781. 第9节 这就是启示录所描述的“新天新地”, 以及由此降临的“新耶路撒冷”的含义。

在启示录中, 我们读到:

我看见一个新天新地, 因为先前的天地都过去了。 我约翰又看见圣城, 新耶路撒冷, 由神那里从天而降, 预备好了, 就如新妇妆饰整齐, 等候丈夫。 (启示录21:1-2)

象这样的事在以赛亚书中也有记载:

看哪, 我造新天新地; 你们当因我所造的永远欢喜快乐! 因我造耶路撒冷为人所喜, 造其中的居民为人所乐。 (以赛亚65:17-18)

我在本章前面已说明, 如今主正在建造一个新天堂, 由那些在世时承认, 或离世后能承认主就是天地之神的基督徒组成, 如祂在马太福音 (马太福音28:18) 中所说的那样。

In the Word three terms are used to refer to bad actions: transgression, iniquity, and sin. Transgression is the least bad. It means a violation of what is true in an external context, a violation of what is right and orderly. Iniquity is next and denotes acts that violate more interior truths. Sin is the worst. It is a violation of what is holy and righteous, a violation against the Lord. Sin is the deepest kind of evil. Regarding iniquity -- to be in charity, or live a life of charity is to live a life where the acts and thoughts that have top priority are those that have within them a love for the neighbor. Sometimes our love of self, our inborn desire to put ourselves first, is stronger than our charity and we do something for ourselves at the expense of our neighbor, or even do harm to our neighbor. Such an act, if our motive is selfish, is an iniquity.

(Referencias: Arcana Coelestia 9156, 9965 [2-3])