581.救赎的章节已说明，救赎和十字架受难是截然不同的两件事，决不可混淆，主藉这两件事拿回重生与拯救人类的权柄。由于当今教会接受十字架受难等同于救赎本身的信仰，导致有关神、仁、信，以及如链条的环节一样依赖于这三要素的所有其它事物的一系列可怕虚假，如雨后春笋般涌出来。比如，有关神的信仰是，祂决定诅咒人类，但又甘愿通过将这诅咒加到圣子身上，或由圣子担当它而重施怜悯；并且只有那些通过预见或预定而被恩赐基督功德的人才能得救。由这一谬论又孵化出那信的另一谬论，即被恩赐信的人会瞬间重生，无需自己的任何合作，甚至还声称，他们因此被免除了律法的定罪，不再受制于律法，而是在恩典之下，罔顾主说的话，即祂不会废去律法的一点一画（马太福音5:18，19；路加福音16:17），祂吩咐自己的门徒传讲悔改，使罪得赦（路加福音24:47；马可福音6:12）。祂还说：
神的国近了！你们当悔改，信福音！（马可福音1:15）
“福音”意味着他们能重生并因此得救。若主没有进行救赎，即通过与地狱争战并战胜它而夺去地狱的力量，若主没有荣耀祂的人性，即使之成圣，那么这一切不可能发生。
581. 救赎的章节已说明, 救赎和十字架受难是截然不同的两件事, 决不可混淆, 主藉这两件事拿回重生与拯救人类的权柄。 由于当今教会接受十字架受难等同于救赎本身的信仰, 导致有关神, 仁, 信, 以及如链条的环节一样依赖于这三要素的所有其它事物的一系列可怕虚假, 如雨后春笋般涌出来。 比如, 有关神的信仰是, 祂决定诅咒人类, 但又甘愿通过将这诅咒加到圣子身上, 或由圣子担当它而重施怜悯; 并且只有那些通过预见或预定而被恩赐基督功德的人才能得救。 由这一谬论又孵化出那信的另一谬论, 即被恩赐信的人会瞬间重生, 无需自己的任何合作, 甚至还声称, 他们因此被免除了律法的定罪, 不再受制于律法, 而是在恩典之下, 罔顾主说的话, 即祂不会废去律法的一点一画 (马太福音5:18-19; 路加福音16:17), 祂吩咐自己的门徒传讲悔改, 使罪得赦 (路加福音24:47;马可福音6:12)。 祂还说:
神的国近了! 你们当悔改, 信福音! (马可福音1:15)
“福音”意味着他们能重生并因此得救。 若主没有进行救赎, 即通过与地狱争战并战胜它而夺去地狱的力量, 若主没有荣耀祂的人性, 即使之成圣, 那么这一切不可能发生。
581. The chapter on redemption showed that the Lord's redemption and his suffering on the cross were two distinct things, and they should not in any way be confused with each other [126-133]. That chapter also taught that both redemption and the suffering on the cross allowed the Lord to take on the power to regenerate and save people.
The received faith in the church of today that claims the suffering on the cross was redemption itself has led to hordes of horrible falsities about God, faith, goodwill, and all the other teachings that hang like unbroken chains on these three. Take, for example, the belief that God locked the human race into damnation, but was willing to be brought back to a merciful outlook by the imposition of that damnation on his Son, or by the Son's taking that damnation upon himself. Or take the belief that the only people who are saved are those who, whether through God's foresight or predestination, are granted Christ's merit. Another concept hatched from the mistaken idea mentioned above is the belief that those people who have been gifted with that faith are simultaneously regenerated without any cooperation on their part; indeed, that those people have therefore been released from the damnation of the law and are no longer under the law but under grace.
Yet the Lord said that he would not take away even the tip of one letter of the law (Matthew 5:18-19; Luke 16:17); and said to his disciples that they should preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47; Mark 6:12). And he himself said, "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). The gospel here means the good news that we can be regenerated and therefore saved. This would not have been possible if the Lord had not brought about redemption, that is, if he had not taken power away from hell through battles against it and victories over it, and if he had not glorified his human manifestation, that is, made it divine.
581. I showed in the chapter on redemption that redemption and the passion on the cross were two distinct things and must on no account be confused; and that the Lord by both of them took to Himself the power of regenerating and saving human beings. The accepted belief of the present-day church, that the passion on the cross actually was the redemption, has given rise to serried ranks of horrid falsities, about God, faith, charity, and everything else which depends upon these three like links in a chain. As, for instance, the belief that God decided to damn the human race, but was willing to be recalled to mercy by imposing the damnation on the Son, or by the Son taking it upon Himself; and that only those are saved who are granted Christ's merit by foresight or by predestination. That fallacy also spawned this dogma of their faith, that those who are granted that faith are instantly regenerated without any co-operation on their part. In fact it is said that they are thus absolved of the damnation due by law, and are no longer subject to the law, but to grace, despite the fact that the Lord said that He took away not so much as a stroke of the law (Matthew 5:18-19; Luke 16:17); and He commanded His disciples to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47; Mark 6:12). He also said:
The kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the good news, Mark 1:15.
The good news meant is that they could be regenerated and so saved. This could not have happened if the Lord had not carried out the redemption, that is, if He had not taken the power away from hell by struggling against it and defeating it, and if He had not glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine.
581. That redemption and the passion of the cross are two distinct things and by no means to be confounded, and that by means of both the Lord took to Himself the power to regenerate and save men, has been shown in the chapter on Redemption. From the accepted faith of the church of today respecting the passion of the cross, as being redemption itself, have sprung throngs of horrible falsities respecting God, faith, charity and other things that in a continuous chain depends on these three; as, respecting God, that He had determined upon the damnation of the human race, and that He was willing to be brought back to mercy by the imposition of that damnation upon His Son, or by the Son's taking it upon Himself, and that only those were saved who by foreknowledge or predestination have Christ's merit bestowed upon them. From this fallacy another belonging to that faith has been hatched, namely, that those upon whom that faith has been bestowed, are at the same time regenerated without any cooperation on their part; and even that they have thus been absolved from the condemnation of the law, and are no longer under the law, but under grace, and this although the Lord has said,
That He did not take away one tittle of the law (Matthew 5:18, 19; Luke 16:17),
and also commanded His disciples:
To preach repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47; Mark 6:12).
He also said:
The kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15);
"the gospel" meaning that they can be regenerated and thus saved, which they could not have been unless the Lord had wrought redemption, that is, had deprived hell of its power by combats against it and victories over it, and unless He had glorified His Human, that is, had made it Divine.
581. It has been shown in the chapter on Redemption that redemption and the passion of the cross are two distinct things which must not be confused; and that the Lord, by means of both, took to Himself the power of regenerating and saving mankind. From the prevailing faith of the present Church that the passion of the cross constituted redemption itself, legions of detestable falsities have arisen respecting God, faith, charity, and the other subjects that are linked to these in one continuous chain. There is, for instance, the belief that God determined the condemnation of the human race; that He was willing to be brought back to mercy by that condemnation being placed upon the Son, or taken upon Himself by the Son; and that only those are saved to whom is granted the merit of Christ either by foreknowledge or by predestination. This delusion has led to another, namely, that those who are gifted with that faith are instantly regenerated, without any co-operation on their part; in fact, that they are thus delivered from the condemnation of the law, being no longer under the law, but under grace; and this, notwithstanding the Lord's declaration,
That He would not take away one tittle of the law, Matthew 5:18-19; Luke 16:17;
and His command to His disciples,
That they should preach repentance for the remission of sins, Luke 24:47; Mark 6:12;
and His express words,
"The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel" Mark 1:15.
By the Gospel is meant, that they can be regenerated and thus saved. This would not be possible unless the Lord had wrought redemption, that is, unless by His combats against hell and His victories over it He had deprived it of its power, and unless He had glorified His Human, or made it Divine.
581. Quod Redemptio et Passio crucis sint duae res distinctae, et prorsus non confundendae, et quod Dominus per utramque, se miserit in potentiam regenerandi et salvandi homines, in Capite de 1 REDEMPTIONE ostensum est. Ex fide hodiernae Ecclesiae recepta de Passione crucis, quod fuerit ipsa Redemptio, obortae sunt phalanges horribilium falsitatum, de Deo, de Fide, de Charitate, et de reliquis quae ab illis tribus in continente catena pendent; ut de Deo, quod damnationem generis humani concluserit, et quod ad misericordiam reduci voluerit per damnationem Filio impositam, aut a Filio in se receptam, et quod salventur solum, quibus meritum Christi vel ex praeviso, vel ex praedestinato donatur; ex illa fallacia etiam exclusum est hoc illius fidei, quod illi qui illa fide donati sunt, insimul regenerati sint, praeter quod aliquid cooperati sint, imo quod sic a legis damnatione absoluti sint, et quod amplius non sub lege sint, sed sub gratia, et hoc tametsi Dominus dixit, quod ne quidem apicem legis sustulerit, Matthaeus 5:18-19; Luca 16:17: tum quod mandaverit discipulis, ut praedicarent poenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, Luca 24:47; 2 Marcus 6:12 et quoque Ipse dixerit, Appropinquavit Regnum Dei, poenitentiam agite, et credite Evangelio, Marcus 1:15 per Evangelium intelligitur, quod possint regenerari et sic salvari; quod non potuit fieri, nisi Dominus Redemptionem fecerit, hoc est, nisi potentiam Inferno per pugnas contra illud, et per victorias super illud, adempserit, et nisi Humanum suum glorificaverit, hoc est, Divinum fecerit.
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