Here we are in the 21st century. We know that the universe is an enormous place. We're just bursting with scientific knowledge. But how are we doing with the even-bigger ideas? Our human societies seem to be erasing them, or ignoring them - maybe we think we're too busy for them.

Here on the New Christian Bible Study site, we'll buck the trend. We want to explore the big ideas that give us a framework for living better lives. Here's a start on a list of big ideas from a New Christian perspective. For each idea, there is a footnote that lists some references in Swedenborg's theological works:

1. God exists. Just one God, who created and sustains the entire universe in all its dimensions, spiritual and physical. ¹

2. God's essence is love itself. It's the force that drives everything. ²

3. God's essence comes into being, that is, it exists, in and through creation. ³

4. There are levels, or degrees, of creation - ranging from spiritual ones that we can't detect with our physical senses or sensors, to the level of the physical universe where most of our awareness is when we're alive here. ⁴

5. The created universe emanates from God, and it's sustained by God, but in an important way it is separate from God. He wants it to be separate, so that freedom can exist. ⁵

6. God operates from love through wisdom - willing good things, and understanding how to bring them about. ⁶

7. The physical level of creation exists to provide human beings with an opportunity to choose in freedom, with rationality, whether or not to acknowledge and cooperate with God. ⁷

8. God provides all people everywhere, regardless of their religion, the freedom to choose to live a life of love to God and to the neighbor. ⁸

9. God loves everyone. He knows that true happiness only comes when we're unselfish; when we're truly motivated by a love of the Lord which is grounded out in a love of the neighbor. He seeks to lead everyone, but will not force us to follow against our will. ⁹

10. God doesn't judge us. He tells us what's good, and what's evil, and flows into our minds to lead us towards good. However, we're free to reject his leading, and instead opt to love ourselves most. Day by day, we create habits of generosity or of selfishness, and live out a life in accordance with those habits. Those habits become the real "us", our ruling love. ¹⁰

11. Our physical bodies die eventually, but the spiritual part of our minds keeps going. It's been operating on a spiritual plane already, but our awareness shifts - so that we become fully aware of spiritual reality. ¹¹

Bilješke:

522. First, though, let me state what divine mercy is. Divine mercy is a pure mercy toward the whole human race with the intent of saving it, and it is constant toward every individual, never withdrawing from anyone. This means that everyone who can be saved is saved. However, no one can be saved except by divine means, the means revealed by the Lord in the Word. Divine means are what we refer to as divine truths. They teach how we are to live in order to be saved. The Lord uses them to lead us to heaven and to instill heaven's life into us. The Lord does this for everyone; but he cannot instill heaven's life into anyone who does not refrain from evil, since evil bars the way. So to the extent that we do refrain from evil, the Lord in his divine mercy leads us by divine means, from infancy to the end of life in the world and thereafter to eternity. This is the divine mercy that I mean. We can therefore see that the Lord's mercy is pure mercy, but not unmediated: that is, it does not save people whenever it feels like it, no matter how they have lived.

8125. Exodus 14

1. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

2. Speak to the children of Israel, and let them turn back and encamp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon; over against it you are to encamp, close to the sea.

3. And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are enmeshed in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.

4. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will be glorified in Pharaoh and in all his army; and the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.

5. And it was pointed out to the king of Egypt that the people had fled; - and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have sent Israel away from serving us?

6. And he harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him.

7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt; and there were tertiary commanders over them all. ¹

8. And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with a lofty hand.

9. And the Egyptians pursued them; and they overtook them encamping close to the sea - all Pharaoh's chariot-horses, and his horsemen, and his army [did so], close to Pi Hahiroth before Baal Zephon.

10. And Pharaoh drew near. And the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were travelling after them; and they were in great fear, and the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah.

11. And they said to Moses, Were there no graves in Egypt, [since] you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done to us, to bring us out of Egypt?

12. Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, and let us serve the Egyptians; for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness?

13. And Moses said to the people, Have no fear; stand firm and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will see again no more for ever.

14. Jehovah will fight for you, and you are to be silent.

15. And Jehovah said to Moses, Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, and let them travel on.

16. And you, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it; and let the children of Israel come into the middle of the sea on dry ground.

17. And I, behold, I am hardening the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will come after them, and I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.

18. And the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah, when I am glorified in Pharaoh, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.

19. And the angel of God travelled on, marching before the camp of Israel; and he went behind them. And the pillar of cloud travelled from before them and stood behind them.

20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was cloud and darkness [for the former], and it lit up the night [for the latter]. And the latter did not come near the former the whole night.

21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah caused the sea to go away by a strong east wind the whole night, and made the sea into dry ground; and the waters were divided.

22. And the children of Israel came into the middle of the sea on dry ground; and the waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left.

23. And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them - all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen - into the middle of the sea.

24. And so it was in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked out onto the camp of the Egyptians, from within the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians.

25. And He took off the wheels of his chariots and made them ² drive heavily; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee before Israel, for Jehovah fights for them against the Egyptians.

26. And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the waters return onto the Egyptians, onto his chariots, and onto his horsemen.

27. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned, as morning was breaking, to its normal strength; ³ and the Egyptians were fleeing to meet it and Jehovah overturned ⁴ the Egyptians into the middle of the sea.

28. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army, coming after them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained.

29. And the children of Israel went on dry ground into the middle of the sea; and the waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left.

30. And Jehovah saved Israel on that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

31. And Israel saw the great hand ⁵ which Jehovah displayed ⁶ among the Egyptians; and the people feared Jehovah, and they believed in Jehovah and in Moses His servant.

CONTENTS

This chapter deals in the internal sense with the first temptation, undergone by those belonging to the spiritual Church, and with their guidance through the middle of hell and protection then by the Lord. The chapter also deals with the submersion of those governed by faith separated from charity into the hell where falsities arising from evils prevail. Those belonging to the spiritual Church are represented by the children of Israel, and those governed by faith separated from charity by the Egyptians. The first temptation is described by the grumbling of the children of Israel when they saw Pharaoh's army. Hell is meant by the Sea Suph through which the children of Israel were guided in safety and in which the Egyptians were drowned, falsities arising from evils being meant by the waters that overwhelmed them.

Bilješke: