128# “得胜的，必不受第二次死的害”表示在对真理的纯正情感上坚定不移，直到在世上的生命结束的人将进入新天堂。这从“得胜”的含义清楚可知，“得胜”当论及那些渴望来自圣言的真理和良善的知识之人时，是指在对真理的纯正情感上坚定不移，甚至直到在世上的生命结束。经上说“得胜的”，是因为他们是那些承受来自邪恶和虚假的属灵试探，与它们争战的人；“得胜”就是抵制邪恶和虚假，如仇敌那样驯服并征服它们。但没有人会得胜，除非他在对真理的属灵情感上坚定不移，甚至直到他在世上的生命结束。那时，工作就完成了，因为一个人会永远保持他那时的样子，也就是他的生活直到那时的样子；死亡则是它的结束。不过，没有人能得胜，唯独主能。人若以为他凭自己得胜，不是与他同在的主得胜，就不会得胜，而是跌倒；因为得胜的，是属灵的信仰，而属灵的信仰丝毫不来自人，完全来自主。至于什么是属灵的信仰，可参看《最后的审判》(33–39节)和《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(108–120节)，什么是属灵的试探(NJHD187–201节)。“不受第二次死的害”是指进入新天堂，这一点无法理解，除非知道何谓先前的天或天堂，何谓启示录21章所论述的新天或新天堂。何谓先前的天或天堂在《最后的审判》这本小书有所说明(LJ65–72)；何谓新天或新天堂在《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》这本书有所说明(NJHD 1–7节)。但在解释启示录20-21章时会说明“第一次的死”、“第二次的死”，以及“头一次复活”和“第二次复活”是什么意思；在那里，经上说：
其余的死人还没有复活，直等那一千年完了。这是头一次的复活。在头一次复活有份的，有福了，圣洁了；第二次的死在这些人身上没有权柄；他们必作神和基督的祭司。(启示录20:5–6)
又：
他们的份就在烧着火与硫磺的湖里，这是第二次的死。(启示录21:8)
由此清楚可知，“第二次的死”是诅咒。因此，受它的害就是被诅咒；而另一方面，不受它的害就是被拯救。由于所有得救的人都进入新天堂，所以“不受第二次死的害”表示进入新天堂。关于新天堂和组成它的人，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(2–6节)。
128. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. That this signifies that he who continues in the genuine affection of truth to the end of his life in the world shall come into the new heaven, is evident from the signification of overcoming, when said of those who desire the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, as being to continue in the genuine affection of truth, even to the end of life in the world. It is said "he that overcometh" because these are they who undergo spiritual temptation, which is from evils and falsities, and fight against them; and to resist evils and falsities and to tame and subdue them as enemies, is to overcome. But no one overcomes, unless he continues in the spiritual affection of truth, even to the end of his life in the world. The work is then finished, for a man remains to eternity such as he then is, that is, such as his life has been up to that time: death is its completion. But no one can overcome except the Lord alone; the man who believes that he overcomes of himself, and not the Lord with him, does not overcome, but falls; for it is spiritual faith which overcomes, and nothing of spiritual faith is from man, but it is entirely from the Lord. (What spiritual faith is may be seen in the small work,The Last Judgment 33-39; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-120; and what spiritual temptation is, n. 187-201 in the same.) That "shall not be hurt of the second death," denotes to come into the New Heaven, cannot be understood unless it be known what is meant by the former heaven, and what by the New Heaven, which are treated of in chap. 21 of the Apocalypse. (What is meant by the former heaven is shown in the small work, The Last Judgment 65-72; and what by the New Heaven, in The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 1-7.) But what is meant by the first death and by the second death, as also by the first and second resurrection, is shown in the explanation of chaps. 20 and 21, where it is said:
"The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ" (20:5, 6).
"Their part shall be in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (21:8).
It is therefore evident that the second death is damnation: to be hurt of it, is to be damned, and, on the contrary, not to be hurt of it is to be saved. And because all those who are saved come into the New Heaven, therefore to come into the new heaven is what is signified by not being hurt of the second death. (Concerning which heaven and those of whom it consists, see the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 2-6.)
128. He that overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death, signifies that he who is steadfast in the genuine affection of truth to the end of his life in the world, shall come into the new heaven. This is evident from the signification of "overcoming," as being in reference to those who long for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, to be steadfast in the genuine affection of truth, even to the end of life in the world. It is said "he that overcometh," because those are meant who endure spiritual temptation, which is from evils and falsities, and who fight; and "to overcome" is to resist evils and falsities, and to tame and subdue them as one's enemies. But no one overcomes unless he is steadfast in the spiritual affection of truth, even to the end of his life in the world; then the work is finished; for man remains to eternity such as he then is, namely, such as his life has been up to that point; death is what completes it. But no one is able to overcome except the Lord only. The man who supposes that he overcomes of himself, and not that it is the Lord with him that overcomes, does not overcome but succumbs; for it is spiritual faith that overcomes, and there is nothing of spiritual faith from man, but the whole of it is from the Lord. (What spiritual faith is, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-120; and what spiritual temptation is, n. 187-201.) That "not to be hurt by the second death" is to come into the new heaven, cannot be known unless it is known what the former heaven is, and what the new heaven, which are treated of in chapter 21 of Revelation. (Something of what the "former heaven" is can be seen in The small work on The Last Judgment 65-72; and what the "new heaven" is, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 1-7.) But what is meant by the "first death" and by the "second death," also by the "first resurrection" and "second resurrection," will be told in the explanation of chapters 20 and 21, where it is said:
The rest of the dead shall not live again until the thousand years be finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the second 1 resurrection; over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ (Revelation 20:5-6).
Their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8).
From this it is clear that the "second death" is damnation; to be hurt by it, therefore, is to be damned, and on the other hand, not to be hurt by it is to be saved; and as all that are saved come into the new heaven, to come into the new heaven is signified by "not being hurt by the second death" (of which heaven, and of whom it consists, see in the small work on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 2-6).
Fotnoter:
1. The Greek has "first" for "second," as we also find in Apocalypse Revealed 851.
128. "Et vincens non laedetur a morte secunda." - Quod significet quod qui permanet in genuina affectione veri ad finem vitae suae in mundo, in novum caelum venturus sit, constat ex significatione "vincere", cum de illis qui desiderant cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo, quod sit permanere in genuina affectione veri usque ad finem vitae in mundo: dicitur "vincens", quia illi sunt qui spiritualem tentationem, quae est a malis et falsis, subeunt, et pugnant; quibus resistere, et quae domare et subjugare sicut suos hostes, est vincere. Sed nemo vincit, nisi permaneat in affectione veri spirituali usque ad finem vitae in mundo: tunc absolvitur opus, nam homo in aeternum manet qualis tunc est, nempe qualis ejus vita ad illum terminum fuit; mors est complementum ejus. Sed vincere nemo potest, nisi solus Dominus; homo qui credit ex se vincere, et non Dominus apud illum, is non vincit sed succumbit; est enim fides spiritualis quae vincit, et nihil fidei spiritualis est ab homine, sed omne ejus a Domino.
(Quid fides spiritualis, videatur in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 33-39; et in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae 108-109; et quid tentatio spiritualis, ibi n. 187-201.)
Quod "non laedi a morte secunda" sit venire in novum caelum, non sciri potest nisi sciatur quid "prius caelum", et quid "novum caelum", de quibus in Apocalypsi (cap. 21).
(Quid "prius caelum", aliquid ostensum est in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 65-72; et quid "novum caelum", in Nova Hierosolyma et ejus Doctrina, n. De 1-7.)
Sed quid "prima mors" et quid "secunda mors", tum quid "prima resurrectio" et "secunda resurrectio" dicetur in explicatione ad cap. 20, 21, ubi dicitur,
"Reliqui ex mortuis non reviviscent, donec consummati fuerint mille anni; hoc est resurrectio prima: beatus et sanctus qui habet partem in resurrectione 1 prima; in hos secunda mors non habet potestatem; sed erunt sacerdotes Dei et Christi" (20:5, 6);
"Eorum pars erit in stagno ardente igne et sulphure, quod est mors secunda" (21:8).
Inde patet quod "mors secunda" sit damnatio; inde laedi ab illa est damnari, ac vicissim non laedi ab illa est salvari; et quia omnes qui salvantur in novum caelum veniunt, ideo per "non laedi a morte secunda" significatur venire in novum caelum (de quo, et a quibus id, videatur in opusculo De Nova Hierosolyma et ejus Doctrina, n. De 2-6).
Fotnoter:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.