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329. 三十七, 天堂里的小孩子
一些人认为, 唯有出生在教会的孩子才能上天堂, 出生在教会之外的孩子则不能. 他们说, 这是因为出生在教会的孩子受过洗, 通过这洗礼被引入了教会的信仰. 他们没有意识到, 没有人通过洗礼接受天堂或信仰. 洗礼只是人当重生的一个记号和提醒; 出生在教会的人之所以能重生, 是因为圣言在那里, 而圣言蕴含使重生成为可能的神性真理, 使人重生的主便在教会为人所知.
因此, 但愿人们知道, 每一个孩子, 无论出生在哪里, 无论出生在教会之内还是出生在教会之外, 也不论其父母是否虔诚, 死后皆为主所接受, 在天堂被抚养长大, 照神性秩序接受教导, 并充满对良善的情感, 再通过这些情感充满真理的知识; 后来则随着在聪明和智慧上不断被完善而逐渐被引入天堂, 成为天使. 凡理性思考的人都能确信, 所有人都为天堂而生, 没有人为地狱而生. 若人下入地狱, 负有责任的是他自己; 不过, 小孩子不能承担任何责任.
注: 洗礼表示被主藉由来自圣言的信之真理的重生(天国的奥秘 4255, 5120, 9088, 10239, 10386-10388, 10392节). 洗礼是受洗之人归属教会的标志, 教会是使人重生的主被承认和圣言所在之地, 而实现重生所凭借的信之真理皆来自圣言(天国的奥秘 10386-10388节). 洗礼既不赋予信仰, 也不赋予救恩, 只是见证那些正在重生的人要接受信仰和救恩(天国的奥秘 10391节).
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329. 天國中的孩子
一些人認為, 唯有教會出身的孩子才能上天國, 教外出身者不能, 因為教會出身的孩子受過洗, 藉洗禮萌生了教會的信仰。他們未曾意識到, 沒有人是憑洗禮上天國或萌生信心。洗禮只是人當重生的一個記號和提醒。教會出身的人能啟重生, 在於教會擁有聖言, 而聖言蘊含使重生成為可能的神性之理。主是重生之源, 而教會正是主被認識的地方。
但願人們知道, 每一個夭折的孩子, 不論出身教內還是教外, 也不論其父母是否虔誠, 死後皆為主所接收, 在天國被撫養長大, 依照神性之設計(或聖規)受教, 以致心中充滿對良善的渴望, 並由此獲得對真理的認知, 在聰明和智慧上不斷完善, 然後被引入天國, 成為天人。
憑理智思考的人不難看出, 沒有人是為地獄而生。相反, 每個人都是為天國而生。我們若到了地獄, 錯在自己, 但孩子還不能承擔任何責任。
329. Children in Heaven
Some people believe that only children born in the church get into heaven, not children born outside the church. They say this is because children born in the church are baptized and are introduced into the faith of the church by this baptism. They do not realize that no one gets either heaven or faith by baptism. Baptism serves only as a sign and reminder that we need to be reborn, and that people born in the church can be reborn because the Word is there, the Word that contains the divine truths that make regeneration possible. The church is where the Lord, who is the source of rebirth, is known. 1
May it be known, therefore, that every child who dies, no matter where he or she was born, within the church or outside it, of devout or irreverent parents, is accepted by the Lord after death, brought up in heaven, taught according to the divine design and filled with affections for what is good and through them with direct knowledge of the truth; and then, being continually perfected in intelligence and wisdom, all such individuals are led into heaven and become angels.
Anyone who thinks rationally can realize that no one is born for hell - everyone is born for heaven. We ourselves are to blame if we arrive in hell, but children are not yet liable for any blame.
Footnotes:
1. Baptism means regeneration by the Lord by means of truths of faith from the Word: 4255, 5120, 9089 [9088?], 10239, 10386-10388, 10392. Baptism is a sign that a person belongs to the church where the Lord, the source of rebirth, is acknowledged: 10386-10388. Baptism does not give either faith or salvation, but bears witness to the fact that the people who will be accepted [into heaven] will be the ones who have been reborn: 10391.
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329. LITTLE CHILDREN IN HEAVEN
It is a belief of some that only such little children as are born within the Church come into heaven, and that those born out of the Church do not. This, they say, is because the children within the Church have been baptized and by baptism have been initiated into the faith of the Church. Such are not aware that no one has heaven or faith through baptism; for baptism is merely for a sign and memorial that man is to be regenerated, and that those born within the Church can be regenerated because the Word is there, and in the Word are the Divine truths by means of which regeneration is effected, and there the Lord Who regenerates is known. 1Let them know therefore that every little child, wherever born, whether within the Church or outside it, whether of pious or impious parents, is received when he dies by the Lord and educated in heaven, and in accordance with Divine order taught and imbued with affections of good, and through these with cognitions of what is true. Afterwards, as he is perfected in intelligence and wisdom he is introduced into heaven and becomes an angel. Every one who thinks from reason can be sure that no one has been born for hell, but all are born for heaven, and if man comes into hell he himself is culpable; but little children cannot be held culpable as yet.
Footnotes:
1. Baptism signifies regeneration by the Lord by means of the truths of faith from the Word (Arcana Coelestia 4255, 5120, 9088, 10239, 10386-10388, 10392).
Baptism is a sign that the man baptized is of the Church in which the Lord, Who regenerates, is acknowledged, and where the Word is, from which are the truths of faith, by means of which regeneration is effected (Arcana Coelestia 10386-10388).
Baptism confers neither faith nor salvation, but it is a witness that those who are being regenerated will receive faith and salvation (Arcana Coelestia 10391).
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329. LITTLE CHILDREN IN HEAVEN.
It is a belief of some that only such children as are born within the church go to heaven, and that those born out of the church do not, and for the reason that the children within the church are baptized and by baptism are initiated into faith of the church. Such are not aware that no one receives heaven or faith through baptism; for baptism is merely for a sign and memorial that man should be regenerated, and that those born within the church can be regenerated because the Word is there, and in the Word are the Divine truths by means of which regeneration is effected, and there the Lord who regenerates is known. 1Let them know therefore that every child, wherever he is born, whether within the church or outside of it, whether of pious parents or impious, is received when he dies by the Lord and trained up in heaven, and taught in accordance with Divine order, and imbued with affections for what is good, and through these with knowledges of what is true; and afterwards as he is perfected in intelligence and wisdom is introduced into heaven and becomes an angel. Everyone who thinks from reason can be sure that all are born for heaven and no one for hell, and if man comes into hell he himself is culpable; but little children cannot be held culpable.
Footnotes:
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329. [XXXVII.] DE INFANTIBUS IN CAELO.
Quorundam fides est, quod modo infantes qui intra ecclesiam nati sunt, in caelum veniant, non autem qui extra ecclesiam: causam dicunt, quod infantes intra ecclesiam baptizati sint, et per baptismum initiati in fidem ecclesiae. Sed illi non sciunt, quod nulli per baptismum sit caelum, nec fides; est enim baptismus modo in signum et memoriale quod homo regenerandus sit, et quod regenerari possit qui intra ecclesiam natus est, quoniam ibi est Verbum, ubi Divina vera, per quae regeneratio, et ibi est Dominus notus a quo regeneratio. 1Sciant itaque, quod unusquisque infans, ubicunque natus est, sive intra ecclesiam sive extra illam, sive a parentibus piis sive ab impiis, cum moritur, recipiatur a Domino, et in caelo educetur, ac secundum Divinum ordinem doceatur et imbuatur affectionibus boni, et per illas cognitionibus veri et dein, sicut perficitur intelligentia et sapientia, introducatur in caelum, et fiat angelus. Unusquisque potest scire, qui ex ratione cogitat, quod nullus natus sit ad infernum, sed omnes ad caelum; et quod ipse homo sit in culpa, quod in infernum veniat, at quod infantes in nulla adhuc culpa possint esse.
Footnotes: