Selection from Doctrine of The Lord ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
In the Revelation occur the words, A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH; and afterwards, BEHOLD I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW, which mean nothing else than that in the church now to be set up anew by the Lord, THE DOCTRINE WILL BE NEW. This doctrine did not exist in the former church, the reason of which is that if it had, it would not have been received, because the Last Judgment had not then been executed, and previous to that Judgment the power of hell prevailed over the power of heaven, so that if the doctrine had been given before, even from the Lord's mouth, it would not have remained with men; nor does it at this day remain except with those who approach the Lord alone, and acknowledge Him as the God of heaven and earth.The reason why these truths relative to the Lord are now for the first time made publicly known, is that it has been foretold in the Revelation (chapters 21. and 22.) that a New Church, in which this doctrine will hold the chief place, is to be instituted by the Lord at the end of the former church. It is this Church which is meant by the "New Jerusalem," and no one can come into it who does not acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth. This I can declare-that the universal heaven acknowledges the Lord alone; and that no one who does not acknowledge Him is admitted into heaven; for heaven is heaven from the Lord. It is precisely this acknowledgment from love and faith which causes all there to be in the Lord and the Lord in them, as the Lord Himself teaches in John:This same doctrine had indeed been given in the Word; but as not long after its setting up anew the church was turned into Babylon, and afterwards, with others, into Philistia, that doctrine could not be seen from the Word, for the church sees the Word from the principles of its religion and from its doctrine, and in no other way.In that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you (14:20).Abide in Me, and I in you. I am the vine, ye are the branches he that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing; if any one abide not in Me, he is cast forth (15:4-6; 17:22, 23).The reason why this has not been previously seen from the Word, is that if it had been previously seen it would not have been received, because the Last Judgment had not been effected. Before that event the power of hell prevailed over the power of heaven, and as man is in the midst between the two, it is evident that the devil (which is hell) would have plucked it out of men's hearts, and would also have profaned it. But this state of power on the part of hell was completely broken by the Last Judgment, which has now been executed. Since that Judgment - thus now - every man who craves to be enlightened and wise can be so. (n. 61.)
The new things contained in the [The Four Leading Doctrines] are, in general, as follows:
- I. God is one in Person and Essence, and this God is the Lord.
- II. All Holy Scripture treats of Him alone.
- III. He came into the world to subdue the hells, and to glorify His Human; and He accomplished both by admitting temptations into Himself, and did so fully by the last of them which was the passion of the cross. Thereby He became the Redeemer and Savior; and thereby merit and righteousness are His alone.
- IV. The statement that He "fulfilled all things of the law" means that He fulfilled all things of the Word.
- V. By the passion of the cross He did not take away sins, but bore them as the Prophet, that is to say, He suffered that there should be represented, in Himself, the church in respect to its maltreatment of the Word.
- VI. The imputation of His merit is not anything at all unless thereby is meant the forgiveness of sins after repentance.
In those which follow it, which are to be Concerning the Holy Scripture, Concerning the Doctrine of Life, Concerning Faith, and Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, still other new things will be seen.
(Lord 65)