Apocalypse Revealed # 461
461. And they did not repent of their murders or their enchantments or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (9:21) This symbolically means that the heretical belief in faith alone induces in their hearts stupidity, backsliding, and intransigence, so that they give no thought to the Ten Commandments, not even to any sin as something to be shunned because it is on the side of the Devil and against God.
The symbolic meanings of murder, sexual immorality or licentiousness, and thefts may be seen in The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem in Accordance with the Precepts of the Decalogue, where they are shown. Therefore we need not explain them here.
As for enchantments, we will say in the next number what they symbolize.
Faith alone induces stupidity, backsliding, and intransigence in the hearts of people found in Protestant Reformed churches because goodness of life does not constitute religion where faith alone prevails; and if goodness of life does not constitute religion, then the second table of the Ten Commandments, a table calling for repentance, is as though an empty one, in which no writing appears.
It is apparent that the second table of the Ten Commandments is a table calling for repentance, since it does not say that good works should be done, but that evil works must not be done, namely, that you shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet things that are your neighbor's. If these are not matters of religion, then the case is as stated: "And they did not repent of their murders or their enchantments or their sexual immorality or their thefts."
In subsequent explanations we will see that goodness of life does not constitute religion where faith alone prevails.
