1. True Christianity

Containing a Comprehensive Theology of the New Heaven and the New Church

The Faith of the New Heaven and the New Church

THE faith of the new heaven and the new church is stated here in both universal and specific forms to serve as the face of the work that follows, the doorway that allows entry into the temple, and the summary that in one way or another contains all the details to follow. I say "the faith of the new heaven and the new church" because heaven, where there are angels, and the church, in which there are people, act together like the inner and the outer levels in a human being. People in the church who love what is good because they believe what is true and who believe what is true because they love what is good are angels of heaven with regard to the inner levels of their minds. After death they come into heaven, and enjoy happiness there according to the relationship between their love and their faith. It is important to know that the new heaven that the Lord is establishing today has this faith as its face, doorway, and summary.

358. (c) We are also able to acquire the life within faith and goodwill for ourselves. The situation is again the same. We acquire this life as we go to the Lord, who is life itself. No one's access to him is blocked. He constantly invites every person to come toward him. He says,

Those who come to me will not hunger; those who believe in me will never thirst. Those who come to me I will not throw out the door. (John 6:35, 37)

Jesus stood and cried out, "If any are thirsty, they must come to me and drink. " (John 7:37)

The kingdom of the heavens is like someone who put on a wedding for his son and sent his servants to call those who had been invited. Finally he said, "Go to the ends of the streets and invite any people you find to the wedding. " (Matthew 22:19)

Surely everyone knows that the Lord's invitation or calling is universal. So is the grace to accept it.

By going to the Lord, we gain life because the Lord is life itself. He is not only the life within faith but also the life within goodwill. It is clear from the following passages that this life is the Lord and comes to us from the Lord:

In the beginning was the Word. In it there was life, and that life was the light for humankind. (John 1:1, 4)

Just as the Father raises the dead and brings them to life, so also the Son brings to life those whom he wishes to. (John 5:21)

As the Father has life in himself, so he has given the Son to have life in himself. (John 5:26)

The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:33)

The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. (John 6:63)

Jesus said,

Those who follow me will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

I have come so that they may have life and abundance. (John 10:10)

Those who believe in me, even if they die, they will live. (John 11:25)

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

Because I live, you too will live. (John 14:19)

These things have been written so that you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)

He is eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

"The life within faith and goodwill" means the spiritual life the Lord gives people in their earthly lives.

703. How the Lord instituted the Holy Supper:

Jesus prepared the Passover with his disciples. When evening had come, he reclined to dine with them. As they were eating, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples. He said, "Take, eat; this is my body. " And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. " (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20)

[2] What the Lord taught about his own flesh and his own blood, and about bread and wine:

Work for food - not for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts to eternal life, which the Son of Humankind will give you. Truly, truly I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never be hungry, and those who believe in me will never be thirsty. I am the bread that came down from heaven. Truly, truly I say to you, those who believe in me have eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert and died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone who eats of it will live and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I am giving for the life of the world. Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Humankind and drink his blood, you will not have life within you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life; I will revive them on the last day. My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me and I in them. (John 6:27, , 35, 41, , )