695. And his kingdom became full of darkness. This symbolically means that nothing but falsities appeared.

Darkness symbolizes falsities because light symbolizes truth. To be shown that darkness symbolizes falsities that lead to evils, and thick darkness falsities springing from evils, see no. 413 above. Thus the beast's kingdom becoming full of darkness means symbolically that nothing but falsities appeared.

People who have confirmed themselves in a faith divorced from charity falsify the whole Word, as may be seen in nos. 136, 610 above. That they possess no truths, nos. 489, 501, 653, but only falsities, nos. 563, 597, 602.

Still, the falsities of their faith do not in fact appear to them as full of darkness, that is, as false, but they appear as though full of light, that is, as true, once they have confirmed themselves in them. Nevertheless, when these falsities are viewed in the light of heaven, which reveals everything, they appear as being full of darkness. Consequently, whenever the light of heaven flows into the rooms in their abodes in hell, the rooms become so dark that one cannot see another. Every hell is therefore closed over, so that not even a crack appears, and the inhabitants are then in their own light. They do not appear to themselves to be in darkness, but rather surrounded by light, even though they are caught up in falsities, and that is because their falsities, once they have confirmed themselves in them, appear to them as true. Thus their light is an illusory light, like the light of any falsity defended. This light corresponds to the light seen by owls and bats, which see darkness as light, and light as darkness - indeed, in whose sight the sun is nothing but thick darkness. Such is the sight acquired after death by people who in the world have confirmed themselves in falsities, to the point that they see falsity as true, and truth as false.

634. "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand." This symbolizes people who acknowledge and accept the doctrine of justification and salvation by faith alone, affirm it, and live in accordance with it.

To worship the beast means, symbolically, to acknowledge that faith (no. 580). To worship its image means, symbolically, to acknowledge and accept that doctrine (no. 603). To receive its mark on the forehead or hand means, symbolically, to accept the doctrine with love and faith and to affirm it in oneself (nos. 605, 606); and because people who confirm themselves in that doctrine with love and faith also live in accordance with it, this too is meant.

[2] There are three steps in the acceptance of that doctrine, which are meant by the words here. The first step is to acknowledge that doctrine. The second step is to affirm it in oneself. And the third step is to live in accordance with it. To acknowledge it involves thought. To affirm it in oneself involves understanding. And to live in accordance with it involves the will.

There are people who have taken the first step who nevertheless have not progressed to the second or third. There are people who have taken the first and second steps who have nevertheless not progressed to the third. But people who have taken the third step, which is to live in accordance with that doctrine - these are the people of whom the following declarations are made in verses 10 and 11.

To live in accordance with that doctrine is to make evil of no account, thinking that evil does not condemn because works of the law do not save, but only faith. It is also to make goodness of no account, thinking to oneself that no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking. People who avoid evils, therefore, only on account of civil and moral laws, and not on account of Divine laws, are people who do good only for the sake of themselves and of the world, thus out of a love of self and not for the Lord's sake, and so not out of a love of the neighbor.

[3] These are the people of whom the following declarations are made in verses 10 and 11, because nothing condemns that enters only into the thought and understanding. But what enters into the will does condemn, since it enters the life and becomes permanent; for nothing can enter the will unless it becomes a matter of love, and love is a person's life.

These are also people who do not examine themselves, recognize their sins, and repent, and for that reason are damned. For at heart they say, "What need is there for examining, recognizing and acknowledging sins and for repentance, when faith alone encompasses them all?"

I have seen many such people in the spiritual world who avoided evils and practiced goods solely because of civil and moral law and not at the same time spiritual law, and they were cast into hell.