THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 92)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 92)
NO ONE CAN SHUN EVILS AS SINS
SO AS TO BE INWARDLY AVERSE TO THEM
EXCEPT BY MEANS OF COMBATS AGAINST THEM

Everybody knows from the Word and from doctrine drawn from it that the Own* of man is evil from his birth, and that this is the reason why from inborn concupiscence he loves evils and is drawn into them. This is why he desires to have revenge, and to commit fraud, defamation, and adultery. And unless he takes thought that such things are sins, and on this account resists them, he does them whenever an opportunity offers, provided that his reputation and thereby his honors and gains do not suffer. Consider also that unless he has religion the man does these things from delight.

(LIFE 92)

* The Latin word proprium is the term used in the original text that in this and other places has been rendered by the expression "Own." The dictionary meaning of proprius, as an adjective, is "one's own," "proper," "belonging to one's self alone," "special," "particular," "peculiar." The neuter of this which is the word proprium, when used as a noun means "possession," "property;" also "a peculiarity," "characteristic mark," "distinguishing sign," "characteristic." The English adjective "own" is defined by Webster to mean "belonging to," "belonging exclusively or especially to," "peculiar;" so that our word "own" is a very exact equivalent of proprius, and if we make it a noun by writing it "Own," in order to answer to the Latin proprium, we effect a very close translation. [TR.]

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 91)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 91)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

It is a general opinion at the present day that to be saved consists in believing this thing or that which the church teaches, and that it does not consist in keeping the commandments (which are, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness) in both the restricted and the extended sense. For it is maintained that works are not regarded by God, but faith, when nevertheless the truth is that in proportion as anyone is in these evils, in that same proportion he has no faith. (See above n. 42-52.)

Take counsel of reason and observe whether, so long as he is in the concupiscence [lust] of these evils, any murderer, adulterer, thief, or false witness is able to have faith; and also, further, whether the concupiscence [lust] of these evils can be shaken off in any other way than by refusing to will to commit them for the reason that they are sins, that is, because they are infernal and devilish. So that whoever imagines that being saved consists in believing this thing or that which is taught by the church, while himself remaining thus evil in feeling and in character, must needs be a "foolish man," in accordance with the words of the Lord in Matthew 7:26: And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand

Such a church is thus described in Jeremiah:

Stand in the gate of Jehovah's house, and proclaim there this word: Thus saith Jehovah of Armies the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings; trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered, while ye do all these abominations? Is this house become a den of robbers? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah (Jer. 7:2-4, 9-11).

(LIFE 91)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 90)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 90)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

It is the truth that is meant by the "seed in the field," of which the Lord said:
A sower went forth to sow, and as he sowed some fell upon the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of heaven devoured it; and some fell upon stony places, and as soon as it was sprung up, because it had no root it withered away; and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up with it and choked it; and other fell into the good ground, and sprung up, and bare fruit manifold (Luke 8:5-8; Matt. 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-8).

• The "sower" is the Lord
• The "seed" is His Word, thus the truth
• The "seed upon the way" exists with those who do not care for the truth
• The "seed upon stony places" exists with those who do care for the truth, but not for its own sake, thus not interiorly
• The "seed in the midst of thorns" exists with those who are in the concupiscences of evil
• BUT the "seed in good ground" exists with those who love the truths that are in the Word from the Lord, and do them from Him, thus who bear fruit.

That these things are meant is evident from the explication of the parable by the Lord (Matt. 13:19-23, 37; Mark 4:14-20; Luke 8:11-15).

From all this it is evident that the truth of the Word cannot take root in those who do not care for the truth, nor in those who love the truth outwardly and not inwardly, nor in those who are in the concupiscences of evil, but in those in whom the concupiscences of evil have been dispersed by the Lord. In these the "seed" - that is, the truth - takes root in their spiritual mind (concerning which above, n. 86 at the end).

(LIFE 90)