THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 93)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 93)
NO ONE CAN SHUN EVILS AS SINS
SO AS TO BE INWARDLY AVERSE TO THEM
EXCEPT BY MEANS OF COMBATS AGAINST THEM

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matt 3:10)

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matt 7:19)

As this Own* of man constitutes the first root of his life, it is evident what kind of a tree a man would be unless this root were plucked up, and a new root planted in its place. He would be a rotted tree, of which it is said that it must be cut down and cast into the fire (Matt. 3:10; 7:19). And this root is not removed and a new one set in its place unless the man regards the evils that constitute the root as injurious to his soul, and on this account desires to rid himself of them.  But as these evils belong to man's Own, and are therefore delightful to him, he cannot do this except against his will, with a struggle, and therefore with battling.

(LIFE 93)

* 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. 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)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 89)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 89)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

In proportion as anyone loves the truth, in the same proportion he desires to know it, and in the same proportion is affected at heart when he finds it. No one else comes into wisdom.

And in proportion as anyone loves to do the truth, in the same proportion he is sensible of the pleasantness of the light in which the truth is.

It is the same with all the other things spoken of above [in the foregoing articles]; with sincerity and justice in the case of one who shuns thefts of every kind; with chastity and purity in the case of one who shuns adulteries of every kind; and with love and charity in the case of one who shuns murders of every kind; and so forth.

On the other hand, one who is in the opposites to these heavenly things knows nothing about them, although everything that is truly something is present in them.

(LIFE 89)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 88)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 88)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

As lying and the truth are two opposite things, it follows that in proportion as anyone shuns lying as sin, in the same proportion he loves the truth.

(LIFE 88)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 87)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 87)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

• To "bear false witness," in the natural sense, means not only to play the false witness, but also to lie, and to defame.

• In the spiritual sense, to "bear false witness" means to declare some false thing to be true or some evil thing good, and to persuade others that it is so; and the converse.

• And in the highest sense, to "bear false witness" means to blaspheme the Lord and the Word.

These are the three senses of "bearing false witness." That these make a one in the man who bears false witness, utters a lie, or defames, is evident from ... the three senses of all things of the Word....

(LIFE 87)