![A man praying at a Japanese Shintō shrine, by Kalandrakas ([http://www.flickr.com/people/86251769@N00 カランドラカス]) from Kanagawa, Japan](/bundles/ncbsw/media/Shinto_prayer.webp "A man praying at a Japanese Shintō shrine.")
The Sermon on the Mount (Part 2)
Putting God First
1. “Take heed that you do not do your alms in front of men, to be observed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father that [is] in the heavens.
2. Therefore when thou doest alms, do not sound a trumpet in front of thee, just as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the lanes, so that they may be glorified by men. Amen I say to you, They have their reward.
3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does,
4. So that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father that looks in secret shall repay thee Himself in what is manifest.
5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be just as the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, so that they may appear unto men. Amen I say unto you that they have their reward.
6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy bedroom, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father that [is] in secret, and thy Father that looks in secret shall repay thee in what is manifest.
7. And when you pray, do not speak on and on, just as the gentiles, for they think that they shall be heard by their many words.
8. Therefore be ye not like them; for your Father knows what things you need before you ask Him.
9. In this way, therefore, you should pray: Our Father, who [art] in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name;
10. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon the earth.
11. Give us this day our daily bread.
12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
14. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
The focus of the preceding series of teachings was upon love towards the neighbor. This love should be so widespread as to extend beyond the borders of the family, beyond the borders of the neighborhood, and even beyond the borders of a particular religious group.
It should flow out towards all humanity, shining like the sun, equally and impartially on both the good and the evil, falling like the rain on the just and the unjust—in the same way as God’s love shines on everyone, in the same way that God’s wisdom comes down like rain everywhere. In other words, the goodness and truth that flow into us from God should not stop there. These blessings should extend outward towards the whole human race.
In this next chapter, however, there is a shift in focus. Whereas the preceding series of teachings focused our attention on the neighbor, the present series of teachings focuses our attention on God—the true source of all good works. Good works are, of course, necessary, but they must be done in the right spirit. Therefore, Jesus says, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them, otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (6:1).
Jesus is now halfway through His sermon, and is still sitting on the mountain. He has been teaching about the scriptures so that they might be rightly understood. But an accurate understanding of the scriptures is not enough. Even to do what they teach is not enough. If these works are to be done in the right spirit, they are not to be done for the sake of honor, reputation or personal gain.
It is for this reason that Jesus now says, “When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward” (6:2).
Jesus is here referring to the shallow, temporary reward of being esteemed by others. While there is nothing wrong with doing things that might evoke gratitude, praise, and admiration, that is not the kind of “reward” that a person pursuing perfection seeks. Rather, people who desire to continually refine their spirit do not seek the praise and admiration of others; instead, they seek only to do the Lord’s will, knowing that the rewards for this kind of effort—inner peace, quiet joy, and blessed assurance—are given in secret.
Therefore, Jesus says, “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. In this way, your charitable deeds will be done in secret, and Your Father who sees in secret shall reward you” (6:3-4).
This passage is often translated, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Although the translators may have been attempting to contrast the terms ‘in secret” and “openly,” this is not what the passage says.
In the original Greek, the verb is simply apodōsei (ἀποδώσει) meaning “will reward” or “will give back.” The implication is that there will definitely be a reward of some kind, but not necessarily a public one or a material one. Instead, it will become manifest in some way through the more interior feelings of peace, joy, and blessedness. This is how the Father who sees in secret rewards us with spiritual blessings. These include the calm, blissful feelings we enjoy when performing some act of useful service without any thought of reward. 1
Communicating with God
As Jesus continues this lesson about putting God first—not self-glory and material gain—He also provides instruction on how to communicate with God. First of all, speech with God should be in done in private, and not for the purpose of obtaining public praise. As Jesus says, “When you pray, go into your inner room and shut the door . . . and your Father who sees in secret shall recompense you Himself in what is manifest” (6:6).
The “inner room,” which is sometimes translated as “closet,” “chamber,” or “bedroom” is tameion [ταμεῖόν] which also means “secret chamber.” If we take this literally, it seems to be speaking about a quiet place for uninterrupted prayer. While this is good, practical advice, the word choice also suggests the interiors of the human mind—our “inner room.” It’s about going within, removing oneself from all sensual distractions and material cares while attempting to enter into quiet communion with God.
When we “shut the door,” we leave behind the cares of the world, along with all ego concerns. We still our minds, focusing exclusively on our relationship with God and God’s relationship with us. As it is written through the prophet, Isaiah, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You” (Isaiah 26:3).
As Jesus continues His instructions about how to connect with God, He says that prayers should not be filled with “vain repetitions” nor is it necessary to use many words (6:7). As an illustration, Jesus gives an example of a simple prayer, which begins, as all prayers should, with a direct address to God who is the Father of us all—our Father. This simple phrase is to remind us that we are all brothers and sisters of the same heavenly Father.
The implications are powerful and profound. The phrase, “our Father,” serves to remind us that we do not worship an invisible, distant tyrant, but a loving Parent with whom we have a deep, personal relationship. All of this, and so much more, is included in the opening words of this divinely given prayer: “Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon the earth” (6:10).
The prayer begins in this way to help us focus on what is essential—our relationship with God, especially the importance of doing His will—that is, bringing heaven to earth. After this invocation, the prayer is filled with expressions that involve our relationship with our neighbors. We read, “Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (6:11-13). But the prayer ends as it begins, with a clear focus on God: “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever” (6:12-13).
In the next verse Jesus reinforces one of the central themes of the prayer: forgiveness. To ensure that His listeners do not miss this important point, He makes it quite clear that forgiving others cannot be separated from God’s forgiveness towards us. As Jesus says, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (6:14). This is not to be understood as though God were in any way holding back His forgiveness until we do our part. Instead, it means that when we do good to others, we open the way to experience the forgiveness that is constantly flowing in from God.
But Jesus is clear that the reverse is equally true. He says, “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (6:15). In other words, to the extent that we forgive others, we experience God’s forgiveness. And to the extent that we do not forgive others, we close ourselves off to the blessings that God yearns to give us.
The choice is always ours. Therefore, Jesus teaches us to ask God for forgiveness. “Forgive us our trespasses,” we pray, so that we may receive God’s forgiveness. Then, as we become filled with God’s forgiveness, we can offer forgiveness to others. This is a two-step process. First, we turn to the Lord, saying, “Forgive us our trespasses.” It is only then that we can turn to the neighbor, forgiving those who trespass against us.
Once again, we are reminded that it all begins in our relationship with God.
A practical application
Jesus gives the Lord’s Prayer as a model for His disciples. But He does so in the context of not making “vain repetitions.” Sadly, and ironically, this beautiful prayer, which can put us in touch with unlimited angelic communities, can sometimes become a vain repetition. It can be recited mindlessly and mechanically. As a practical application, then, use this prayer as a vehicle for connecting with the Lord and with heavenly influences. Recite each phrase carefully and reverently, allowing the deeper meaning to take effect. For example, when you say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” think about your desire to receive spiritual nourishment from the Lord, that is, noble thoughts and benevolent emotions. Allow this holy prayer to connect you with heaven. 2
On Fasting
16. “And when you fast, be not just as the hypocrites, of a sad face, for they spoil their faces, so that they may appear to men to fast. Amen I say to you, that they have their reward.
17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,
18. So that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father that [is] in secret; and thy Father that looks on in secret shall repay thee in what is manifest.”
After focusing on prayer, Jesus now turns His attention to fasting. Jesus says, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting” (6:16).
Once again, the literal instructions are quite clear. Just as Jesus warns against doing good deeds to be admired, or praying in public in order to be seen as pious, He similarly warns against hypocritical fasting. This spiritual practice should not be used as a way of appearing righteous in the eyes of others. Nor should it be used to demonstrate to the Lord how deeply we are grieving, or the depth of our despair, in hopes that He will come to our aid.
The idea that we must prove to the Lord that we are truly suffering in order to get His attention and deserve His pity is an old belief. The ancient Israelites believed that tearing one’s clothes, wrapping oneself in sackcloth, rolling in ashes, and fasting were some of the many ways of afflicting one’s soul. These practices included not only outward demonstrations of inner anguish, but also external shows of repentance, performed publicly in the hope that God and others would take notice.
In a graphic episode from the Hebrew scriptures, King Ahab is told that destruction is about to come upon him because of his wickedness. When Ahab heard this, “he tore his clothes, put sackcloth upon his flesh, fasted, and went about dejectedly” (1 Kings 21:27). Ahab’s show of suffering seemed to work. The passage goes on to say, “And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, see how Ahab humbles himself before Me? Because he humbles himself before Me, I will not bring disaster upon his house” (1 Kings 21:29). Similarly, Jeremiah attributes these words to the Lord: “O daughter of My people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn as for an only son with bitter wailing” (Jeremiah 6:26).
But Jesus teaches that there is a better way to deal with suffering. He knows that suffering arises during those times when we feel spiritual deprivation. During these times of distress, there is a tendency to go about dejected, sad, and gloomy, feeling abandoned by God. There seems to be no spiritual nourishment at hand. What we may not realize is that we are in the midst of a spiritual temptation. The solution, however, is not found in sackcloth, ashes, and pretentious fasting.
Instead, Jesus offers the antidote. “When you fast,” He says, “anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting” (6:17). At the literal level, this is good practical advice. It does no good to go about spreading gloom and despair.
But Jesus’ words contain a more interior message. A spiritual fast begins with refusing to take in false ideas and evil desires. Moreover, throughout the scriptures, “oil” is a symbol of God’s love, and “water” is a symbol of God’s truth. Spiritually speaking, then, Jesus is giving sound advice for what to do in times of spiritual temptation. Here the deeper message is, “When evil desires arise, anoint your head with the oil of God’s love, and when false ideas arise, wash your face with the truth of God’s wisdom.”
The only way we can do this is to turn to the Lord in prayer with a right attitude. This means that we pray not in an effort to demonstrate our suffering. Rather, we pray with a humble heart to receive God’s nourishment. However difficult the struggle may be, we will be sustained from within. As Jesus says, “And your Father who sees in secret will recompense you in what is manifest” (6:18).
Even though the external situation may not change, God can work the inner miracle of bringing encouragement when we are feeling discouraged, hope when we are feeling hopeless, and comfort when we are feeling despair.
Throughout this section, Jesus makes it clear that these secret rewards are always available to us whenever we fast from evil and falsity, and then turn to the Lord, opening ourselves to His spiritual nourishment. Whether we are doing charitable deeds, engaging in prayer, or going through a time of fasting, if we turn to the Lord, feelings of inner peace, quiet joy, and blessed assurance are eventually sure to arise. This is how the Lord, who sees in secret, rewards us manifestly.
A practical application
Whenever our ego feels mistreated, misunderstood, or disappointed in some way, there is a tendency to complain about our situation, and bewail our misfortunes. When this happens, we need to avoid the tendency to “roll about in sackcloth and ashes,” excessively complaining about our condition. In fact, Jesus tells us not to go about with a sad face defending our wounded ego. Rather, we should resist any tendency to indulge in self-pity or use our troubles as a way to draw attention to ourselves. As a practical application, then, practice a proper fast from self-pity and from complaining. Pray to receive spiritual nourishment. As Jesus says, “When you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting” (6:17-18).
Treasures in Heaven
19. “Treasure not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust spoil, and where thieves dig through and steal;
20. But treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoil, and where thieves do not dig through nor steal.
21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22. The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be illuminated;
23. But if thine eye be wicked, thy whole body shall be dark; if therefore the light in thee is darkness, how great [is] the darkness!”
As the Sermon on the Mount continues, Jesus reinforces the importance of focusing on the things of heaven, placing them above the things of earth: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (6:19) says Jesus. Instead, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (6:20).
We are to value the things of heaven above the things of the earth, for the things of the earth will pass away, but the treasures of heaven—the wisdom we receive from the Word, and the spiritual qualities we cultivate as we live according to that wisdom—will abide forever. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
The Word of God, and the heavenly wisdom that we can receive through it, is indeed a great treasure; it sharpens our spiritual vision and enlightens our mind. As Jesus puts it, “If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (6:22). A proper understanding of God’s Word shows us that everything that happens can be turned to good, no matter how contrary to our will it may seem at the moment.
However, if we do not choose to store up for ourselves the treasures of heavenly wisdom, or develop heavenly qualities, our outlook on life will be tainted by the darker concerns of our lower self. “If your eye is bad,” says Jesus, “your whole body will be full of darkness” (6:23). Jesus therefore warns us about the consequences of seeing all things in terms of our fearful attitudes, false understanding, and selfish desires. If we refuse to heed Jesus’ words, we cast ourselves into darkness and misery. His warning is stated in no uncertain terms. He says, “How great is that darkness!” (6:23)
Jesus is here distinguishing between earthly rewards and heavenly rewards. Every temporal, material reward—everything that rusts, everything that moths can destroy, everything that thieves can steal—will pass away. But heavenly rewards can never be lost. They are eternal. The joy we once felt in selflessly helping someone can never be taken from us; the satisfaction of a job well done can become an enduring memory; the sense of being truly loved by a kindly grandparent—these are all heavenly treasures that nothing on earth can cause to rust, that moths cannot destroy, and that thieves cannot steal. These precious experiences and associated feelings will be with us forever. Even when memory fades, these treasures will still be there.
It is for this reason that Jesus urges us to focus primarily on the things of heaven: the Lord, the Word, and a life of service. This should be our “master.” Everything else should be secondary. As Jesus puts it, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon” (6:24).
The term “Mammon” is an Aramaic word for “riches” or “wealth.” As such, it conveys the idea of the slavish pursuit of wealth and riches even to the point where this passion becomes a desire that controls us and rules us. It becomes our false god. As a result, our gaze remains fixed on the things of the world rather than on the things of heaven. We are “ruled” by Mammon.
Absorption in materialism, the desire for wealth, and everything associated with Mammon can prevent us from experiencing the finer blessings of heaven. Therefore, the love of the Lord, the love of heaven, and the love of the neighbor must predominate over the love of self and the love of the material things of the world. If we say that we love both the Lord and the self equally, or heaven and the world equally, it would be like trying to look upwards with one eye and downwards with the other. We must put our love of God above the love of self, and our love of heaven above our love of the world. 3
It should be noted, however, that it is not wealth or riches in themselves that are to be despised and hated, but rather the love of them as ends in themselves. Whenever our primary focus is on ourselves, our own happiness, our own security, our own significance, and our own comfort, we are serving self rather than God.
It is, of course, not wrong to provide for ourselves and for our families. The caution, however, is to make sure that our desire to achieve reasonable comfort and security in our own lives does not become a driving passion and chief concern. Nor should it compete with our love for God and our love for heaven. To the extent that worldly ambition rules over us, we become slaves, and Mammon becomes our master.
A practical application
While the things of the world have their charms and delights, rewards and satisfactions, they must always be subordinated to the things of heaven. As Jesus says, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” As a practical application, then, consider what occupies your thought, and how you spend your time. Are you primarily focused on the things of heaven or the things of the world? Are you more concerned with achieving your own goals or helping others achieve theirs? Do you make room for God, for prayer, for Bible study, and for service without any thought of an earthly reward, or are you too busy chasing worldly ambitions? As you consider these questions, keep in mind Jesus’ clear statement: “You cannot serve God and Mammon.” Take time to lay up treasures in heaven.
Be Not Anxious
24. “No one can serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25. On account of this I say to you, Be not anxious for your soul, what you shall eat and what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the soul more than food, and the body [more] than clothing?
26. Look intently at the birds of the sky; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27. And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?
28. And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they labor not, neither do they spin;
29. But I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.
30. And if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, [shall He] not much more [clothe] you, [O ye] of little faith?
31. Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, with what shall we be arrayed?
32. For all these things do the nations seek; for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added to you.
34. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow shall be anxious for the things of itself. Sufficient for the day [is] the evil of it.
Jesus concludes this segment of His teachings with the words, “Be not anxious.” This is often translated as “Do not worry” or “Take no thought.” But the Greek word used in this case is merimnaō [μεριμνάω] which means “to overly care,” “to be greatly concerned,” and “to be pulled apart.” In the light of Jesus’ teaching that we cannot serve God and mammon, we cannot let our worldly cares or worldly ambitions pull us apart or separate us from our love for God.
In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul put it this way: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …. I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35; 38-39).
This is sound advice. However, if we take Jesus’ words literally, several questions arise. What will happen to us if we choose to serve God, regardless of the outcome? Will we have enough to eat? Will we have enough to drink? Will we be able to provide clothing and shelter for our families? Jesus anticipates these concerns when He says, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on” (6:25).
What do these words really mean? Is Jesus saying that we should let go of all concern about our earthly needs? Should we not worry at all about whether or not we can pay the rent, or put food on the table? Is Jesus asking us to give up all concern for acquiring the things that are essential for our very survival—food, drink, clothing and shelter? What will become of us? Our instinct for self-preservation naturally rebels against this idea.
On the other hand, we have other instincts—higher, nobler instincts. These include an intuitive sense that God loves us, desires our happiness, and will provide for our every need. Jesus, in fact, is speaking about this higher intuition when He says, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (6:26). When understood in this way, Jesus’ exhortation to not be anxious can provide great comfort. As Jesus puts it, “Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?” (6:27).
Jesus’ words of comfort and reassurance continue. He says, “So why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (6:28-29). Jesus then repeats the dominant refrain of this lesson. He says, “Be not anxious.” Do not ask questions like, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (6:31-32).
Jesus then reinforces the idea that has been central throughout this part of his sermon. We should maintain a single-minded focus on God. This must be paramount in our minds, above and beyond everything else. As Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” And then, He immediately reassures His listeners with these words of comfort: “and all these things shall be added to you” (6:33).
It’s reassuring to know that “all these things shall be added.” But we would be mistaken, to assume that God wants us to abandon all interest in this world, neglect ourselves and our families, and seek only the kingdom of God. Jesus is not preaching reckless abandonment and irresponsibility. Rather, He is teaching about priorities; He is teaching us what must be supreme in our lives compared to what must be of secondary importance.
In this regard, notice that Jesus does not say to seek only the kingdom of God. Rather, He says to seek first the kingdom of God. The exhortation to seek first the kingdom of God implies order and subordination, not exclusivity or total abandonment. A true believer will of course love God and the neighbor (including oneself), but devotion to God will always come first. A true believer will love both heaven and the things of the world, but devotion to the things of heaven will always take precedence over the things of the world. 4
True believers will therefore be faithful spouses, responsible parents, compassionate caregivers, and contributing citizens But in all of this there will be a constant, quiet inner trust in God. Such people will go about the business of everyday life, calmly and honestly, unshaken by setbacks, and content with all things whether they appear to be in one’s favor or not. Such a person remains focused on God, even while taking care of worldly matters. They know that God is always providing, moment to moment, and has a deep understanding of what Jesus means when He says, “Be not anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow shall be anxious about its own things” (6:34). 5
A practical application
The certain knowledge that God is continually providing for us should inspire us to do all we can for others, knowing that God is doing all He can for us. With this assurance, we can meet the challenges of each day with courage and equanimity, trusting in God, and making sure that our lives are led according to His will. While there will be new challenges each day, as long as we rest content in God, we can make it through anything, day by day. As Jesus puts it, “Sufficient for the day is its own evil” (6:34). As a practical application, then, continue to care, continue to provide, continue to be good a householder, but do not let anything separate you from the love of God. In whatever you do, remember Jesus’ words of comfort, “Be not anxious.”
Voetnoten:
1. AC 6299:3 “The calm and blissful feeling people enjoy when they do good to their neighbor without thought of any reward is the internal aspect of the church.” See also CL 7[3]: “The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom of useful services. The reason is that the Lord loves all people and so wills good to all, and good means useful service. Now because the Lord performs good or useful services indirectly through angels, and in the world through people, therefore to those who faithfully perform useful services He gives a love of being useful and its reward. The reward is internal blessedness, and this blessedness is eternal happiness.”
2. AC 2493: “I have spoken with the angels concerning the memory of things past, and the consequent anxiety regarding things to come; and I have been instructed that the more interior and perfect the angels are, the less do they care for past things, and the less do they think of things to come; and also that from this comes their happiness. They say that the Lord gives them every moment what to think, and this with blessedness and happiness; and that they are thus free from cares and anxieties. Also, that this was meant in the internal sense by the manna being received daily from heaven; and by the daily bread in the Lord's Prayer.”
3. AE 409:7: “The words ‘No servant can serve two masters’ … must be understood as referring to those who desire to love the Lord and themselves equally, or heaven and the world equally. These are like those who wish to look with one eye upwards, and with the other downwards, that is, with one eye to heaven, and with the other to hell, and thus to hang between the two. And yet, there must be a predominance of one of these loves over the other…. For the love of self and of the world is the opposite of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor. For this reason, those who are in the heavenly love would rather die or be deprived of honors and wealth in the world than be drawn away by them from the Lord and from heaven; for this [love to the Lord and to the neighbor] they regard as the all, because it is eternal, but the former [love of worldly riches and worldly gain] they regard as relatively nothing, because it comes to an end with life in the world.”
4. AC 9184: “The external person has no taste for anything except things of the world and of self, that is, the delights that arise from gain and important positions. But when the internal has been opened through regeneration … the order is turned around, that is, what has been occupying the first place is now put in the last. When this happens, the Lord draws towards Himself all aspects of life within a person, so that those aspects face upwards. Then those things that are the Lord’s and heaven’s are seen by the person as priorities, and the Lord Himself as the priority of all priorities … When the order of life in a person is like this, gain and important positions are a blessing; but if that order is turned around, they are a curse. The truth that all things are a blessing when heavenly order exists in a person is the Lord's teaching in Matthew, ‘Seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’”
5. AC 8478:1-2: “The person who looks at the subject no deeper than from the sense of the letter may believe that all care for the morrow is to be cast aside, and thus that the necessaries of life are to be awaited daily from heaven. But when a person looks at the subject deeper than from the letter, as for instance when one looks at it from the internal sense, it can be known what is meant by ‘care for the morrow.’ It does not mean the care of procuring for oneself food and raiment, and even resources for the time to come; for it is not contrary to order for anyone to be provident for oneself and one’s own. But those have care for the morrow who are not content with their lot; who do not trust in the Divine, but in themselves; and who have regard for only worldly and earthly things, and not for heavenly things. With such there universally reigns anxiety about things to come … Such are they who have care for the morrow. Very different is the case with those who trust in the Divine. These, notwithstanding they have care for the morrow, still have it not, because they do not think of the morrow with solicitude, still less with anxiety. Unruffled is their spirit whether they obtain the objects of their desire, or not; and they do not grieve over the loss of them, being content with their lot. If they become rich, they do not set their hearts on riches; if they are raised to honors, they do not regard themselves as more worthy than others; if they become poor, they are not made sad; if their circumstances are mean, they are not dejected. They know that for those who trust in the Divine all things advance toward a happy state to eternity, and that whatever befalls them in time is still conducive thereto.”
