Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 28)

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

Those who believe that they merit heaven by the goods which they do, do goods from themselves, and not from the Lord.

Therefore those who place merit in works love themselves, and those who love themselves despise the neighbor, and even are angry with God Himself if they do not receive the hoped-for reward, for they do the works for the sake of the reward.

From this it is evident that their works are not from heavenly love, thus not from true faith; for the faith which regards good from self, and not from God, is not true faith. Such cannot receive heaven into themselves, for heaven with man is from heavenly love and true faith.

Those who place merit in works cannot fight against the evils which are from the hells, for no one can do this from himself; but the Lord fights and conquers for those who do not place merit in works.

The Lord alone had merit, because He alone, from Himself, has conquered and subdued the hells. Hence the Lord alone is merit and righteousness.

Moreover, from himself man is nothing but evil; thus to do good from self is to do it from evil.

That good must not be done for the sake of a reward, the Lord Himself teaches in Luke:

If ye love those who love you, what thanks have ye? If ye do well to those who do well to you, what thanks have ye? For sinners do the same. Rather love your enemies, and do well, and lend, hoping for nothing; then shall your reward be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High (Luke 6:32-35).

That a man cannot from himself do good that is good; but only from the Lord, the Lord also teaches in John:

A man can receive nothing unless it be given him from heaven (John 3:27).

Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

To believe that they will be rewarded if they do what is good, is not hurtful to those who are in innocence, as is the case with little children and with the simple; but to confirm themselves therein when they are grown up is hurtful; for a man is initiated into good by looking for a reward, and he is deterred from evil by looking for a punishment. But insofar as he comes into the good of love and of faith, he is removed from having regard to merit in the goods which he does.

To do good that is good must be from the love of good, thus for the sake of good. They who are in this love abhor merit, for they love to do, and perceive satisfaction from it; and on the other hand, they are saddened if it is believed that it is done for the sake of something of self. The case herein is almost as it is with those who do what is good to friends for the sake of friendship, to a brother for the sake of brotherhood, to wife and children for their own sake, to their country for their country's sake; thus from friendship and from love. They who think well also say and insist that they do not do well for the sake of themselves; but for the sake of those to whom they do it.

The delight itself which is in the love of doing what is good without any end of recompense, is the reward which remains to eternity; for every affection of love remains inscribed on the life. Into this there is insinuated by the Lord heaven and eternal happiness.

(Arcana Coelestia 9974-9984)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 27)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —
The Understanding of Truth and the Will of Good

When it is known what the internal man is, and what the external man, the source of the Understanding of Truth, and of the Will of Good, can then be known.

In proportion as the internal man has been opened toward heaven, thus to the Lord, in the same proportion a man is in the light of heaven, thus in the same proportion he is in the understanding of truth. The light of heaven is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord; to be enlightened by this light is to understand truth.

In proportion as the internal man has been opened to the Lord, and the external man subordinated to it, in the same proportion a man is in the fire of heaven; thus in the same proportion he is in the will of good. The fire of heaven is the Divine love that proceeds from the Lord; to be kindled by this fire is to will good.

Therefore the understanding of truth is to see truths from the Word by virtue of enlightenment from the Lord; and the will of good is to will these truths from affection.

They who are in love and faith in the Lord, and in charity toward the neighbor, are in the understanding of truth and in the will of good, for with them there is a reception of the good and truth which are from the Lord.

On the other hand, in proportion as the internal man has been closed toward heaven and to the Lord, in the same proportion a man is in cold and thick darkness in respect to the things of heaven. And then in proportion as the external man has been opened toward the world, in the same proportion the man thinks what is false, and wills what is evil, and thus is insane; for the light of the world extinguishes in him the light of heaven; and the fire of the life of the world extinguishes the fire of the life of heaven.

They who are in the love of self, and in the persuasion of self-derived intelligence and wisdom, are in such cold and thick darkness.

From this it is evident that to be intelligent and wise does not consist in understanding and being wise about many things of the world; but in understanding and willing the things of heaven. For there are those who understand and are wise about many things of the world, and yet do not believe or will the things of heaven; thus are insane. These are they of whom the Lord says:

I speak by parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13).

The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him (John 14:17).

(Arcana Coelestia 9796-9803)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 26)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —
The Internal and the External Man

They who have only a general idea about the Internal and the External Man, believe that it is the Internal Man which thinks and wills, and the External Man which speaks and acts; because to think and to will are internal, and from these to speak and act is external.

But be it known that it is not only the Internal Man that thinks and wills, but also the External; yet in one way when they are conjoined, and in another when they are separated.

When a man thinks intelligently and wills wisely, he thinks and wills from the Internal Man; but when he does not think intelligently and will wisely, he does not think and will from the Internal Man. Consequently, when a man thinks well about the Lord and about what belongs to the Lord, and when he thinks well about the neighbor and what belongs to the neighbor, and when he also wills well to these, he then thinks and wills from the Internal Man. But when a man thinks evilly in regard to these, and bears them ill will, he then does not think and will from the Internal Man. To think well is from the faith of truth, and to will well is from the love of good; but to think evilly is from the faith of what is false, and to will evilly is from the love of what is evil.

In a word, insofar as a man is in love to the Lord and in love toward the neighbor, so far he is in the Internal Man, and thinks and wills and also speaks and acts from it; but insofar as a man is in the love of self and in the love of the world, so far he is in the External Man, and insofar as he dares, he also speaks and acts from it.

The reason is that man has been created according to the image of heaven and the image of the world; the Internal Man according to the image of heaven, and the External Man according to the image of the world. Wherefore to think and will from the Internal Man is to think and will from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; but to think and will from the External Man is to think and will from the world, that is, through the world from self.

It has been so provided and ordained by the Lord that insofar as a man thinks and wills from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, so far his Internal Man is opened: the opening is unto heaven, even unto the Lord Himself. Therefore, on the other hand, insofar as a man thinks and wills from the world, that is, through the world from self, so far the Internal Man is closed, and the External Man is opened: the opening is unto the world and unto self.

In order that the External Man may be reduced into order, it must be made subordinate to the Internal Man, and it is made subordinate when it obeys. So far as this is effected, so far the External Man also is wise. This is meant by the old man with its evil affections needing to die in order that the man may become a new creature.

Those with whom the Internal Man has been closed, do not know that there is an Internal Man, neither do they believe that there is a heaven and an eternal life. And wonderful to say they nevertheless suppose that they think more wisely than others; for they love themselves and what belongs to them, and these they worship.

It is otherwise in the case of those with whom the Internal Man has been opened toward heaven unto the Lord, for these are in the light of heaven, thus in illumination from the Lord; whereas the former are not in the light of heaven, but in the light of the world, and thus in illumination from self. Those who are illumined from self, and not from the Lord, see falsity as truth and evil as good.

(Arcana Coelestia 9701-9709)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 25)

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

All that is called Freedom which is of the will, thus which is of the love; whence it is that Freedom manifests itself by means of the delight of willing and thinking, and of the consequent doing and speaking. For all delight is of love, and all love is of the will, and the will is the being of man's life.

To do evil from the delight of love appears like Freedom; but is slavery, because from hell. To do good from the delight of love appears to be Freedom, and also is Freedom, because it is from the Lord. It is therefore slavery to be led by hell, and it is Freedom to be led by the Lord. This the Lord teaches in John:

Everyone that doeth sin is the servant of sin. The servant abideth not in the house forever; the Son abideth forever. If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:34-36).

The Lord keeps man in the Freedom of thinking; and insofar as outward bonds, which are the fear of the law and for life, and the fear of the loss of reputation, of honor, and of gain, do not hinder, He keeps him in the Freedom of doing; but, through Freedom, He bends him away from evil; and, through Freedom, He bends him to good; leading him so gently and silently that the man knows no otherwise than that everything proceeds from himself. Thus the Lord, in Freedom, inseminates and inroots good in the very life of the man, which good remains to eternity. This the Lord teaches in Mark:

So is the Kingdom of God, as a man who casteth seed into the earth; the seed germinateth and groweth, while he knoweth not. The earth beareth fruit of its own accord (Mark 4:26-28).

"The kingdom of God" denotes heaven with man, thus the good of love and the truth of faith.

That which is inseminated in Freedom remains, because it is inrooted in the very will of man, which is the being of his life. But that which is inseminated under compulsion does not remain, because what is of compulsion is not from the will of the man, but is from the will of him who compels. For this reason worship from Freedom is pleasing to the Lord, but not worship from compulsion; for worship from Freedom is worship from love, because all Freedom is of love.

There is heavenly Freedom, and there is infernal Freedom. Heavenly Freedom is to be led by the Lord, and this Freedom is the love of what is good and true. But infernal Freedom is to be led by the devil, and this Freedom is the love of what is evil and false; properly speaking, it is concupiscence.

They who are in infernal Freedom believe it to be slavery and compulsion not to be allowed to do what is evil and to think what is false at pleasure. But they who are in heavenly Freedom feel horror in doing what is evil and in thinking what is false, and if they are compelled thereto, they are in torment.

From all this it can be seen what Free Will is, namely, that is to do what is good from choice, or from the will; and that they are in this Freedom who are led by the Lord.

(Arcana Coelestia 9585-9591)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 24)

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

The Forgiveness of Sins shall now be spoken of.

The sins done by a man are rooted in his very life, and make it; and therefore no one is liberated from them unless he receives new life from the Lord, which is effected by means of regeneration.

That from himself a man cannot do what is good or think what is true; but only from the Lord, is evident in John:

A man can do nothing except it be given him from heaven (John 3:27).

He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

From this it is evident that no one can withdraw anyone from sins, thus forgive them, save the Lord alone.

The Lord continually flows into man with the good of love and the truths of faith; but these are variously received; being received in one way by one person, and in a different way by another; by those who have been regenerated they are received well; but by those who do not suffer themselves to be regenerated they are received ill.

Those who have been regenerated are continually kept by the Lord in the good of faith and of love, and are then withheld from evils and falsities. And those who do not suffer themselves to be regenerated by the Lord are also withheld from evil and kept in good, for good and truth continually flow in from the Lord with every man; but the infernal loves in which they are, namely, the loves of self and of the world, stand in the way, and turn the influx of good into evil, and that of truth into falsity.

From all this it is evident what the Forgiveness of Sins is. —

To be able to be kept by the Lord in the good of love, and the truths of faith, and to be withheld from evils and falsities, is the Forgiveness of Sins. And to shun evil and falsity, and to feel aversion for them, is then Repentance. But these are possible only with those who, through regeneration, have received new life from the Lord; because these things belong to the new life.

But the signs that sins have not been forgiven are the following. —

God is not worshiped for the sake of God; and the neighbor is not served for the sake of the neighbor; thus good is not done and truth is not spoken for the sake of good and truth, but for the sake of self and the world. There is a desire to merit by our deeds; others are despised in comparison with ourselves; delight is felt in evils, such as enmities, hatred, revenge, cruelty, adulteries; and the holy things of the church are held in contempt, and are at heart denied.

When sins have been forgiven, they are believed to be wiped off, and washed away as dirt is with water. Nevertheless they remain in the man; and their being said to be "wiped off" is from the appearance when the man is withheld from them.

The Lord regenerates a man from Divine Mercy. This is done from his infancy down to the last of his life in the world, and afterward to eternity. Thus it is from Divine Mercy that the Lord withdraws a man from evils and falsities, and leads him to the truths of faith and goods of love, and afterward keeps him in these. And after this, in Divine Mercy He raises him to Himself in heaven, and makes him happy. All this is what is meant by the Forgiveness of Sins from Mercy. They who believe that sins are forgiven in any other way, are quite mistaken; for it would be the absence of mercy to see a multitude of men in the hells, and not save them, if it could be done in any other way. And yet the Lord is mercy itself, and wills not the death of anyone, but that he may live.

Consequently those who do not suffer themselves to be regenerated, thus who do not suffer themselves to be withheld from evils and falsities, remove and cast away from themselves these mercies of the Lord. Therefore it is the man who is in fault if he cannot be saved.

This is what is meant in John:

As many as received Him, to them gave He power to be sons of God, to them that believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12, 13)

"of bloods" denotes those who are opposed to the goods of faith and of charity; "of the will of the flesh" denotes those who are in evils from the loves of self and of the world; "of the will of man" denotes those who are in falsities thence derived; to be "born of God" denotes to be regenerated. That no one can come into heaven unless he is regenerated, is taught in the same:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5)

"to be born of water" denotes through the truth of faith; and "to be born of the spirit" denotes through the good of love. From all this it can now be seen who they are whose sins have been forgiven; and who they are whose sins have not been forgiven.

(Arcana Coelestia 9443-9454)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 23)

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

To believe those things which the Word teaches, or which the doctrine of the church teaches, and not to live according to them, appears as if it were faith, and some also suppose that they are saved by this faith; but no one is saved by this alone, for it is Persuasive Faith, the quality of which shall now be told.

There is Persuasive Faith when the Word and the doctrine of the church are believed and loved, not for the sake of serving the neighbor, that is, one's fellow citizen, our country, the church, heaven, and the Lord Himself; consequently not for the sake of life, for serving these is life; but for the sake of gain, honors, and the reputation of learning, as ends. Wherefore they who are in this faith do not have in view the Lord and heaven, but themselves and the world.

They who aspire after great things in the world, and covet many things, are in a stronger persuasion that what the doctrine of the church teaches is true, than are those who do not aspire after great things and covet many things. The reason is that to the former the doctrine of the church is merely a means to their ends; and the means are loved and also believed in proportion as the ends are desired.

In itself, however, the fact is that insofar as such men are in the fire of the loves of self and of the world, and speak, preach, and act from this fire, so far they are in that persuasion, and they then know no otherwise than that what they say is so. But when they are not in the fire of these loves, they believe nothing, and many of them deny everything; from which it is evident that a Persuasive Faith is a faith of the lips, and not of the heart; thus that in itself it is no faith.

They who are in Persuasive Faith do not know from any internal enlightenment whether what they teach is true or false; nay, they do not care, provided they are believed by the common people; for they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth. Moreover, above all others they defend faith alone; and the good of faith, which is charity, they make of importance only insofar as they can profit by its means.

They who are in Persuasive Faith abandon faith, if they are deprived of honors and gains, provided their reputation is not endangered; for Persuasive Faith is not within the man, but stands outside, in the memory only, out of which it is drawn while it is being taught. And therefore after death this faith vanishes, together with its truths; for then only that much of faith remains which is within the man; that is, which has been rooted in good; thus has been made of the life.

They who are in Persuasive Faith are meant by those of whom we read in these passages:

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty deeds? But then will I confess unto them, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity (Matt. 7:22, 23).

Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27).

They are also meant in Matthew by the five foolish virgins, who had no oil in their lamps:

Afterward came the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not (Matt. 25:11, 12);

"oil in the lamps" denotes good in the faith.

(Arcana Coelestia 9369-9369)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity and Faith (Pt. 22)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— The Doctrine of Charity and Faith —

Men speak of believing in God, and of believing those things which are from God. Believing in God is the Faith that saves; but believing the things which are from God, is a Faith which without the former does not save. For believing in God is knowing and doing; whereas believing the things which are from God is knowing and not as yet doing. Those who are truly Christians both know and do, thus they believe in God; but those who are not truly Christians know, and do not. These are called by the Lord "foolish," but the former are called "prudent."

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 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: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matt. 7:21-27).

The learned within the church call the Faith which saves, "trust" and "confidence," namely, that God the Father sent His Son in order to reconcile mankind to Himself, and thus to save those who have this Faith.

But in regard to the trust and confidence which is called Faith itself, the case is this. Those who are in the love of self and of the world, that is, those who are in evils and the consequent falsities, cannot have this Faith, for their heart is not toward God, but toward themselves and the world. Whereas those who are in charity toward the neighbor and in love to the Lord can have such Faith, for their heart is toward the Lord. This the Lord also teaches in John:

As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to be the sons of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13)

those who are "born of bloods, of the will of the flesh, and of the will of man," are those who are in what is evil and false from the loves of self and of the world. And those who are "born of God" are those who are in the good of charity and of faith from the Lord.

(from Arcana Coelestia 5826)

There will be internal good and truth if there be spiritual good which is of the church.

The spiritual good which Israel represents is the good of truth, that is, truth in the will and in act. This truth, or this good of truth, in man, makes him to be the church. When truth has been implanted in the will (which is perceived by the fact that the man is affected with truth for the sake of the end that he may live according to it), then there is internal good and truth. When man is in this good and truth, then the kingdom of the Lord is in him, and consequently he is the church, and together with others like him makes the church in general.

From this it may be seen that in order that the church may be the church, there must be spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, but by no means truth alone — from which at this day the church is called the church, and one church is distinguished from another. Let everyone think within himself whether truth would be anything unless it had life for the end. What are doctrinal things without this end? and what the precepts of the Decalogue without a life according to them? For if anyone is acquainted with these, and with all their meaning in its fullness, and yet lives contrary to them, of what benefit are they? have they any effect at all? except, with some, damnation? The case is similar with the doctrinals of faith from the Word, which are precepts of Christian life, for they are spiritual laws. Neither do these conduce to anything unless they become of the life. Let a man consider within himself whether there is anything in him that is anything except what enters into his very life; and whether the life of man, which is life, is anywhere else than in his will.

From this then it is that it is said by the Lord in the Old Testament, and confirmed in the New, that all the Law and all the Prophets are founded in love to God, and love to the neighbor, thus in the life itself, but not in faith without life; therefore by no means in faith alone, consequently neither in confidence, for this is impossible without charity. If this appears with the evil in times of danger, or when death is at hand, it is a spurious or false confidence; for not the least of this confidence appears in them in the other life, however much they may have professed it with apparent ardor at the approach of death. That faith, whether you call it confidence or trust, effects nothing with the wicked, the Lord Himself teaches in John:

As many as received, to them gave He the power to be sons of God, to them that believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12, 13).

They who are "born of bloods" are those who do violence to charity, also who profane truth; they who are "born of the will of the flesh" are those who are in evils from the love of self and of the world; and they who are "born of the will of man" are those who are in persuasions of falsity; for a "man" signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity. They who are "born of God" are those who have been regenerated by the Lord, and thence are in good. These are they who receive the Lord, and these are they who believe in His name, and these are they to whom He gives the power to be sons of God, but not to the others; from which it is very plain what faith alone effects for salvation.

Moreover in order that man may be regenerated and become the church, he must be introduced through truth to good; and he is introduced when truth becomes truth in the will and in act. This truth is good, and is called the good of truth, and produces new truths continually; for then for the first time it makes itself fruitful. The truth which is thence brought forth or made fruitful is what is called internal truth, and the good from which it is, is called internal good; for nothing becomes internal until it has been implanted in the will, because what is of the will is the inmost of man. So long as good and truth are outside of the will, and in the understanding only, they are outside of the man; for the understanding is without, and the will is within.

The confidence which in an eminent sense is called Faith, appears like spiritual confidence even with the evil, when their life is in danger, and when they are sick. But as they then think about the state of their life after death, either from the fear of hell, or from the love of self of heaven, they have not the confidence of Faith; for what is from fear is not from the heart, and what is from the love of self is from an evil heart; and therefore when such persons come back out of mortal danger, or when they recover from disease, they return into their former life, which was a life of no confidence, that is, a life of no Faith. From this it is evident that the Faith which is called "confidence," is possible only with those who are in charity toward the neighbor, and in love to the Lord.

Nor is the Faith which is meant by believing the things which are from God, that is, the truths which are from the Word, possible with those who are in evils from the love of self or the love of the world; for the love of self and of the world either rejects the truths of faith, or extinguishes, or perverts them.

(from Arcana Coelestia 7491, 7492)

The good of heavenly love and the truth of its faith continually flow in from the Lord, but are not received where the loves of self and of the world reign; but on the contrary where these loves reign, that is, are continually in the thought, are the end, are in the will, and make the life, the good and truth which flow in from the Lord are either rejected, or extinguished, or perverted.

With those with whom they are rejected, the good which is of love and the truth which is of faith are held in contempt, and also in aversion. With those with whom they are extinguished, the good of love and the truth of faith are denied, and the contrary evils and falsities are affirmed. But with those with whom they are perverted, the good of love and the truth of faith are misinterpreted and are applied to favor evil and its falsity.

From this it is again evident that neither can such persons have the confidence of Faith; for he who does not believe the truths which are from God, cannot believe in God; because to believe in God is to believe from the truths which are from God.

All who are in heavenly love, have confidence that they will be saved by the Lord; for they believe that the Lord came into the world in order to give eternal life to those who believe and live according to the commandments which He taught; and that He regenerates these, and so makes them fit for heaven; and that He does this Himself alone, from pure mercy, without the aid of man. This is meant by "believing in the Lord."

That those alone are in Faith who live according to the precepts of Faith, the Lord teaches in John:

The light is come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil. Everyone that doeth evils hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they have been wrought in God (John 3:19-21)

to "come to the light" denotes to come to faith in the Lord, thus to faith from the Lord. In like manner in Luke:

Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the thing which I say? Everyone that cometh unto Me, and heareth My saying, and doeth them, is like a man that built a house, and laid a foundation upon the rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation (Luke 6:46-49)

those who "do the Lord's sayings" or "words" are those who love the neighbor and love the Lord; for he who loves, does (John 14:20, 21, 23, 24; 15:9-17).

(Arcana Coelestia 9239-9245)
(series to be continued)