THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 38)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 38)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

In proportion as anyone is in good, and from good loves truths, in the same proportion he loves the Lord, because the Lord is good itself and truth itself. The Lord is therefore with man in good and in truth. If the latter is loved from good the Lord is loved, but not otherwise.

This the Lord teaches in John:

He that hath My commandments, and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; He that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:21, 24).

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love (John 15:10).

The "commandments" and "words" of the Lord are truths.

(LIFE 38)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 37)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 37)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

As good is not good unless it is conjoined with truth, as already said, it follows that previous thereto good does not come into manifest being. But as it continually desires to come into manifest being it longs for and procures truths in order to do so, for truths are the agency of its nourishment and formation. This is the reason why a man loves truths in the same proportion that he is in good, consequently in the same proportion that he shuns evils as sins, for it is in proportion that he does this that anyone is in good.

(LIFE 37)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 36)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 36)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

Good is of the will, truth of the understanding.

From the love of good in the will proceeds the love of truth in the understanding

From the love of truth proceeds the perception of truth

From the perception of truth comes thought about truth

From all of these together comes the acknowledgment of truth which in the true sense is faith.

(LIFE 36)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 34-35)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 34-35)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

... in proportion as anyone shuns evils as sins, in the same proportion he loves truths ... for in the same proportion he is in good ... in proportion as anyone does not shun evils as sins, in the same proportion he does not love truths, because in the same proportion he is not in good.

It is indeed possible for a man to love truths who does not shun evils as sins; yet he does not love them because they are truths, but because they minister to his reputation, and thereby to his honors or gains, so that if they do not minister to it he loves them not.

(LIFE 34-35)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 33)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 33)
IN PROPORTION AS ANY ONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

As good and truth are a one in the Lord, and proceed as a one from Him, it follows that good loves truth and truth loves good, and they will to be a one.

It is the same with their opposites: evil loves falsity, and falsity loves evil, and these will to be a one.

In the following [articles] the conjunction of good and truth will be called the Heavenly Marriage, and that of evil and falsity the Infernal Marriage.

(LIFE 33)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 32)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 32)
IN PROPORTION AS ANY ONE SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES TRUTHS.

There are two universals that proceed from the Lord: Divine good, and Divine truth.

Divine good is of His Divine love, and Divine truth is of His Divine wisdom. In the Lord these two are a one, and therefore they proceed from Him as a one, but they are not received as a one by angels in the heavens, or by men on earth. There are both angels and men who receive more from Divine truth than from Divine good; and there are others who receive more from Divine good than from Divine truth. This is why the heavens are distinguished into two distinct kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom. The heavens that receive more from Divine good constitute the celestial kingdom, and those which receive more from Divine truth constitute the spiritual kingdom. (Concerning these two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, see the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 20-28.)

But still the angels of all the heavens are in wisdom and intelligence in proportion to the degree in which the good in them makes a one with truth. The good that does not make a one with truth is to them not good; and on the other hand the truth that does not make a one with good is to them not truth. From this we see that good conjoined with truth constitutes love and wisdom in both angel and man; and as an angel is an angel, and a man a man, from the love and wisdom in him, it is evident that good conjoined with truth causes an angel to be an angel of heaven, and a man a man of the church.

(LIFE 32)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 31)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 31)
IN PROPORTION AS A MAN SHUNS EVILS AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE DOES GOODS,
NOT FROM HIMSELF BUT FROM THE LORD.

That no man can from himself do what is really good, is the truth. But so to use this truth as to do away with all the good of charity that is done by a man who shuns evils as sins is a great wickedness, for it is diametrically contrary to the Word, which commands that a man shall do.

It is contrary to the commandments of love to God and love toward the neighbor on which the Law and the Prophets hang, and it is to flout and undermine everything of religion. For everyone knows that religion is to do what is good, and that everyone will be judged according to his deeds.

Every man is so constituted as to be able (by the Lord's power, if he begs for it) to shun evils as of himself; and that which he afterwards does is good from the Lord.

(LIFE 31)