726.若不与主联结，永生与救赎是不可能的，因为祂自己就是这二者。祂就是永生，这一点从圣言经文明显可知，如约翰书中的经文：
耶稣基督是真神，也是永生。（约翰一书5:20）
祂也是救赎，因为救赎与永生为一体，是一回事。祂的名字耶稣表救赎，因此整个基督教界称祂为救主。然而，只有内在与主联结之人才配领圣餐，这些人就是那些重生者。改造与重生一章已说明谁是重生者。再者，有很多人承认主，也对邻行善，但除非出于对邻之爱和对主之信这样做，否则他们不会重生。因为这种人对邻行善的动机只是尘世或他们自己，而不是邻人。这种行为纯粹是属世的，它们里面不含任何属灵成分。因为他们只用口和唇承认主，心却远离。真正的对邻之爱和真正的信唯独来自主，若人出于自己的选择自由在属世层面对邻行善，理性相信真理，注目于主，并且由于圣言的吩咐做这三样事，二者就会被赐给他。然后，主将仁与信植入到他里面，并使这二者成为属灵。于是，主将人联结到自己这里，人将自己联结到主那里，因为除非联结是相互的，否则这是不可能的。但这些命题在仁、信、自由选择和重生的章节已得到充分论证。
726. 若不与主联结, 永生与救赎是不可能的, 因为祂自己就是这二者。 祂就是永生, 这一点从圣言经文明显可知, 如约翰书中的经文:
耶稣基督是真神, 也是永生。 (约翰一书5:20)
祂也是救赎, 因为救赎与永生为一体, 是一回事。 祂的名字耶稣表救赎, 因此整个基督教界称祂为救主。 然而, 只有内在与主联结之人才配领圣餐, 这些人就是那些重生者。 改造与重生一章已说明谁是重生者。 再者, 有很多人承认主, 也对邻行善, 但除非出于对邻之爱和对主之信这样做, 否则他们不会重生。 因为这种人对邻行善的动机只是尘世或他们自己, 而不是邻人。 这种行为纯粹是属世的, 它们里面不含任何属灵成分。 因为他们只用口和唇承认主, 心却远离。 真正的对邻之爱和真正的信唯独来自主, 若人出于自己的选择自由在属世层面对邻行善, 理性相信真理, 注目于主, 并且由于圣言的吩咐做这三样事, 二者就会被赐给他。 然后, 主将仁与信植入到他里面, 并使这二者成为属灵。 于是, 主将人联结到自己这里, 人将自己联结到主那里, 因为除非联结是相互的, 否则这是不可能的。 但这些命题在仁, 信, 自由选择和重生的章节已得到充分论证。
726. Eternal life and salvation are not possible without a partnership with the Lord, because he himself is eternal life and salvation. The following statement in John, as well as other passages in the Word, make it very clear that he is eternal life: "Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). He is also salvation, because this is the same thing as eternal life. In fact his name, Jesus, means salvation; therefore throughout the entire Christian world he is known as the Savior.
Nevertheless, the only people who come forward worthily to take the Holy Supper are people who have an inward partnership with the Lord; and the only people who have an inward partnership with him are the people who have been regenerated. (Who the "regenerated" are has been shown in the chapter on reformation and regeneration [571-625].)
[2] Now, there are of course many people who confess the Lord and do good things for their neighbor. If they do not do these things out of love for their neighbor and faith in the Lord, however, they have not been regenerated. Such people do good things for their neighbor solely for reasons that focus on the world and themselves, and not on their neighbor as their neighbor. The things that such people do are merely earthly and do not conceal anything spiritual inside them. The people who do them confess the Lord, but only with their mouth and lips, while their heart is far away.
Genuine love for our neighbor and genuine faith come solely from the Lord. Both of these qualities are granted to us when we use our free choice to do good things for our neighbor in an earthly way, believe truths in a rational way, and turn to the Lord, doing all three because we have been commanded to in the Word. Then the Lord plants goodwill and faith in our core, and makes them both spiritual. In this way, the Lord unites himself to us and we unite ourselves to the Lord - there is no partnership if it is not reciprocal. But these points have been more fully demonstrated in the chapters on goodwill [392-462], faith [336-391], free choice [463-508], and regeneration [571-625].
726. Without linking with the Lord, everlasting life and salvation are impossible, because He is Himself both of these. It is clear from passages in the Word that He is everlasting life, including this from John:
Jesus Christ is the true God and everlasting life. 1 John 5:20.
He is also salvation, because salvation and everlasting life are one and the same thing. His name Jesus also means salvation, and He is for this reason all over the Christian world given the title of Saviour. Still only those approach the Holy Supper worthily who are inwardly linked with the Lord, and these are those who have been regenerated. Who the regenerated are has been shown in the chapter on reformation and regeneration.
[2] There are many besides who confess the Lord and do good to the neighbour; but they are not regenerated unless they do this out of love towards the neighbour and faith in the Lord. For in doing good to the neighbour they can be motivated solely by reasons which concern the world or themselves, but not the neighbour as such. Their deeds are purely natural, with no spiritual content hidden in them. For such people make a confession of the Lord only with their mouths and lips, while their hearts are far away. Real love towards the neighbour and real faith come only from the Lord; and both are conferred upon a person when he of his own free will does good on the natural level to the neighbour, and believes truths with his reason, and looks to the Lord, doing all these three things because of the commandments in the Word. Then the Lord plants charity and faith in his midst, and makes both of these spiritual. So the Lord links a person to Himself, and the person links himself to the Lord; for linking is impossible if it is not reciprocal. But these propositions have been fully demonstrated in the chapters on charity, faith, free will and regeneration.
726. Eternal life and salvation are impossible without conjunction with the Lord, for the reason that He is both of these. That He is eternal life is clearly evident from certain passages in the Word, as from the following in John:
Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).
He is also salvation, because this and eternal life are one. His name Jesus signifies salvation, and therefore He is called the Savior throughout the Christian world. And yet only those come to the holy supper worthily who are interiorly conjoined with the Lord, and those are interiorly conjoined with Him who are regenerated. Who the regenerated are has been shown in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration. Again there are many who confess the Lord, and who do good to the neighbor; but unless this is done from love to the neighbor and from faith in the Lord, they are not regenerated, for such do good to the neighbor solely for reasons that look to the world and themselves, and not to the neighbor as the neighbor. The works of such are merely natural, and do not have concealed within them anything spiritual; for they confess the Lord with the mouth and lips only, from which their heart is far away. True love to the neighbor, and true faith, are from the Lord alone, and both are given to man when he from his freedom of choice does good to the neighbor naturally, and believes truths rationally, and looks to the Lord, doing these three things because they are commanded in the Word. The Lord then implants charity and faith in the midst of him, and makes both of these spiritual. Thus the Lord conjoins Himself to man, and man conjoins himself to the Lord, for no conjunction is possible unless it is effected reciprocally. But all this has been fully set forth in the chapters on Charity, Faith, Freedom of Choice, and Regeneration.
726. Eternal life and salvation are not attainable without conjunction with the Lord, because He is eternal life and salvation. That He is eternal life is clearly evident from passages in the Word, as from this in John:
Jesus Christ "is the true God and eternal life" 1 John 5:20.
That He is salvation is equally evident, because salvation and eternal life are one. His name Jesus also signifies salvation; and, therefore, throughout the whole Christian world He is called the Savior. Nevertheless, only those worthily approach the Holy Supper who are interiorly conjoined with the Lord. Those are interiorly conjoined who are regenerate; and who are regenerate was shown in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration.
There are many, indeed, who confess the Lord, and who do good to the neighbor; but unless they act from love towards the neighbor and from faith in the Lord, they are not regenerate. For they do good to the neighbor only for reasons that regard the world and themselves, and not the neighbor as the neighbor. Their works are merely natural and inwardly destitute of anything spiritual, because they confess the Lord with the mouth and lips only, while their heart is far away. Love itself towards the neighbor and faith itself are from the Lord alone; and both are given to man when from his own free will he does good to the neighbor on the natural plane, believes truths rationally, and looks to the Lord, doing these three things because they are commanded in the Word. Then the Lord implants charity and faith interiorly in him, and makes both spiritual. Thus the Lord conjoins man to Himself, and man conjoins himself to the Lord; for there can be no conjunction unless it is reciprocal. All this, however, has been fully shown in the chapters on Charity and Faith, Free Will and Regeneration.
726. Quod absque conjunctione cum Domino, non dari possit Vita aeterna et Salus, est, quia Ipse est utraque; quod sit VITA AETERNA, constat clare ex locis e Verbo; et ex hoc apud Johannem, "Jesus Christus est Verus Deus et Vita aeterna," 1 Johannes 5:20. 1 Quod sit SALUS, est quia haec et vita aeterna unum sunt; Nomen Ipsius JESUS etiam significat Salutem, et inde in toto Christiano Orbe nominatur SALVATOR. Sed usque non alii digne accedunt ad Sanctam Coenam, quam qui interius conjuncti sunt Domino, ac interius conjuncti sunt, qui regenerati sunt; at quinam regenerati sunt, in Capite de REFORMATIONE ET REGENERATIONE, ostensum est.
[2] Praeterea sunt multi, qui confitentur Dominum, et qui bonum faciunt proximo, sed si hoc non faciunt ex amore erga proximum, et ex fide in Dominum, non sunt regenerati, nam bonum faciunt proximo solum propter causas, quae spectant mundum et semet, non autem proximum ut proximum; horum opera sunt mere naturalia, quae intus in se non aliquid spirituale recondunt, nam iidem confitentur Dominum solum ore et labiis, a quibus Cor longe abest: ipse amor erga proximum, et ipsa fides, sunt ex Solo Domino, et utraque datur homini, dum hic ex libero suo arbitrio naturaliter facit proximo bonum, et rationaliter veritates credit, et ad Dominum spectat, et tria illa propter mandata in Verbo, tunc Dominus in medio ejus implantat charitatem et fidem, et utramque facit spiritualem: sic Dominus sibi conjungit hominem, et homo se Domino, nam Conjunctio, nisi fiat reciproce, non datur. Sed haec in Capitibus de CHARITATE ET FIDE, de LIBERO ARBITRIO, et de REGENERATIONE, plene ostensa sunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: I Johannes 5:21.