725. 第7节 配领圣餐者在主里面, 主也在他们里面; 因此, 正是通过圣餐他们才与主联结起来
上面几节已说明, 拥有对主之信和对邻之仁者配领圣餐, 信之真带来主的临在, 仁之善, 连同信产生联结。 由此可知, 配领圣餐者与主联结, 与主联结者在祂里面, 祂也在他们里面。 主自己在约翰书中清楚声明, 这一切发生在配领圣餐者身上:
吃我肉, 喝我血的人常在我里面, 我也在他里面。 (约翰福音6:56)
这就是与主的联结, 祂在约翰书中还教导:
你们要常在我里面, 我也常在你们里面。 常在我里面的, 我也常在他里面, 这人就多结果子。 (约翰福音15:4-5;启示录3:20)
与主联结不就是成为祂身体里的人吗? 祂的身体是由那些信靠祂, 并遵行祂心意的人组成。 祂的心意就是照信之真操练仁爱。
725. When We Come Forward Worthily to Take the Holy Supper, We Are in the Lord and the Lord Is in Us; Therefore through the Holy Supper We Enter into a Partnership with the Lord
Many chapters above contain proof that we come forward to take the Holy Supper worthily when we have faith in the Lord and goodwill toward our neighbor, and that truths related to faith bring a presence of the Lord and good actions related to goodwill work together with faith to form a partnership between us and the Lord.
It follows from this that when we come forward worthily to take the Holy Supper, we form a partnership with the Lord; and when we have a partnership with the Lord, we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us. The Lord himself declares in John that this is what happens to us when we take the Holy Supper worthily: "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me and I in them" (John 6:56). In the same gospel, the Lord also teaches that this is a partnership with him: "Live in me and I [shall live] in you. Those who live in me, and in whom I live, bear much fruit" (John 15:4-5; Revelation 3:20). What else is having a partnership with the Lord but being among those who constitute his body? Those who constitute his body are those who believe in him and do his will; and his will is for us to practice goodwill in accordance with the truths that relate to faith.
725. VII. Those who worthily approach the Holy Supper are in the Lord and the Lord is in them. Thus it is through the Holy Supper that they are linked with the Lord.
I have shown in several of the preceding chapters that it is those who possess faith in the Lord and charity towards the neighbour that worthily approach the Holy Supper; and that the truths of faith bring about the Lord's presence, and the good of charity together with faith brings about linking. It follows from this that those who worthily approach the Holy Supper are linked with the Lord; and those who are linked with the Lord are in Him and He is in them. The Lord Himself clearly states that this happens to those who approach worthily in this passage of John:
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I him, John 6:56.
Elsewhere in the same gospel He teaches us that this is linking with the Lord:
Remain in me, and I too in you. If someone remains in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, John 15:4-5; and Revelation 3:20.
What does linking with the Lord mean but being among those who are in His body? And His body is made up of those who believe in Him and do His will. His will is the exercise of charity in accordance with the truths of faith.
725. VII. THOSE WHO COME TO THE HOLY SUPPER WORTHILY ARE IN THE LORD AND THE LORD IS IN THEM; CONSEQUENTLY CONJUNCTION WITH THE LORD IS EFFECTED BY THE HOLY SUPPER.
In several chapters above it has been shown that those come to the holy supper worthily who have faith in the Lord and charity toward the neighbor; and that the presence of the Lord is effected by the truths of faith, and conjunction with Him by the goods of charity together with faith; and from this it follows that those who worthily come to the holy supper are conjoined with the Lord, and those who are conjoined with Him are in Him and He in them. That this takes place with those who come worthily, the Lord Himself declares in John as follows:
He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him (John 6:56).
That this is conjunction with Him, He also teaches elsewhere in John:
Abide in Me and I in you, He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit (John 15:4-5; 3:20).
What is conjunction with the Lord but being among those who are in His body? And those constitute His body who believe in Him and do His will. His will is the exercise of charity in accordance with the truths of faith.
725. VII. THOSE WHO WORTHILY APPROACH THE HOLY SUPPER ARE IN THE LORD, AND HE IN THEM; CONSEQUENTLY, CONJUNCTION WITH THE LORD IS EFFECTED BY THE HOLY SUPPER.
It has already been shown in several chapters that those worthily approach the Holy Supper who are in faith in the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor; that the truths of faith cause the Lord's presence; and that the goods of charity, together with faith, bring about conjunction. It follows, therefore, that those who worthily approach the Holy Supper are conjoined with the Lord; and those who are conjoined with the Lord are in Him, and He in them. That this takes place with those who approach worthily, the Lord Himself declares in John, in these words:
"He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him" John 6:56.
That this is conjunction with the Lord, He also teaches elsewhere in the same Gospel:
"Abide in me, and I in you. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit" John 15:4-5; and Revelation 3:20.
Being in conjunction with the Lord is the same as being among those who are in His body; and those constitute His body who believe in Him, and do His will. His will is the exercise of charity according to the truths of faith.
725. Quod illi, qui ad Sanctam Coenam digne accedunt, sint in Domino, et Dominus in illis, proinde quod per Sanctam Coenam fiat conjunctio cum Domino.
Quod illi ad Sanctam Coenam digne accedant, qui in fide in Dominum et in charitate erga proximum sunt; et quod veritates fidei sistant praesentiam Domini, et bona charitatis una cum fide conjunctionem, in pluribus Capitibus supra demonstratum est: ex quibus sequitur, quod illi qui digne ad Sanctam Coenam accedunt, conjungantur Domino, et qui conjuncti sunt Domino, sint in Ipso et Ipse in illis; quod hoc fiat illis qui digne accedunt, declarat Ipse Dominus apud Johannem, his verbis, Qui manducat meam Carnem, et bibit meum Sanguinem, in Me manet et Ego in illo, 6:56 quod hoc sit conjunctio cum Domino, docet etiam alibi apud Eundem, "Manete in Me, etiam Ego in vobis; qui manet in Me et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum," 15:4-5, et Apocalypsis 3:20. Quid Conjunctio cum Domino aliud, quam esse inter illos, qui in Corpore Ipsius sunt, et Corpus Ipsius faciunt illi, qui credunt in Ipsum, et faciunt voluntatem Ipsius; Voluntas Ipsius est exercitium Charitatis secundum vera fidei.