1. THE FAITH OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW CHURCH

A statement of faith, set out in both universal and particular terms, is placed at the beginning to serve as a preface to the book which follows, to be like a doorway leading into a church, and a summary presenting in a short compass what follows at more length. It is called the faith of the new heaven and the new church, because heaven, where the angels are, and the church among men form a single unit, just as the internal and external sides of the personality make up a single individual. This is why a member of the church who possesses the good of love which arises from the truths of faith, and possesses the truths of faith which arise from the good of love, is, so far as the interiors of his mind are concerned, an angel of heaven. Therefore too after dying he comes into heaven, and there enjoys happiness depending upon how far the good and truth are linked. It should be known that in the new heaven, which is at the present time being established by the Lord, this statement of faith serves as its preface, doorway and summary.

435. XII. The first thing in charity is to banish evils, the second is to do good deeds which may be of use to the neighbour.

The leading role in the doctrine of charity is played by this statement, that the first thing is not to do evil to the neighbour, the second is to do good to him. This dogma forms as it were a gateway leading to the doctrine of charity. It is well known that from birth everyone has evil lodged in his will; and because every evil is aimed at people both near and far, as well as one's community and country, it follows that hereditary evil is evil directed against the neighbour of whatever degree. Reason itself can show anyone that in so far as the evil lodged in the will is not removed, so far is the good he does impregnated with that evil. For in that case the evil is inside the good, like a kernel in a nut-shell or marrow in a bone. Although therefore the good done by such a person looks like good, it is not intrinsically good. For it is like a glistening shell within which the kernel is eaten away by maggots; and like a white almond which is rotten inside, so that rotting passages extend to the surface.

[2] Willing evil and doing good are essentially two opposites. For evil is the product of hatred directed against the neighbour, good that of love towards the neighbour; or if you like, evil is the neighbour's enemy, good is his friend. These two cannot both exist in one mind, that is, the evil in the internal man, the good in the external man; if it does, the good in the external is like a wound treated with palliatives, but containing rotten pus inside it. A person then resembles a tree with a worn-out root, yet producing fruit which outwardly seems to be tasty and fit to use, but inwardly is bitter and useless. Such people are also like dross thrown away, which when superficially polished and given pretty colouring is put up for sale as precious stones. In short, they are like owl's eggs passed off as those of a dove.

[3] People should know that the good a person does in his body comes from his spirit, that is, the internal man. (The internal man is the spirit which lives on after death.) Consequently when such a person puts off the body, which made up his external man, then he is totally and utterly in the grip of evils, and takes pleasure in them, eschewing good as attacking his life.

[4] The Lord teaches in many passages that a person cannot do good which is essentially good until evil has been removed:

They do not gather the grape from thorns, nor figs from thistles; a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit, Matthew 7:16-18.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees; you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but the insides are full of robbery and intemperance. You blind Pharisee, clean first the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside too may be clean, Matthew 23:25-26.

And in Isaiah:

Wash yourselves, remove the wickedness of your deeds; cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek judgment. Then if your sins were as scarlet, they will become white as snow, if they were red like purple, they shall be like wool, Isaiah 1:16-18.

85. (ii) JEHOVAH GOD CAME DOWN AS THE DIVINE TRUTH, WHICH IS THE WORD, YET HE DID NOT SEPARATE THE DIVINE GOOD FROM IT.

There are two factors which make up the essence of God, the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, or, what is the same thing, the Divine Good and the Divine Truth. This dual essence of God was proved above (36-48). The same pair is meant in the Word by Jehovah God; Jehovah means the Divine Love or the Divine Good, God the Divine Wisdom or the Divine Truth. Hence these terms are distinguished in various ways in the Word; at one point only Jehovah is named, at another only God. Where the subject is the Divine Good, the name Jehovah is used, where it is the Divine Truth, God; and where both are meant, He is called Jehovah God. It is evident from John that Jehovah God came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was nothing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:1, 3, 14.

The reason why the Word there means the Divine Truth is that the Word possessed by the church is Divine Truth itself, for it was dictated by Jehovah Himself, and what Jehovah dictates is pure Divine Truth and could not be anything else.

[2] But because the Word passed through the heavens in its descent to the world, it was made suitable for angels in heaven, and for men in the world. So the Word contains a spiritual sense, in which the Divine Truth is illuminated, and a natural sense, in which the Divine Truth is in shadow. So what is meant in John is the Divine Truth in this Word. This is also plain from the Lord's coming into the world to fulfil everything in the Word. This is why we read so many times that this or that happened to Him 'that the scripture might be fulfilled.' Nothing but the Divine Truth too is meant by 'the Messiah' or 'Christ', or by 'the Son of Man', or by 'the Holy Spirit the Comforter', which the Lord sent after He left the world. In His transfiguration before the three disciples on the mountain (Matthew 17, Mark 9 and Luke 9), and before John in Revelation (Revelation 1:12-16), He represented Himself as that Word, as will be seen in the chapter on the Holy Scripture [222].

[3] It is plain from the Lord's words that in the world He was the Divine Truth:

I am the way, truth and life, John 14:6.

and:

We know that the Son of God came and gave us understanding so that we might know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and everlasting life. 1 John 5:20.

This is also shown by His being called 'light', as in these passages, among others:

He was the true light which illuminates every man coming into the world, John 1:4, 9.

Jesus said, For a short while yet the light is with you. Walk so long as you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. So long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may be sons of light, John 12:35-36, 46.

I am the light of the world, John 9:5.

Simeon said, My eyes have seen your salvation, a light to be a revelation to the nations, Luke 2:30-32.

This is the judgment, that the light came into the world; he who does the truth, comes to the light, John 3:19-21.

Light means the Divine Truth.