那坚振圣事呢？ What about the Sacrament of Confirmation?
什么是坚振圣事？圣经中有教导吗？ What is the Sacrament of Confirmation, and is it taught in Scripture?
如果你经历过坚振圣事，你就明白，坚振圣事是我们洗礼的完成。 Well, if you've been through the Sacrament of Confirmation, you understand then, that the Sacrament of Confirmation is the completion of our baptism.
这是由主教施行的第二次圣灵的膏抹，圣灵的能力封印我们，成全我们。 It is a second anointing with the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, that is made by the bishop, that seals us, it completes us.
它完成了我们的洗礼，并将我们交给基督，为了一个特定的目的。 It completes our baptism, and it gives us over to Christ for one particular purpose.
你知道那个目的吗？ Do you know what that purpose is?
就是为福音作见证。 It's to be witnesses to the gospel.
为福音作见证。 To be witnesses to the gospel.
很多时候，人们不清楚为什么我们有坚振圣事，因为他们不知道坚振是什么。 A lot of times, people aren't really clear about why we have confirmation, because they don't know what confirmation is.
这不是第二次洗礼，不要误会。 It's not a second baptism, don't get me wrong.
当然，这也不是天主教的毕业典礼，好吗？ And it's certainly not Catholic graduation day, okay?
有些人倾向于把坚振圣事看作是天主教的毕业典礼。 Some people tend to think of confirmation as kind of a Catholic graduation day.
那不是它的意义。 That's not what it is.
坚振圣事是对你洗礼的确认。 What confirmation is, is the confirming of your baptism.
你受圣灵的能力膏抹，得到圣灵的特殊恩赐，使你能走向世界 ，不仅仅是作为在洗礼中成为的神的儿女，而是为神作见证。 Your anointing with the power of the Holy Spirit, and a special gift of the Holy Spirit being given to you, so that you can go out into the world, and not simply be a child of God, which you were made in baptism, but bear witness to God.
为基督作见证，即使面对拒绝、迫害和死亡。 Bear witness to Christ, even in the face of rejection, persecution, and death.
这就是那特殊的能力，你需要那能力。 That's that special power, and you need that power.
你需要那恩典，因为外面的世界很艰难。 You need that grace, because it's a rough world out there.
你们中有人尝试过分享你的信仰吗？ Any of you ever tried to share your faith?
很简单，对吧？ It's simple, right?
你的朋友和家人一听你解释信仰，就排队说，我想成为天主教徒。 Your friends and family just line up and say, I want to be Catholic, as soon as you begin to explain the faith.
你从来没有、绝对没有想过保持沉默，对吗？ And you're never, ever, ever tempted to be quiet, are you?
什么都不说。 Just not say anything.
这就是坚振圣事的意义。 That's what confirmation is for.
这是一个特殊的恩典，特殊的什么？ It's a special grace, a special what?
圣灵的能力。 Power of the Holy Spirit.
在五旬节时赐给了使徒们。 It was given to the apostles at Pentecost.
记得吗？在五旬节之前，他们是一群胆小如鼠的人，对吧？ Remember, before Pentecost, they were a bunch of yellow-bellied chickens, right?
因怕犹太人而躲藏。 Hiding out for fear of the Jews.
五旬节之后，他们因基督的名受迫害而欢喜。 After Pentecost, they rejoice in being persecuted for the name of Christ.
好，这就是坚振圣事的恩典。 OK, that's the grace of the sacrament of confirmation.
但我们在圣经中哪里看到坚振圣事呢？ But where do we see confirmation in the Bible?
记住，坚振圣事的仪式，最重要的部分是什么？ Remember, the ritual of confirmation, the essential element of the rite, is what?
是主教按手在你头上，用油膏抹你，并说「领受圣灵的恩赐，受封印」。 The laying on of hands by the bishop, when he anoints you with oil and says, be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
那么，我们在圣经中看到过这种圣事的仪式吗？ Well, do we ever see that sacramental ritual in the scripture?
还是天主教会自己编造的？ Or did the Catholic Church just make it up?
我建议你看看圣经中的两个关键地方，《希伯来书》第 六章和《使徒行传》第八章。我们来看看这些经文。 Well, I would suggest to you that it's right here in the Bible, in two key places, in the book of Hebrews, chapter 6, and the book of Acts, chapter 8. So let's look at those passages.
《希伯来书》第六章这样说： Hebrews 6 says this.
所以，我们应当离开基督道理的开端，竭力进到完全的地步，不必再立根基，就如 那懊悔死行、信靠神、各样洗礼、按手之礼、死人复活，以及永远审判的道理。 Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works or faith toward God with instruction about baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
《希伯来书》六章一至二节。你可以看到早期教会中按手礼的简短提及。 Hebrews 6, 1 through 2. There you see a very brief reference to this ritual of laying on of hands in the early church.
注意它与什么结合在一起。 And notice what it's conjoined with.
它与洗礼结合在一起。 It's conjoined with baptism.
所以你看，洗礼和坚振圣事，按手礼的圣事，在早期教会中总是一起进行的，对吧？ So you see, baptism and confirmation, the sacrament of laying on of hands, have always gone together in the early church, all right?
但这是一个非常简短的提及，而且非常短暂。 But this is a very short reference, and it's very fleeting.
一个非天主教徒可能会合理地说，你能不能多给我一些解释？ And a non-Catholic might justifiably say, well, could you give me a little more?
你能不能给我一些理由，证明坚振和洗礼是两个独立的圣事？ Could you give me any justification for the idea that confirmation and baptism are two separate sacraments?
在圣经中，两个独立的仪式。 In the scripture, two separate rituals in the scripture.
确实，我们可以。 And indeed, we can.
如果你看《使徒行传》第八章，你接下来的引用中，有一个关于坚振圣事的重要故事。 If you look at the book of Acts, Acts chapter 8, your next quote, there's a very important story of the sacrament of confirmation.
它发生在腓利的记载中，腓利是早期教会中被按 立的首批七位执事之一，这已经涉及到圣职。 And it takes place in an account of Philip, who was one of the first seven deacons ever ordained in the early church, which already gets us in the holy orders.
我们稍后会谈到这一点，他在撒玛利亚的城镇中传讲福音。 We'll come to that in a little bit, who was going about through the towns of Samaria and preaching the gospel.
我想让你看看这个记载中发生了什么。 And I want you to see what happens in this account.
请仔细和我一起读。 Read this carefully with me.
这是圣经所说的。 This is what the scripture is saying.
执事腓利下到撒玛利亚的一座城，向他们宣讲基督。 Philip, the deacon, went down to a city of Samaria, and he proclaimed to them the Christ.
众人同心合意地听从腓利所说的话。 And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip.
我希望今天也能这么容易。 I wish it was that easy today.
当他们听见他的话，看见他所行的神迹时， And when they heard him, they saw the signs which he did.
因为有许多被污鬼附着的人，污鬼大声喊叫着出来。 For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying out with a loud voice.
许多瘫痪的和瘸腿的都得了医治。 And many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
于是那城中充满了喜乐。 So there was much joy in that city.
但当他们信了腓利所传讲的神国的福音和耶稣基督的名时，他们做了什么？ But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were what?
他们受了洗，男女都有。 Baptized, both men and women.
好，现在暂停一下。 All right, now pause there for just a second.
我们看到这里发生了什么。 We see what's going on here.
执事腓利四处传讲福音，行神迹。 Philip, the deacon, is going around preaching the gospel, performing miracles.
结果，人们信了基督。 And as a result, people are coming to faith in Christ.
他做的第一件事是什么？ And what's the first thing he does?
他给他们施洗。 He baptizes them.
那时如此，现在也是如此。 Just as then, so now.
执事是洗礼的施行者。 The deacon is a minister of baptism.
这是他在教会中的一项任务。 That's one of his tasks in the church.
好，但现在看看圣经中接下来发生了什么。 Okay, but watch what happens now in the scriptures.
因为现在我们转向了不同的事情。 Because now we shift to something different.
经上说： It says this.
在耶路撒冷的使徒们听见撒玛利亚人领受了神的道，就打发彼得和 约翰到他们那里去。二人下去，为他们祷告，要叫他们受圣灵。 Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
因为圣灵还没有降在他们任何人身上，他们只奉主耶稣的名受了洗。 For the Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
于是彼得和约翰按手在他们身上，他们就受了圣灵。 Then they, meaning Peter and John, laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
《使徒行传》八章五至十七节。这是一个有趣的场合，因为发生了什么？ Acts 8, 5 through 17. Now, this is an interesting occasion here, because what happens?
彼得和约翰从耶路撒冷被派到撒玛利亚，去按手在那些人身上，使他们可以领受圣灵。 Peter and John are sent down from Jerusalem to Samaria to go and lay hands on the people so that they can receive the Holy Spirit.
现在，你可能会说，我以为他们在洗礼时已经领受了圣灵。 Now, you may say, well, I thought they had already received the Holy Spirit in baptism.
这是对的。 And that's true.
但圣经说，圣灵还没有降在他们身上。 But what the scripture says is that the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon them.
圣灵什么时候降在使徒们身上呢？ And when does the Holy Spirit fall upon the apostles?
在五旬节。 At Pentecost.
你看，他们在洗礼中已经领受了圣灵的恩赐，但他们仍在等待一个特殊的恩赐。 See, they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit in baptism, but they still were awaiting a special gift.
就是在坚振圣事中圣灵的降临。 The descent of the Holy Spirit in confirmation.
坚振圣事。 The sacrament of confirmation.
现在，你要问自己一个问题，腓利为什么不按手在他们身上呢？ Now, the question you have to ask yourself is, Philip just lay hands on them?
他在那里。 He was there.
他们已经准备好了。 They were already ready.
他们已经受了洗。 They had been baptized.
他们信了耶稣。 They believed in Jesus.
为什么腓利不按手在他们身上，使他们领受圣灵的能力呢？ Why doesn't Philip lay hands on them so that they can receive the power of the Holy Spirit?
这很简单。 It's very simple.
因为腓利只是一个执事，执事不能施行坚振圣事。 Because Philip is only a deacon, and deacons cannot administer the sacrament of confirmation.
必须是主教，或是被主教委派的神父。 It has to be a bishop, or a priest who's been delegated by a bishop.
明白了吗？ All right?
那么发生了什么呢？ So what happens?
彼得和约翰必须亲自来到撒玛利亚，施行这个特殊的圣事。 Peter and John have to come themselves to Samaria to give this special sacrament.
所以我们可以在圣经中看到，洗礼和坚振是两个独立的圣事，这在圣经中 已经清楚地展现出来了，只要你有眼睛去看，并在上下文中阅读经文。 So we can see already in the scripture that the idea that baptism and confirmation are two separate, distinct sacraments is right there laid out in the scripture, if you have the eyes to see, and if you read the text in its context.