634.“若有人拜兽和兽像，在额上，或在手上，受了印记”表凡承认并接受唯信称义并得救的教义之人，都确认它，并照之生活。“拜兽”表示承认这教义（580节）。“拜兽像”表示承认并接受这教义（603节）。“在额上，或在手上，受了印记”表示以爱和信来接受该教义，并确认它（605，606节）；由于以爱和信确认这教义者，也会照此生活，故同样表示这层意义。
这些话描述了对该教义的三种接受程度。第一种接受程度是承认该教义；第二种接受程度是在自己里面确认它；第三种接受程度是照该教义生活；承认它是在思维里面实现的；在自己里面确认它是在理解或认知里面实现的；而照之生活则是在意愿里面实现的。有些人只是处在第一种程度，尚未处于第二种和第三种；有些人则处于第一种和第二种，尚未处于第三种；但处于第三种程度，也就是照之生活的，就是接下来的几节（14:10，11）所论及的那些人。照该教义生活就不会把邪恶当回事，以为邪恶不会定罪，因为使人得救的，不是律法行为，而是唯信。也不把良善当回事，心想除了邀功的外，没有人能凭自己行善。因此，他们避开邪恶，仅仅因为文明、道德的法则，而非因神性律法；这些人行善只是为自己和这个世界，因而是出于自我之爱，而非为了主的缘故，因而不是出于对邻之爱。
接下来的事（14:10，11）之所以论及这些人，是因为只是进入思维和理解或认知的一切不会定罪；但进入意愿的一切会定罪；因为这会进入生命，并保留下来。因为除了属于爱的事物外，没有什么东西能进入意愿，而爱是人的生命。他们就是那些不省察自己，认识自己的罪，从而践行悔改的人，因此他们被定罪；因为他们心里说:“有必要省察，或认识、承认罪，并悔改吗？所有这些不都包括在唯信之内了吗？”在灵界，这样的人我见得太多了，他们避恶行善，仅仅因为文明、道德的法则，而非同时为了属灵的律法，他们都被扔进地狱。
634. "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand." This symbolizes people who acknowledge and accept the doctrine of justification and salvation by faith alone, affirm it, and live in accordance with it.
To worship the beast means, symbolically, to acknowledge that faith (no. 580). To worship its image means, symbolically, to acknowledge and accept that doctrine (no. 603). To receive its mark on the forehead or hand means, symbolically, to accept the doctrine with love and faith and to affirm it in oneself (nos. 605, 606); and because people who confirm themselves in that doctrine with love and faith also live in accordance with it, this too is meant.
[2] There are three steps in the acceptance of that doctrine, which are meant by the words here. The first step is to acknowledge that doctrine. The second step is to affirm it in oneself. And the third step is to live in accordance with it. To acknowledge it involves thought. To affirm it in oneself involves understanding. And to live in accordance with it involves the will.
There are people who have taken the first step who nevertheless have not progressed to the second or third. There are people who have taken the first and second steps who have nevertheless not progressed to the third. But people who have taken the third step, which is to live in accordance with that doctrine - these are the people of whom the following declarations are made in verses 10 and 11.
To live in accordance with that doctrine is to make evil of no account, thinking that evil does not condemn because works of the law do not save, but only faith. It is also to make goodness of no account, thinking to oneself that no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking. People who avoid evils, therefore, only on account of civil and moral laws, and not on account of Divine laws, are people who do good only for the sake of themselves and of the world, thus out of a love of self and not for the Lord's sake, and so not out of a love of the neighbor.
[3] These are the people of whom the following declarations are made in verses 10 and 11, because nothing condemns that enters only into the thought and understanding. But what enters into the will does condemn, since it enters the life and becomes permanent; for nothing can enter the will unless it becomes a matter of love, and love is a person's life.
These are also people who do not examine themselves, recognize their sins, and repent, and for that reason are damned. For at heart they say, "What need is there for examining, recognizing and acknowledging sins and for repentance, when faith alone encompasses them all?"
I have seen many such people in the spiritual world who avoided evils and practiced goods solely because of civil and moral law and not at the same time spiritual law, and they were cast into hell.
634. 'If anyone adores the beast and his image, and accepts a mark upon his forehead and hand' signifies [that] he who acknowledges and receives the doctrine concerning justification and salvation by faith alone confirms it and lives in accordance with it. By 'to adore the beast' is signified to acknowledge that faith (580). By 'to adore his image' is signified to acknowledge and receive that doctrine (603). By 'to accept a mark upon forehead and hand' is signified to receive it in love and faith and to confirm oneself in it (605-606); and because those who confirm themselves in that love and faith also live in accordance with it, this also is understood.
[2] There are three stages of the reception of that doctrine which are described by these words. The first stage is to acknowledge that doctrine, the second stage is to confirm it with oneself, and the third stage is to live in accordance with it. To acknowledge it is done from thought, to confirm it with oneself is done from understanding, and to live in accordance with it is done from will. There are those who are in the first stage and yet not in the second and third, and there are those who are in the first and second and yet not in the third; but those who are in the third, which is the stage of living in accordance therewith, are the ones of whom the things following in verses 10-11 are said. To live in accordance with that [faith] is to make evil of no account, thinking that evil does not condemn because the works of the law do not save, but only faith. It is also to make good of no account, thinking to oneself that no one can do good from himself except what is merit-seeking. Thus they are those who only avoid evils for the sake of civil and moral laws, and not for the sake of Divine laws. They are those who do good only for the sake of self and the world, consequently out of self-love, and not for the Lord's sake, consequently not out of love of the neighbour.
[3] The reason that the things now following (verses 10-11) were said of them is because all that enters only into the thought and into the understanding does not condemn, but that which enters into the will does condemn, for this enters into the will and is permanent. For nothing can enter the will unless it is also of the love, and the love is the life of the man. These also are they who do not examine themselves, recognise their own sins and repent; and on account of this they are condemned. For they say at heart, What need is there for an examination, for the recognition and acknowledgment of sins, and for repentance, when faith alone involves them all? In the spiritual world I have seen many such, who have avoided evils and done goods by reason of civil and moral law only and not of spiritual law at the same time, and they have been cast into hell.
634. If anyone hath adored the beast, and his image, and hath received his mark upon his forehead, or upon his hand, signifies he who acknowledges and receives the doctrine of justification and salvation by faith alone, confirms himself in it, and lives according to it. "To adore the beast" signifies to acknowledge that faith, (580). "To adore his image" signifies to acknowledge and receive that doctrine, (603). "To receive his mark upon the forehead and upon the hand," signifies to receive it in love and faith, and to confirm himself in it, (605-606); and since they who confirm themselves in that love and faith, also live according to it, this likewise is meant.
[2] There are three degrees of the reception of that doctrine, which are described by these words. The first degree is to acknowledge that doctrine; the second degree is to confirm it in oneself; and the third degree is to live according to it; to acknowledge it is effected in the thought, to confirm it in oneself is effected in the understanding, and to live according to it is effected in the will. There are those who are in the first degree, and yet are not in the second and third; and there are those who are in the first and second, and yet are not in the third; but they who are in the third degree, which is that of living according to it, are those concerning whom the following verses, (10-11), are spoken. To live according to it, is to make nothing of evil, by thinking that evil does not condemn, because the works of the law do not save, but faith only. Also to make nothing of good, by thinking within oneself that no one can do good from himself, except it be meritorious. Thus they are such as only shun evils on account of the civil and moral laws, and not on account of the Divine laws; these are they who do goods only for the sake of themselves and the world, consequently from self-love, and not for the Lord's sake, consequently not from love towards the neighbor.
[3] The reason why what now follows (in verses 10-11), is said of these, is because all that which enters only into the thought and into the understanding does not condemn, but that which enters into the will condemns; for this enters into the life, and remains. For nothing can enter into the will but what is also of the love, and the love is the life of man. These also are they who do not examine themselves, know their sins, and do the work of repentance, and therefore they are condemned; for they say in their hearts, "What need is there of examination, or of a knowledge and acknowledgment of sins, and of repentance, when all these are included in faith alone?" I have seen many such in the spiritual world, who have shunned evils and have done goods on account of civil and moral laws only, and not at the same time on account of spiritual laws, and they were cast into hell.
634. "Si quis Bestiam adoraverit et imaginem ejus, et acceperit characterem super fronte et super manu sua," significat qui agnoscit et recipit doctrinam de justificatione et salvatione per solam Fidem, confirmat illam, et vivit secundum illam.--Per "adorare Bestiam" significatur agnoscere fidem illam (580); per "adorare imaginem ejus" significatur agnoscere et recipere doctrinam illam (603); per "accipere characterem super fronte et super manu" significatur recipere illam amore et fide, et confirmare se in illa (605, 606); et quia illi qui se confirmant in illa amore et fide, etiam vivunt secundum illam, etiam hoc intelligitur. Sunt tres gradus receptionis illius doctrinae, qui per illa verba describuntur; primus gradus est agnoscere doctrinam illam, secundus gradus est confirmare illam apud se, et tertius gradus est vivere secundum illam; agnoscere illam fit cogitatione, confirmare illam apud se fit intellectu, et vivere secundum illam fit voluntate. Sunt qui in primo gradu sunt, et tamen non in secundo et tertio; et sunt qui in primo et secundo, et tamen non in tertio; at qui in tertio sunt, qui gradus est vivere secundum illam, illi sunt de quibus sequentia (in vers. 10, 11) 1dicuntur. Vivere secundum illam est nihili facere malum, cogitando quod malum non damnet, quia non Opera Legis salvant, sed sola Fides; tum nihili facere bonum, cogitando secum, quod nemo possit bonum facere a se, nisi sit meritorium; ita qui solum evitant mala propter leges civiles et morales, et non propter leges Divinas, illi sunt qui bona faciunt solum propter se et mundum, proinde ex amore sui, et non propter Dominum, proinde non ex amore proximi. Causa quod nunc sequentia (vers. 10, 11) 2de illis dicta sint, est quia omne quod intrat solum in cogitationem et in intellectum non damnat, sed quod intrat in voluntatem hoc damnat, hoc enim intrat vitam et permanet; nam nihil potest intrare voluntatem nisi etiam sit amoris, et amor est vita hominis. Hi etiam sunt qui non explorant se, cognoscunt sua peccata, et paenitentiam agunt, et propterea damnantur; dicunt enim corde, "Quid opus exploratione, cognitione et agnitione peccatorum et paenitentia, dum Fides sola involvit omnia illa." Vidi plures tales in mundo spirituali, qui evitarunt mala, et fecerunt bona solum ex lege civili et morali, et non simul spirituali, et conjecti sunt in Infernum.
Footnotes:
1. 10, 11 pro "11, 12"
2. vers. 10, 11 pro "n. 11, 12"