Teolojia ya Kibaptisti na Mafundisho Yake Bainifu — Sehemu ya 7: Wokovu I: Neema, Imani, Toba na Mwaliko wa Bure wa InjiliBaptist Theology and Distinctive Doctrines — Unit 7: Salvation I: Grace, Faith, Repentance and the Free Offer of the Gospel

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Maana mmeokolewa kwa neema, kwa njia ya imani; wala haitokani na nafsi zenu; ni kipawa cha Mungu; wala si kwa matendo, mtu awaye yote asije akajisifu." (Waefeso 2:8-9, SUV)"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kufafanua neema, imani na toba kama Wabaptisti wanavyofundisha kutoka katika Maandiko.1. Define grace, faith and repentance as Baptists teach them from Scripture.

2. Kutaja sehemu kuu za wokovu: kuzaliwa upya, kuhesabiwa haki, utakaso na kutukuzwa, pamoja na kufanywa wana.2. Name the main parts of salvation: regeneration, justification, sanctification and glorification, with adoption.

3. Kueleza kwa nini Wabaptisti wanafundisha kwamba wokovu ni kwa neema kupitia imani na si kwa matendo wala amri za kanisa.3. Explain why Baptists teach that salvation is by grace through faith and not by works or ordinances.

4. Kueleza mwaliko wa bure wa injili na mzozo miongoni mwa Wabaptisti ambao Andrew Fuller alisaidia kuutatua.4. Explain the free offer of the gospel and the controversy among Baptists that Andrew Fuller helped settle.

5. Kutaja pingamizi tatu dhidi ya mafundisho ya Kibaptisti juu ya wokovu na kutoa jibu la Kibaptisti kwa kila moja.5. State three objections to the Baptist teaching on salvation and give the Baptist answer to each.

Sauti ya Kipindi HikiThe Voice of This Unit

Kipindi hiki kimeandikwa kutoka ndani ya mapokeo ya Kibaptisti, kwa wanafunzi wa Kibaptisti. Ni cha kihafidhina na cha kiinjilisti. Hapa tunaeleza kile ambacho karibu Wabaptisti wote wanafundisha kwa pamoja kuhusu jinsi mwenye dhambi anavyookolewa. Vipindi viwili vijavyo vinashughulikia maswali ambayo Wabaptisti wametofautiana, yaani uteule, kiwango cha upatanisho wa msalaba na usalama wa mwamini. Tofauti hizo ni za kweli, lakini zinatokea ndani ya makubaliano makubwa, na kipindi hiki kinaeleza makubaliano hayo.This unit is written from inside the Baptist tradition, for Baptist students. It is conservative and evangelical. Here we state what nearly all Baptists teach in common about how a sinner is saved. The next two units deal with questions on which Baptists have disagreed with one another, namely election, the extent of the atonement and the security of the believer. Those disagreements are real, but they take place inside a large agreement, and this unit describes that agreement.

Tunapokutana na pingamizi, tunazieleza kwa haki kisha tunazijibu kutoka katika Maandiko. Maandiko yanasema, "jaribuni mambo yote; lishikeni lililo jema" (1 Wathesalonike 5:21).When we meet objections, we state them fairly and then answer from Scripture. Scripture says, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Hitaji: Dhambi na Hukumu YakeThe Need: Sin and Its Judgment

Injili huanza na habari mbaya. Paulo anaandika, "kwa maana wote wamefanya dhambi, na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu" (Warumi 3:23). Biblia inafundisha kwamba dhambi si matendo mabaya tu. Ni hali tunayoirithi, nayo inamwathiri mtu mzima: akili, mapenzi na moyo (Warumi 5:12; Waefeso 2:1-3). Mshahara wake ni mauti (Warumi 6:23). Kwa kuwa tuna hatia na hatuwezi kujisafisha, hatuwezi kujiokoa kwa matendo mema, taratibu za kidini wala ukoo.The gospel begins with bad news. Paul writes, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The Bible teaches that sin is not only wrong deeds. It is a condition we inherit, and it affects the whole person: mind, will and heart (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3). Its wages are death (Romans 6:23). Because we are guilty and cannot make ourselves clean, we cannot save ourselves by good works, religious rites or family background.

Wabaptisti wanafundisha kwamba kila mtu anasimama mbele za Mungu kama mtu anayewajibika. Hapa ndipo pa kuanzia kwa kila kitu katika kipindi hiki. Mungu hawaokoi familia, kijiji wala taifa kama kundi. Anamwita kila mtu kwenye toba na imani.Baptists teach that each person stands before God as a responsible individual. This is the starting point for everything in this unit. God does not save a family, a village or a nation as a group. He calls each person to repentance and faith.

NeemaGrace

Neema inamaanisha upendeleo wa Mungu usiostahiliwa kwa wenye dhambi. Si malipo ya chochote tulichofanya. Paulo anasema kwamba tunahesabiwa haki "bure kwa neema yake, kwa njia ya ukombozi ulio katika Kristo Yesu" (Warumi 3:24). Msingi wa wokovu wetu ni kazi ya Kristo: maisha yake yasiyo na dhambi, kifo chake msalabani mahali pa wenye dhambi, na ufufuo wake wa mwili (Warumi 4:25; 1 Petro 2:24; 1 Wakorintho 15:3-4). Tunaokolewa kwa yale Kristo aliyofanya, si kwa yale tunayofanya.Grace means God's undeserved favor toward sinners. It is not payment for anything we have done. Paul says that we are justified "freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). The ground of our salvation is Christ's work: His sinless life, His death on the cross in the place of sinners, and His bodily resurrection (Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We are saved by what Christ did, not by what we do.

Ndiyo maana Waefeso 2:8-9 inasema kwamba wokovu ni "kipawa cha Mungu." Kipawa hakipatikani kwa kujitaabisha. Tukiongeza matendo yetu kama sehemu ya bei, kipawa hakiwi kipawa tena (Warumi 11:6). Wabaptisti wameshikilia hili kwa nguvu, na mara nyingi tumelipia gharama kwa ajili yake. Katika miaka ya 1600 baba zetu wengi walikataa kuamini kwamba taratibu yoyote ya kanisa au amri ya mtawala yoyote inaweza kuokoa roho.This is why Ephesians 2:8-9 says that salvation is "the gift of God." A gift cannot be earned. If we add our works as part of the price, the gift is no longer a gift (Romans 11:6). Baptists have held this firmly, and we have often paid a price for it. In the 1600s many of our fathers refused to believe that any church rite or any ruler's command could save a soul.

ImaniFaith

Imani ni njia ambayo kwayo mwenye dhambi hupokea kipawa. Si tendo linalostahili kipawa. Paulo anasema kwamba kwa yule asiyefanya kazi bali anamwamini yeye amhesabuye haki asiye mcha Mungu, imani yake huhesabiwa kuwa haki (Warumi 4:4-5). Walimu kwa muda mrefu wameeleza imani kuwa na sehemu tatu.Faith is the means by which a sinner receives the gift. It is not a work that earns the gift. Paul says that to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, faith is credited for righteousness (Romans 4:4-5). Teachers have long described faith as having three parts.

Maarifa. Mwenye dhambi anajua mambo ya injili: Kristo ni nani na amefanya nini (1 Wakorintho 15:1-4).Knowledge. The sinner knows the gospel facts: who Christ is and what He has done (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Kukubali. Mwenye dhambi anakubali kwamba mambo haya ni ya kweli na kwamba yanamhusu.Agreement. The sinner accepts that these facts are true and that they apply to him.

Kutumaini. Mwenye dhambi anaweka uzito wake wote kwa Kristo peke yake. Hiki ndicho kiini cha imani. Ni kama mtu ambaye hasadiki tu kwamba daraja ni imara bali analivuka.Trust. The sinner puts his whole weight on Christ alone. This is the heart of faith. It is like a man who does not merely believe a bridge is strong but walks across it.

Imani ni zaidi ya kujua habari za Yesu. Yakobo anasema hata mashetani huamini, na kutetemeka (Yakobo 2:19). Imani ya kuokoa ni kumtumaini mtu, Bwana Yesu Kristo. Paulo na Sila walimwambia mlinzi wa gereza la Filipi, "Mwamini Bwana Yesu, nawe utaokoka, wewe na nyumba yako" (Matendo 16:31). Ahadi ni kwa nyumba, lakini kila mtu lazima aamini mwenyewe, na maelezo yanasema kwamba mlinzi na nyumba yake yote waliamini na kubatizwa.Faith is more than knowing about Jesus. James says even the demons believe, and tremble (James 2:19). Saving faith is trust in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul and Silas told the jailer at Philippi, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31). The promise is for the household, but each person must believe for himself, and the account says that the jailer and all his household believed and were baptized.

TobaRepentance

Toba ni upande wa pili wa kugeuka huko huko. Yesu alianza huduma yake kwa maneno, "Tubuni, mkaiamini Injili" (Marko 1:15). Paulo alieleza mahubiri yake mwenyewe kuwa "toba kwa Mungu, na imani kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo" (Matendo 20:21).Repentance is the other side of the same turning. Jesus began His ministry with the words, "Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Paul described his own preaching as "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21).

Neno la Kigiriki la toba linamaanisha mabadiliko ya akili. Katika Biblia linajumuisha mabadiliko ya akili kuhusu dhambi, kuhusu Mungu na kuhusu Kristo, nalo huongoza kwenye mabadiliko ya mwelekeo. Wathesalonike walimgeukia Mungu, wakaziacha sanamu, ili kumtumikia Mungu aliye hai, wa kweli (1 Wathesalonike 1:9). Linajumuisha huzuni kwa ajili ya dhambi iliyo kulingana na mapenzi ya Mungu (2 Wakorintho 7:10), lakini huzuni peke yake si toba. Yuda alihuzunika, lakini hakumgeukia Kristo.The Greek word for repentance means a change of mind. In the Bible it includes a change of mind about sin, about God and about Christ, and it leads to a change of direction. The Thessalonians "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9). It includes sorrow for sin that is according to God's will (2 Corinthians 7:10), but sorrow alone is not repentance. Judas was sorry, but he did not turn to Christ.

Toba si kitubio (penance). Katika mfumo wa Kikatoliki cha Roma, kitubio ni tendo, kama sala au matendo mema, linalotolewa na kuhani ili kufidia dhambi. Wabaptisti wanafundisha kwamba Kristo amelipia dhambi kikamilifu, na kugeuka kwa mwenye dhambi hakulipi chochote. Ni njia tu ambayo kwayo mwenye dhambi huiacha njia yake mwenyewe na kumjia Kristo. Toba na imani haziwezi kutenganishwa. Mtu hawezi kumgeukia Kristo bila kuacha dhambi yake, na hawezi kuacha dhambi kwa njia ya kuokoa bila kumtumaini Kristo.Repentance is not penance. In the Roman Catholic system, penance is an act, such as prayers or good works, given by a priest to make up for sin. Baptists teach that Christ has fully paid for sin, and the sinner's turning does not pay anything. It is simply the way in which the sinner leaves his own road and comes to Christ. Repentance and faith cannot be separated. A man cannot turn to Christ without turning from his sin, and he cannot turn from sin in a saving way without trusting Christ.

Sehemu za WokovuThe Parts of Salvation

Maandiko yanatumia maneno mengi kwa yale Mungu anayomfanyia mwamini. Baptist Faith and Message (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti) (2000), Kifungu cha IV, linazungumza juu ya wokovu kama ukombozi wa mtu mzima, unaotolewa bure kwa wote wanaomkubali Yesu Kristo kuwa Bwana na Mwokozi, nalo linataja sehemu nne. Sisi tunaongeza kufanywa wana, kwa kuwa ni neno muhimu la kibiblia.Scripture uses many words for what God does for a believer. The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), Article IV, speaks of salvation as the redemption of the whole person, offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and it names four parts. We add adoption, since it is an important biblical word.

Kuzaliwa upya (regeneration) ni kuzaliwa mara ya pili. Yesu alisema, "Imewapasa kuzaliwa mara ya pili" (Yohana 3:7). Ni kazi ya Roho Mtakatifu ambayo kwayo Mungu hutoa uzima mpya wa kiroho (Tito 3:5; 1 Petro 1:23). Wabaptisti wanakubaliana kwamba ni kazi ya Mungu na si ya mwanadamu.Regeneration is the new birth. Jesus said, "You must be born again" (John 3:7). It is the work of the Holy Spirit by which God gives new spiritual life (Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23). Baptists agree that it is a work of God and not of man.

Kuhesabiwa haki (justification) ni tendo la Mungu la kumtangaza mwenye dhambi anayeamini kuwa mwenye haki. Haki ya Kristo inahesabiwa kuwa yetu, na dhambi yetu ilihesabiwa kwake (2 Wakorintho 5:21; Warumi 5:1). Ni hukumu ya kisheria inayotokea mara moja, nayo haibadiliki kadiri hisia zetu zinavyobadilika.Justification is God's act of declaring the believing sinner righteous. Christ's righteousness is counted as ours, and our sin was counted to Him (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:1). It is a legal verdict that happens once, and it does not change as our feelings change.

Kufanywa wana (adoption) ni tendo la Mungu la kumpokea mwamini katika familia yake kama mwana au binti, pamoja na Roho anayelia "Aba, yaani, Baba" (Warumi 8:15; Wagalatia 4:4-7).Adoption is God's act of receiving the believer into His family as a son or daughter, with the Spirit who cries "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:4-7).

Utakaso (sanctification) ni ukuaji katika utakatifu unaofuata. Huanza wakati wa kuongoka, kwa kuwa waumini wametengwa kwa ajili ya Mungu, nao unaendelea maisha yote Roho anapofanya kazi ndani yetu (1 Wathesalonike 5:23; Wafilipi 2:12-13).Sanctification is the growth in holiness that follows. It begins at conversion, since believers are set apart for God, and it continues through life as the Spirit works in us (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 2:12-13).

Kutukuzwa (glorification) ni ukamilisho wa wokovu Kristo atakaporudi nasi tunapopokea miili ya ufufuo, huru kutoka dhambi milele (Warumi 8:30; 1 Yohana 3:2).Glorification is the completion of salvation when Christ returns and we receive resurrection bodies, free from sin forever (Romans 8:30; 1 John 3:2).

Wabaptisti hawakubaliani wote juu ya mpangilio hasa ambao mambo haya hutokea, hasa kama kuzaliwa upya kunatangulia imani au hutokea wakati uleule. Tunalishughulikia hilo katika Kipindi cha 8. Wote wanakubali kwamba wokovu wote ni kazi ya Mungu, unaopokelewa kwa imani.Baptists do not all agree on the exact order in which these happen, especially whether regeneration comes before faith or at the same moment. We deal with that in Unit 8. All agree that the whole of salvation is God's work, received by faith.

Wokovu Si kwa Matendo wala Amri za KanisaSalvation Is Not by Works or Ordinances

Wabaptisti wanafundisha kwamba ubatizo na Meza ya Bwana ni amri alizotoa Kristo. Tunazitii, lakini haziokoi. Hili ndilo lilikuwa somo la Vipindi vya 3 na 4. Mtu huokolewa kabla hajabatizwa, na ubatizo ni ishara ya hadharani ya imani aliyonayo tayari. Mwizi msalabani aliahidiwa paradiso bila ubatizo wala kanisa (Luka 23:43).Baptists teach that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances given by Christ. We obey them, but they do not save. This was the subject of Units 3 and 4. A person is saved before he is baptized, and baptism is the public sign of the faith he already has. The thief on the cross was promised paradise without baptism or a church (Luke 23:43).

Matendo mema si mzizi wa wokovu, lakini ni matunda. Waefeso 2:10 inafuata mstari mkuu: tumeumbwa "katika Kristo Yesu tutende matendo mema." Wokovu ni kwa neema, lakini hauachi mtu bila kubadilika.Good works are not the root of salvation, but they are the fruit. Ephesians 2:10 follows the key verse: we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." Salvation is by grace, but it does not leave a person unchanged.

Mwaliko wa Bure wa InjiliThe Free Offer of the Gospel

Wabaptisti wanashikilia kwamba injili inapaswa kutolewa kwa unyofu kwa kila mtu, na kwamba kila msikilizaji ameamriwa kutubu na kuamini. Yesu alisema, "Enendeni ulimwenguni kote mkaihubiri Injili kwa kila kiumbe" (Marko 16:15). Paulo anasema kwamba Mungu "anawaamuru watu wote, kila mahali, watubu" (Matendo 17:30). Paulo alijiita balozi badala ya Kristo, akiwasihi watu wapatanishwe na Mungu (2 Wakorintho 5:20). Baptist Faith and Message linasema vivyo hivyo, nao Wabaptisti wa Kipekee (Particular Baptists) wa 1689 pia walilithibitisha kwa njia yao.Baptists hold that the gospel is to be offered sincerely to every person, and that every hearer is commanded to repent and believe. Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Paul says that God "commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). Paul called himself an ambassador for Christ, pleading with people to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). The Baptist Faith and Message states the same, and the Particular Baptists of 1689 also affirmed it in their own way.

Mzozo uliojaribu mwaliko huoThe controversy that tested the offer

Kozi ya 1 inasimulia historia. Hiki ndicho mchungaji anachohitaji kujua. Katika miaka ya 1700 baadhi ya Wabaptisti wa Kipekee wa Kiingereza, katika bidii yao ya kutetea enzi ya Mungu katika wokovu, walifikia kuamini kwamba wasioongoka hawana wajibu wa kuiamini injili. Hoja yao ilikuwa kwamba kama imani ni zawadi ya Mungu inayotolewa kwa wateule tu, basi ni kosa kuamuru kila mtu aamini, na ni kosa kuwahimiza wenye dhambi wamjie Kristo. Msimamo huu mara nyingi huitwa Ukalvini wa kupindukia (hyper-Calvinism). Watetezi wake walikuwa wanyofu na walitaka kuiheshimu neema ya Mungu. Wanahistoria hawakubaliani ni Wabaptisti wangapi walioushikilia. Pia hawakubaliani kama mchungaji mkuu wa London John Gill anahesabiwa katika kundi hili, na wengine wanamtetea dhidi ya shtaka hilo.Course 1 tells the history. Here is what a pastor needs to know. In the 1700s some English Particular Baptists, in their zeal to defend God's sovereignty in salvation, came to believe that the unconverted had no duty to believe the gospel. Their reasoning was that if faith is a gift of God given only to the elect, then it is wrong to command everyone to believe, and wrong to urge sinners to come to Christ. This position is often called hyper-Calvinism. Its defenders were sincere and wished to honor God's grace. Historians disagree on how many Baptists held it. They also disagree about whether the great London pastor John Gill belongs in this group, and some defend him from the charge.

Andrew Fuller (1754-1815), mchungaji huko Kettering, alijibu mafundisho haya katika The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation (Injili Inayostahili Kukubaliwa na Wote) (1785). Alibishana kutoka katika Maandiko kwamba injili inastahili kukubaliwa na wote, na kwamba kila mwenye dhambi anayeisikia ana wajibu wa kuiamini. Mwenye dhambi asipoamini, kosa ni kutokuwa tayari kwake mwenyewe, si ukosefu wa amri. Fuller pia alishikilia kwamba kifo cha Kristo kinatosha kwa wote na kinahakikisha wokovu wa wale wanaoamini. Mafundisho yake yalisaidia kuandaa njia kwa Baptist Missionary Society (Chama cha Misheni cha Kibaptisti) mwaka 1792 na kwa misheni ya William Carey huko India. Kanisa lisiloamini mwaliko wa bure wa injili halitatuma wamisionari.Andrew Fuller (1754-1815), a pastor at Kettering, answered this teaching in The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation (1785). He argued from Scripture that the gospel is worthy of all acceptance, and that every sinner who hears it is bound to believe it. If a sinner does not believe, the fault is his own unwillingness, and not the lack of a decree. Fuller also held that Christ's death is sufficient for all and secures the salvation of those who believe. His teaching helped prepare the way for the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792 and for William Carey's mission to India. A church that does not believe in the free offer of the gospel will not send missionaries.

Hitimisho la KibaptistiThe Baptist conclusion

Makundi yote makubwa ya Kibaptisti ya leo, yawe ya Free Will (Hiari Huru), ya Wabaptisti wa Kusini wa Jadi au ya Wabaptisti Reformed, yanasema kwamba injili inapaswa kuhubiriwa kwa kila mtu, kwamba kila mtu ameamriwa kutubu, na kwamba wale wanaomjia Kristo watagundua kwamba hawakataliwi (Yohana 6:37). Chochote Mbaptisti anachoamini kuhusu uteule, anaweka mwaliko wazi.All of today's major Baptist groups, whether they are Free Will, Traditional Southern Baptist or Reformed Baptist, say that the gospel is to be preached to everyone, that every person is commanded to repent, and that those who come to Christ will find that He does not turn them away (John 6:37). Whatever a Baptist believes about election, he keeps the invitation open.

Pingamizi na Majibu ya KibaptistiObjections and Baptist Answers

Pingamizi la 1: Imani haitoshi. Mtu pia anahitaji sakramenti na matendo mema ili aokolewe.Objection 1: Faith is not enough. A person also needs the sacraments and good works to be saved.

Mafundisho ya Kikatoliki cha Roma na mengine yanashikilia kwamba neema hutolewa kupitia sakramenti, kuanzia ubatizo wa watoto wachanga, na kwamba kuhesabiwa haki kunasaidiwa na upendo na matendo. Wanaoshikilia hili huonyesha Yakobo 2:24: "Mwaona basi kwamba mtu huhesabiwa haki kwa matendo, wala si kwa imani peke yake."Roman Catholic and some other teaching holds that grace is given through the sacraments, beginning with infant baptism, and that justification is helped by love and works. Those who hold this point to James 2:24: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."

Jibu letu. Yakobo na Paulo hawapingani. Paulo anazungumza juu ya jinsi mwenye dhambi anavyotangazwa mwenye haki mbele za Mungu, kwa imani pasipo matendo (Warumi 3:28). Yakobo anazungumza juu ya aina ya imani iliyo ya kweli, inayojionyesha kwa matendo mbele ya watu. Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa imani (Warumi 4:1-5), na Yakobo anamtumia Abrahamu yuleyule kuonyesha kwamba imani isiyo na matendo imekufa. Mzizi ni imani na tunda ni matendo. Amri na matendo yameamriwa na ni mema, lakini hayalipii wokovu wetu.Our answer. James and Paul do not contradict each other. Paul speaks of how a sinner is declared righteous before God, by faith apart from works (Romans 3:28). James speaks of the kind of faith that is genuine, which shows itself in works before people. Abraham was justified by faith (Romans 4:1-5), and James uses the same Abraham to show that a faith with no works is dead. The root is faith and the fruit is works. Ordinances and works are commanded and are good, but they do not pay for our salvation.

Pingamizi la 2: Kufundisha "imani peke yake" huwafanya watu wawe wazembe. Wanasema sala, kisha wanaishi wapendavyo.Objection 2: Teaching "faith alone" makes people careless. They say a prayer, then live as they please.

Wachungaji wengine wameona watu walioinua mkono wakati wa mwaliko lakini maisha yao hayakubadilika kamwe. Kwa hiyo Wakristo fulani wanafundisha kwamba mtu lazima pia aahidi kumfanya Yesu Bwana wa kila sehemu ya maisha kabla ya kuokolewa. Wabaptisti leo wanajadili jambo hili, ambalo wakati mwingine huitwa swali la "ubwana" (lordship). Wengine wanasema kwamba "kuamini kwa wepesi" (easy believism) ni hatari. Wengine wanasema kwamba kuongeza masharti kwenye imani hugeuza neema kuwa sheria.Some pastors have seen people who raised a hand at an invitation but whose lives never changed. Some Christians therefore teach that a person must also promise to make Jesus Lord of every part of life before he can be saved. Baptists today debate this point, sometimes called the "lordship" question. Some say that "easy believism" is a danger. Others say that adding conditions to faith turns grace into law.

Jibu letu. Tunapaswa kuepuka makosa yote mawili. Wokovu unapokelewa kwa imani peke yake, na mtu hahitaji kuwa mkamilifu ili aje. Lakini Biblia inaeleza imani ya kuokoa kuwa imani iliyo hai ambayo siku zote huzaa matunda, angalau baada ya muda. Yesu anawaita wenye dhambi wamfuate (Luka 9:23). Kwa hiyo mchungaji anapaswa kuhubiri injili nzima, neema na toba pamoja, wala asihesabu "uamuzi" usio na uhakika kuwa uthibitisho wa kuzaliwa upya. Anapaswa kuangalia matunda, na kumwonya kwa upole yeyote ambaye maisha yake hayaonyeshi yoyote. Barua ya Kwanza ya Yohana iliandikwa ili waumini wapate kujua kwamba wana uzima wa milele (1 Yohana 5:13).Our answer. We should avoid both errors. Salvation is received by faith alone, and a person need not be perfect to come. But the Bible describes saving faith as a living faith that always produces fruit, at least in time. Jesus calls sinners to follow Him (Luke 9:23). A pastor should therefore preach the whole gospel, grace and repentance together, and should not count an uncertain "decision" as proof of the new birth. He should watch for fruit, and gently warn anyone whose life shows none. First John was written so that believers may know that they have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Pingamizi la 3: Kama Mungu huchagua nani ataokolewa, hakuna maana ya kuwahimiza wote watubu.Objection 3: If God chooses who will be saved, there is no point in urging everyone to repent.

Hii ndiyo hoja ya Ukalvini wa kupindukia, na toleo kali zaidi wakati mwingine huonekana katika mijadala ya leo.This is the reasoning of hyper-Calvinism, and a stricter version sometimes appears in debates today.

Jibu letu. Biblia inashikilia kweli zote mbili pamoja bila kuruhusu moja kufuta nyingine. Yesu alisema kwamba wote anaopewa na Baba watakuja kwake, na pia aliwaalika wote wasumbukao na wenye kulemewa na mizigo waje (Yohana 6:37; Mathayo 11:28). Mitume walihubiri kwa makutano huku wakiamini kwamba Mungu hufungua mioyo, kama alivyofanya kwa Lidia (Matendo 16:14). Si kazi yetu kugundua wateule ni akina nani. Ni kazi yetu kuhubiri kwa kila kiumbe. Wajibu wa mwenye dhambi wa kuamini hautegemei kujua kusudi la siri la Mungu (Kumbukumbu la Torati 29:29).Our answer. The Bible keeps both truths together without making one cancel the other. Jesus said that all whom the Father gives Him will come to Him, and also invited all who labor and are heavy laden to come (John 6:37; Matthew 11:28). The apostles preached to crowds while believing that God opens hearts, as He did for Lydia (Acts 16:14). It is not our task to find out who the elect are. It is our task to preach to every creature. The sinner's duty to believe does not depend on knowing God's secret purpose (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Mwanamume mwenye asili ya Kikatoliki cha Roma katika mji mdogo anamjia mchungaji baada ya kuhudhuria ibada ya Kibaptisti. Anasema: "Nimebatizwa nikiwa mtoto mchanga, ninaungama dhambi zangu kwa kuhani, na ninatoa kwa kanisa. Nifanye nini zaidi ili niokolewe?" Ni mnyofu na ana wasiwasi.A man from a Roman Catholic background in a small town comes to the pastor after attending a Baptist service. He says: "I have been baptized as a baby, I confess my sins to the priest, and I give to the church. What more must I do to be saved?" He is sincere and worried.

Kwanza, mchungaji hamdhihaki mtu huyo kwa maisha yake ya zamani wala imani ya familia yake. Anamshukuru kwa uzito wake juu ya Mungu.First, the pastor does not mock the man's past or his family's faith. He thanks him for his seriousness about God.

Pili, anafungua Biblia pamoja naye: Warumi 3:23-24, Waefeso 2:8-9, Yohana 3:16 na Matendo 16:31. Anaeleza kwa maneno rahisi kwamba Kristo amefanya kinachohitajika, na kwamba mtu huyo anaombwa kugeuka kutoka kutegemea juhudi zake na kumtumaini Kristo peke yake.Second, he opens the Bible with him: Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16 and Acts 16:31. He explains in plain words that Christ has done what is needed, and that the man is asked to turn from trusting his own efforts and to trust Christ alone.

Tatu, anaeleza toba na imani kama kugeuka kumoja, wala hamharakishi mtu huyo kuingia katika sala asiyoielewa.Third, he explains repentance and faith as one turning, and does not hurry the man into a prayer he does not understand.

Nne, anajitolea kukutana tena, kujibu maswali, na kuomba pamoja naye. Hafanyi ubatizo wa mtu huyo wala ushirika wa kanisa kuwa sharti la kusikia injili. Anafundisha ubatizo na ushirika wa kanisa baadaye, kama utii wa mwamini.Fourth, he offers to meet again, to answer questions, and to pray with him. He does not make the man's baptism or church membership a condition for hearing the gospel. He teaches baptism and church membership later, as the obedience of a believer.

MuhtasariSummary

Wabaptisti wanafundisha kwamba wote ni wenye dhambi chini ya hukumu ya Mungu na hawawezi kujiokoa. Wokovu ni kwa neema, upendeleo wa Mungu usiostahiliwa, nao unategemea kifo na ufufuo wa Kristo. Imani ni mkono mtupu unaopokea kipawa, na toba ni kugeuka kutoka dhambi kunakoambatana nayo. Maandiko yanaeleza wokovu kwa sehemu kadhaa: kuzaliwa upya, kuhesabiwa haki, kufanywa wana, utakaso na kutukuzwa. Amri na matendo haviokoi, lakini matendo mema hufuata kama matunda. Wabaptisti wanashikilia kwamba injili inapaswa kutolewa bure kwa wote. Katika miaka ya 1700 baadhi ya Wabaptisti wa Kipekee walikana kwamba wasioongoka wana wajibu wa kuamini, na Andrew Fuller aliwajibu mwaka 1785. Leo Wabaptisti wa kila aina wanaihubiri injili kwa kila mtu. Pingamizi kutoka kwa mafundisho ya kisakramenti, kutoka kwa hofu ya ungamo la kizembe, na kutoka kwa hofu kwamba uteule hufanya kuhubiri kuwe bure, zinajibiwa kutoka katika Maandiko.Baptists teach that all are sinners under God's judgment and cannot save themselves. Salvation is by grace, God's undeserved favor, and it rests on the death and resurrection of Christ. Faith is the empty hand that receives the gift, and repentance is the turning from sin that goes with it. Scripture describes salvation in several parts: regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification and glorification. Ordinances and works do not save, but good works follow as fruit. Baptists hold that the gospel is to be offered freely to all. In the 1700s some Particular Baptists denied that the unconverted have a duty to believe, and Andrew Fuller answered them in 1785. Today Baptists of every kind preach the gospel to everyone. Objections from sacramental teaching, from fear of careless professions, and from fear that election makes preaching pointless are answered from Scripture.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti), Kifungu cha IV.• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), Article IV.

• The Second London Confession (1689) (Ungamo la Pili la London) na the New Hampshire Confession (1833) (Ungamo la New Hampshire), juu ya wokovu.• The Second London Confession (1689) and the New Hampshire Confession (1833), on salvation.

• Andrew Fuller, The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation (1785) (Injili Inayostahili Kukubaliwa na Wote), chanzo cha msingi.• Andrew Fuller, The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation (1785), a primary source.

• William Carey, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians (1792) (Uchunguzi juu ya Wajibu wa Wakristo), chanzo cha msingi.• William Carey, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians (1792), a primary source.

• John L. Dagg, Manual of Theology (1857) (Mwongozo wa Teolojia).• John L. Dagg, Manual of Theology (1857).

• Garrett, Baptist Theology (2009) (Teolojia ya Kibaptisti).• Garrett, Baptist Theology (2009).

• Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message (1971) (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti).• Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message (1971).

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