9089. And the dead one shall be his. That this signifies that the evil or the falsity shall remain with him, is evident from the signification of “dead,” when said of good or truth in the natural man, which is signified by “the ox” or “ass,” as being evil or falsity; for when good dies, evil takes its place; and when truth dies, falsity takes its place; because what is “dead” denotes evil and falsity, and therefore those are called “dead” who will evil, and believe falsity (see n. 7494); and from the signification of “to be his,” as being to remain with him. The case herein is this. If by means of falsity anyone destroys good or truth in himself or in others, he does it from evil, thus from the will through the understanding, for all evil is of the will, and all falsity is of the understanding. That which is done by both, remains; for it infects the whole life of the man. It is otherwise if evil proceeds from the will, and not at the same time from the understanding (n. 9009). From this it is evident for what reason it was decreed that the dead one should be his.

7494. They therefore who either pervert or extinguish or reject in themselves the good of love and the truth of faith, have no life in them; for the life which is from the Divine is to will good and believe truth. But they who do not will good but evil, nor believe truth but falsity, have what is contrary to life. This contrary to life is hell, and is called “death,” and they are called “dead.” That the life of love and faith is called “life,” also “eternal life,” and that they who have it in themselves are called “living men;” and that the contrary of life is called “death,” also “eternal death,” and such men “dead,” is evident from many passages in the Word (as in Matthew 4:16; 8:21-22; 18:8-9; 19:16-17, 29; John 3:15-16, 36; 5:24-25; 6:33, 35, 47-48, 50-51, 53, 57-58, 63; 8:21, 24, 51; 10:10; 11:25-26; 14:6, 19; 17:2-3; 20:31; and elsewhere).