April 4, 2019

THE CHURCH (pt. 1)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
THE CHURCH
(pt. 1)


That which constitutes heaven with man, also constitutes the church; for as love and faith constitute heaven, so they also constitute the church; thus, -
it is evident what the church is. The church is said to be where the Lord is acknowledged and where the Word is, for the essentials of the church are love and faith in the Lord from the Lord; and the Word teaches how man must live that he may receive love and faith from the Lord.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 241-242)

April 3, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 10)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 10)


The life of man cannot be changed after death. It then remains such as it had been. For the quality of man's spirit is in every respect the same as that of his love, and infernal love can never be transcribed into heavenly love, because they are opposite. This is meant by the words of Abraham to the rich man in hell:
Between us and you there is a great gulf; so that they which would pass to you cannot; neither can they pass to us from thence (Luke 16:26).
Hence it is evident that all who come into hell remain there to eternity; and they who come into heaven remain there to eternity.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 239)

April 2, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 9)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 9)


Those with whom the love of self and the love of the world reign, do not know what heaven and heavenly happiness are; and it appears incredible to them that happiness is given in any other loves than in them. Nevertheless, the happiness of heaven enters so far as the loves of self and the world, regarded as ends, are removed; and the happiness which succeeds on their removal is so great as to exceed all human comprehension.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 238)

April 1, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 8)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 8)


As love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor constitute the life of heaven with man, so the love of self and the love of the world, when they reign, constitute the life of hell with him; for these loves are opposite to those. Therefore they with whom the loves of self and of the world reign, can receive nothing from heaven, but what they receive is from hell; for whatever a man loves, and whatever he believes, is either from heaven or from hell.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 237)

March 31, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 7)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 7)


Eternal happiness, which is also called heavenly joy, is imparted to those who are in love and faith in the Lord, from the Lord; for this love and faith have that joy in them; into it the man comes after death who has heaven in him; in the meantime it lies hidden in his internal man. In the heavens there is a communion of all goods; there the peace, the intelligence, the wisdom, and the happiness of all are communicated to each; yet to everyone according to his reception of love and faith from the Lord. Hence it may appear how great is the peace, intelligence, wisdom and happiness in heaven.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 236)

March 30, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 6)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 6)


When man comes into the other life, which takes place immediately after death, it is evident whether heaven is in him or not; but not while he lives in the world. For in the world the external appears, and not the internal, but in the other life the internal is made manifest, because man then lives as to his spirit.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 235)

March 29, 2019

HEAVEN AND HELL (pt. 5)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
Doctrinal Series
HEAVEN AND HELL
(pt. 5)


Heaven is with man in his internal, thus in his willing and thinking from love and faith, and thence in his external, which is in acting and speaking from love and faith. But heaven is not in man's external without the internal; for all hypocrites can act and speak well, but they cannot will and think well.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 234)