216. "그러므로 네가 열심을 내라 회개하라"는 이것이 진리에 대한 애정으로 되어야 하며 그릇된 것을 싫어하는데서 나와야 하는 것을 뜻한다.

여기서 "열심을 내라"말하였다. 위(3:15)에서 이미 "차든지 덥든지 하기를 원하노라"말씀하셨기 때문이다. 여기서는 덥기를 원하시는 것이다.

"열심을 내라"(질투하라)는 영적 열기(볕)을 뜻하며, 영적 열기는 사랑에 대한 애정, 여기서는 진리의 사랑에 대한 애정을 뜻하기 때문이며, 또 진리의 사랑에 대한 애정으로 움직이는 사람은 또한 그릇된 것을 싫어하는 데서도 움직이기 때문이다. 그러므로 회개(悔改)는 이것을 뜻한 것이다.

말씀 안에 있는 "열심"(질투)은 주께 대하여 말할 때는 사랑도, 진노도 뜻한다.

사랑을 뜻하는 것은 요한복음 2:17; 시편 69:9; 이사야 37:32; 63:15; 에스겔 39:25; 스가랴 1:14; 8:2

진노를 뜻하는 것은 신명기 32:16, 21; 시편 79:5; 에스겔 8:3, 5; 16:42; 23:25; 스바냐 1:18; 3:8.

그러나 주안에 있는 열심(질투)은 진노가 아니다. 겉으로만 그렇게 보일 따름이요, 속은 사랑이다. 겉으로 그렇게 보이는 것은 주께서 사람을 책망하실 때 주께서 성내신 듯 보이며 특히 인간 자신의 악이 자기를 벌할 때 그렇게 보이기 때문이다. 이것은 사랑으로 그렇게 허락하신 것이다. 그의 악이 옮겨지도록 하신 것이다. 마치 자녀를 사랑하는 부모가 그들의 악을 제거하기 위하여 징계하는 것과도 같다. 이로써 왜 여호와께서 친히 질투하시는 하나님이시라 말씀하셨는가의 이유를 알게 되었을 것이다(신명기 4:24; 5:9-10; 6:14-15).

9096. 'And its owner does not keep it in' means, and if it is not held in bonds. This is clear from the meaning of 'keeping in' as holding in bonds, that is to say, the affection for evil in the natural, which would otherwise injure the truth of faith The reason why 'keeping in' means holding in bonds is that 'becoming known' means passing into the understanding, 9095, and the understanding is what sees evil. What is seen can be restrained and held in bonds, not by the understanding but by the Lord through the understanding; for the Lord flows into things residing with a person that are known to him, not into those unknown to him. Holding in bonds is used to mean halting and restraining, 'bonds' in the spiritual sense meaning nothing other than affections belonging to love, since they are what lead a person and what restrain him. If affections for evil lead him, there must be affections for truth springing from good that will restrain him. Internal bonds with a person are affections for truth and good; these are also called the bonds of conscience. But external bonds are affections belonging to self-love and love of the world; for these lead a person in external matters. If these affections come down from internal bonds, which are affections for truth and good, they are good, for then the person loves self and the world not for their own sake but for the sake of good services performed by self and the world, 7819, 7820, 8995. But if those affections do not come down from such bonds they are bad and are called evil desires, for then the person loves self and the world for their own sake.

[2] From all this one may now know what the terms 'internal bonds' and 'external bonds', which have been mentioned frequently, are used to mean. But bonds so called are not bonds except in relation to opposites. For when an affection belonging to the love of good moves a person to do something he acts in freedom; but when an affection belonging to the love of evil moves a person he seems to himself to act in freedom, yet does not act in freedom because he is moved by evil desires coming from hell. He alone is free who has an affection for good, because he is led by the Lord. This also the Lord teaches in John,

If you remain in My word, truly you are My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Everyone committing sin is a slave of sin. If the Son makes you free, you will be truly free. John 8:31-32, 34, 36.

'Freedom' consists in being led by the Lord, and 'servitude' in being led by evil desires coming from hell, see 892, 905, 2870-2893, 6205, 6477, 8209; for the Lord imparts to a person affections for good and a loathing of evil, so that for that person, doing good is freedom and doing evil is complete servitude. Anyone who believes that Christian freedom extends beyond these boundaries is very much in error.