242. To buy of Me gold tried by fire, that thou mayest be enriched, signifies that they should acquire for themselves from the Lord genuine good, that they may be able to receive the truths of faith. This is evident from the signification of "buying," as being to acquire and appropriate to oneself (See Arcana Coelestia 4397, 5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426); also from the signification of "gold tried by fire," as being genuine good, thus good from the Lord (of which presently); also from the signification of "that thou mayest be enriched," as being to be enabled to receive the truths of faith. This is the signification of being "enriched," because "riches" and "wealth" signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "the rich" are those who are in intelligence by means of knowledges, here, those who are in faith by means of them, since those who are in the doctrine of faith alone are here treated of. From this it is clear that "to buy of Me gold tried by fire, that thou mayest be enriched," signifies that they must acquire for themselves genuine good from the Lord so that they may receive the truths of faith.

[2] It shall first be told how this is to be understood. It has often been said before, that there is no truth which is truth in itself unless it be from good, thus no faith that is faith in itself unless it be from charity: for there is no truth that is truth in itself unless there is spiritual life within it, and spiritual life is within it when it is formed out of the good of charity; for truth is the form of good, and good is the esse of truth, thus also its life; and good is from no other source than from the Lord. When there is good from the Lord, the truth that is from the good looks primarily to the Lord and also to the neighbor and his good, for the Lord flows in with good and by it forms truth, which is the truth of faith, and causes man's spiritual sight to look to him and to the neighbor. (That this is so, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 145, 251, namely, that the Lord looks at angels and men in the forehead, and these look to the Lord through the eyes; for the reason that the forehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eyes to the understanding illustrated thereby, consequently to the truths of faith. Also in the same work, n. Heaven and Hell 17, 123, 124, 142-144, 510, it is shown that in the spiritual world all are turned to their own loves, and those who have acknowledged the Lord and believed in Him are turned to Him, and thereby have good, and through good, illustration in respect to truths.) From this it can be seen what the genuine good is that is signified by "gold tried by fire," namely, that it is good from the Lord alone.

[3] As what is written to the angel of this church treats of those who live according to the doctrine of faith alone, and as those who had confirmed themselves in that doctrine, and were on that account called learned in the world, were able to join falsities with truths and make the doctrine appear as if it were true, therefore, it was granted me to talk with some of them in the other life; and as the things that were then said on either side may serve for illustration I will present them. These learned ones, from their belief while in the world, supposed that there might be faith without charity, and that man may be justified by that alone. Their talk was very ingenious; they said that there is faith without charity, because it is prior to charity, and because by it man is in good. "Who," they said, "is not able to believe that there is a God, that the Word is Divine, and other like truths, which unless believed could not be received and thought of by man?"

From this they concluded that as faith precedes, or is prior to, charity, there can be faith without charity; and if there can be, that it must be saving, since man cannot do good from himself; unless, therefore, that faith were saving all would perish: moreover, without faith there could be no presence of God with man; and without the presence of God evil would reign, and no one would have any good. This, they said, is what is meant by justification by faith alone. But it was shown them that there could not be faith unless there was at the same time charity; and that what they called faith was nothing but the knowledges that are first with every man; for example, that there is a God, that the Word is Divine, and the like, and that these knowledges are not in the man before they are in his will, but are in the entrance to him, which is his memory; but so far as they are in his will so far they are in the man himself, for the will is the man himself; and so far as they are in the will so far they are in his sight, which is faith. The knowledges themselves that precede, and that appear to the natural sight as if believed, do not until then come to be of faith; consequently this seeing the knowledges, that is thought to be of faith, recedes step by step from man as he begins from willing evil to think evil, and also recedes from him after death when man becomes a spirit, if the knowledges have not been rooted in his life, that is, in his will or love.

[4] This may be illustrated by a comparison with the stomachs of birds and beasts of the earth that are called ruminating stomachs. Into these they first collect their food, and afterwards by degrees take it out and eat it, and thus nourish the blood; food thus becomes a part of their life. With man the memory corresponds to these stomachs; and man is endowed with memory instead of these because he is spiritual; into this he first gathers spiritual foods, which are knowledges, and afterwards he takes them out by a sort of ruminating, that is, by thinking and willing, and appropriates them, and thus makes them a part of his life.

From this comparison, although trifling, it can be seen that knowledges, unless implanted in the life by thinking and willing them and then doing them, are like food that remains unconsumed in ruminating stomachs, where it either becomes putrid or is vomited out. Moreover, the circle of man's life is to know, ¹ to understand, to will, and to do; for man's spiritual life begins with knowing, passes next to understanding, then to willing, and finally to doing. From this it is clear that so long as knowledges are in the memory they are merely in the entrance to the life, and that they are not fully in man until they are in acts, and the more fully they are in acts the more fully they are in the understanding and will.

[5] It was further shown that the faith of knowledges before it becomes the faith of life is historical faith, the nature of which is well known, namely, that it is believed because another has said it; until this has been made man's own it is an alien thing, or something with ourself belonging to someone else. Historical faith, moreover, is like a belief in things unknown, for it is said that things must be believed though not understood, yea, that they must not be searched into by the understanding; and yet spiritual faith is such that in it truths themselves are seen and are consequently believed. In heaven no one believes any truth unless he sees it or has seen it; for they say, "Who can believe that a thing is so unless he sees it? It may possibly be false." And only the evil can believe what is false; for the evil from evil see falsities, but the good from good see truths; and as good is from the Lord, so also seeing truth from good is from the Lord. Angels see truths because the light of heaven, in which they are, is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; all, therefore, even those in the world, who are in that light are able to see truth. (Of the light of heaven, and that it is such, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140.)

[6] It was then shown that charity and faith act as one and enter together into man, thus that man is so far in faith as he is in charity, since faith as to its essence is charity, just as truth as to its essence is good; for good, when it exists in shape or in form is truth; in like manner charity is faith, for good is of charity and truth is of faith; moreover, the one loves the other and conjoins itself to the other, therefore one is not given unless the other be with it. This was illustrated by man's thought, which is of his understanding, and his affection, which is of his will; to think apart from affection is impossible, for the very essence of thought is affection or love. Man is able, to be sure, to think all things that he knows from the doctrine of the church, but only from a natural affection, which is the affection or love of glory, fame, honor or gain; but such an affection does not make thought to be spiritual; this requires charity, which is spiritual affection itself. When this is conjoined with knowledges there is faith, and then so far as man is in that affection he sees in thought the things that are of his faith, which are called truths, and acknowledges them, because they are from his very spirit, thus from his very spiritual life. This also is what is called illustration; and this is why no one can be illustrated from the Word unless he is in the spiritual affection of truth. Something like illustration there is, indeed, with those who have confirmed themselves in such things as are of the doctrine of faith alone and justification by faith; but that illustration is a fatuous illustration, since falsities as well as truths can be confirmed, like all those heresies that prevail both among the Jews and among Papists. With those who are called naturalists, and who deny God, the Divinity of the Word, and all other things belonging to the church, there is a similar light after confirmations; like that with those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone and justification by faith. (That the light of confirmation is natural, not spiritual, and exists also with the evil, see Arcana Coelestia 8780.)

[7] But let us return to the faith that in its essence is charity. That faith is continually perfected by such things as confirm; for from spiritual light more truths are constantly being seen, and all these join themselves to the good of charity, and perfect it. From this man has intelligence and wisdom, which at length become angelic. Moreover, those who are merely in the knowledges of faith, and not in a life according to them, believe that man can easily receive faith, if not in the world yet in another life, saying within themselves, "When I hear and see that a thing is so can I not believe it?" But they are greatly mistaken; for those who have not received spiritual faith in the world can never afterwards receive it, even if they were to hear of it and see it a thousand times; and for the reason that such a faith is not in man, but outside of him. That this is so can be clearly seen from this, that all who come from the world are first received by angels and good spirits, and instructed in every way, yea, many things are shown them to the life and before their very eyes, and yet they do not receive; thus they alienate themselves from angels and good spirits, and join those who are in no faith.

[8] Again, it was also told them, that if faith could be received by merely knowing and thinking it would be received by all, ² the evil and the good alike, and thus no one would be damned. That charity, which is spiritual affection, can never be given to anyone unless he knows truths, examines himself by means of them, accepts them, and leads a new life in accordance with them, may be seen above n. 239. From this it follows that charity is the life of faith, and that there is nothing of life in faith except in the measure of the charity that is in it; and also that in the measure that charity is in faith man is led by the Lord, but in the measure that charity is not in faith man is led by himself; and he who is led by himself and not by the Lord is unable to think of good, still less to will and do good which is good in itself; for from what is man's own [ex proprio] nothing proceeds except evil; for when a man thinks of good, and wills and does good and ³ what is his own [ex propio], it is only for his own sake and for the sake of the world, which are the ends of what he does, and the ends are the loves that lead him; and man cannot be withdrawn from his selfhood [a suo proprio] or elevated unless he looks to the Lord in regard to the things that are of life; by this looking he is conjoined with heaven, and from heaven a spiritual affection is given him by the Lord. When this had been said, it was granted to those with whom I was talking on this subject to be in spiritual light, which light is such that in it truths can be seen as clearly as objects in the world are seen in its light; and then those who were in the doctrine of faith alone and justification by faith could not but affirm that this was true; but as soon as that light was taken away from them, and they were let back into their own light, which was natural, they were unable to see otherwise than that the sight of knowledges is saving faith, and therefore that the falsities that they had made part of their faith were truths. Falsities come to be of the faith when evils are of the life.

[9] But to return to the explanation of the words of this passage, "I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried by fire, that thou mayest be enriched," which signifies that they should acquire for themselves from the Lord genuine good, that they may be able to receive truths. It now remains to be shown that "gold" in the Word signifies the good of love. This can be seen from the following passages.

In Malachi:

Behold, I send My angel [messenger] who shall prepare the way before Me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple, even the angel [messenger] of the covenant whom ye desire; He shall sit refining and purifying silver, and shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall purge them as gold and silver, that they may bring to Jehovah an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:1-3).

These things are said of the Lord's coming. It is said that Jehovah is to send a messenger [an angel] who will prepare the way before Him; and the messenger [angel] meant is John the Baptist, as is known. "Before Me," or before Jehovah, means before the Lord's Divine Itself; "the temple to which He is to come" means His Divine Human; this is also called "the messenger [angel] of the covenant," because through it there is a conjunction of men and angels with the Divine Itself, for covenant means conjunction. "The silver that He shall sit refining and purifying" means truth from good; "the sons of Levi" mean all those who are in the good of charity and in the truths of faith therefrom; it is therefore said, "He shall purge them as gold and silver." This is said because "gold" signifies good, and "silver" the truth therefrom. "Bringing to Jehovah an offering in righteousness" means worship of the Lord from the good of charity. (That "temple" signifies the Lord's Divine Human, see above, n. 220; that "covenant" signifies conjunction, see Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632; that "silver" signifies truth from good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658; that "an offering" signifies the good of love and charity, n. 4581, 9992-9994, 10079, 10137; that "righteousness" is predicated of good, n. 2235, 9857.) Therefore "to bring an offering in righteousness" signifies worship from the good of love.

[10] In Zechariah:

Two parts in all the land shall be cut off, shall expire, but the third shall be left therein. Yet I will lead the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and I will try them as gold is tried. (Zechariah 13:8-9)

"All the land" does not mean all the land, but the whole church; nor does "the third part" mean a third part, but some in the church. "To lead it through the fire, and refine as silver is refined, and to try as gold is tried," signifies to so purify them from falsities and evils that good and truth may be implanted. (That "earth" [land] in the Word signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 6516, 9325, 9643; that "a third part" signifies some, n. 2788.) In these passages there are comparisons of "silver" and "gold" with truth and good; but in the Word all things that serve as comparisons also correspond, and thence signify (See Arcana Coelestia 3579, 8989). Because "gold tried by fire" signifies the good of love purified from evils, it was commanded:

That the gold and silver taken from the Midianites should be passed through the fire, and thus be purified (Numbers 31:22-23).

[11] That "gold" signifies the good of love and of charity is shown further in the following passages.

In Hosea:

Israel hath forsaken good; the enemy pursueth him; they have made their silver and their gold into idols for themselves (Hosea 8:3-4).

"Making their silver and their gold into idols for themselves" signifies that they have turned truth and good into falsities and evils, as is evident from its being said, "Israel hath forsaken good, and the enemy pursueth him;" "the enemy" is falsity from evil, and evil from falsity.

[12] In Joel:

What are ye to Me, O Tyre and Zidon? My silver and My gold ye have taken, and the desirable things of My goods have ye brought into your temples, and the sons of Judah, and the sons of Jerusalem ye have sold to the sons of the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their borders (Joel 3:4-6).

"Tyre and Zidon" mean those within the church who are in the knowledges of truth and good; here those who have perverted these, and applied them to falsities and to the evils of falsities; this is signified by "Ye have taken My silver and My gold, and the desirable things of My goods have ye brought into your temples;" "silver" signifying truth, "gold" good, and "the desirable things of goods" signifying derived truths and goods, which are knowledges from the sense of the letter of the Word; "to bring them into their temples" signifies to turn them into profane worship; that "they sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Grecians" means that they changed all the truths of good into the falsities of evil; "removing them far from their borders" means far from truths themselves. (That "Tyre and Zidon" mean those within the church who are in the knowledges of truth and good, see Arcana Coelestia 1201; that "sons of Judah and sons of Jerusalem" mean all truths of good, because "sons" signify truths, n. 1729, 1733, 2159, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 7499, 8897, 9807; "Judah" the celestial church, n. 3654, 6364; "Jerusalem" the church where there is genuine doctrine, n. 3654, 9166; that "sons of the Grecians" mean falsities, because "Grecians" signify the nations that are in falsities, see above, n. 50.)

[13] In Ezekiel:

The traders of Sheba and Raamah, by the chief of all spices, and by every precious stone and gold, they gave for thy tradings (Ezekiel 27:22).

In the same:

In thy wisdom and thine intelligence thou hadst made to thyself wealth, and hast gotten gold and silver in thy treasures. Thou wast in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, and gold (Ezekiel 28:4, 13).

In these two passages also Tyre is treated of, and by it, as was said above, those within the church who are in the knowledges of truth and good are meant. (By "her tradings" those knowledges themselves are meant. "Sheba and Raamah" also mean those who are in these knowledges, see Arcana Coelestia 1171, 3240; "spices" signify truths which are pleasing because from good, see n. 4748, 5621, 9474, 9475, 10199, 10254; "precious stones" signify truths, which are beautiful because from good, n. 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873, 9905; "the garden of Eden" signifies intelligence and wisdom therefrom, n. 100, 108, 1588, 2702, 3220.) Now because these things signify the knowledges of truth and of good, and "gold and silver" the goods and truths themselves, and because through these all intelligence and wisdom are acquired, it is said, "In thine intelligence and thy wisdom thou hast gotten gold and silver in thy treasures."

[14] In Lamentations:

How is the gold become dim! How is the most pure gold changed! The stones of holiness are poured out at the head of every street. The sons of Zion are esteemed equal to pure gold; how are they reputed as earthen bottles, the work of the hands of the potter! (Lamentations 4:1-2).

Here the vastation of the church is treated of; "the gold that is become dim, and the most pure gold that is changed," signify the goods of the church; "the stones of holiness that are poured out at the head of every street," signify the truths therefrom that are falsified; "the sons of Zion, who were esteemed equal to pure gold," signify the truths of the former church; "earthen bottles, the work of the hands of the potter," signify evils of life from falsities of doctrine, which are from self-intelligence.

[15] In Ezekiel:

I decked thee with ornaments, and I gave bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy garments of fine linen and silk and broidered work. Thou didst also take the vessels of thine adorning of My gold and My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images with which thou couldst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:11, 13, 17-18).

Here Jerusalem is treated of, which signifies the church in respect to doctrine (as above). "The ornaments with which she was decked" signify in general all truths from good and intelligence therefrom (Arcana Coelestia 10536, 10540); "bracelets upon the hands" signify in particular, truths from good (3103, 3105); "the chain upon the neck" signifies the conjunction of interior truths and goods with exterior, or things spiritual with things natural (5320); "fine linen" signifies genuine truth, and "silk" the same, resplendent from interior good (5319, 9469); "broidered work" signifies knowledge [scientificum] pertaining to the natural man (n. 9688); "the images with which she committed whoredom" are the fallacies of the senses, that appear as truths to those who are in falsities; "to commit whoredom with them" is to establish falsities by fallacies (that "to commit whoredom" signifies to imbue with falsities, see above, n. 141. From this it is clear that the contents of this chapter describe the church as it was when first established by the Lord, and as it afterwards became.

[16] In Isaiah:

Behold, I stir up against them the Medes, who shall not value silver, and shall not delight in gold; their bows shall dash to pieces the young men, their eye shall not spare the sons (Isaiah 13:17-18).

The "Medes" mean those who are against the truths and goods of the church; it is therefore said of them, "they shall not value silver nor delight in gold;" "silver" is the truth of the church, and "gold" its good. Their "bows" signify the doctrinals of falsity fighting against truths and goods (Arcana Coelestia 2686, 2709); "the young men whom they shall dash to pieces" signify those who are intelligent from truths (n. 7668); "the sons whom they shall not spare" signify the truths themselves.

[17] In the same:

The troop of camels shall cover thee; they all shall come from Sheba; they shall bring gold and frankincense; and they shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah. The isles hope in Me, and the ships of Tarshish, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them (Isaiah 60:6, 9).

Here the coming of the Lord is treated of, and "the troop of camels" means all who are in the knowledges of truth and good (Arcana Coelestia 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145); "Sheba, from which they shall come," means where those knowledges themselves are (n. 1171, 3240); "the gold and frankincense which they shall bring" mean goods and truths from good, which are therefore pleasing, "gold" is goods, and "frankincense" truths (n. 9993, 10177, 10296); "the isles which shall hope" mean the nations that are in Divine worship, but more remote from the truths of the church (n. 1158); "the ships of Tarshish" mean the general knowledges of truth and good, which contain many knowledges in particular (n. 1977, 6385); "the sons whom they shall bring from far" mean truths more remote, "sons" meaning truths (as above), and "from far" those more remote (n. 1613, 9487); "their silver and gold with them" signify the knowledges of truth and good with them.

Like things are signified by the wise men who came from the East to the place where Christ was born, offering gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

They offered these because these signified goods and truths, interior and exterior, which are gifts pleasing to God.

[18] In David:

All kings shall bow themselves before Him; and all nations shall serve Him. He shall save the souls of the needy. And they shall live, and He shall give them of the gold of Sheba (Psalms 72:11, 13, 15).

Here also the coming of the Lord is treated of; by "kings that shall bow themselves before Him," and "nations that shall serve Him," all who are in truths from good are meant (that "kings" signify those who are in truths, see above, n. 31; and that "nations" signify those who are in good, see also above, n. 175; "the needy whom He shall save" mean those who are not in the knowledges of good and truth but yet long for them (See also above, n. 238; "the gold of Sheba, of which He shall give them," means the good of love into which the Lord shall lead them by means of knowledges (what "Sheba" signifies see just above).

[19] In Haggai:

I will stir up all nations, that they may come, the choice of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory. The silver is Mine, and the gold. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Haggai 2:7-9).

This also treats of the coming of the Lord; by "nations" those who are in good and in truths therefrom are meant; by "house" the church (Arcana Coelestia 3720); "the glory with which it shall be filled" means Divine truth (n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429). "The silver is Mine, and the gold," means that truth and good are from the Lord alone.

[20] In Zechariah:

The wealth of all nations round about shall be gathered together, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance (Zechariah 14:14).

"The wealth of all nations" means knowledges, wheresoever they are, even with the evil; "gold, silver, and garments, in great abundance," mean goods and truths, spiritual and natural. The like was signified by the gold, silver, and garments that the sons of Israel borrowed from the Egyptians, when they went away from them (Exodus 3:22; 11:2, 3; 12:35-36).

Why this was done, and what it involves, may be seen in The Arcana Coelestia 6914, 6917, namely, to represent that the things the evil have shall be taken away from them and given to the good (according to the Lord's words in Matthew 25:28, 29; and in Luke 19:24, 26); and that they should make to themselves friends by the unrighteous mammon (according to the words of the Lord in Luke 16:9). "The unrighteous mammon" means the knowledges of truth and good with those who do not possess them justly, who are those that do not apply them to life.

[21] In David:

Kings' daughters are among thy precious ones; at Thy right hand stood the queen in the best gold of Ophir. The king's daughter is all glorious within; her vesture is inwrought with gold (Psalms 45:9, 13).

This treats of the Lord; and "a king's daughter" means the church that is in the affection of truth, which is described by "kings' daughters are among His precious ones," which means the affections of truths themselves; "at His right hand doth stand the queen in the best gold of Ophir" means the Lord's celestial kingdom, which is in the good of love; "her vesture is inwrought with gold" means that its truths are from good.

[22] In Matthew:

Jesus said to His disciples whom He sent forth to preach the gospel, that they should possess no gold, nor silver, nor brass in their purses (Matthew 10:9);

by this was represented that they should have nothing of good and truth from themselves, but only from the Lord, and that all things would be given them freely. Because "gold" signified the good of love:

The table on which the shewbread was placed was overlaid with gold (Exodus 25:23-24);

Likewise the altar of incense, which was thence called the golden altar (Exodus 30:3);

For the same reason the lampstand was made of pure gold (Exodus 25:31, 38);

Also the cherubim (Exodus 25:18);

And for the same reason the ark was overlaid within and without with gold (Exodus 25:11);

Likewise many things in the temple at Jerusalem.

For the tabernacle, in which were the ark, the cherubim, the table on which was the shewbread, the altar of incense, and the lampstand, represented heaven, and so did the temple; therefore the gold therein signified the good of love, and the silver truth from good.

[23] As what is most holy in heaven was represented by the gold in the temple:

When Belshazzar drank wine out of the vessels of gold brought out of that temple, and at the same time praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone, there appeared written on the wall: Numbered, weighed, divided; and in that night he was slain (Daniel 5:2); for thereby was signified the profanation of good.

[24] Moreover "gold" in the Word in a contrary sense signifies the evil of self-love, and "silver" the falsity therefrom. As in Moses:

The silver and gold of the nations they shall not covet, for they are abominations, nor bring them into their houses, but they shall be accursed, because they are to be abhorred and abominated (Deuteronomy 7:25-26).

But this signification of "gold" and "silver" shall be spoken of further on.

Poznámky pod čarou:

186. More on regeneration. We are regenerated by means of the truths that belong to religious faith and through living by them: 1904, 2046, 9088, 9959, 10028. This is the meaning of the Lord's words "Unless you have been born of water and the spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5); "water" means the truth that belongs to religious faith and "the spirit" means a life in accord with that truth: 10240. Water in the Word means the truth that belongs to religious faith: 2702, 3058, 5668, 8568, 10238. Spiritual purification, which is purification from evil and falsity, is effected by means of the truths that belong to religious faith: 2799, 5954, 7044, 7918, 9088, 10229, 10237. When we are being regenerated, truths are sown and rooted in doing good so that they become part of our life: 880, 2189, 2675, 2697. What truths must be like before they can be rooted in doing good: 8725. In the process of regeneration, truth is introduced and joined to doing good, and likewise doing good is introduced and joined to truth: 5365, 8516. How that mutual introduction and joining takes place: 3155, 10067. Truth becomes rooted in doing good when we come to will it, because it then becomes something that we love: 10367.

[2] There are two states we go through when we are being regenerated: the first is when we are being led to do what is good by means of truth, and the second is when we act on the basis of what is good and see what is true from what is good: 7992, 7993, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 8772, 9227, 9230, 9274, 9509, 10057, 10060, 10076. What our state is like when truth is in first place for us and goodness is second: 3610. We can see from this that when we are being regenerated we look toward goodness from the perspective of truth, but when we have been regenerated, we look toward truth from the perspective of goodness: 6247. So there is a kind of reversal in which our state is turned upside down: 6507.

[3] It is important to know, though, how things really stand: while we are being regenerated, truth is only apparently but not actually in first place and goodness in second place; but when we have been regenerated goodness is actually and observably in first place and truth in second place: 3324, 3325, 3330, 3336, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6273, 8516, 10110. This means that goodness comes both first and last in our regeneration: 9337. Because truth seems to come first and goodness seems to come second when we are being regenerated (or when we are becoming a form of the church, which amounts to the same thing), this appearance led to a difference of opinion among the ancients as to which was the firstborn of the church, the truth that belongs to religious faith or the good actions that come from caring: 367, 2435. The good actions that come from caring are the firstborn of the church in actual fact, while the truth that belongs to religious faith is only apparently so: 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 8042, 8080. "Firstborn" in the Word means what comes first in the church and has preference and higher rank: 3325. That is why the Lord is called "the firstborn"-because all the good that comes from love and caring and faith exists within him and originates from him: 3325.

[4] Once we are in the later state (looking at truth from the perspective of goodness) we should not turn back to the earlier state (looking at goodness from the perspective of truth), and why that is the case: 2454, 3650-3655, 5895, 5897, 7857, 7923, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 9274, 10184 (which include discussion of the Lord's words "Those who are in the field then ¹ should not go back to get their outer garments" [Matthew 24:18] and "Those who are in the field then should not turn back. Remember Lot's wife" [Luke 17:31-32], showing that this is what those sayings mean).

[5] A description of the way the process of our regeneration unfolds: 1555, 2343, 2490, 2657, 2979, 3057, 3286, 3310, 3316, 3332, 3470, 3701, 4353, 5122, 5126, 5270, 5280, 5342, 6717, 8772, 8773, 9043, 9103, 10021, 10057, 10367. There are countless mysteries concerning regeneration, because regeneration goes on throughout our entire lifetime: 2679, 3179, 3665, 3690, 3701, 4377, 4551, 4552, 5122, 5126, 5398, 6751, 9103, 9258, 9296, 9297, 9334. Hardly any of these mysteries come into our knowledge or perception: 3179, 9336. This is what is meant by these words of the Lord: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it is coming from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit" (John 3:8). Information about the process of regeneration of those who are part of the spiritual church: 2675, 2678, 2679, 2682. Information about the process of regeneration of those who are part of the heavenly church, and the differences between the two: 5113, 10124.

[6] It is much the same for someone who is being regenerated as it is for a baby who first learns to talk, then to think, later to live rightly, until finally everything flows freely, seemingly on its own: 3203, 3701. So someone who is being regenerated is led by the Lord through stages: the first is like infancy, the next is like childhood, and the one after that is like adulthood: 3665, 3690, 4377, 4378, 4379, 6751. When we are being regenerated by the Lord, at first we are in a state of outward innocence, which is a state like infancy for us. Then step by step we are led through to a state of inward innocence, which is a state of wisdom for us: 9334, 9335, 10021, 10210. The nature and characteristics of the innocence of infancy and the nature and characteristics of the innocence of wisdom: 1616, 2305, 2306, 3494, 4563, 4797, 5608, 9301, 10021. A comparison between our regeneration and the conception and formation of an embryo in the womb: 3570, 4931, 9258. Because of this parallel, references to conception and birth in the Word mean spiritual conception and birth-that is, stages in our regeneration: 613, 1145, 1255, 2020, 2584, 3860, 3868, 4070, 4668, 6239, 10204. Our regeneration is illustrated by the process of germination in the plant kingdom: 5115, 5116. In the spiritual world the stage of our regeneration is represented as a rainbow: 1042, 1043, 1053.

[7] Both the inner or spiritual self and the outer or earthly self need to be regenerated, and the one is regenerated by means of the other: 3868, 3870, 3872, 3876, 3877, 3882. The inner self is regenerated before the outer because the inner is in heaven's light and the outer is in this world's light: 3321, 3325, 3469, 3493, 4353, 8748, 9325. The outer or earthly self is regenerated by means of the inner or spiritual self: 3286, 3288, 3321. We are not regenerated until our outer or earthly self has been regenerated: 8742-8747, 9043, 9046, 9061, 9325, 9334. If our earthly self is not being regenerated, our spiritual self is closed off (6299) and is in effect blind to the truths and the good actions that are related to faith and love (3493, 3969, 4353, 4588). When the earthly self has been regenerated the whole person has been regenerated: 7442, 7443. This is the meaning of the washing of the disciples' feet and by these words of the Lord: "Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed to be completely clean" (John 13:10): 10243. Washing in the Word means spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities (3147, 10237, 10241), and feet mean the attributes of our earthly self (2162, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952), so "washing our feet" means purifying our earthly self (3147, 10241).

[8] How the earthly self is regenerated: 3502, 3508, 3509, 3518, 3573, 3576, 3579, 3616, 3762, 3786, 5373, 5647, 5650, 5651, 5660. The nature of the earthly self when it has been regenerated and its nature when it has not been regenerated: 8744, 8745. The less our earthly self fights with our spiritual self, the more regenerated we are: 3286. When we have been regenerated, our earthly self perceives the spiritual things that are flowing in: 5651.

[9] Our sensory level, which is the lowest level of our earthly self, is not regenerated nowadays, but instead we are raised above it: 7442. When we are being regenerated we are actually lifted up from the sensory level into the light of heaven: 6183, 6454. The nature and characteristics of sense-oriented people may be seen in the references assembled in §50 above.

[10] We are regenerated by means of an inflow into whatever knowledge we have about goodness and truth: 4096, 4097, 4364. When we are being regenerated we are led by means of intermediate forms of goodness and truth into genuine forms of them, after which the intermediate forms are left behind and the genuine ones take their place: 3665, 3690, 3686, 3974, 4063, 4067, 4145. This then brings our truths and our desires to do good into a completely different arrangement: 4250, 4251, 9931, 10303. They are arranged according to our goals (4104); therefore they are arranged according to the use to which we wish to put our spiritual life (9297). When we are being regenerated we undergo many different states, but are steadily being led deeper into heaven and therefore closer to the Lord: 6645. Those who have been regenerated are patterned after heaven: 8512. Their inner reaches are opened into heaven: 8512, 8513. Through regeneration we come into angelic intelligence, but this lies hidden in our deeper levels as long as we are living in this world. It is opened up in the other life, however, and then we have the same kind of wisdom as angels have: 2494, 8747. The state of enlightenment that is given to those who are being regenerated: 2699, 2701, 2704. Through regeneration we are given a new faculty of understanding: 2657. How goodness becomes more fruitful and truth multiplies in people who are being regenerated: 984. When goodness takes charge in those who have been regenerated, the truths that come forth around it form little stars, so to speak, and each of these generates more starlike truths around itself, without end: 5912. In a person who has been regenerated, the truths that come from goodness are arranged in a pattern so that the genuine truths connected with that goodness are in the center; these are like parents to the next group of truths; and still other truths are placed farther away according to the degree of kinship or family ties, extending all the way to the outermost areas, where it is dark: 3128, 4551, 4552, 5134, 5270. In people who have been regenerated, truths that come from goodness are arranged in the form of heaven: 3316, 3470, 3584, 4302, 5704, 5709, 6028, 6690, 9931, 10303. In the book Heaven and Hell, see also the chapters "Heaven's Form, Which Determines How People Associate and Communicate There" (§§200-212) and "The Wisdom of Heaven's Angels" (§§265-275).

[11] In people who have been regenerated there is a correspondence between the spiritual and the earthly contents of their minds: 2850. In people who have been regenerated the whole hierarchy of their lives has been completely inverted: 3332, 5159, 8995. In their spirits, those who have been regenerated are completely new people: 3212. Those who have been through regeneration may seem outwardly like those who have not, but they are not like them inwardly: 5159. Regeneration is the only way we can gain spiritual goodness-which is intending and doing good because we are moved by a love for goodness: 4538. Whatever emotion instilled a given truth in us before has the power to evoke that truth again: 5893. The more our truths are disconnected from their origin in our self-focused life, the more they can be joined to goodness and receive spiritual life: 3607, 3610. Our truths have life to the extent that the evils stemming from our love for ourselves and for the world are put aside: 3610.

[12] When we are being regenerated, the first desire we feel for truth is not pure, but over time that desire is gradually purified: 3089, 8413. When we are being regenerated, the evil and false things in us are put aside slowly, not quickly: 9334, 9335. The evil and false things that have become part of us still continue to exist and are only put aside by our regeneration: 865, 868, 887, 929, 1581, 2406, 4564, 8206, 8393, 9014, 9333-9336, 9445, 9447, 9448, 9451-9454, 9938, 10057. There is no way we can be so completely regenerated that we are declared perfect: 894, 5122, 6648. Evil spirits do not dare attack someone who has been regenerated: 1695. People in the church who believe in justification know very little about regeneration: 5398.

[13] We need freedom in order to be regenerated: 1937, 1947, 2876, 2881, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4031, 8700. Through regeneration we are brought into heavenly freedom: 2874, 2875, 2882, 2892. No joining of goodness and truth takes place under coercion, so no regeneration does either: 2875, 2881, 4031, 8700. For more on our freedom in regard to regeneration, see the teachings given in the chapter on freedom above [§§141-149].

[14] When we are being regenerated, we must of necessity undergo spiritual crises (3696, 8403) because such crises happen for the sake of joining goodness and truth together in us and also joining our inner and outer selves together (4248, 4572, 5773).

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