Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 32)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —

The Holy Supper was instituted by the Lord in order that by means of it there may be a conjunction of the church with heaven, thus with the Lord. It is therefore the most holy thing of the church.

But in what manner conjunction is effected by means of it, is not apprehended by those who do not know anything of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word; for they do not think beyond its external sense, which is the sense of the letter. From the internal or spiritual sense of the Word it is known what is signified by the "body" and the "blood," and what by the "bread" and the "wine," and also what by "eating."

In this sense the Lord's "body" or "flesh" denotes the good of love, in like manner the "bread;" and the Lord's "blood" denotes the good of faith, in like manner the "wine;" and "eating" denotes appropriation and conjunction. The angels who are with a man when he comes to the sacrament of the Supper perceive these things no otherwise; for they apprehend all things spiritually. From this it is that there then flows in from the angels to the man, thus through heaven from the Lord, a holy feeling of love and of faith. From this comes the conjunction.

From all this it is evident that when a man takes the bread, which is the body, he is conjoined with the Lord through the good of love to Him from Him; and when he takes the wine, which is the blood, he is conjoined with the Lord through the good of faith to Him from Him. But be it known that conjunction with the Lord through the sacrament of the Supper is effected solely with those who are in the good of love and of faith to the Lord from the Lord. The Holy Supper is the seal of this conjunction.

(Arcana Coelestia 10519-10522)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 31)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —

Baptism was instituted as a sign that the man belongs to the church, and as a memorial that he is to be regenerated; for the washing of Baptism is nothing else than spiritual washing, which is regeneration.

All regeneration is effected by the Lord by means of the truths of faith and a life according to them. Therefore Baptism testifies that the man belongs to the church, and that he can be regenerated; for in the church the Lord is acknowledged, who regenerates; and in it is the Word which contains the truths of faith whereby regeneration is effected.

This the Lord teaches in John:

Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5)

in the spiritual sense "water" denotes the truth of faith from the Word; "the spirit" denotes a life according to this truth; and "to be born" of these denotes to be regenerated.

As everyone who is regenerated also undergoes temptations, which are spiritual combats against evils and falsities, therefore by the waters of Baptism these temptations also are signified.

As Baptism is for a sign and a memorial of these things, therefore a man may be baptized when an infant, and if not then, when an adult.

Be it known therefore by those who are baptized, that Baptism itself does not confer faith, or salvation; but that it testifies that men receive faith, and that they are saved, if they are regenerated.

From this it can be seen what is meant by the Lord's words in Mark:

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned (Mark 16:16)

"he that believeth" is he who acknowledges the Lord and receives Divine truths from Him through the Word; "he that is baptized" is he who is regenerated by the Lord by means of these truths.

(Arcana Coelestia 10386-10392)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 30)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —
Concerning the Word

Without a revelation from the Divine, man cannot know anything about eternal life, nor indeed anything about God, and still less about love to Him and faith in Him. For man is born into mere ignorance, and afterward has all things to learn from what is of the world, from which he must form his understanding. He is also born hereditarily into all evil that belongs to the love of self and the love of the world. The delights from these loves reign continually, and prompt to such things as are diametrically contrary to the Divine. From this then it is that from himself man knows nothing about eternal life; and therefore there must needs be a revelation from which he may know this.

That the evils of the love of self and of the world induce such ignorance about the things of eternal life, is very evident from those within the church who although they know from revelation that there is a God, that there are a heaven and a hell, that there is eternal life, and that this life must be acquired by means of the good of love and of faith, nevertheless fall, both learned and unlearned, into denial. From this it is again evident what great ignorance would prevail if there were no revelation.

Seeing therefore that man lives after death, and this to eternity; and that a life awaits him in accordance with his love and faith, it follows that from love toward the human race, the Divine has revealed such things as will lead to that life, and will conduce to man's salvation. That which the Divine has revealed is with us the Word.

As the Word is a revelation from the Divine, it is Divine in general and in particular, for that which is from the Divine cannot be otherwise.

That which is from the Divine descends through the heavens down to man, and therefore in the heavens it has been accommodated to the wisdom of the angels who are there, and on earth it has been accommodated to the apprehension of the men who are there. Therefore in the Word there is an internal sense for the angels, which is spiritual; and an external sense for men, which is natural. From this it is that there is a conjunction of heaven with man by means of the Word.

The genuine sense of the Word is apprehended by none but those who are enlightened; and those only are enlightened who are in love to the Lord and in faith in Him, for the interiors of such are raised by the Lord even into the light of heaven.

The Word in the letter cannot be apprehended except by means of doctrine made from the Word by one who is enlightened. For the sense of the letter of the Word has been accommodated to the apprehension of even simple men; and therefore they need doctrine out of the Word for a lamp.

The books of the Word are all those which have an internal sense; and those which have not an internal sense are not the Word. The books of the Word in the Old Testament are the five books of Moses, the book of Joshua, the book of Judges, the two books of Samuel, the two books of Kings, the Psalms of David, the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; and in the New Testament the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and Revelation.

(Arcana Coelestia 10318-10325)
(series to be continued)