while others insist that baptism can be accomplished only by submersion of the candidate in water. In other words, there are those who contend that baptism must be an immersion.
Like other questions about the Bible, we should find our answer to this question in the Bible.
Baptism is described briefly in the book of Romans. We’re told, “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 Jesus was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-5, NIV). Here the early Christians were reminded, and we are told, that baptism is a kind of “death” and “burial.” When one becomes a Christian, he is buried in water! We see therefore that baptism must include a burial and thus must be an immersion. No one sprinkles a little dirt atop a corpse and calls it a burial! There must be a covering with dirt, a submersion in dirt, an interment or entombment.
The apostle John noted that John the Baptist baptized in Aenon near Salim, “because there was plenty of water” [John 3:23].
The New Testament was written originally in Greek. The original Greek word that we translate “baptize” is βαπτιζω (baptizo) and it means to immerse. Even historians tell us that in the earliest years of the church, all baptism was by immersion.
When we wash clothes or eating utensils, no one just sprinkles some water on top of these items and then calls them clean. Rather, we immerse them (“bury” them) in soapy water before we can feel certain that germs have been killed and the clothes or dishes have been cleaned.
Becoming a Christian is similar. A person enters water and is “baptized into [Jesus’] death… We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.” Then he comes up out of the water and “just as Christ Jesus was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Now you know quite a bit about Christian baptism, in fact you know more than some other people do. I hope you’ll apply your knowledge to your own life. If you’re considering becoming a Christian, please prepare to be baptized, just as the apostle Paul said, be “baptized into Christ Jesus,” be “buried with him through baptism.”