L17.现在要说一说除去罪是什么意思。除去罪与赎回并拯救人意思是一样的；因为主降世是为了使人可以得救。没有祂的降临，没有一个凡人能被改造并重生，从而得救。但主夺去魔鬼，也就是地狱的一切能力，并荣耀了祂的人身，也就是将其与祂父的神性合一后，这一切就成为可能。如果这些事没有完成，没有人能接受将与他同在的任何神性真理，更不能接受任何神性良善；因为在此之前，能力强大的魔鬼会把它们从他心里拔出来。
从这些考虑明显可知，主并未通过十字架受难除去罪；但对那些通过照祂的诫命生活而信祂的人来说，祂赶走了它们，也就是移走它们。主也在马太福音中教导了这一点：
莫想我来要废掉律法和先知。无论何人废掉这诫命中最小的一条，又教训人这样做，他在天国要称为最小的；但无论何人遵行这诫命，又教训人遵行，他在天国要称为大的。（马太福音5:17，19）
如果处于某种光照或启示，单凭理性，谁看不出若不通过实际的悔改，罪不可能从一个人那里被除去？而实际的悔改在于看到自己的罪，祈求主的帮助，停止这些罪。看见、相信并教导别的，不是来自主，也不是来自正常的理性，而是来自构成人之自我的欲望和堕落的意愿，他的聪明由此被贬低。
17. I need now to say something about the meaning of the Lord’s “taking up sins” [John 1:29]. His “taking up sins” means much the same as his redeeming us and saving us, since the Lord came into the world so that we could be saved; if he had not come no one could have been reformed and reborn and therefore saved. This could happen, though, after the Lord had taken all power away from the Devil-that is, from hell -and had glorified his human nature-that is, united it to the divine nature of his Father. If these things had not happened, no human beings could have accepted anything divinely true that dwelt within them, let alone anything divinely good, because the Devil, who had had the greater power before these events, would have snatched it from their hearts.
[2] We can see from all this that the Lord did not take away sins by his suffering on the cross, but that he does take away sins-that is, lay them aside-in those who believe in him and live by his commandments. This is what the Lord is telling us in Matthew:
Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law and the Prophets. Whoever breaks the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches [these commandments] will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. (Matthew 5:17, 19)
[3] Reason alone should convince anyone who is the least bit enlightened that sins can be taken away from us only by active repentance-that is, by our seeing our sins, begging the Lord for help, and desisting from them. To see and believe and teach anything else does not come from the Word or from sound reason but from the desire and ill intent that come from our own sense of self-importance-an attitude that corrupts our understanding.
17. We must now say something about what is meant by taking away sins. Taking away sins has the same meaning as the redeeming and saving of mankind. For the Lord came into the world to save mankind. Without His advent no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, thus saved. But this became possible after the Lord had taken away all power from the devil, that is, from hell, and had glorified His humanity, which is to say, had united it to the Divinity of His Father. If He had not done both of these, no one could have received any Divine truth and retained it in him, and still less any Divine goodness; for the devil, who previously had possessed a superior power, would have plucked these from his heart.
[2] It is apparent from this that by His suffering of the cross the Lord did not take away any sins, but that He bears them away, that is, removes them, in the case of people who believe in Him by living in accordance with His commandments. As the Lord also teaches in Matthew:
Do not think that I came to do away with the Law or the Prophets.... Whoever...breaks...the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17, 19)
[3] Everyone can see from reason alone, provided he possesses some enlightenment, that sins cannot be removed from a person except through the practice of actual repentance, which is for the person to see his sins, implore the Lord’s help, and desist from them.
To see, believe or teach anything else is not based on the Word, nor does it accord with sound reason, but it springs from lust and a corrupt will, which constitute a person’s native character and infatuate his intelligence.
17. Something will now be said regarding what is meant by taking away sins. By taking away sins is meant the same as by redeeming man and saving him; for the Lord came into the world that man might be saved. Without His Coming, no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, and thus saved: but this became possible after the Lord had taken away all power from the devil, that is, from hell, and had glorified His Human, that is, had united it to the Divine of His Father. If these things had not been done, no man could have received any Divine truth that would remain with him, and still less, any Divine good; for the devil, who prior to this had superior power, would have plucked them out of his heart.
[2] From these considerations it is manifest that the Lord did not take away sins by the passion of the cross; but that He takes them away, that is, removes them, with those who believe on Him by living according to His commandments. This the Lord also teaches in Matthew:
Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets.... Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of the heavens: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. Matthew 5:17, 19.
[3] Every one may see from reason alone, if he be in any enlightenment, that sins cannot be taken away from a man, except by actual repentance; and this consists in the man seeing his sins, imploring help from the Lord and desisting from them. To see, believe and teach otherwise, is not from the Word, nor is it from sound reason, but from lust and a depraved will, which constitute man's proprium, 1by which his intelligence is bemused.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin word proprium means "what is one's own." Swedenborg uses it in a special sense involving "what is of the self."
17. Something shall now be said of what is meant by taking away sins. To take away sins means the same as to redeem man, and to save him; for the Lord came into the world to render salvation possible to man. Without His advent no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, and so saved. But this became possible after the Lord had deprived the devil (that is, hell) of all his power; and had glorified His Human, that is, had united it to the Divine of His Father. If these things had not been done, no man would have been capable of permanently receiving any Divine truth, still less any Divine good; for the devil, whose power was previously the stronger, would have plucked it out of his heart.
[2] From what has been said it is evident that the Lord did not take away sins by the passion of the cross; but that He takes them away, that is, removes them, in those who believe in Him by living according to His commandments; as He also teaches in Matthew:
Think not that I am come to loosen the law and the prophets. Whosoever shall loosen the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:17, 19).
[3] Who cannot see from reason alone, provided he is in some enlightenment, that sins cannot be taken away from a man except by actual repentance, which consists in his seeing his sins, imploring the Lord's help, and desisting from them? To see, believe, and teach otherwise, is not from the Word, nor from sound reason, but from cupidity and a depraved will, which are proper to man, and from this comes the debasement of his intelligence.
17. Aliquid nunc dicetur, quid per "tollere peccata" intelligitur. Per "tollere peccata" simile intelligitur quod per redimere hominem, et salvare illum; nam Dominus in mundum venit ut salvari posset homo; absque Ipsius adventu nemo mortalium potuit reformari et regenerari, ita salvari; sed hoc potest fieri, postquam Dominus omnem potentiam Diabolo, hoc est, inferno, ademerat, et Humanum suum glorificaverat, hoc est, univerat Divino Patris sui: si haec non facta fuissent, nullus hominum potuisset recipere aliquod Divinum verum manens apud illum, et adhuc minus aliquod Divinum bonum; nam Diabolus, cui prius potentia superior erat, e corde illa evulsisset.
[2] Ex his patet quod Dominus per passionem crucis non abstulerit peccata; sed quod auferat illa, hoc est, removeat, apud illos qui credunt in Ipsum, vivendo secundum praecepta Ipsius: ut quoque Dominus docet apud Matthaeum,
"Nolite putare, quod venerim ad solvendum Legem et Prophetas. ...Quisquis solverit praeceptorum horum minimum, et docuerit ita homines, minimus vocabitur in regno caelorum; qui vero facit et docet, hic magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum" (5:17, 19).
[3] Quisque potest videre ex sola ratione, modo in aliqua illustratione sit, quod peccata non possint auferri homini, nisi quam per paenitentiam actualem, quae est, quod homo videat sua peccata, ac Domini opem imploret, et desistat ab illis. Aliud videre, credere et docere, non est ex Verbo, nec est ex sana ratione, sed ex cupiditate et prava voluntate, quae sunt proprium hominis, ex quo infatuatur intelligentia.