He Ever Lives to Make Intercession

Selection from Arcana Cœlestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.      Hebrews 7:25

They who do not know what intercession is, cannot form any other idea about it than that the Lord continually prays to the Father, and intercedes for the sinner who devoutly supplicates and promises repentance. Nay, the simple think that the Lord sits with the Father, and pleads with Him for the sinner, and entreats Him to give him to Himself, that he may be in His kingdom, and may enjoy eternal happiness. Such an idea have very many about the intercession spoken of in the Word, where it is said that the Lord will entreat His Father for them. But who cannot see that these things were said according to the ideas of human thought? For everyone at that time, as also very many at this day, could not think otherwise of the heavenly kingdom, than as they think of an earthly kingdom, because they get the idea about the former from the latter. This is plainly evident from those very apostles of the Lord, James and John, who asked to sit the one on His right hand, and the other on His left, in His kingdom (Mark 10:35-37); and also from the rest of the apostles, among whom there was a contention as to which of them should be the greatest in the Lord's kingdom, and who were therefore told by the Lord that they should eat and drink at His table in His kingdom, and should sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:24, 30), thus that they should reign with Him. It is evident that these things were said in accordance with their ideas, and thus in accordance with their apprehension, and that in the interior sense they have a different signification, which at that time could not so well be made known....

As regards intercession, the case is this. There is intercession in all love, consequently in all mercy; for mercy is of love. That he who loves, or who feels compassion, continually intercedes, can be seen from examples:

• A husband who loves his wife, wishes her to be kindly received by others, and to be well treated; he does not say this in express terms, but continually thinks it, consequently is in silence continually entreating it, and interceding for her.
• Parents act in like manner in favor of their children whom they love.
• In like manner do those also who are in charity for their neighbor
• They who are in friendship for their friends.

From all this it can be seen that there is constant intercession in all love.

It is the same in respect to the Lord's intercession for the human race, and in especial for those who are in the good and truth of faith; for toward them there is Divine, that is, infinite love; and there is Divine, that is, infinite mercy. He does not pray the Father for them, and in this way intercede, for this would be to act altogether after a human manner; but He continually excuses, and continually forgives, for He continually feels compassion; and this is done on the part of the Lord Himself, for the Lord and the Father are one (John 14:8-12).

A secret that lies still more interiorly hidden in the word "intercession," shall also be told. The Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord continually intercedes in the manner described, because it proceeds from the Divine love. When the Lord was in the world He was the Divine truth; but since He was glorified, which was effected when He rose again, He is the Divine good. It is the Divine good which is meant in the Word in the internal sense by "the Father," and the Divine truth which is meant by "the Son." And as in the Divine truth, which proceeds from the Divine good, there is continual intercession, therefore it is said that the Son entreats the Father, and intercedes for man. This latter idea could be apprehended by man, but the former with difficulty.

(Arcana Cœlestia 8573)

The Nature of the Love of Self

Selection from Arcana Cœlestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

The nature of the love of self is diametrically contrary to the order into which man was created.

Man is distinguished above beasts by having a rational given him, to the end that everyone may will well and do well to others, as in general so in particular. This is the order into which man has been created; consequently it is love to God and love toward the neighbor that should be man's life, and by which he should be distinguished from brute animals. This is also the order of heaven, in which it was intended man should be while he lives in the world; thus in the Lord's kingdom; and into this kingdom he would pass when he had put off the body that had been of service to him upon the earth, and there he would rise into a state continually advancing in heavenly perfection.

But the love of self is the primary and indeed the only thing that destroys all this; and not so much so the love of the world, for this is indeed opposite to the spiritual things of faith, but the love of self is diametrically opposite to the celestial things of love.

For he who loves himself loves no others, but endeavors to destroy all persons whatever that do not pay reverence to him; nor does he will well and do well to anyone, except to him who is a part of himself, or can be captivated so as to be a part of himself, like something inoculated as it were with his cupidities and phantasies.

Hence it is evident that from the love of self there gush forth all hatreds, all revenges and cruelties, as also all infamous simulations and deceits, and thus all heinous things against the order of human society and against the order of heavenly society.

Nay, so heinous is the love of self, that when its bonds are relaxed, that is, when opportunity of free range is given it, even with those who are in the lowest condition, it so rushes on, that it not only wills to exercise dominion over neighbors and those near at hand, but also over the universe, and even over the Supreme Divine Itself. Of this the man is indeed ignorant, because he is kept in bonds not well known to him, but insofar as these bonds are slackened ... so far he rushes on....

As these things lie hidden in the love of self, they who are in the love of self, and are not endowed with the bonds of conscience, above all others hold the Lord in hatred, consequently all the truths of faith, for these are the very laws of order in the Lord's kingdom, and these they reject so as to abominate them, which also shows itself openly in the other life. This love is also the "serpent's head," which the "Seed of the woman" (that is, the Lord) "treads down" ....

But the love of self is not always that which appears in the outward form as pride and haughtiness, for sometimes such persons are able to hold the neighbor in charity, for with some such an external is born, and with some it is contracted in early life, but is afterwards subjugated, the external still remaining. But those are in the love of self who despise others and make them of no account in comparison with themselves, and who care nothing for the common good, unless it is for them, and they themselves, as it were, are it, especially those who hate all by whom they are not favored and served, persecuting them, and so far as they are able depriving them of their possessions, honor, reputation, and even life. Let those who breathe such things in intention know that they are preeminently in the love of self.

(Arcana Cœlestia 2219)

When the 'Two' Constitute 'One'

Selection from Arcana Cœlestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Doctrine concerning good is the doctrine of charity, and doctrine concerning truth is the doctrine of faith.

In general, there is only one doctrine, namely, the doctrine of charity, for all things of faith look to charity. Between charity and faith there is no other difference than that between willing what is good and thinking what is good (for he who wills what is good also thinks what is good), thus than that between the will and the understanding. They who reflect, know that the will is one thing and the understanding another. This is also known in the learned world, and it plainly appears with those who will evil and yet from thought speak well; from all which it is evident to everyone that the will is one thing, and the understanding another; and thus that the human mind is distinguished into two parts, which do not make a one. Yet man was so created that these two parts should constitute one mind; nor should there be any other distinction (to speak by comparison) than such as there is between a flame and the light from it (love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor being like the flame, and all perception and thought being like the light from it); thus love and charity should be the all of the perception and thought, that is should be in each and all things of them. Perception or thought concerning the quality of love and charity is that which is called faith.

But as the human race began to will what is evil, to hate the neighbor, and to exercise revenges and cruelties, insomuch that that part of the mind which is called the will was altogether destroyed, men began to make a distinction between charity and faith, and to refer to faith all the doctrinal matters that were of their religion, and call them by the single term faith; and at length they went so far as to say that they could be saved by faith alone — by which they meant their doctrinal things — provided they merely believed these, no matter how they might live. Thus was charity separated from faith, which is then nothing else whatever (to speak by comparison) than a kind of light without flame, such as is wont to be the light of the sun in time of winter, which is cold and icy, insomuch that the vegetation of the earth grows torpid and dies; whereas faith from charity is like the light in the time of spring and summer, by which all things germinate and bloom.

(Arcana Cœlestia 2231:2, 3)