Co-heirs of Christ
‘This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.’ - Eph 3:6
Scripture teaches us that there is a mystery of God that was only revealed by the work of Christ. In biblical history God had made covenant with His people Israel, and that they would forever be His heirs and be blessed by His name. Yet through Christ we learn that God’s intention was not just for a nation to share in His riches of grace but all who would come to the Father through faith in the Son would also be heirs to His kingdom. They would share in His faithfulness, His truth, His hesed (loving kindness) and live in eternal connection with their creator. What a gift of grace that has been revealed to us! God’s covenant people was now not just a nation, but a people of all nations and cultures under Christ, the Son.
Today is a precious day for my family as Xin Yu and I celebrate the baptism of our daughter Maeve and declare her part of the covenant community of Christ. The day she was born and I held her in my arms for the first time, it was as though time stopped as I reflected on the conversations and dreams Xin Yu and I had for Maeve. That she may be healthy, happy and excel in the gifts given to her by God. Yet as I held her tiny hands with mine and saw her fall asleep to the sound of my heartbeat I realised that the hopes I had for her were too small. My true and greatest hope I realised was that she would share in His grace and the riches of His inheritance for eternity alongside her spiritual brothers and sisters. It was not our efforts that would enrich her life but Christ’s work in her that will enrich us by bringing another heir to the gospel for us to nurture and love into maturity for God.
Her baptism today is a response to the grace of God, the one who makes covenant with His people and blesses them with His presence. Not to guarantee her place in heaven but to offer our thanks, obedience and gratitude to the Creator of life by which all creation owes their existence to. Baptism reminds us of the riches of God’s grace, the breadth of His goodness and the power of His love. We recognise that none of us, Maeve included, will ever earn their way into God’s kingdom but that by Christ, she won’t have to.
Xin Yu and I will endeavour to raise this fellow heir of God’s grace with love, patience and the truth of God. Yet infant baptism is not just an affair for our family, is it a call for the Church to see Maeve as one of your own. That her discipleship is planted in the ministry of Christ’s body - the Church. Baptism is a response to grace not just for the individual but also requires the participation of the Church. It reminds us that the faith journey is not one to be done alone but will require other brothers and sisters to teach her what maturity looks like; A maturity that is patient in love, holding fast to truth and living a life in service to God and not to her own ambition.
Baptism paints a picture of our hope in Christ - both individual and communally. That we may die with Him in sin, but be raised with Him in eternity, so that we may praise God forever with people of all nations, tongues, cultures and generations. May the name of God be praised. Amen.
與基督同作後嗣
「(這奧祕)就是外邦人在基督耶穌裡，藉着福音，得以同為後嗣，同為一體，同蒙應許。」 —— 以弗所書 3:6
聖經告訴我們，有一個神的奧祕，只有透過基督的工作才得以顯明。在聖經的歷史中，神曾與祂的子民以色列立約，使他們永遠作祂的後嗣，因祂的名得福。然而，藉着基督，我們明白神的心意不僅僅是讓一個民族承受祂豐盛的恩典，而是凡藉着信祂兒子到父面前的人，都要成為祂國度的後嗣。他們要一同分享祂的信實、祂的真理、祂的慈愛（hesed），並與造物主有永恆的連結。這是何等恩典的禮物，如今已向我們顯明！神立約之民不再只是單一的民族，而是萬國萬族的子民在祂兒子基督裡合一的群體。
今天對我的家庭來說是一個極其寶貴的日子，因為善瑜和我一同慶祝我們的女兒紫瀅的洗禮，宣告她已屬於基督立約子民的群體。她出生的那一天，當我第一次把她抱在懷裏時，時間彷彿靜止了，我想起我和善瑜談及有關女兒的對話和對她的期望——就是願她健康、快樂，並在神所賜的恩賜上茁壯成長。然而，當我握着她的小手，看着她伴着我的心跳聲安然入睡時，我意識到我對她的期望太小了。我真正、最大的盼望，是她能與屬靈的弟兄姊妹一同承受祂的恩典，分享祂永恆的基業。不是靠我們的努力來豐富她的生命，而是靠基督在她生命中的工作，使我們得着祝福，因祂又把一位福音的後嗣託付給我們來栽培、去愛，使她在神裡面長大成熟。
她今天的洗禮，是對神恩典的回應——神與祂的子民立約，並以祂的同在祝福他們。洗禮並不是要保證她在天堂有一席位，而是為了向生命的創造主表示感謝、順服和感激。因為一切受造之物的存在都源於祂。洗禮提醒我們神恩典的豐盛、祂良善的浩大，以及祂大愛的能力。我們承認，沒有人，包括紫瀅在內，能靠自己的努力進入神的國。但因著基督，她不必靠自己去爭取這份救恩。
善瑜和我會竭力以愛心、忍耐和神的真理來養育這位同蒙神恩典的後嗣。然而，嬰兒洗禮並不只是屬於我家裏的事，而是對教會的呼召——要把紫瀅視為你們的一份子。她的門徒生命是植根於基督的身體——教會——的服事之中。洗禮不僅是個人對恩典的回應，也需要教會的參與。它提醒我們，信仰之旅並非孤軍奮戰，而是需要弟兄姊妹們一同教導她何為屬靈的成熟：一份在愛中存忍耐、堅守真理、並以事奉神而非追隨私慾的生命。
洗禮為我們——不論是個人還是群體——描繪了一幅在基督裡的盼望之圖畫。因我們雖在罪中與祂同死，卻也要與祂一同復活進到永恆，使我們能與各國、各族、各方、各代的人一同讚美神，直到永永遠遠。願神的名得着頌讚。阿們。
