13

(6) If God were not one, the universe could not have been created and preserved.

 

The unity of God may be inferred from the creation of the universe, because the universe is a work coherent as a unit from things first to things last, and dependent upon one God as a body upon its soul. The universe was so created that God might be omnipresent, and hold each and all of its parts under his direction, and keep its parts together as one body perpetually, which is to preserve it. Moreover, because of this Jehovah God declares:

 

이스라엘의 왕인 여호와, 이스라엘의 구원자인 만군의 여호와가 이같이 말하노라 나는 처음이요 나는 마지막이라 나 외에 다른 신이 없느니라 (사44:6); 주 하나님이 이르시되 나는 알파와 오메가라 이제도 있고 전에도 있었고 장차 올 자요 전능한 자라 하시더라 (계1:8); 내가 볼 때에 그의 발 앞에 엎드러져 죽은 자 같이 되매 그가 오른손을 내게 얹고 이르시되 두려워하지 말라 나는 처음이요 마지막이니 (계1:17) That he is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:8, 17).

 

네 구속자요 모태에서 너를 지은 나 여호와가 이같이 말하노라 나는 만물을 지은 여호와라 홀로 하늘을 폈으며 나와 함께 한 자 없이 땅을 펼쳤고 (사44:24) That he maketh all things, spreadeth forth the heavens above, and stretcheth forth the earth by himself (Isa. 44:24).

 

This vast system which is called the universe is a work coherent as a unit from things first to things last, because in creating it God had a single end in view, which was an angelic heaven from the human race; and all things of which the world consists are means to that end; since he who seeks an end seeks also the means.

 

[2] Consequently, whoever regards the world as a work containing means to that end is able to look upon the created universe as a work coherent as a unit, and to see that the world is a complex of uses, existing in a successive order, looking to the human race (from which is the angelic heaven) as its end. The Divine love can be intent upon no other end than the eternal blessedness of men, having its source in the Divine; and its Divine wisdom can bring forth nothing but uses that are means to that end. Surveying the world from this most general idea, every wise man can comprehend that the creator of the universe is a one, and that his essence is love and wisdom; consequently there can not be in it the smallest particular in which there does not lie hidden some use, more or less remote, for man—food from the fruits of the earth and from animals, and clothing from the same sources.

 

[3] How wonderful it is that the insignificant silkworm should clothe with silk and magnificently adorn both women and men, from queens and kings to maidservants and menservants; and that a petty insect like the bee should supply wax for the tapers which make temples and palaces brilliant. Those who study in minute detail a few things in the world, and not all things in their most general relations, including ends, mediate cases, and effects, and who, furthermore, do not deduce creation from Divine love through Divine wisdom, are unable to see that the universe is the workmanship of one God, and that he dwells in every particular use because he dwells in the end. For in every case one who is in an end must be in the means also, since the end is inmostly in all the means, actuating and directing them.

 

[4] Those who do not regard the universe as the workmanship of God and the dwelling place of his love and wisdom, but as the workmanship of nature and the dwelling place of the sun’s heat and light, close the higher regions of their mind against God, and open its lower regions for the devil, and consequently put off their human nature and put on a bestial nature, and not only think themselves to be like the beasts but actually become so. For they become foxes in cunning, wolves in fierceness, panthers in treachery, tigers in cruelty, and crocodiles, serpents, owls, and other birds of night, in the several characteristics of these. Moreover, in the spiritual world those who are such do at a distance actually appear like these wild beasts. Thus does their love of evil portray itself.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

12

(5) Human reason can, if it will, perceive and be convinced, from many things in the world, that there is a God, and that he is one.

 

This truth may be confirmed by innumerable things in the visible world; for the universe is like a stage, upon which evidences that there is a God and that he is one are continually exhibited. To illustrate this I will cite this memorable relation from the spiritual world:

 

Once while I was talking with angels, certain spirits that had recently arrived from the natural world were present. Seeing them, I bade them welcome, and told them many things they had not known before about the spiritual world.

 

After this I asked them what knowledge about God and about nature they had brought with them from the world.

 

“This,” they said, “that nature is the operative power in all things that are done in the created universe; and that God, after creation, endowed nature with and impressed upon it that capability and power; and that God merely sustains and preserves that power lest it perish; consequently, all things that spring forth or are produced and reproduced upon the earth are now ascribed to nature.”

 

But I replied that in nothing is nature of itself the operative power, but God through nature. And when they asked for proof I said, “Those who believe the Divine operation to be in every least thing of nature find in very many things they see in the world much more evidence in favor of a God than in favor of nature.

 

[2] “For those who find evidences in favor of the Divine operation in every least thing of nature observe attentively the wonderful things that are seen in the production of plants and of animals. In the production of plants, they observe that from a little seed sown in the ground there goes forth a root, and from the root a stem, and successively branches, buds, leaves, flowers, and fruits, even to new seeds, just as if the seed knew the order of succession or development by which to renew itself. What rational person can imagine that the sun, which is pure fire, knows this, or that it can impart to its heat and light the power to produce such effects and to have such uses in view? Any man whose reason looks upward, when he sees these things and properly considers them, must needs conclude that they are from one whose wisdom is infinite, that is, from God. In this conclusion those who recognize a Divine operation in all the particulars of nature confirm themselves when they observe these things. On the other hand, those who do not recognize such an operation in nature behold these things with the eyes of their reason in the back of the head, and not in the front. These are such as derive all the ideas of their thought from the bodily senses, and confirm the fallacies of the senses, saying, ‘Do you not see the sun accomplishing all these things by means of its heat and light? Is that which you do not see of any account?’

 

[3] “Those who confirm themselves in favor of the Divine carefully observe the wonderful things they see in the production of animals; as in regard to eggs (speaking first of these), the chick in its seminal state lies concealed in them with everything requisite for its formation, and also for its entire development after it is hatched until it becomes a bird in the form of the parent. Moreover, to any mind that thinks deeply, things which excite wonder are presented whenever winged creatures in general are observed; as that both the smallest and largest of them, both the invisible and the visible, that is, both minute insects and great birds and beasts, possess organs of sense, namely, sight, smell, taste, and touch; also organs of motion, which are muscles, for they fly and walk; also viscera connected with the heart and lungs which are moved by the brains. All these things are seen also by those who ascribe everything to nature; but such merely notice their existence, and claim that they are products of nature. This they claim because they have turned away their minds from all thoughts of the Divine; and those who have done this, when they behold the wonderful things in nature, are unable to think about them rationally, still less spiritually; but they think sensually and materially; thus they think in nature from nature, and not above nature; and such differ from beasts only in being endowed with rationality, that is, only in an ability to understand if they wish to.

 

[4] “Those who have turned themselves away from all thought of a Divine, and have thereby become corporeal-sensual, never consider that the sight of the eye is so gross and material that it sees many small insects as a single obscure object; and yet each one of these is organized for sensation and motion, and is consequently endowed with fibers and vessels, with a minute heart and pulmonic tubes, with minute viscera and with brains; and these are composed of nature’s purest elements, these textures corresponding to life in its lowest degree whereby their least parts are severally actuated. Considering the grossness of our bodily vision, to which many such insects, with the innumerable parts in each, appear as a single minute indistinct object, while yet it is from this vision that sensual men think and draw conclusions, it is evident how gross their minds must be, and in what darkness they must be respecting spiritual things.

 

[5] “Any man is able, if he will, to find evidences in favor of a Divine in the visible things of nature; and this he does whenever he thinks of God and of his omnipotence in the creation of the universe, and of his omnipresence in the preservation of it; as, for instance, when he sees that among the birds of heaven each species knows its own food and where to find it, recognizes its companions by sight and sound, and among other species knows which are friends and which enemies; that they know how to mate, to form marriages, construct their nests skillfully, place their eggs in them and hatch them, also the period of incubation; and when the young have been hatched they love them most tenderly, shelter them beneath their wings, feed and nourish them, and this until they are able to provide for themselves and to perform like offices. If anyone is willing to think about a Divine influx through the spiritual world into the natural he can see it in these creatures; and can also, if he will, say from his heart that the sun through its heat and light cannot be the source of such knowledge, for the sun from which nature has its rise and essence is pure fire, and consequently its effluent heat and light must be utterly dead; and thus he may reach the conclusion that these knowledges are from a Divine influx through the spiritual world into the outmosts of nature.

 

[6] “Any one can find evidences in favor of a Divine in the visible things of nature when he observes those worms which are moved by the joy of a peculiar love to aspire after a change of their earthly state into one somewhat analogous to a heavenly state. For this purpose they crawl into suitable places, enclose themselves in a covering, and thus place themselves in a womb from which to be born again; and there they become chrysalids, aureliae, nymphs, and finally butterflies; and having undergone this transformation and been decked with beautiful wings according to their species, they fly forth into the air as into their heaven, and there disport themselves merrily, marrying, laying eggs, and providing for themselves a posterity, meanwhile nourishing themselves with sweet and pleasant food from flowers. Who that sees evidences in favor of a Divine in the visible things of nature can help seeing in these as worms an image of man’s earthly state, and in these as butterflies an image of his heavenly state? Those who have confirmed themselves in favor of nature behold the same things, but having rejected man’s heavenly state from their thought they call them mere operations of nature.

 

[7] “Any one can find evidences in favor of a Divine in the visible things in nature when he gives thought to what is known of bees, their knowing how to collect wax from roses and blossoms, to suck out honey, to build cells like little houses, to arrange them like a city, with streets for going in and out; their smelling from a distance the flowers and herbs from which they collect wax for their houses and honey for food, being loaded with which they fly back straight to their hive. Thus they provide themselves with food for the coming winter as if they foresaw it. They also appoint a mistress over themselves as queen, and through her they propagate a posterity; and for her they build a sort of palace above themselves, and place guards around it. When the time for propagation arrives, accompanied by her guards, which are called drones, she goes from cell to cell, and lays her eggs, which her retinue seal up lest they be injured by the air. Thus a new generation is born; and when this generation has reached the proper age to be able to repeat the process it is expelled from the hive, and the new swarm, after gathering into a body to prevent separation, flies forth to find itself a home. About the time of autumn, as the drones have added nothing to the supply of wax or honey, they are led out and deprived of their wings to prevent their returning and consuming the food on which they had spent no labor. From this and other facts it can be seen that on account of the use they perform for the human race these insects receive by influx from the spiritual world a form of government similar to that which is formed among men on the earth, and even among the angels in the heavens.

 

[8] “What man of sound reason does not see that the natural world cannot be the source of all this? What has the sun, from which nature springs, in common with a government which so vies with and closely resembles heavenly government? From these and like facts exhibited among animals, one who acknowledges and worships nature confirms himself in favor of nature; while he who acknowledges and worships God confirms himself from the same facts in favor of God; for the spiritual man sees in them spiritual things, and the natural man sees in them natural things, thus each in accord with his character. For my own part, such things have been to me evidences that from God there is an influx of the spiritual world into the natural. Consider, moreover, whether you are able to think analytically of any form of government, of any civil law, or any moral virtue, or any spiritual truth, except on the supposition that there is an inflow of the Divine from its own wisdom through the spiritual world. As to myself, I am not able to do so, and never have been. I have now for twenty-six years continually observed that influx perceptibly and sensibly; I therefore speak from what I know.

 

[9] “Can nature pursue use as an end, and arrange uses in order and in forms? Only a wise being is able to do this; and God alone, whose wisdom is infinite, is able so to order and form the universe. Who else can foresee and provide food and clothing for man—food from the products of the field, from the fruits of the earth, and from animals; and clothing from the same sources? It is among these marvelous facts that those petty worms called silkworms clothe with silk and magnificently adorn both women and men, from queens and kings even to maidservants and menservants; and that a petty insect like the bee supplies the wax for the tapers that make temples and palaces brilliant. All these and more are conclusive proofs that God from himself through the spiritual world operates all things that take place in nature.

 

[10] “To all this let me add the fact that I have seen in the spiritual world those who from things visible in the natural world had confirmed themselves in favor of nature until they had become atheists; and that in spiritual light the understanding of such appeared to be open below, but closed above, for the reason that in their thought they had looked down toward the earth, and not up toward heaven. Above their sensual faculties, which form the lowest part of the understanding, a kind of covering flashing with infernal fire was seen, in some cases like soot, and in others livid like a corpse. Let everyone therefore beware of these confirmations in favor of nature; and let him confirm himself in favor of God; there is no lack of means.”

Posted by bygracetistory
,

11

(4) Respecting what the one God is, nations and peoples have differed and still differ, from many causes.

 

The first cause is that knowledge and consequent acknowledgment of God are not possible without revelation; nor are a knowledge of the Lord, and a consequent acknowledgment that “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” possible except from the Word, which is the crown of revelations; for it is by the revelation given to man that he is able to approach God and to receive influx, and thereby from being natural to become spiritual. The primeval revelation extended throughout the world; but it was perverted by the natural man in many ways, which was the origin of religious disputes, dissensions, heresies, and schisms. The second cause is that the natural man is not capable of any perception of God, but only of the world and adapting this to himself. Consequently it is among the canons of the Christian church that the natural man is opposed to the spiritual, and that they contend against each other. This explains why those who have learned from the Word or other revelation that there is a God have differed and still differ respecting the nature and the unity of God.

 

[2] For this reason those whose mental sight depended on the bodily senses, but who nevertheless had a desire to see God, formed for themselves images of gold, silver, stone, and wood, under which as visible objects they might worship God; while others who discarded idols from their religion found for themselves representations of God in the sun and moon, in the stars, and in various objects on the earth. But those who thought themselves wiser than the common people, and yet remained natural, from the immensity and omnipresence of God in creating the world acknowledged nature as God, some of them nature in its inmosts, some in its outmosts; while others, that they might separate God from nature, conceived an idea of something most universal, which they called the being of the universe [ens universi]; and because such have no further knowledge of God this being becomes to them mere rational abstraction [ens rationis] which has no meaning.

 

[3] Everyone can see that a man’s knowledge of God is his mirror of God, and that those who know nothing about God do not see God in a mirror with its face toward them, but in a mirror with its back toward them; and as this is covered with quicksilver, or some dark paste, it does not reflect the image but extinguishes it. Faith in God enters into man through a prior way, which is from the soul into the higher parts of the understanding; while knowledges about God enter through a posterior way, because they are drawn from the revealed Word by the understanding, through the bodily senses; and these inflowings meet midway in the understanding; and there natural faith, which is merely persuasion, becomes spiritual, which is real acknowledgment. Thus the human understanding is like a refining vessel, in which this transmutation is effected.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

9

(3) For this reason, there is in all the world no nation possessing religion and sound reason that does not acknowledge a God, and that God is one.

 

As a consequence of the Divine influx into the souls of men, treated of just above, there is in every man an internal dictate that there is a God and that he is one. And yet there are some who deny God, and some who acknowledge nature as god, and some who acknowledge more gods than one, and some who worship images as gods; which is possible because such have blocked up the interiors of their reason or understanding with worldly and corporeal things, thereby obliterating their first or childhood idea respecting God, and at the same time rejecting religion from their breasts and casting it behind their backs. Christians acknowledge one God; but in what manner is evident from their established creed, which is as follows:

 

The Catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in trinity, and trinity in unity. There are three Divine persons, Father, son, and Holy Spirit, and yet there are not three gods, but there is one God. There is one person of the Father, another of the son, and another of the Holy Spirit, and their divinity is one, their glory equal, and their majesty coeternal. Thus the Father is God, the son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. But like as we are compelled by Christian verity to confess each person singly to be God and Lord, so we are forbidden by the Catholic religion to say there be three gods or three Lords.

 

Such is the Christian faith respecting the unity of God. But that the trinity of God and the unity of God in that creed are inconsistent with each other will be shown in the chapter on the Divine trinity.

 

[2] The other nations in the world possessing a religion and sound reason agree in acknowledging that God is one; all the Mohammedans in their empires; the Africans in many kingdoms of that continent; the Asiatics in their many kingdoms; and finally the Jews to this day. Of the most ancient people in the golden age, such as had any religion worshiped one God, whom they called Jehovah. The same is true of the ancient people in the succeeding age, until monarchical governments were established, when worldly and afterwards corporeal loves began to close up the higher regions of the understanding, which previously had been open, and had been like temples and sacred recesses for the worship of one God. In order to reopen these and thus restore the worship of one God, the Lord God instituted a church among the posterity of Jacob, and made this the first of all the commandments of their religion:

 

너는 나 외에는 다른 신들을 네게 두지 말라 (출20:3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exod. 20:3).

 

[3] Moreover, the name Jehovah, which he at this time re- stored, signifies the supreme and only being, the source of everything that is or exists in the universe. Jove, a name derived possibly from Jehovah, was worshiped as a supreme god by the ancient heathen; and many other gods who composed his court they also clothed with divinity; while in the following age wise men, like Plato and Aristotle, confessed that these were not gods, but were so many properties, qualities, and attributes of the one God, being called gods because there was something Divine in each of them.

 

 

10

All sound reason, even when it is not religious, sees that every composite thing would of itself fall to pieces unless it depended upon some one thing; as in the case of man, composed of so many members, viscera, and organs of sensation and motion, unless they all depended on one soul; or the body itself, unless it depended on one heart. The same is true of a kingdom unless it depends on one king; a household, unless on one master; and every office, of which there are many kinds in every kingdom, unless on one officer. What would an army avail against the enemy unless it had a leader having supreme power, and officers subordinate to him, each of them having his proper command over the soldiers? So would it be with the church if it did not acknowledge one God, or with the angelic heaven, which is like a head to the church on earth, in both of which the Lord is the very soul. This is why heaven and the church are called his body; and when these do not acknowledge one God they are like a dead body, which being useless is carried away and buried.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

8

(2) 하나님으로부터 나와서 사람들의 영혼(souls) 속으로 흘러 들어가는 범우주적인 인플럭스(influx, 入流)라는 게 있는데, 이는 하나님이 계시며, 그분은 한 분이시라는 진리에 관한 것이다. There is a universal influx from God into the souls of men of the truth that there is a God, and that he is one.

 

하나님으로부터 나와서 사람 안으로 들어가는 인플럭스라는 게 있다는 사실은 그 자체로 선하며, 사람 안에 있어 사람에 의해 실행되는 모든 선은 하나님으로부터 말미암는다는 범우주적인 고백을 보면 분명합니다. 모든 체어리티와 신앙 역시 마찬가지인데요, 우리가 말씀에서 다음과 같이 읽기 때문이며, That there is an influx from God into man is evident from the universal confession that all good that is in itself good, and that exists in man and is done by him, is from God; in like manner everything of charity and everything of faith; for we read:

 

요한이 대답하여 이르되 만일 하늘에서 주신 바 아니면 사람이 아무 것도 받을 수 없느니라 (요3:27) A man can take nothing except it be given him from heaven (John 3:27);  

 

주님께서 말씀하시기를,

 

나는 포도나무요 너희는 가지라 그가 내 안에, 내가 그 안에 거하면 사람이 열매를 많이 맺나니 나를 떠나서는 너희가 아무 것도 할 수 없음이라 (요15:5)

 

즉, 체어리티와 신앙에 관한 것들도이기 때문입니다. 이 인플럭스는 일단 사람들의 영혼 속으로 들어갑니다. 영혼은 사람에게 있어 가장 안쪽이고, 가장 높은 영역이기 때문이지요. 하나님으로 말미암는 이 인플럭스는 먼저 그리로 흘러 들어간 후, 거기서 나와 그 아래 있는 것들 안으로 흘러 내려가면서 그 수용 여부에 따라 그것들을 살립니다. 앞으로 믿음을 구성하게 될 진리들이 이 인플럭스를 통해 흘러 들어오며, 사실은 듣기(the hearing)를 통해서이지만, 그리고 그렇게 해서 마음에 심어집니다(implanted). 이 마음은 영혼 아래 있습니다. 그러나 이 진리들에 의해서는 사람은 단순히 영혼을 통해 하나님으로부터 오는 인플럭스 받을 준비만 하는 것입니다. 이런 게 준비이고, 받아들이는 것, 영접(the reception)이며, 자연적 신앙이 영적 신앙으로 변화하는 것입니다. and Jesus said: Without me ye are unable to do anything (John 15:5); that is, anything that pertains to charity and faith. This influx is into the souls of men because the soul is the inmost and highest part of man, and the influx from God enters into that, and descends therefrom into the things that are below, and vivifies them in accordance with reception. The truths that are to constitute belief flow in, it is true, through the hearing, and are thus implanted in the mind, that is, below the soul. But by means of such truths man is simply made ready to receive the influx from God through the soul; and such as this preparation is, such is the reception, and such the transformation of natural faith into spiritual faith.

 

[2] There is such an influx from God into the souls of men of the truth that God is one, because everything Divine, regarded most generally as well as most particularly, is God. And as the entire Divine coheres as one, it cannot fail to inspire in man the idea of one God; and this idea is strengthened daily as man is elevated by God into the light of heaven. For the angels in their light cannot force themselves to utter the word “gods.” Even their speech closes at the end of every sentence in a oneness of cadence; and there is no other cause of this than the influx into their souls of the truth that God is one.

 

[3] In spite of this influx into the souls of men of the truth that God is one, there are many who think that the divinity of God is divided into several possessing the same essence; and the reason of this is that when the influx descends it falls into forms not correspondent, and influx is varied by the form that receives it, as takes place in all the subjects of the three kingdoms of nature. It is the same God who vivifies man and who vivifies every beast; but the recipient form is what causes the beast to be a beast and man to be a man. The same is true of man when he induces on his mind the form of a beast. There is the same influx from the sun into every kind of tree, but the influx differs in accordance with the form of each; that which flows into the vine is the same as that which flows into the thorn; but if a thorn were to be engrafted upon a vine the influx would be inverted and go forth in accordance with the form of the thorn.

 

[4] The same is true of the subjects of the mineral kingdom; the same light flows into limestone and into the diamond; but in the diamond it is transmitted, while in the limestone it is quenched. In human minds these differences are in accordance with the forms of the mind, which become inwardly spiritual in accordance with faith in God, together with life from God, such forms being made translucent and angelic by a faith in one God, and on the contrary, made dark and bestial by a faith in more than one God, which differs but little from a faith in no God.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

6

(1) 성경 전체와 거기서 나오는, 기독교계 전체 교회들의 교리들에 의하면, 하나님은 계시며, 그분은 한 분이시다. The entire holy Scripture, and all the doctrines therefrom of the churches in the Christian world, teach that there is a God and that he is one.

 

성경 전체가 가르치는 바는 이것입니다. 하나님이 계신다(there is a God). 성경 그 가장 깊은 내면(inmosts)에는 하나님 밖에, 즉 하나님으로부터 나오는 신성(神性, the Divine) 밖에는 없기 때문인데요, 성경은 하나님에 의해 구술(口述, dictated)된 것이며, 하나님으로부터는 하나님과 신성이라고 하는 것 말고는 아무것도 나올 수 없기 때문입니다. 이것이 성경 그 가장 깊은 곳(inmosts)에 있는 핵심입니다. 거기서 나온 것들(derivatives), 곧 그 맨 안쪽(inmosts)보다 낮은 단계에 있는 것들한테 있어서는, 성경은 천사들과 사람들의 퍼셉션(perception) 눈높이에 맞춰집니다. 신성은 이들 파생되어 나온 것들 안에도 마찬가지로 있지만, 그 형태가 다른데요, 각각 천적(天的, celestial), 영적, 그리고 자연적 신성이라고 합니다. 이들은 그저 하나님의 휘장들일 뿐입니다. 하나님 자신은 그 자신, 말씀의 가장 깊은 곳(the inmosts of the Word)에 계신 것처럼 그 어떤 피조물도 볼 수 없으신 분이기 때문입니다. 그래서 모세가 여호와의 영광 보여주시기를 구했을 때, 하나님은 그에게 아무도 하나님을 보고 살 수 있는 자가 없다 하신 것입니다. 이것은 말씀의 가장 깊은 곳, 거기 하나님이 존재와 본질 그 자체(his very being and essence)로 계신, 바로 그곳에도 똑같이 적용되는 진리입니다. The entire holy Scripture teaches that there is a God, because in its inmosts it is nothing but God, that is, it is nothing but the Divine that goes forth from God; for it was dictated by God; and from God nothing can go forth except what is God and is called Divine. This the holy Scripture is in its inmosts. But in its derivatives, which are below and from these inmosts, the holy Scripture is adapted to the perception of angels and men. The Divine is likewise in these derivatives, but in another form, in which it is called the celestial, spiritual, and natural Divine. These are simply the draperies of God; for God himself, such as he is in the inmosts of the Word, cannot be seen by any creature. For he said to Moses, when Moses prayed that he might see the glory of Jehovah, that no one can see God and live. This is equally true of the inmosts of the Word, where God is in his very being and essence.  

 

※ ‘퍼셉션(perception)은 하나님이 천사들과 사람들에게 거저 주시는 영적 통찰력입니다. 즉 무슨 학습을 통해 습득하는 게 아닌, 하나님에 관한 영적 진리들을 직관적으로 아는 능력입니다. 굳이 번역하자면, ‘지각(知覺) 정도인데요, 그런데 우리말의 이 단어하고는 또 좀 그 내포된 의미와 뉘앙스가 달라 저는 그냥 음독 그대로 표기하고 있습니다.

 

[2] 그럼에도 불구하고 가장 안쪽을 형성하고, 천사들과 사람들의 퍼셉션 눈높이에 맞춰진 것들에 의해 휘장처럼 가려진 신성은 크리스탈 같은 형태를 통해 나오는 빛처럼 그 빛을 발산합니다. 사람이 하나님으로부터든 스스로든 자신을 위해 형성해 온 마음 상태에 따라 다르지만 말입니다. 하나님으로부터 자기 마음을 형성해 온 사람한테는 그 앞에 성경이 마치 거울처럼 서 있습니다. 그 거울 안에서 그는 하나님을 보지요. 그러나 누구나 자기 방식으로 봅니다. 이 거울은 사람이 말씀으로부터 배운 진리들로 되어 있는데요, 이 진리들은 그가 그걸 가지고 살면서 자기 것으로 만든(appropriates) 그런 진리들입니다. 이 모든 걸 통해 분명한 건, 성경은 하나님의 충만하심(the fullness of God)이라는 사실이 맨 먼저라는 것입니다. Nevertheless, the Divine, which forms the inmost and is draped by things adapted to the perceptions of angels and men, beams forth like light through crystalline forms, although variously in accordance with the state of mind that man has formed for himself; either from God or from himself. Before everyone who has formed the state of his mind from God the holy Scripture stands like a mirror wherein he sees God; but everyone in his own way. This mirror is made up of those truths that man learns from the Word, and that he appropriates by living in accordance with them. From all this it is evident, in the first place, that the holy Scripture is the fullness of God.

 

[3] 하나님이 계실 뿐 아니라 하나님은 한 분이시라는 것을 성경이 가르치고 있다는 사실은 앞서 말씀드린 대로, 그 거울을 구성하는 진리들로부터 알 수 있는데요, 이들 진리는 전체적으로 하나의 일관성을 형성, 사람이 하나님을 생각할 때, 한 분으로밖에는 생각할 수 없게 만든다는 점에서 그렇습니다. 그 결과, 자신의 이성이 말씀에서 나오는 어떤 성스러움(sanctity)으로 충만해진 사람은 누구나 하나님은 한 분이시라는 것을 마치 자기 스스로 아는 것처럼, 즉 본능적으로 알며, 또 하나님이 한 분 이상이라 말하는 자체를 일종의 광기(insanity)로 느낍니다. 천사들은 하나님들(gods)이라는 단어를 발음하려고 입술을 여는 것조차 불가능한데요, 그들이 살고 있는 천국의 아우라 자체가 거기에 저항하기 때문입니다. 하나님은 한 분이시라는 것을 성경은 이렇게 범우주적으로뿐 아니라 지금까지 말씀드린 것처럼, 다음과 같은 수많은 구절을 통해서도 가르치고 있습니다. That the holy Scripture teaches not only that there is a God, but also that God is one, can be seen from the truths which, as before stated, compose that mirror, in that they form a coherent whole and make it impossible for man to think of God except as one. In consequence of this, every person whose reason is imbued with any sanctity from the Word knows, as if from himself, that God is one, and feels it to be a sort of insanity to say that there are more. The angels are unable to open their lips to utter the word “gods,” for the heavenly aura in which they live resists it. That God is one the holy Scripture teaches, not only thus universally, as has been said, but also in many particular passages, as in the following:

 

이스라엘아 들으라 우리 하나님 여호와는 오직 유일한 여호와이시니 (신6:4) Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah (Deut. 6:4; also Mark 12:29).

 

여호와께서 이같이 말씀하시되 애굽의 소득과 구스가 무역한 것과 스바의 장대한 남자들이 네게로 건너와서 네게 속할 것이요 그들이 너를 따를 것이라 사슬에 매여 건너와서 네게 굴복하고 간구하기를 하나님이 과연 네게 계시고 그 외에는 다른 하나님이 없다 하리라 하시니라 (사45:14) Surely God is in thee, and besides me there is no god (Isa. 45:14).

 

너희는 알리며 진술하고 또 함께 의논하여 보라 이 일을 옛부터 듣게 한 자가 누구냐 이전부터 그것을 알게 한 자가 누구냐 나 여호와가 아니냐 나 외에 다른 신이 없나니 나는 공의를 행하며 구원을 베푸는 하나님이라 나 외에 다른 이가 없느니라 (사45:21) Am not I Jehovah, and there is no god else besides me?(Isa. 45:21).

 

그러나 애굽 땅에 있을 때부터 나는 네 하나님 여호와라 나 밖에 네가 다른 신을 알지 말 것이라 나 외에는 구원자가 없느니라 (호13:4) I am Jehovah thy God and thou shalt acknowledge no god besides me (Hosea 13:4).

 

이스라엘의 왕인 여호와, 이스라엘의 구원자인 만군의 여호와가 이같이 말하노라 나는 처음이요 나는 마지막이라 나 외에 다른 신이 없느니라 (사44:6) Thus saith Jehovah, the king of Israel, I am the first and the last, and besides me there is no god (Isa. 44:6).

 

여호와께서 천하의 왕이 되시리니 그 날에는 여호와께서 홀로 한 분이실 것이요 그의 이름이 홀로 하나이실 것이라 (슥14:9) In that day Jehovah shall be king over all the earth; in that day Jehovah shall be one and his name one (Zech. 14:9).

 

 

7

기독교계 교회들의 교리들은 하나님은 한 분이시다라고 가르치는 것으로 알려져 있습니다. 그들이 이렇게 가르치는 것은 그들의 교리는 모두 말씀에서 나오는 것이며, 한 분 하나님을 입술과 마음으로 시인하는 한, 그들의 교리는 일관되기 때문입니다. 한 분 하나님을 입술로만 고백할 뿐, 마음으로는 세 하나님을 받아들이는 사람들한테는, 이것이 오늘날 전 세계 기독교 국가(Christendom)의 많은 사람의 현실인데요, 하나님은 그저 입술의 한 마디 단어에 불과할 뿐이며, 그들의 모든 신학은 그저 성지에 보관된 금 우상이요, 그 열쇠를 사제들만 혼자 쥐고 있고, 그리고 그런 사람들은 말씀을 읽을 때, 그 안에 있는, 혹은 거기서 나오는 그 어떤 빛도 지각하지 못합니다. 심지어 하나님이 한 분이심에 대해서조차 말입니다. 그런 사람들한테는 말씀은 얼룩져 흐릿하게 나타나며, 하나님의 하나 되심(the unity of God)에 관하여서는 얼룩으로 완전히 뒤범벅된 걸로 나타납니다. 주님이 아래 마태복음에서 묘사하신 사람들이 바로 이들입니다. It is known that the doctrines of the churches in the Christian world teach that God is one. This they teach because all their doctrines are from the Word, and so far as one God is acknowledged both with the lips and the heart these doctrines are consistent. To those who confess one God with the lips only, but in heart accept three, as is true of many at this day in Christendom, God is nothing but a word on the lips; and all their theology is a mere idol of gold enclosed in a shrine, the key to which the priests alone hold; and when such read the Word they perceive no light in it or from it, not even that God is one. To such the Word appears blurred with blots, and in regard to the unity of God entirely covered with them. It is these who are described by the Lord in Matthew:

 

14이사야의 예언이 그들에게 이루어졌으니 일렀으되 너희가 듣기는 들어도 깨닫지 못할 것이요 보기는 보아도 알지 못하리라 15이 백성들의 마음이 완악하여져서 그 귀는 듣기에 둔하고 눈은 감았으니 이는 눈으로 보고 귀로 듣고 마음으로 깨달아 돌이켜 내게 고침을 받을까 두려워함이라 하였느니라 (마13:14, 15) In hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not discern. Their eyes they have closed, lest haply they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and should turn themselves and I should heal them (Matt. 13:14, 15).

 

이 사람들은 모두 마치 빛을 피해 창문 없는 방에 들어가 벽을 더듬으며 음식과 돈을 찾고, 결국엔 밤 부엉이처럼 어둠을 보는 시력을 얻게 된 사람들과 같습니다. 그들은 마치 남편을 여럿 둔 여자, 그러나 아내는 아니고, 음탕한 창녀인 여자와 같거나, 여러 구혼자로부터 반지를 받아놓고는 결혼식 후, 한 사람한테만이 아닌, 다른 사람들에게도 호의를 베푸는 처녀와도 같습니다. All these are like men shunning the light, and entering chambers without windows, and groping about the walls, searching for food or money, and at length acquiring a vision like that of birds of the night, seeing in darkness. They are like a woman having several husbands, who is not a wife but a lascivious courtesan; or they are like a virgin who accepts rings from several suitors, and after the nuptials bestows her favors not upon one only, but also upon the others.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

하나님의 한 분 되심

The Unity of God

 

5

신학 전체에서 하나님을 아는 지식을 가지고 하나님을 시인하는 것(the acknowledgment of God from a knowledge of God)이 바로 에센스(essence), 쏘울(soul)이기 때문에, 맨 먼저 하나님의 하나되심(the unity of God)을 다룰 필요가 있으며, 이는 이어지는 섹션들에서 순서대로 전개될 것입니다. As the acknowledgment of God from a knowledge of God is the very essence and soul of the entire contents of theology, it is necessary that the unity of God should be the first thing treated of. This shall be set forth in order in the following sections:

 

(1) 성경 전체와 거기서 나오는, 기독교계 전체 교회들의 교리들에 의하면 하나님은 한 분이시다. The entire holy Scripture, and the doctrines therefrom of the churches in the Christian world, teach that God is one.

 

(2) 하나님으로부터 나와 사람들의 영혼 속으로 흘러 들어가는 범우주적인 입류(入流, influx)가 있는데, 이는 하나님이 계시며, 그분은 한 분이시라는 진리에 관한 것이다. There is a universal influx [from God] into the souls of men of the truth that there is a God, and that he is one.

 

(3) 이런 연유로, 종교를 가진, 그리고 제대로 된 이성을 소유한 나라(nation)치고 한 분 하나님을, 그리고 하나님은 한 분이시라는 사실을 시인하지 않는 나라는 전 세계에 단 한 군데도 없다. For this reason there is in all the world no nation possessing religion and sound reason that does not acknowledge a God, and that God is one.

 

(4) 하나님은 한 분이시라는 사실은 동의하고 인정, 존중하지만, 그러나 여러 가지 이유로, 여러 나라와 민족들은 그동안 의견이 달랐고, 지금도 여전히 다른 것이다. Respecting what the one God is, nations and peoples have differed and still differ, from many causes.

 

(5) 인간 이성은 맘만 먹으면, 세상 만물을 통해 하나님이 계시며, 그분은 한 분이시라는 사실을 지각하고, 확신할 수 있다. Human reason can, if it will, perceive and be convinced, from many things in the world, that there is a God, and that he is one.

 

(6) 만일 하나님이 한 분이 아니셨다면, 우주는 창조될 수도, 그리고 보존될 수도 없었을 것이다. If God were not one, the universe could not have been created and preserved.

 

(7) 하나님을 부인하는 사람은 누구든지 교회로부터 파문당하고, 정죄를 받는다. Whoever does not acknowledge a God is excommunicated from the church and condemned.

 

(8) 한 분 하나님 대신 여러 하나님을 시인하는 사람한테는 교회와 관련된 일에 있어 전혀 일관성이 없다. With the man who acknowledges several Gods instead of one, there is no coherence in the things relating to the church.

 

이들 명제들을 하나씩 살펴보겠습니다. These propositions shall be unfolded one by one.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

창조주 하나님

God the Creator

 

4

주후(Since the Lord’s time), 기독교회는 유아기부터 최고령 노년기에 이르기까지 여러 단계(stages)를 거쳤습니다. 기독교회의 유아기는 사도들의 시대였는데요, 그때 그들은 회개(repentance)와 구주 되신 주 하나님 신앙(faith in the Lord God the savior)을 세상에 전했습니다. 이 사실은 아래 사도행전 말씀을 보면 알 수 있습니다. Since the Lord’s time the Christian church has passed through the several stages from infancy to extreme old age. Its infancy was in the lifetime of the apostles, when they preached throughout the world repentance and faith in the Lord God the savior. That this is what they preached is evident from these words in the Acts of the Apostles:

 

유대인과 헬라인들에게 하나님께 대한 회개와 우리 주 예수 그리스도께 대한 믿음을 증언한 것이라 (행20:21) Paul testified, both to the Jews and to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

 

※ 사도행전이나 요한일서 등은 스베덴보리가 말한 '말씀'(The Word) 목록에는 없지만, 현 성경 66권에 포함되었음을 감안, '...아래 사도행전 말씀을 보면...' 식으로 그냥 가볍게 표현한 것입니다. 참고하세요.

 

 

성경 66권 중 말씀(The Word)은...

성경 66권 중에서 속뜻(internal sense, inner meaning)이 있는 성경을 '말씀'(The Word, 총 34권)이라 하며, 다음과 같습니다. 구약 : 창, 출, 레, 민, 신, 수, 삿, 삼상, 삼하, 왕상, 왕하, 시, 사, 렘, 애, 겔, 단,

bygrace.kr

 

주목할 만한 사실은, 몇 달 전, 주님은 지금은 천사가 된 그의 열두 제자를 다 함께 불러 영계 전체에 그들을 보내어 그곳에 새로운 복음을 전하게 하셨다는 사실입니다. 주님이 오래전 그들을 통해 세우신 교회가 그동안 계속 황폐해지다가 오늘날엔 그 남은 자들이 거의 없을 정도가 되었으며, 급기야 이런 일, 곧 신적 삼위일체(the Divine trinity)가 세 인격(three persons), 곧 그 각각이 하나님이며 주님인 세 인격으로 나뉘고 마는 사태까지 벌어졌기 때문이지요. It is a noteworthy fact that some months ago the Lord called together his twelve disciples, now angels, and sent them forth throughout the spiritual world, with the command to preach the gospel there anew, since the church that was established by the Lord through them has at this day become so far consummated that scarcely a remnant of it survives; and this has come to pass, because the Divine trinity has been divided into three persons, each one of whom is God and Lord.

 

※ 위 ‘몇 달 전’이라는 표현과 함께 이어지는 내용은 스베덴보리가 이 글을 작성 중이던 당시, 실제 영계에서 일어난 일을 말합니다.

 

[2] 이 때문에 일종의 광분, 광란(frenzy)이 모든 신학은 물론, 주님의 이름으로 일컫는, 그리스도인이라 하는 모든 교회를 침략, 침공했는데요(has invaded), 이를 광란이라 하는 이유는, 이것이 사람들의 마음을 미치게 해서 하나님이 한 분인지, 세 분인지 모를 지경까지 이르게 했기 때문입니다. 입술로는 한 하나님이 계신다라고 하면서도 마음속으로는 세 인격을 생각하는 게 현실이며, 그 결과, 마음과 입술, 그러니까 생각과 말이 서로 상충, 모순, 결국 하나님이라는 건 논리적으로 절대 존재할 수 없다는 결론에 이르게 된 것이지요. 오늘날 만연한 물질주의는 무슨 다른 데 원인이 있는 게 아닙니다. 한번 생각해 보세요. 하나라고 하는 입술과 셋을 생각하는 마음을 놓고, 만일 이 둘이 만날 때, 둘 중 어떤 걸 내려놓을 수 있는지 말입니다. 결론적으로는, 사람이 하나님을 생각할 때, 만일 그가 조금이라도 생각한다면, 그는 하나님을 그저 하나님이라는 이름으로밖에는, 그러니까 그 이름에 하나님에 관한 무슨 지식이 들어있어 그로 인한 어떤 의미를 수반한다는 걸 일절 배제한 채 생각할 수밖에 없게 된다는 사실입니다. Because of this a sort of frenzy has invaded not only all theology, but also the church that from the Lord’s name is called Christian. It is called a frenzy because men’s minds have been made so demented by it as not to know whether there is one God or three. On the lips there is one God; but in the thought of the mind there are three; consequently the mind and lips, that is, the thought and speech, are at variance; and the result of this variance is that there is no God at all. The materialism that prevails at this day is from no other source. Consider, if you will, with the lips speaking of one and the mind thinking of three, whether one of these statements does not, when they meet within, cancel the other. Consequently when a man thinks about God, if he thinks at all it is nothing more than thought from the mere name God, unaccompanied by any sense of the meaning of the name that involves any knowledge of God.  

 

※ 그러니까 사람의 마음속에 이 ‘하나님은 한 분이시냐, 세 분이시냐(whether there is one God or three) 하는 문제가 해결되지 않으면, 그런 사람은 본인의 의지와 상관없이 본인도 모르게 결국 ‘하나님은 없다(there is no God at all)는 결론에 도달, 물질주의에 기반한 삶을 살게 되며, 그런 상태 가운데 있는 사람한테는 하나님이라는 이름이 살면서 요 정도로밖에는 무슨 큰 의미가 없게 된다는 말입니다.

 

[3] 하나님에 대한 생각(idea)은 하나님에 관한 모든 개념과 함께 그동안 결국 이 지경, 곧 산산조각이 난 상황이기 때문에, 제가 원하는 건, 순서대로 창조주 하나님(God the creator), 구속주 되신 주님(the Lord the redeemer), 행하시는 성령(the Holy Spirit the operator), 그리고 끝으로 신적 삼위일체(the Divine trinity)를 다루는 것이며, 그 최종 목적은 이 산산조각 난 걸 다시 전체적으로 세우는 것인데요, 이는 사람의 이성이 말씀과 말씀의 빛, 곧 거기 신적 삼위일체가 있으며, 이 삼일성(the trinity)이 주 하나님 구주 예수 그리스도 안에 있는 것이 마치 영과 육, 그리고 이 영육으로 인한 활동이 한 사람 안에서 일어나는 것처럼 말이지요, 그리고 그렇게 해서 아타나시우스 신조에 있는 다음 글이 참임을 확신함으로써 이루어지게 됩니다. The idea of God, with all conception of him, having been thus rent asunder, it is my purpose to treat, in their order, of God the creator, of the Lord the redeemer, and of the Holy Spirit the operator, and lastly of the Divine trinity, to the end that what has been rent asunder may be again made whole; which is done when the reason of man is convinced by the Word and by light therefrom that there is a Divine trinity, and that the trinity is in the Lord God the savior Jesus Christ, like the soul, the body, and what goes forth from these, in man; and that thus this article in the Athanasian Creed is true:

 

그리스도 안에서 하나님과 사람, 즉 신성(the Divine)과 인성(the human)이 둘이 아니라 한 인격(person) 안에 있습니다. 이성을 가진 영(the rational soul)과 육이 한 사람이듯, 그렇게 하나님과 사람이 한 그리스도입니다. In Christ God and man, or the Divine and the human, are not two, but are in one person; and as the rational soul and the flesh are one man, so God and man are one Christ.

Posted by bygracetistory
,

※ 이 글은 스베덴보리 저, 'True Christian Religion'(1770, 부제 'Containing the universal theology of the new church foretold by the Lord in Daniel 7:13–14 and Revelation 21:1–2') 8번 주제, 'Charity, or Love to the Neighbor, and Good Works' 1번 소주제, 'There are three universal loves—the love of heaven, the love of the world, and the love of self' 5번 항, 'The internal and external man' 입니다.

 

 

※ 다음은 이 책, TCR(True Christian Religion)의 주제들입니다.

 

  1. The Faith of the New Heaven and of the New Church (1-3)

  2. God the Creator (4-80)

  3. The Lord the Redeemer (81-137)

  4. The Holy Spirit and Divine operation (138–188)

  5. The Sacred Scripture or Word of the Lord (189–281)

  6. The catechism or Decalogue explained in its external and its internal sense (282–335)

  7. Faith (336–391)

  8. Charity, or love to the neighbor, and good works (392–462)

  9. Freedom of Choice (463–508)

10. Repentance (509–570)

11. Reformation and Regeneration (571–625)

12. Imputation (626–666)

13. Baptism (667–697)

14. The Holy Supper (698–752)

15. The Consummation of the Age, the Coming of the Lord, and the New Heaven and New Church (753–791)

 

 

401

(5) The internal and external man.

 

(a) Man was created so as to be at the same time in the spiritual world and in the natural world. The spiritual world is where angels are, and the natural world where men are. And as man was so created, there was given him an internal and an external—an internal whereby he is in the spiritual world, and an external whereby he is in the natural world. His internal is what is called the internal man, and his external the external man.

 

[2] (b) Every man has an internal and an external, but with a difference between the good and the evil. With the good the internal is in heaven and its light, and the external in the world and its light; and this light of the world in them is illumined by the light of heaven, and therefore in them the internal and external act as one, like cause and effect, or like the prior and the posterior. But with the evil the internal is in hell and its light, and this light, in comparison with the light of heaven is thick darkness, although their external may be in a light like that in which the good are; thus there is an inversion. On this account the evil, just like the good, can talk and teach about faith, charity, and God, but not from faith, charity, and God.

 

[3] (c) The internal man is what is called the spiritual man, because it is in the light of heaven, which is a spiritual light; while the external man is called the natural man, because it is in the light of the world, which is a natural light. The man whose internal is in the light of heaven, and his external in the light of the world, is a spiritual man in regard to both, because spiritual light from the interior illumines the natural light, and makes it as its own. But the reverse is true of the evil.

 

[4] (d) The internal spiritual man viewed in himself is an angel of heaven, and while living in the body is in association with angels, although he does not know it; and when released from the body he goes among angels. But with the evil the internal man is a satan, and while living in the body is in association with satans, and when released from the body goes among them.

 

[5] (e) With those who are spiritual men, the interiors of the mind are actually elevated towards heaven, for they look primarily to that; but with those who are merely natural, the interiors of the mind are turned away from heaven and towards the world, because they look primarily to the world.

 

[6] (f) Those who cherish a merely general idea of the internal and external man, believe that it is the internal man that thinks and wills, and the external that speaks and acts, because thinking and willing are internal, while speech and action are external. But let it be understood that when a man thinks and wills rightly respecting the Lord and the things pertaining to the Lord, and respecting the neighbor and what pertains to the neighbor, he thinks and wills from a spiritual internal, because from a belief in truth and a love of good; but when his thought and will respecting these things are evil, his thought and will are from an infernal internal, because from a belief in falsity and a love of evil. In a word, so far as man is in love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, he is in a spiritual internal, and from that internal thinks and wills and also speaks and acts; while so far as he is in the love of self and the world, he thinks and wills from hell, even when he speaks and acts otherwise.

 

[7] (g) It has been provided and arranged by the Lord, that so far as man thinks and wills from heaven, the spiritual man is opened and formed, the opening being into heaven even to the Lord, while the forming is in conformity to the things of heaven. But on the contrary so far as man thinks and wills, not from heaven but from the world, so far the internal spiritual man is closed, and the external is opened and formed, the opening being into the world, while the forming is in conformity to the things of hell.

 

[8] (h) Those in whom the internal spiritual man is opened into heaven to the Lord are in the light of heaven, and in enlightenment from the Lord, and thereby in intelligence and wisdom; these see truth from the light of truth and perceive good from the love of good. But those in whom the internal spiritual man is closed do not know what the internal man is, neither do they believe in the Word or in a life after death, or in the things pertaining to heaven and the church; and because they are in merely natural light, they believe nature to be from itself and not from God; they see falsity as truth, and have a perception of evil as good.

 

[9] (i) The internal and external here treated are the internal and external of man’s spirit; his body is only an additional external within which the former exist; for the body in no way acts from itself, but acts only from the spirit that is in it. It must be understood that the spirit of man, after its release from the body, thinks and wills and speaks and acts, just as before. Thinking and willing are its internal, while speech and action then constitute its external.

 

Posted by bygracetistory
,

새 천국 신앙, 새 교회 신앙

The Faith of the New Heaven and of the New Church

 

1

이 신앙(faith)이라는 것은 범 우주적, 즉 보편적 형태(a universal form)와 어떤 특정한, 즉 구체적 형태(a particular form)로 먼저 전개되는데요, 그 맡은 역할이라 하면, 어떤 작품에 있어 그 뒤에 이어지는 내용들에 앞서 등장하는 서문(a preface)이라든지, 어떤 성전에 들어갈 수 있는 입구(a gate), 혹은 그 뒤따르는 내용물이 그 나름의 어떤 식으로 들어있는 요약(a summary) 같은 게 있겠습니다. 이 신앙을 일컬어 새 천국 신앙, 새 교회 신앙이라고 하는데요, 그 이유는, 천사들이 지내는 천국과 사람들로 구성되는 교회가 마치 사람 안의 속 사람, 겉 사람처럼 하나로 움직이기 때문이며, 그 결과, 교회에 속하여 신앙의 진리로 말미암아 사랑의 선 가운데 있으면서, 그리고 사랑의 선으로 말미암아 신앙의 진리 가운데 있는 사람은 그 마음의 내면에 있어서는 천국에 속한 천사이며, 그러다가 사후, 천국에 들어가 그 사랑과 신앙의 하나 된 상태에 따라 그곳에서 행복을 누리기 때문입니다. 주님이 지금 세우고 계시는 새 천국에서는 이 신앙이 그 서문이요, 입구이고 요약이라는 사실을 이제 밝히고자 합니다. This faith is first set forth in a universal and in a particular form, that it may serve as a preface set before the work that follows, also as a gate giving entrance to a temple, and as a summary, containing in their own mode the particulars that succeed. It is called the faith of the new heaven and of the new church because heaven which is the abode of angels, and the church which is made up of men, act as a one, like the internal and the external man; consequently the man of the church who is in the good of love from the truths of faith and in the truths of faith from the good of love, is, in respect to the interiors of his mind, an angel of heaven; and being such he after death enters heaven and there enjoys happiness in proportion to the state of conjunction of his love and faith. Let it be known that in the new heaven, which the Lord is now establishing, this faith is its preface, gate, and summary.

 

 

2

새 천국 신앙, 새 교회 신앙의 보편적 형태는 다음과 같습니다. The faith of the new heaven and of the new church in its universal form is as follows:

 

영원부터 여호와이신 주님은 지옥을 정복하시고, 그의 인성(human)을 영화롭게 하시기 위해 세상에 오셨습니다. 이 일이 없었으면 사람은 그 누구도 구원받을 수 없었을 것입니다. 그를 믿는 사람은 구원을 받습니다. The Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world to subjugate the hells and to glorify his human; and without this no mortal could have been saved; and those are saved who believe in him.

 

[2] 이것을 신앙의 보편적 형태라고 하는 이유는, 이것이 신앙의 보편적 원리이기 때문입니다. 이 신앙의 보편적 원리는 신앙의 모든 개별적인 것과 전체 안에 반드시 있어야 합니다. 하나님은 그 본질(essence)에 있어, 그리고 그 인격(person), 그러니까 그 안에 신적 삼위일체(a Divine trinity)가 있으신 인격에 있어 한 분이시라는 사실과, 바로 그분이 주 하나님 구주 예수 그리스도(the Lord God the savior Jesus Christ)시라는 사실은 신앙의 보편적 원리입니다. 주님이 세상에 오시지 않았으면, 아무도 구원을 받을 수 없었을 것이라는 사실은 신앙의 보편적 원리입니다. 주님은 인간한테서 지옥을 떼어놓으시기 위해 세상에 오셨다는 사실과, 주님은 그걸 지옥과 싸워 이기심을 통해, 그리고 그렇게 해서 지옥을 진압, 질서 회복 및 주님께 복종하게 하심을 통해 해내셨다는 사실은 신앙의 보편적 원리입니다. 주님은 자신의 인성을 영화롭게 하시려고 세상에 오셨다는 사실 또한 신앙의 보편적 원리입니다. 이 인성은 주님이 세상에서 옷처럼 입고 계셨던 것인데요, 이 '영화롭게 하신다'는 건, 그러니까 그 인성과 모든 것의 근원 되신 신성(the Divine)을 하나 되게 하셔서, 그 결과, 주님이 지옥을 영원히 질서 안에 있게, 그리고 주님에 대한 복종 가운데 있게 하심을 말합니다. 이 일은 오직 주님의 인성에게 허락된 시험들을 통해서만 성취될 수 있었기 때문에 주님은 심지어 그 마저도 견디셨는데요, 바로 십자가의 고난이라고도 하는 마지막 시험 말입니다. 이와 같은 사실들이 주님 편에서 본, 신앙의 보편적 원리들입니다. This is called the faith in its universal form, because this is the universal principle of faith; and the universal principle of faith must be in each thing and in all things of it. It is a universal principle of faith that God is one in essence and in person, in whom is a Divine trinity, and that he is the Lord God the savior Jesus Christ. It is a universal principle of faith that no mortal could have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world. It is a universal principle of faith that he came into the world to remove hell from man, and that he did remove it by means of contests with it and victories over it, and thereby he subdued it and reduced it to order and made it obedient to himself. It is a universal principle of faith that he came into the world to glorify his human which he took on in the world, that is, to unite it with the Divine from which [are all things], and thereby he eternally holds hell in order and under obedience to himself. As this could be accomplished only by means of temptations admitted into his human, even to the last of them, which was the passion of the cross, he endured even that. These are the universal principles of faith relating to the Lord.

 

[3] 사람 편에서 본 신앙의 보편적 원리는 사람은 주님을 믿어야 한다는 것입니다. 주님을 믿음으로써 주님과 결합하게 되고, 그래야 구원을 받을 수 있기 때문입니다. 주님을 믿는다는 건, 주님이 구원하신다는 걸 신뢰, 확신하는 건데요, 그런데 올바른 삶을 사는 사람들이라야 이 확신 또한 가질 수 있기에, 올바르게 산다는 건, 곧 주님을 믿는다는 뜻이기도 합니다. 주님이 요한복음에서 가르치신 것이 바로 이것입니다. The universal principle of faith on man’s part is that he should believe in the Lord; for by believing in him there is conjunction with him and thereby salvation. To believe in the Lord is to have confidence that he saves; and as only those who live rightly can have this confidence, this, too, is meant by believing in him. And this the Lord teaches in John:

 

내 아버지의 뜻은 아들을 보고 믿는 자마다 영생을 얻는 이것이니 마지막 날에 내가 이를 다시 살리리라 하시니라 (요6:40) This is the Father’s will, that everyone that believeth in the son may have eternal life; (John 6:40)

 

아들을 믿는 자에게는 영생이 있고 아들에게 순종하지 아니하는 자는 영생을 보지 못하고 도리어 하나님의 진노가 그 위에 머물러 있느니라 (요3:36) He that believeth in the son hath eternal life; but he that believeth not in the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

 

 

3

새 천국 신앙, 새 교회 신앙의 구체적 형태는 다음과 같습니다. The faith of the new heaven and of the new church in a particular form is as follows:

 

여호와 하나님은 사랑 그 자체, 지혜 그 자체, 즉 선 그 자체, 진리 그 자체이신 분입니다. 여호와 하나님은 말씀(the Word)이신 신적 진리(Divine truth), 곧 전에 하나님과 함께 계셨던 하나님이신 신적 진리와 관련, 천국의 모든 것과 지옥의 모든 것, 그리고 교회의 모든 것을 그 처음 질서로 환원키 위해 세상에 오셔서 인성을 입으셨습니다. 왜냐하면, 그 당시 지옥의 권세가 천국의 권세보다 우세했고, 지상에서는 악의 권세가 선의 권세보다 우월했으며, 그 결과, 완전한 지옥살이(damnation), 즉 끔찍한 저주가 바로 문 앞에 위협적으로 서 있었기 때문이지요. 여호와 하나님은 신적 진리셨던 자신의 이 인성을 가지고 이 임박한 저주를 해결하셨는데요(removed), 그렇게 해서 천사들과 사람들을 구하셨고(redeemed), 그렇게 해서 자신의 인성 안에서 신적 진리와 신적 선, 즉 신적 지혜와 신적 사랑을 결합하셨으며(united), 그렇게 해서 그분의 영화롭게 되신 인성으로(with), 그리고 그 인성 안에서(in) 본래 영원부터 계셨던 신성으로 다시 돌아가신 것입니다. Jehovah God is love itself and wisdom itself, or is good itself and truth itself; and in respect to Divine truth, which is the Word, and which was God with God, he came down and took on the human for the purpose of reducing to order all things that were in heaven, and all things in hell, and all things in the church; because at that time the power of hell prevailed over the power of heaven, and upon the earth the power of evil over the power of good, and in consequence a total damnation stood threatening at the door. This impending damnation Jehovah God removed by means of his human, which was Divine truth, and thus he redeemed angels and men, and thereupon he united, in his human, Divine truth with Divine good or Divine wisdom with Divine love; and so, with and in his glorified human, he returned into his Divine in which he was from eternity.

 

요한복음의 다음 말씀은 이 모든 걸 의미합니다.  All this is meant by these words in John:

 

1태초에 말씀이 계시니라 이 말씀이 하나님과 함께 계셨으니 이 말씀은 곧 하나님이시니라, 14말씀이 육신이 되어 우리 가운데 거하시매 우리가 그의 영광을 보니 아버지의 독생자의 영광이요 은혜와 진리가 충만하더라 (요1:1, 14) The Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh; (John 1:1, 14)

 

내가 아버지에게서 나와 세상에 왔고 다시 세상을 떠나 아버지께로 가노라 하시니 (요16:28) I came out from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and go unto the Father; (John 16:28)

 

그리고 또 다음 말씀도 and also by these words:

 

또 아는 것은 하나님의 아들이 이르러 우리에게 지각을 주사 우리로 참된 자를 알게 하신 것과 또한 우리가 참된 자 곧 그의 아들 예수 그리스도 안에 있는 것이니 그는 참 하나님이시요 영생이시라 (요일5:20) We know that the son of God is come, and has given us understanding that we may know the true; and we are in the true, in his son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and life eternal. (1 John 5:20)

 

이들 말씀들을 통해 분명한 것은, 주님이 세상에 오시지 않았으면 아무도 구원받을 수 없었다는 사실입니다. 이 사실은 오늘날에도 동일한데요, 그래서 주님의 재림이 이번에도 말씀이신 신적 진리로 오시는 게 아니면 역시 아무도 구원받을 수 없는 것입니다. From these words it is clear that without the Lord’s coming into the world no one could have been saved. It is the same today; and therefore without the Lord’s coming again into the world in Divine truth, which is the Word, no one can be saved.

 

[2] 사람 편에서 본, 신앙의 구체적인 원리들은 다음과 같습니다. The particulars of faith on man’s part are:

 

(1) 하나님은 한 분이시며, 신적 삼위일체가 그 안에 계신 분입니다. 주 하나님 구주 예수 그리스도가 바로 그분입니다. God is one, in whom is a Divine trinity, and the Lord God the savior Jesus Christ is that one.

 

(2) 구원하는 신앙은 그분을 믿는 것입니다. Saving faith is to believe in him.

 

(3) 악을 행하면 절대로 안 됩니다. 악은 마귀의 일이며, 마귀로부터 말미암기 때문입니다. Evils should not be done, because they are of the devil and from the devil.

 

(4) 선은 반드시 행해야 합니다. 선은 하나님의 일이며, 하나님으로 말미암기 때문입니다. Goods should be done, because they are of God and from God.

 

(5) 선은 겉으로 봐서는 사람이 자기 힘으로 행하는 것 같지만, 그러나 사실은 그 사람 안에 계신 주님에 의해서, 그리고 주님이 그 사람을 통해서 행하심이라는 사실을 반드시 믿어야 합니다. These should be done by man as if by himself; but it should be believed that they are done by the Lord in man and through man.

 

처음 둘은 신앙, 그 다음 둘은 체어리티(charity), 그리고 마지막 다섯 번째는 체어리티와 신앙 간 결합과, 그렇게 해서 주님과 사람 간 결합에 관한 것입니다. The first two are matters of faith, the next two of charity, and the fifth of the conjunction of charity and faith, thus of the conjunction of the Lord and man.

Posted by bygracetistory
,