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528. 五十五, 过通往天堂的生活并不像人们想的那么难
一些人以为过通往天堂的生活, 也就是所谓的属灵生活, 是很难的, 因为他们听说, 人必须弃绝尘世, 必须摆脱肉体和血气的情欲, 必须过属灵的生活; 他们将这一切理解为抛弃世俗的利益, 尤其涉及金钱和声望的; 终日虔诚地默想神, 救恩, 永生; 在祷告, 阅读圣言和宗教文献中度过一生. 对于弃绝尘世, 在灵里, 而非血气中生活, 他们就是这么想的. 然而, 我通过大量经历, 以及与天使的交谈得知, 实际情况完全不是这样. 事实上, 我已获知, 那些弃绝尘世, 在灵里以这种方式生活的人过着悲伤的生活, 一种不接受天堂喜乐的生活, 因为每个人死后的生活仍保持原样. 相反, 要接受天堂的生活, 人必须融入世界, 履职尽责, 参与各项事务, 通过尘世的道德, 文明生活接受属灵生命. 舍此途, 属灵生命就无法在人里面得以形成, 或他的灵无法为天堂做好准备; 因为过一种内在生活, 同时却未过一种外在生活, 就像住在一个没有地基, 逐渐下陷, 开裂并破碎, 或摇摇欲坠直至倒塌的房子里.
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528. 活出天國的生活沒有想像的那麼難
一些人認為, 過通往天國的生活, 即所謂的"灵性生活,"是很難的。因為他們聽說, 要過這種生活, 就得避世禁欲。他們將之理解為放棄世俗的利益, 特別是名利地位, 終日虔誠地默想上帝, 救恩, 永生, 一心恒務祈禱, 讀經。然而, 通過大量的經歷和與天人的交流, 我得知實際情況迥非如此。事實上, 以這種方式摒棄世俗, 過所謂灵性生活的人是活在哀傷之中, 無從接受天國之樂, 因為人死後將延續他之前的生活方式。
相反, 要接受天國的生命, 人當盡心盡力活在啟世當中, 參與其中, 盡各自的責任和義務。那樣, 通過道德, 文明的生活, 靈性的生命在人心裡逐漸成形。舍此途, 靈魂無從為天國做好準備。因為缺乏社會生活的灵性生活好比一個沒有地基的房屋, 逐漸開裂, 搖晃, 直至倒塌。
528. It Is Not So Hard to Lead a Heaven-Bound Life as People Think It Is
Some people believe it is hard to lead the heaven-bound life that is called "spiritual" because they have heard that we need to renounce the world and give up the desires attributed to the body and the flesh and "live spiritually." All they understand by this is spurning worldly interests, especially concerns for money and prestige, going around in constant devout meditation about God, salvation, and eternal life, devoting their lives to prayer, and reading the Word and religious literature. They think this is renouncing the world and living for the spirit and not for the flesh. However, the actual case is quite different, as I have learned from an abundance of experience and conversation with angels. In fact, people who renounce the world and live for the spirit in this fashion take on a mournful life for themselves, a life that is not open to heavenly joy, since our life does remain with us [after death]. No, if we would accept heaven's life, we need by all means to live in the world and to participate in its duties and affairs. In this way, we accept a spiritual life by means of our moral and civic life; and there is no other way a spiritual life can be formed within us, no other way our spirits can be prepared for heaven. This is because living an inner life and not an outer life at the same time is like living in a house that has no foundation, that gradually either settles or develops gaping cracks or totters until it collapses.
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528. IT IS NOT SO DIFFICULT TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT LEADS TO HEAVEN AS IS BELIEVED
There are some who believe that to live the life that leads to heaven, which is called the spiritual life, is difficult, because they have heard that man must renounce the world, must divest himself of the lusts called the lusts of the body and the flesh, and must live spiritually; and they take this to mean that they must discard worldly things, which consist chiefly in riches and honours; that they must walk continually in pious meditation about God, salvation, and eternal life; and must spend their life in prayers and in reading the Word and pious books. They suppose these things to be renouncing the world, and living in the spirit and not in the flesh. But that the fact is entirely different has been given me to know by much experience and from conversation with the angels. I have learned, indeed, that those who renounce the world and live in the spirit in this manner acquire a sorrowful life that is not receptive of heavenly joy, since everyone's life continues the same after death. On the contrary, to receive the life of heaven a man must needs live in the world and engage in the duties and employments there, and by means of a moral and civil life receive the spiritual life. In no other way can the spiritual life be formed with man, or his spirit prepared for heaven; for to live an internal life and not at the same time an external life is like dwelling in a house that has no foundation, that gradually sinks or becomes cracked and rent asunder, or totters till it falls.
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528. IT IS NOT SO DIFFICULT TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT LEADS TO HEAVEN AS IS BELIEVED.
There are some who believe that to live the life that leads to heaven, which is called the spiritual life, is difficult, because they have been told that man must renounce the world, must divest himself of the lusts called the lusts of the body and the flesh, and must live spiritually; and they understand this to mean that they must discard worldly things, which consist chiefly in riches and honors; that they must walk continually in pious meditation on God, salvation, and eternal life; and must spend their life in prayers and in reading the Word and pious books. Such is their idea of renouncing the world, and living in the spirit and not in the flesh. But that this is not at all true it has been given me to know by much experience and from conversation with the angels. I have learned, in fact, that those who renounce the world and live in the spirit in this manner acquire a sorrowful life that is not receptive of heavenly joy, since everyone's life continues the same after death. On the contrary, to receive the life of heaven a man must needs live in the world and engage in its business and employments, and by means of a moral and civil life there receive the spiritual life. In no other way can the spiritual life be formed in man, or his spirit prepared for heaven; for to live an internal life and not at the same time an external life is like dwelling in a house that has no foundation, that gradually sinks or becomes cracked and rent asunder, or totters till it falls.
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528. [LV.] QUOD NON TAM DIFFICILE SIT AGERE VITAM QUAE DUCIT AD CAELUM, SICUT CREDITUR.
Quidam credunt, quod agere vitam quae ducit ad caelum, quae vita spiritualis vocatur, difficile sit, ex causa quia audiverant quod homo abdicaturus sit mundum, et se deprivaturus concupiscentiis, quae dicuntur corporis et carnis, et quod victurus spiritualis quae non aliter capiunt quam quod rejecturi sint mundana, quae sunt praecipue divitiae et honores, ituri continue in pia meditatione de Deo, de salute, et de vita aeterna, ac vitam acturi in precibus, in lectione Verbi ac piorum librorum; haec putant esse abdicare mundum, ac vivere spiritu et non carne, Sed quod res prorsus se aliter habeat, a multa experientia, et ex collocutione cum angelis, scire datum est; immo quod qui abdicant mundum et vivunt spiritu eo modo, comparent sibi vitam tristem, quae non receptibilis est gaudii caelestis, nam unumquemvis sua vita manet; sed ut homo vitam caeli recipiat, quod omnino victurus sit in mundo, ac in officiis et negotiis ibi, et quod tunc per vitam moralem et civilem recipiat spiritualem, et quod non aliter vita spiritualis apud hominem possit formari, seu spiritus ejus praeparari ad caelum. Nam vivere internam vitam et non simul externam, est sicut habitare in domo cui non est fundamentum, quae successive vel subsidit, vel rimas ducit et hiat, vel nutat usque dum dilabitur.