369．⑴正是与神的结合使人获得救赎和永生。人受造是为了能与神结合。因为他既被造为天堂居民，也被造为尘世居民。只要是天堂居民，他就是属灵的，而只要是尘世居民，他就是属世的。属灵之人能思想神并觉察诸如属乎神的那类事物；他还能爱神，被来自神的事物所吸引；由此可知，他能与神结合。人能思想神并觉察诸如属乎神的那类事物，这是千真万确，毋庸置疑的。因为他能思想神的一体，神的存在（实体），就是耶和华，思想神的无限和永恒、构成神本质的圣爱和圣智，神的全能、全知、全在；也能思想主救主，祂的儿子，救赎和调解；还能思想圣灵，最后思想圣三一；所有这一切都是关乎神的观念，事实上就是神。此外，他能思想神的活动，它们主要是信和仁，以及从这二者所发出的其它事。
人不仅能思想神，还能思想爱祂，这一点从关于神自己的两条诫命明显可知，它们是：
你要尽心、尽性、尽意，爱主你的神。这是诫命中的第一、且是最大的。其次也相妨、就是要爱邻如己。（马太福音22:37，38，39；申命记6:5）
人也能履行主的诫命，这就是爱主，这从以下经文明显可知：
耶稣说：“有了我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的；爱我的必蒙我父爱他，我也要爱他，并且要向他显现”。（约翰福音14:21）
此外，信不就是藉着属于理解力，因而属于思维的真理与神结合吗？爱不就是藉着属于意愿，因而属于情感的各种良善与神结合吗？神与人的结合是在属世层面的属灵结合；而人与神的结合是源于属灵层面的属世结合。人既受造为天堂居民，同时又受造为尘世居民的目的就在于这结合。作为天堂居民，他是属灵的；作为尘世居民，他是属世的。所以，人若变得既属灵－理性，又属灵－道德，就会与神结合，并通过该结合获得救赎和永生。而另一方面，人若纯粹是属世－理性，又是属世－道德，诚然会有神与人的结合，却没有了人与神的结合。这是灵性死亡的根源，就其本身而已，灵性死亡就是脱离属灵生命的属世生命；因为在这种情况下，那里面有神生命的灵性在人里面灭绝了。
369. (1)與上帝的聯合提供了人的拯救與永生。
人被造時便有與上帝聯合的能力, 因為人被造為天國居民, 同時也為人間居民。屬靈之人能思想上帝並領會與上帝相關的觀念; 還能愛上帝, 被上帝而來的所吸引。於是可知, 人能夠與上帝聯合。
人能夠思想上帝並領會與上帝相關的觀念, 這是毋庸置疑的。人能思考上帝的唯一性; 上帝的根本就是耶和華; 上帝的無垠與永恆; 聖仁與聖智構成上帝的本質; 上帝的全能,全知和全在。還能思考祂的兒子主拯救者, 關於主的救贖。還能思考聖靈與聖三一。這一切都關於上帝, 事實上, 就是上帝。此外, 還能思考上帝的作為與影響, 主要是採取信與義的方式, 除此以外, 還有從信與義所發出的許多事情。
[2]從以下兩條誡命可以看出, 人不僅能思想上帝, 還能愛上帝:你要盡心,盡性,盡意愛主你的上帝。這是誡命中的第一,且是最大的。其次也相妨,就是要愛鄰舍如己(馬太福音22:37-39;申命記6:5)。
人也能履行主的命令, 這就是愛主。可從以下經文得知:耶穌說:"有了我的命令又遵守的,這人就是愛我的．愛我的必蒙我父愛他,我也要愛他,並且要向他顯現"(約翰福音14:21)。
[3]實際上, 信, 不就是憑藉那些形成認知與想法的真理來與上帝聯合嗎？仁, 不就是憑藉那些形成意志與願望的良善來與上帝聯合嗎？上帝與人的連接, 是屬靈的連接建立在屬世的平臺上; 人與上帝的連接, 則是屬世的連接源自於屬靈的平臺。正是為了如此連接的目的, 人於是被造成天國居民, 同時為人間居民。作為天國居民, 人是屬靈的; 作為人間居民, 人是屬世的。因此, 當人變得屬靈的理性, 同時屬靈的道德時, 他就與上帝建立聯合的關係。如此關係帶來拯救與永生。
但是, 人若只是屬世的理性, 以及屬世的道德, 上帝當然與他聯合, 只是他並不與上帝聯合。這樣的結果會帶來靈性的死亡——只有屬世的生命, 而無屬靈的生命, 因為上帝的生命居於其中的靈性, 對他而言已經熄滅。
369. (a) Our partnership with God is what gives us salvation and eternal life. Human beings were created with the capability of being in a partnership with God. We were created to be citizens of heaven and also citizens of the world. We are spiritual so we can be citizens of heaven and earthly so we can be citizens of the world. Our spiritual self is capable of thinking about God and perceiving things that relate to God. It is also capable of loving God and being moved by things that come from God. It follows that we are able to be in a partnership with God.
Our ability to think about God and to perceive things that come from God is completely beyond the reach of doubt. We are capable of thinking about God's unity; about God's underlying reality, which is Jehovah; about God's immensity and eternity; about the divine love and wisdom that constitute God's essence; and about God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. We are capable of thinking about the Lord our Savior, his Son, and about his redemption and mediation. We can also think about the Holy Spirit and about the divine Trinity. All these things relate to God; in fact, they are God. Beyond this, we can think about God's influence, which primarily takes the form of faith and goodwill, not to mention many things that emanate from faith and goodwill.
[2] The fact that we are capable of not only thinking about God but also loving God is clear from the two commandments of God himself that read like this:
You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it: you are to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5)
We are also capable of doing what God commands, which is the same as loving God and being loved by God, as the following words show:
Jesus said, "The people who love me are those who have my commandments and follow them. Those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and manifest myself to them. " (John 14:21)
[3] In fact, what else is faith but a partnership with God by means of truths that shape our understanding and thought? What else is love but a partnership with God through goodness that shapes our intentions and desires? God's connection to us is a spiritual connection that comes to an earthly plane; our connection to God is an earthly connection that comes from a spiritual plane.
The ultimate purpose in creating us citizens of heaven and also citizens of the world was this partnership. As citizens of heaven we are spiritual and as citizens of the world we are earthly. Therefore if we become spiritual-and-rational and also spiritual-and-moral, we forge a partnership with God. Through this partnership we have salvation and eternal life.
On the other hand, if we are only earthly-and-rational and earthly-and-moral, God is indeed connected to us but we are not connected to him. The result of this is spiritual death (which by definition is earthly life without spiritual life), because spirituality, in which the life of God exists, has been extinguished in us.
369. (i) It is being linked with God, which affords a person salvation and everlasting life.
Man was created to be capable of being linked with God. For he was created a native of heaven and also a native of the world. In so far as he is a native of heaven, he is spiritual, but in so far as he is a native of the world, he is natural. A spiritual person can think about God and grasp ideas relating to God; he can also love God, and be attracted by what comes from God. It follows from this that he can be linked with God.
It is beyond the remotest possibility of doubt that a person can think about God, and grasp ideas relating to God. For he can think about the oneness of God, about the being of God, which is Jehovah, the immensity and eternity of God, Divine love and Divine wisdom, which comprise the essence of God, His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence; about the Lord the Saviour His Son, and redemption and mediation; also about the Holy Spirit, and finally about the Divine Trinity. All of these are ideas relating to God; in fact, they are God. He can, moreover, think about the activities of God, which are in the first place faith and charity, as well as many other things which come forth from these two.
[2] It is evident that a person can not only think about God, but also love God, from the two commandments of God Himself, which run like this:
You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. This is the first and great commandment. The second is similar to it: you are to love your neighbour as yourself, Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5.
It is evident from the following passage that a person can perform God's commandments, and that this is loving God:
Jesus said, He who has my commandments and does them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him, John 14:21.
[3] Furthermore, what is faith but a link with God by means of truths, which belong to the understanding and thus to thought; and what is love but being linked with God by means of various kinds of good, which belong to the will and thus to the affection? God's link with man is a spiritual link in the natural; and man's link with God is a natural link derived from the spiritual. It was for the purpose of this linking that man was created a native of heaven and at the same time of the world. As a native of heaven he is spiritual, and as a native of the world he is natural. So if a person becomes spiritually rational and at the same time spiritually moral, he is linked to God, and this link affords him salvation and everlasting life. However, if a person is only naturally rational and also naturally moral, God is certainly linked with him, but he is not linked with God. The result is his spiritual death, which considered in itself is natural life devoid of spiritual life; for the spirituality, in which is God's life, in his case is extinguished.
369. (1) It is by conjunction with God that man has salvation and eternal life. Man was so created as to be capable of conjunction with God; for he was created a native of heaven and also of the world, and so far as he is a native of heaven he is spiritual, while so far as he is a native of the world he is natural; and the spiritual man can think of God and perceive such things as are of God; he can also love God, and be affected by what is from God; from which it follows that he is capable of conjunction with God. That man can think of God and can perceive such things as are of God, is beyond all doubt; for he can think of the unity of God, of the Esse of God, which is Jehovah, of the immensity and eternity of God, of the Divine love and wisdom, which constitute the Essence of God, of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; of the Lord the Savior His Son, and of redemption and mediation; also of the Holy Spirit, and finally of the Divine trinity; all of which are of God, yea, are God. Moreover, he can think also of the operations of God, which are chiefly faith and charity, and of other things which proceed from these two.
[2] That man is capable not only of thinking about God but also of loving Him is evident from the two commandments of God Himself, which read thus:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5).
That man is able to obey God's commandments, and that this is loving Him and being loved by Him, is evident from the following:
Jesus said, He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself unto him (John 14:21).
[3] Furthermore, what is faith but conjunction with God by means of truths which belong to the understanding, and thence to thought? And what is love but conjunction with God by means of the goods that belong to the will, and thence to affection? God's conjunction with man is a spiritual conjunction within the natural; and man's conjunction with God is a natural conjunction from the spiritual. For the sake of this conjunction as an end, man was created a native both of heaven and of the world. As a native of heaven he is spiritual, as a native of the world he is natural. If, therefore, man becomes spiritual-rational and also spiritual-moral, he is conjoined with God, and through that conjunction he has salvation and eternal life. But on the other hand, if man is merely natural-rational and also natural-moral, there is indeed a conjunction of God with man, but not conjunction of man with God. This is the source of spiritual death, which viewed in itself is natural life apart from spiritual life; for the spiritual, in which there is the life of God, is then extinct in man.
369. (1) It is by conjunction with God that a man has salvation and eternal life. Man was created that he might be united with God; for he was created a native of heaven and also of the world. So far as he is a native of heaven he is spiritual, but so far as he is a native of the world he is natural; and the spiritual man has power to think of God, to perceive what relates to Him, and also to love Him and be affected by what proceeds from Him. It follows, therefore, that he is capable of being conjoined with God. It is beyond all risk of doubt that a man has power to think of God and to perceive what relates to Him. For he has power to think of the unity of God, of the Being of God, which is Jehovah; of the immensity and eternity of God; of the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, which constitute His Essence; of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; of the Lord the Savior His Son, and of redemption and mediation; also of the Holy Spirit; and finally of the Divine Trinity. All these relate to God, and in fact they are God. Moreover, a man can think of the operations of God, which are principally faith and charity, besides the many other things that proceed from these.
[2] A man has power not only to think of God but also to love Him, as is evident from the two commandments of God Himself, which are thus expressed:
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul... This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5.
That a man can do God's commandments, and that this is to love Him, is evident from these words:
Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" John 14:21.
[3] Moreover, faith is simply conjunction with God by means of truths, which are matters of the understanding, and consequently of thought; and love is conjunction with God by means of good, which is a matter of the will, and consequently of the affection.
God's conjunction with man is a spiritual union within the natural, and man's conjunction with God is a natural union from the spiritual. For the sake of this conjunction as an end in view, man was created a native of heaven and also of the world; as a native of heaven he is spiritual, and as a native of the world he is natural. If, therefore, he becomes spiritually rational, and at the same time spiritually moral, he is conjoined with God, and by conjunction has salvation and eternal life. On the other hand, if a man is only naturally rational, and also naturally moral, there is indeed God's conjunction with him, but no conjunction of him with God. As a result there comes over him spiritual death, which in itself is natural life devoid of the spiritual; for the spiritual, in which the life of God resides, has been suppressed within him.
369. I. QUOD CONJUNCTIO 1 CUM DEO SIT, PER QUAM HOMINI SALUS ET VITA AETERNA. Homo creatus est, ut possit conjungi Deo, est enim creatus Indigena Coeli, et quoque Indigena Mundi, et quatenus est indigena Coeli, est ille spiritualis, at quatenus est indigena Mundi, est ille naturalis, et Spiritualis homo potest cogitare de Deo, et percipere talia quae Dei sunt, et quoque potest amare Deum, et affici illis quae a Deo sunt; ex quibus sequitur, quod possit conjungi Deo. Quod homo possit cogitare de Deo, et percipere talia quae Dei sunt, extra omnem dubitationis aleam est, potest enim cogitare de Unitate Dei, de Esse Dei quod est Jehovah, de Immensitate et Aeternitate Dei, de Divino Amore et Divina Sapientia, quae faciunt Essentiam Dei, de Omnipotentia, Omniscientia, et Omnipraesentia Dei; de Domino Salvatore Filio Ipsius, deque Redemptione et Mediatione; tum etiam de Spiritu sancto, et denique de Divina Trinitate; quae omnia sunt Dei, imo sunt Deus; et insuper de Operationibus Dei, quae principaliter sunt Fides et Charitas, praeter plura quae ab illis duabus procedunt.
[2] Quod homo non modo possit cogitare de Deo, sed etiam amare Deum, constat ex duobus Ipsius Dei Mandatis, quae ita sonant, Amabis Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua; hoc est Primum et Magnum Mandatum: secundum simile est illi, amabis proximum tuum sicut teipsum, Matthaeus 22:35, 36, 37, 2 Deuteronomius 6:5. Quod homo possit facere praecepta Dei, et quod hoc sit amare Deum, et amari a Deo, constat ex his, Jesus dixit, qui habet praecepta mea, et facit illa, ille est qui amat Me; qui 3 vero amat Me, amabitur a Patre meo, et Ego amabo illum, et manifestabo illi Meipsum, Johannes 14:21.
[3] Praeterea, quid Fides aliud, quam conjunctio cum Deo per vera, quae intellectus et inde cogitationis sunt; et quid Amor nisi conjunctio cum Deo per bona quae voluntatis et inde affectionis sunt. Conjunctio Dei cum homine est Conjunctio spiritualis 4 in naturali; et Conjunctio hominis cum Deo, est conjunctio naturalis a spirituali. Propter hanc Conjunctionem ut finem, Homo creatus est Indigena Coeli, et simul Mundi; ut Indigena Coeli est ille spiritualis, ac ut Indigena Mundi est ille naturalis: si itaque Homo fit Spiritualis rationalis et simul Spiritualis moralis, est ille conjunctus Deo, et per conjunctionem est illi salus et vita aeterna; ast vero si homo est modo naturalis rationalis et quoque naturalis moralis, est quidem conjunctio Dei cum illo, sed non conjunctio illius cum Deo, inde illi est mors spiritualis, quae in se spectata est vita naturalis absque spirituali; est enim spirituale, in quo vita Dei est, apud illum exstinctum.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: CONJUNSTIO.
2. Sic Schmidt, sed 22:37-39 apud Novum Testamentum Graecum et Biblia Anglica.