120.若没有主的救赎，罪孽和邪恶就会充斥尘世和灵界的整个基督教界。其原因有很多，其中一个原因是：每个人死后都会进入灵人界，在那里和之前一模一样。一进入灵人界，人难免与过世的父母兄弟和亲朋好友交谈。那时，丈夫先是寻找他的妻子，而妻子则寻找她的丈夫。他们通过与这些人接触而被带入各种外表看似绵羊、内心却像豺狼的人群当中，甚至那些曾过着虔诚生活的人也被这类人引入歧途。那个世界由于世所未闻的恶毒诡计而满是恶毒的人，如同绿池遍满蛙卵。
这就是与那里的恶人交往的后果。这一点因以下事实变得明显：人若与小偷或海盗共同生活一段时间，最后就会变得和他们一样；人若与奸夫淫妇生活在一起，很快就认为行淫没什么大不了；人若与亡命之徒混在一起，很快就不在乎对别人使用暴力。一切邪恶都具有传染性，好比瘟疫，仅仅通过呼吸或身体的臭气就能传染；还好比癌症或坏疽，先传到并感染附近部位，然后是较远的部位，直到整个身体被摧毁。正是每个人生来所进入的邪恶快乐造成这一切。
由此可见，若没有主的救赎，没有人能得救，天使也不会安然无恙。人避免毁灭的唯一庇护所就是主，因为祂说：
你们要常在我里面，我也常在你们里面。枝子若不常在葡萄树上，自己就不能结果子；你们若不常在我里面，也是这样。我是葡萄树，你们是枝子；常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子。因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。人若不常在我里面，就会被丢在外面枯干，扔在火里烧了。（约翰福音15:4－6）
120. 如果沒有主的救贖, 不公平與邪惡將會充斥物質世界和心靈世界的全部基督徒領域。理由很多, 其中之一是:人死後會進入靈界, 他們跟之前其實是一樣的。每個人初到時, 都無法避免地想和他的死去的父母,兄弟,親戚和朋友談話。那時, 每一個丈夫首先找他的妻子,每一位妻子先找其丈夫。相互聯繫後, 他們的配偶, 家人或朋友們, 就會把初到者帶到不同的社會群體之中, 那裡的人都是外表看似綿羊, 但內心像豺狼。這些初到者就會被這些豺狼腐蝕墮落, 哪怕他們生前有虔誠的宗教信仰。因為那裡的人還擁有一些人間未有的,可怕的伎倆, 那個世界就充滿了如此惡毒之人, 如同一個池塘因蛙卵滿塘而全然變綠。
[2]在那裡與惡人交往會發生傳染的效果。從下列情形你可明白:當你與小偷或海盜們相處久了, 最終你會變得和他們差不多。當你與淫男娼女呆久了, 就對姦淫之事不在乎了。如果你加入恐怖份子之列, 就會對傷害他人的行為不以為然。
一切邪惡都有傳染性, 如同瘟疫, 人張口呼吸就易被侵染。如同癌細胞或壞疽蔓延, 首先是附近區域, 接著更遠的地方, 最後整個身體被摧毀。
因為從出生開始, 我們都樂享邪惡。
[3]從以上陳述的觀點, 可以看出:如果沒有主的救贖, 無人能被拯救, 且沒有天人能繼續安然地生存。
為了免於滅亡, 我們可以奔向的唯一避難所, 就是主。因為祂說:你們要住在我裡面, 我就住在你們裡面。正如枝子,若不連在葡萄樹上, 憑著自己是不能結果子。你們若不住在我裡面, 也是這樣。我是葡萄樹, 你們是枝子。住在我裡面,而我住在他裡面的,這種人才能多結果子。因為離了我,你們就不能作什麼。人若不住在我裡面, 便像枝子扔在外面,枯乾了。人收集起來, 扔在火裡, 就燒掉了(約翰福音15:4-6)。
120. If there had been no redemption by the Lord, injustice and malice would have spread throughout the Christian realm in both worlds (the earthly and the spiritual).
There are many reasons for this. One is that all human beings after death come into the world of spirits. They are exactly the same then as they were before. When they first enter that world, none of them can be prevented from interacting with parents, siblings, relatives, and friends who have died. At that time every husband first looks for his wife and every wife looks for her husband. Their spouses as well as their family and friends introduce them into various social groups that include people who are outwardly like sheep but are inwardly like wolves. The newcomers are corrupted by these wolves - even the newcomers who have been particularly devoted to religion. Because of this, and also because of horrible practices that are unknown in the physical world, that world is as full of malicious people as a pond is green with frog's eggs.
[2] Interaction with evil people there has this contagious effect, as you can clearly see from the following similar situations: As you spend time with thieves or pirates you eventually become like them. As you live among adulterous men and promiscuous women, eventually you think nothing of adultery. If you join a rebel group, eventually you think nothing of doing violence to anyone.
All evils are contagious. They are like a plague you become infected with just by breathing in and out. They are like cancer and gangrene that spread and corrupt nearby areas, then more and more remote areas, until the whole body dies.
The cause: from birth we all enjoy evil.
[3] From the points made just now it can be clear that if the Lord had not brought about redemption, no human being could have been saved and no angels could have continued to exist in their state of integrity.
The sole and only direction in which to run for refuge is to the Lord, or else we perish. He says,
Live in me and I [shall live] in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it lives in the vine, the same goes for you unless you live in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me and I in them bear much fruit. For without me you can do nothing. If any do not live in me, they are cast out. Once dried they are thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:4-6)
120. There were many reasons why, but for redemption by the Lord, injustice and wickedness would have spread throughout the Christian peoples in either world, spiritual as well as natural. One of these is that everyone after death comes into the world of spirits, and is then exactly like what he was before. No one on arrival can be prevented from talking with his dead parents, brothers, relations and friends. Every husband then first seeks out his wife, every wife her husband. By these contacts of both kinds they are brought into the company of people who look outwardly like sheep, but inwardly resemble wolves. They are able to corrupt even those who led religious lives. Thus, as a result of unspeakable tricks unknown in the natural world, that world is filled with wickedness, like a pool covered with a green slime of frogs' spawn.
[2] The effect of keeping bad company there can be rendered plain to view by considering these parallels. If a person spends his time with thieves or pirates, he ends up by becoming like them; if he lives with adulterers and whores, he ends up by thinking adultery of no consequence. Again if he mixes with terrorists, he ends up by thinking nothing of using violence on anyone. All evils are contagious, and can be likened to a plague which infects people simply by their being exposed to the victims' breath; or to a cancer or gangrene which spreads, and makes first the surrounding parts, and then those further and further away, rot, until the whole body is destroyed. It is the pleasures of evil, to which everyone is prone from birth, that cause this.
[3] Now these facts will establish that but for the redemption effected by the Lord no one could be saved, nor could the angels remain unharmed The sole refuge to avoid destruction is to betake oneself to the Lord, for He says:
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch can bear no fruit by itself, but only if it remains part of the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Unless a person abides in me, he is cast out and withers, and is thrown into the fire and burnt, John 15:4-6.
120. There are several reasons why without redemption by the Lord iniquity and wickedness would have pervaded all Christendom, both in the natural world and in the spiritual world, one of which is, that every man goes after death into the world of spirits, and there he is wholly the same man as before. On entering that world, no one can be prevented from talking with departed parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Then every husband first seeks his wife, and every wife her husband, and by these they are introduced into the various companies of those who externally are lamb-like, but internally are like wolves; and by such even those who have lived pious lives are led astray. As a result of this and of nefarious arts unknown in the natural world, that world becomes as full of malicious persons as a green pond is with the spawn of frogs.
[2] That such is the result of association with the evil there is made evident by the fact that if one lives for a time with robbers and pirates he finally becomes like them; or if one lives with adulterers and harlots he soon thinks nothing of adultery; or if he mingles with outlaws he soon thinks nothing of doing violence to anyone. For all evils are contagious, and may be compared to a pestilence, which is communicated merely by the breath or the effluvia of the body; also to cancer or gangrene, which spreads and infects first the nearer and then the remoter parts, until the whole body is destroyed. The delights of evil into which every man is born, are the cause.
[3] From all this it can be seen that without redemption by the Lord no man could be saved, nor could the angels be continued in a state of integrity. The only refuge from destruction for anyone is the Lord, who says:
Abide in Me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me he is cast forth and is withered, and cast into the fire and burned (John 15:4-6).
120. Had it not been for the redemption effected by the Lord, iniquity and wickedness would now be widespread throughout the whole of Christendom both in the natural and in the spiritual world. There are many reasons for this, and among them may be mentioned the following. Every man after death enters the world of spirits, and is there exactly as he was before death; and no one, on his entrance there, can be prevented from conversing with departed parents, brothers, relatives and friends. Every husband then first seeks his wife, and every wife her husband; and they are introduced by each other to various groups of acquaintances, who outwardly appear like sheep, but inwardly are like wolves, and even those who have lived pious lives are corrupted by them. In this way, and by nefarious arts unknown in the natural world, the world of spirits is as filled with the wicked as a green stagnant pool is with the spawn of frogs.
[2] Association with the evil there produces this result, as may appear from these considerations: that whoever associates with robbers or pirates at length becomes like them; and whoever lives with adulterers and harlots comes to make light of adultery; and whoever makes common cause with outlaws, does not scruple at length to do violence to any one. For all evils are contagious, and they may be compared to the plague, which is communicated merely by the breath of emanation from the infected. They may also be compared to cancer or gangrene, which spreads slowly, infecting first the nearer and then remoter parts, till at last the whole body is destroyed: the delights of evil, into which every man is born, are the cause of this.
[3] Hence, then, it may appear evident, that without redemption by the Lord, no man could be saved, nor could the angels remain in their state of integrity. The only refuge from destruction for any one is in the Lord; for He says:
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered: and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" John 15:4-6.
120. Quod absque Redemptione a Domino iniquitas et malitia pervagaretur totum orbem Christianum in utroque Mundo, Naturali et Spirituali, sunt plures causae, inter quas etiam haec est, quia omnis homo post mortem in Mundum spirituum venit, et tunc sibi prorsus similis est, qualis prius, ac in introitu nemo arceri potest a colloquio cum defunctis parentibus, fratribus, affinibus et amicis; quisque maritus tunc primum quaerit uxorem suam, et quaeque uxor maritum suum, et ab his et illis introducuntur in varia consortia talium, qui extrinsecus sicut oves apparent, ac intrinsecus sicut lupi sunt, et ab his pervertuntur etiam illi, qui pietati studuerunt; inde, et ex artibus nefandis in Mundo naturali ignotis, ille Mundus ita repletus est malitiosis, prout stagnum ex ovulis ranarum viridescens;
[2] quod consortia cum malis ibi hoc etiam efficiant, ex his conspicuum reddi potest, est enim sicut quis commoratur cum praedonibus aut piratis, tandem fit illis similis: atque est sicut quis habitat cum adulteris et scortis, tandem adulteria pro nihilo reputat, est quoque sicut qui se immiscet rebellibus, tandem nihili facit violentias inferre cuicunque: omnia enim mala sunt contagiosa, et comparari possunt pesti, quae ex sola aspiratione et exhalatione inficit; et quoque cancro et gangraenae, quae serpit et putrefacit vicina et successive remotiora, usque dum totum corpus perit; jucunda mali, in quae quisque nascitur, in causa sunt.
[3] Ex his nunc constare potest, quod absque Redemptione a Domino, nullus salvari possit, nec Angeli in statu integritatis subsistere: unicum refugium, ne quis pereat, est ad Dominum, nam dicit, Manete in Me, etiam Ego in vobis, quemadmodum palmes non potest fructum ferre a se ipso, nisi manserit in vite; ita vos nisi in Me manseritis: Ego sum Vitis, vos palmites; qui manet in Me, et Ego in illo, hic fert 1 fructum multum; quia sine Me non potestis facere quicquam: nisi quis manserit in Me, ejectus est foras, et arefactus in ignem conjicitur, et comburitur, Johannes 15:4-6.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: fort.