Centerfold Articles 主日刊文章 (Page 13)

Centerfold Articles 主日刊文章 (Page 13)

church people

Writen by Elder Tang Yongjie

        “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

        A Christian’s life is not only a life before God, but also a life amid the church he attends. Hence, the teaching that a believer need not attend church is wrong. In fact, when we decide to join a church as her member, it means we are willing to be committed to each other through regular fellowship, mutual help in learning the truth and serving God, etc. And this is what our church membership pledge is all about.

        The pledge sums up a life all members approve of. It outlines how we ought to live just as our declaration of faith outlines what we believe. The pledge points to a life that God expects His children to live.

        As a church is a group of believers led by Christ and committed to each other, its membership pledge bears the following characteristics. 

        Firstly, the pledge is made towards God, the church we attend, as well as ourselves, which indicates our devotion to God, commitment to church, and dedication in the pursuit of holiness.

        Secondly, it is a statement of our ethical perspective. The pledge is an application of our worldview in everyday life. It teaches us to love and account for each other based on our common understanding of the bible. Hence, each church may draft its own membership pledge according to its situation.

        Thirdly, the pledge is a set of moral standards. To put it simply, as church members, we strive to lead a life of holiness as Christians ought to. Hence we hope to help brothers and sisters turn away from sins through honest teaching and admonishment. When situations arise, a set of biblical standards pledged by all are needed to make the right decision. The pledge is therefore crucial for the establishment and execution of a church’s biblical discipline.

        If you wish to grow as Christ’s disciple under the pastoral care of Truth Baptist Church, agree that the church is accountable for you, and have been baptized, you ought to take this pledge.  To be “accountable for” means that the church will keep watch over your spiritual life and growth according to God’s will and commands.

        Come, let us take this pledge together on our church’s anniversary to review and reform our church life. Brothers and sisters, are you willing?

church people

Come, Let Us Take the Pledge Together

Writen by Elder Tang Yongjie         “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25         A Christian’s life is not only a life before God, but also a life amid the church he attends. Hence, the teaching that a believer need not attend church is wrong. In fact, when we decide to join a…
church people

齐来诵读会友信约

唐永杰弟兄撰写        「你们不可停止聚会，好像那些停止惯了的人，倒要彼此劝勉；既知道那日子临近，就更当如此。」来10:25         每个基督徒的生活不仅是他个人和神之间的事情，也关乎到他的教会生活。故，信主后可以不参加教会团契的教导是错误的。在你决定加入一间教会作会友的时候，就表示你愿意接受圣经中有关信徒之间互相委身的教导，例如定期与其他弟兄姐妹一起团契，在团契中彼此鼓励、彼此劝勉、彼此帮助，在主的真道上一同成长，一同事奉主。这就是教会会友信约的意义所在。         会友信约是一个我们共同赞同的应当如何生活的总结。如果说信仰告白是一个我们相信什么的总结，那么教会会友之约是一个我们当如何生活的总结。它体现出神对我们作为神的儿女应当如何生活的期望。         因此，教会是一群彼此委身、信仰清楚和公开、并互相立约的人组成的，神在其中永远居首位。由此我们可以看到教会会友信约有以下特征。         第一，教会会友信约是一个承诺。是一个对神的承诺、是一个对你所加是一个对你所加入的教会的承诺、是一个你对自己的承诺。它是你对神委身的记号、对基督教会委身的记号、对追求圣洁的委身的记号。         第二，教会会友信约是伦理性的声明。教会会友信约是将基督徒世界观应用在我们生活各个层面。叫我们在对圣经的共同理解基础之上，弟兄姐妹之间彼此相爱, 互相负责。每间地方教会可以按着教会的实际情况，制定自己的会友信约。         第三，教会会友信约合乎圣经的道德标准。简单的说，作为教会会友，我们盼望彼此相助过圣洁的基督徒生活，我们也希望借着诚实的教导和规劝，帮助陷在罪中的弟兄姊妹脱离罪恶。在这些情况下，我们需要一个基于圣经的、共同认可的信约来正确的做出审断。这对教会制定并执行合乎圣经的教会纪律十分重要。         每一位愿意在真理浸信教会学做基督门徒、同意教会为他负责任、已经受洗的基督徒当齐来同颂信约。“负责”的意思是指教会为他的灵命成长、信仰生活等是否符合神的心意、圣经的命令守望和督责。
bible

koinónia – Fellowship of the Saints        

Wrtten by Rev.Zheng          Fellowship is part of church life (Acts 2:42). The Greek word for fellowship is koinónia, which has broad and rich meanings that cannot be expressed by one single word in the Chinese and English language. For example, koinónia in Philippians 1:5 refers to the partnership on the spreading of the Gospel; in 1Peter 4:13 Koinonia refers to the participation of Christ’s suffering. In Acts 2:42 it refers to the sharing of life of…
bible

koinónia 圣徒团契

郑璧卿牧师          团契生活是教会生活的一部分（徒2:42）。团契在圣经里称为‘相交’，英文则用 ‘fellowship’，原文（希腊文）是一个很美的名词：koinónia。koinónia 的意义非常丰富，比如，在《腓》1:5 Koinonia指的是福音伙伴；在《彼前》4:13指信徒参与基督的苦难。在《徒》2:42 指的是初期教会信徒在生命的联系和生活上的分享。在《约一》1:3则指生命的分享：         「我们将所看见、所听见的传给你们，使你们与我们相交」——共享一个生命。         主耶稣用葡萄树和枝子来具体地帮助我们了解koinónia生命的联系。断了的枝子若用胶布紧紧接回葡萄树，也无法得到葡萄树生命的供应，因为它不再是葡萄树生命的一部分。         保罗则用身子来解释koinónia。基督是头，我们是肢体。若把鞋子脱下，我们不会感到疼痛，因为鞋子不是身体的一因为鞋子不是身体的一部分；若说把脚从身子剥下，那就不行了。         很清楚的，信徒之所以能够koinónia， 是因为共享基督的生命，这就是《约一》1:3的后半段所说的：“我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的——共享一个生命的。”         我们如何与神共享一个生命呢？就是藉着圣灵内住在我们里面，这就是神学上所说的「与基督联合」——基督在父里面，我们在基督里面，基督在我们里面（约14:20）。这就是保罗所说的：在基督里。         很清楚地，圣徒的koinónia是建立在圣徒与三位一体的koinónia。这样看来，无论是在进行饭食团契、查经团契、祷告团契…等，koinónia不是发生在活动上，而是当有爱的分享、有基督思想的交流、有苦难的同担、有喜乐的共享、有灵里的密契的时候，就有了美丽的koinónia.
2024受难节 (6)

Contemplative Reading& Praying – Truth Baptist Church

Contemplative Reading& Praying From the desk of Rev Zheng 24 March 2024         ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’ (John 15:5)         God‘ s love for mankind has never changed, even though sin has taken away man’s love for God. God has sent Jesus Christ to restore in His purchase…