108. Verse 7. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, signifies that he who understands should hearken to what Divine truth proceeding from the Lord teaches and says to those who are of His church. This is evident from the signification of "He that hath an ear let him hear," as being that he who understands should hearken, or obey (that to "hear" is to understand and to do, that is, to hearken, see above, n. 14; also from the signification of "the Spirit," here the Spirit of God, as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (See Arcana Coelestia 3704, 5307, 6788, 6982, 6993, 7004, 7499, 8302, 9199, 9228-9229, 9303, 9407, 9818, 9820, 10330); and from the signification of "churches," as being those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity, that is, who are of the church, for no others are of the church. These words, namely, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith into the churches," are said to each of the churches (here to the church of Ephesus; afterwards to the church in Smyrna, verse 2:11; in Pergamum, verse 2:17; in Thyatira, verse 2:29; in Sardis, chapter Revelation 3:6; in Philadelphia, verse 3:13; and in Laodicea, verse 3:22), in order that everyone who is of the church may know that it is not knowing and understanding the truths and goods of faith, or doctrinals, or even the Word, that makes the church, but hearkening, that is, understanding and doing; for this is signified by the words "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Because this makes the church and forms heaven with man, and knowing and understanding, apart from doing, does not, therefore the Lord also uses the same words in several other places:

He that hath an ear to hear let him hear (as in Matthew 11:15; 12:43; Mark 4:9, 4:23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35).

In Revelation it is added, "what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" since by this is signified what Divine truth teaches and says to those who are of the church, or what is the same, what the Lord teaches and says, for all Divine truth proceeds from Him (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 13, 133, 137, 139); for this reason the Lord did not Himself say, "what the Spirit saith," because He who spoke was the Divine truth.

[2] That knowing and understanding Divine truths does not make the church and form heaven with man, but knowing, understanding, and doing, the Lord teaches plainly in many passages; as in Matthew:

He that heareth these words of Mine and doeth them, is likened unto a prudent man, but he that heareth and doeth them not, is likened unto a foolish man (Matthew 7:24, 26).

In the same:

He that was sown upon good land, this is he that heareth the Word, and taketh heed and thence beareth fruit (Matthew 13:23).

In Luke:

Everyone that cometh to Me and heareth My words, and doeth them, I will show to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who laid the foundation on a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not is like a man that built a house upon the earth, without a foundation (Luke 6:47-49).

In the same:

My mother and My brethren are they who hear the Word of God and do it (Luke 8:21);

and in many other places. In these passages, "hearing" signifies simply hearing, which is knowing and understanding. "Hearing," in common discourse, has this meaning when one is said "to hear" a thing; but it means both understanding and doing when it is said "give ear to," or "hearken to," also "listen to." Moreover, those who have separated life from faith are like those of whom the Lord speaks in Matthew:

Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matthew 13:13-15; Ezekiel 12:2).

2343. 'And they ate' means making one's own. This is clear from the meaning of 'eating' as being communicated and joined together, thus being made one's own, dealt with already in 2187. What has been stated and explained so far makes clear how the contents of the previous and the present verses are arranged and link together in the internal sense - from the fact that 'the angels' means the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding, 'turning aside to him' means staying with, 'coming to his house' being confirmed in good, 'making a feast' dwelling together, 'baking unleavened bread' being purified, and 'eating' taking into oneself and making one's own. It shows the nature of the train of thought in the internal sense, though nothing at all of that sense is apparent in the historical sense.

[2] Such is the order and the train of thought that exists with all the individual parts of the Word. But the nature of that actual train of thought cannot begin to reveal itself when each word is explained separately; for in that case each is seen in isolation from the rest and the continuity of meaning is lost. It reveals itself when all the separate details are seen together within one complete idea, or are perceived as one complete mental picture, as is done by those who have the internal sense and who at the same time dwell in heavenly light from the Lord. Within these words [used here in Genesis] such people are given to see the entire process of the reformation and regeneration of those who become members of the Church, represented here by Lot. That is to say, they first of all perceive some degree of temptation, but when they persevere and overcome the Lord stays with them, and confirms them in good, brings them to Himself into His kingdom, and dwells together with them, and there purifies and perfects them, at the same time granting them as their own things that are good and happy. All this He accomplishes by means of His Divine Human and His Holy proceeding.

[3] Within the Church it is indeed well known that all regeneration or new life, and therefore salvation, comes from the Lord alone, but few believe it. The reason they do not believe it is that the good of charity does not exist in them. It is as impossible for those in whom that good does not exist to believe it as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle; for the good of charity is the very seed-bed of faith. Truth and good agree together, but truth and evil never do. They have contrary natures and turn away from each other. Insofar therefore as someone is moved by good, he can be governed by truth, that is, insofar as charity exists with him faith is able to, especially the most fundamental matter of faith that all salvation comes from the Lord.

[4] That this is the most fundamental matter of faith is clear from many places in the Word, as in John,

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.

In the same gospel,

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him. John 3:36.

In the same gospel,

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom the Father has sent. John 6:29.

In the same gospel,

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40.

In the same gospel,

Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. John 8:24.

In the same gospel,

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he die, yet will he live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. John 11:25-26.

[5] Nobody is able to believe in the Lord unless he is governed by good, that is, no one can possess faith unless he has charity. This too is clear in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.

And in the same gospel,

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in Me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered. As the Father has loved Me so I have loved you; abide in My love. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:5-6, 9, 12.

[6] From all these quotations it becomes clear that love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour constitute the life of faith. But that people who are immersed in evil, that is, who lead a life of evil, cannot possibly believe that all salvation comes from the Lord has become clear to me from those who have entered the next life from the Christian world; and also from people who during their lifetime have confessed with their lips the established teaching of faith, and indeed have taught it themselves, that without the Lord there is no salvation, but who, for all that, have led a life of evil. At the very mention of the Lord's name these people have filled the atmosphere around them entirely with objections. For in the next life solely that which people are thinking is perceived and sends out from itself a sphere, in which the nature of the faith possessed by those people reveals itself, see 1394.

[7] At the mere mention of love or charity among these people I perceived emanating from them something that was so to speak full of darkness and at the same time dust-filled. The product of some filthy love, it was by nature such that it obliterated, stifled, and corrupted all feeling of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbour. Such is the faith at the present day, which, they say, saves without the goods that flow from charity.

[8] The same people were also asked what faith they had since it was not the faith they had professed during their lifetime. Since in the next life nobody can conceal what he actually thinks, they said that they believed in God the Creator of all things. They were examined however as to whether this was really so, and it was discovered that they did not believe in any God at all but thought that all things were the product of natural forces, and all that has been said about eternal life is nonsense. Such is the faith of everyone inside the Church who does not believe in the Lord but says that he believes in God the Creator of all things. For truth cannot flow in from any other source than the Lord, and truth cannot be sown in anything other than good which is derived from the Lord.

[9] That the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding are together the channel and the source of life and salvation is well recognized from the words of the Holy Supper, 'This is My body, This is My blood', which is the Lord's Divine Human. And it is clear that this is the source of everything holy. Whether we speak of the Divine Human, or His Body, or Flesh, or Bread, or Divine Love, it amounts to the same thing; for the Lord's Divine Human is pure Love, and the Holy [proceeding] consists in love alone, while the Holy that constitutes faith is derived from this.