798. To blaspheme his name. That this signifies, by falsifying all the quality thereof, is evident from the signification of blaspheming, as denoting to falsify the Divine truth, thus the Word, which is from the Lord and which is the Lord (concerning which see above, n. 797); and from the signification of name, as denoting the quality and state of a thing (concerning which see above, n. 148, 676); in this case, all the quality of Divine truth or the Word, because it is said His name, or the name of God. That by the name of the Lord, in the Word, is meant all the good of love, and all the truth from that good, from which He is worshipped, may be seen above (n. 102, 135, 696). From these considerations it is evident, that by blaspheming the name of God is signified to falsify all the quality of Divine truth or the Word, also all the good and truth by which the Lord is worshipped.

That those who separate faith from good works, both in doctrine and life, falsify all the quality of Divine truth, or all things of the Word, was shown in the preceding article. This may be concluded from what has been said in many places above, that is, that they exclude love and charity, from which works become good, and from which faith derives its essence, so as not to be, together with faith, a means of salvation. Consequently they not only falsify those parts of the Word where love to God and love towards the neighbour are taught, but also all those where works, deeds, working, and doing, are mentioned. And when those parts are falsified, everything in the Word is also falsified; for the other parts of the Word which are called its truths live by virtue of the former; and when life is taken away what remains is dead. And besides, everywhere in the Word there is a marriage of good and truth, as has been frequently said and shown above. Therefore when good is taken away, the truth which remains is falsified; and truth falsified is falsity. That by reasonings confirming faith alone or faith separated, everything in the Word as falsified will be illustrated by several examples at the end of this chapter where the signification of the number 666 will be explained.

[2] Because in the various Christian churches, in which faith alone is received as the chief point of their doctrinals, there are the learned and the simple; and also those who separate faith from the goods of life, also those who conjoin faith therewith, thus those who falsify the Word much, and those who falsify it little; and because, in the preceding article those are treated of who so falsify the Word as to entirely close heaven against themselves, we shall now speak of those who do not so falsify the Word as to close heaven against themselves. These are they who confirm in themselves, that the faith which justifies and saves produces goods of life as a tree does fruits. With those who confirm that doctrine in the life, heaven is not closed, but its ultimate is open, where entrance is given. The following are the reasons.

[3] 1. They invert the Divine Order that charity produces faith, and not that faith charity. But still with those who confirm that conjunction in doctrine and life that inverted order can afterwards be reduced to order; and, being so reduced, they enter heaven in its ultimates. The reason why they do not enter interiorly is, that their faith, by which they believed themselves to be justified and saved, is derived more from falsities than truths. And those are in the ultimates of heaven who are in falsities from their doctrine and religion but still in good of life. Their falsities are appearances of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, all of which have life for their end. The case is almost the same with every one who is to be reformed. He first forms for himself doctrine from the Word and therein separates the things which are to be believed and done. Those that are to be believed he calls faith, and those that are to be done he calls charity. But because order with every one is inverted from birth, he regards faith as in the first place and charity in the second. If, however, he lives the life of faith, which is charity, the order is gradually restored; and then from charity he lives faith. In that case so far as his faith is from genuine truths so far he enters heaven. For, as said above, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes heaven and is heaven. From these things it is evident why it is that faith, at this day, has become the chief and primary thing of the church - because they have followed the order that is inverted from birth; and because they are pleased with the life of the world; and because they have been led by pride in their own intelligence. This is why they remained in the first degree of reformation.

[4] 2. The second reason why they do not close heaven against themselves is, that good works are love and charity in act, and from these heaven is heaven. For all angels and all spirits are affections and thoughts therefrom, or, what amounts to the same, are loves and intelligences therefrom. There are also two loves that are the universal and fundamental of all loves - love to the Lord, and love towards the neighbour, which is called charity. All those are in these loves who do goods from the Word; for every good is from love. Now because those who confirm themselves in the doctrine and life that faith produces good works as a tree does fruit, look from faith to good; hence they have conjunction with heaven, not however with the spiritual, but with the natural heaven, which is in ultimates, and may be called the entrance [into heaven]. The reason why they cannot be admitted more interiorly is, that faith, before it becomes charity in form, is natural; and the natural can produce only the natural. It is different when faith becomes faith from charity. Then faith becomes spiritual, because charity, from which it is derived, is spiritual. With the latter the spiritual mind is opened, but with the former only the natural mind is opened, but this more deeply and interiorly according to the quality of the faith and of the life therefrom. The mind of such persons when seen in the light of heaven appears snowy, such as rational light is; and the Rational is the medium between the spiritual mind and the natural.

[5] 3. If the state of the mind and life of those who believe that faith produces good works and who also do them were interiorly examined, it would be seen that they are interiorly natural; for their faith is only a knowledge of the precepts of the Word, into which when the interior natural sight, which is called rational, enters, there is an acknowledgment that those precepts are Divine; and when love operates upon such acknowledgment, it becomes obedience. But the love which operates upon that acknowledgment can be no other than the love of reward for the sake of the goods which they do; and reward is to them eternal life. And because the love of reward comes not from God but from man - for in reward man regards his own good, and not that of his neighbour - it follows, that that love is natural, consequently that the state of the mind and life of those who believe that faith produces good works, and who do them according to their faith, is natural. But if they do not perform them from a spirit of obedience, it is the love of glory springing from erudition, or the love of the fame that may raise them to honours, or that they may become rich, that leads them. Such persons, however, say that they acknowledge and believe, while in heart they do not; therefore they are in the lowest natural and to them heaven is closed altogether.

[6] In order that it may be known that to do good from a spirit of obedience is from the natural man, it shall be briefly explained what is meant by doing good from charity. No one can do good from charity but he whose spiritual mind is opened; and the spiritual mind is opened solely by a man abstaining from doing evils, and shunning them, and at length holding them in aversion, because they are contrary to the Divine precepts in the Word, thus contrary to the Lord. When man so shuns and holds evils in aversion, then everything that he thinks, wills, and does is good, because from the Lord. For the Lord is continually present, knocks at the door, is urgent, and wishes to enter, but evils oppose. Man, therefore, must open the door by removing evils; for these being removed, the Lord enters, and there sups (Apoc. 3:20). It is said that a man opens and removes; for a man does evil from himself. And because the Lord is continually present, knocks at the door, and is urgent, as said, therefore a man has the faculty of desisting from evils as of himself. This faculty is given to every one. Hence then it is that as a man can of himself close heaven against himself, so he can as of himself open heaven, provided only he thinks and wills to cease from evils, looks unto the Lord, and when he does so cease, acknowledges that it is from the Lord. Evils therefore being removed, whatever a man then does is good, because it is from the Lord; and whatever a man does from the Lord, is not natural-moral but spiritual-moral. Now, because charity consists in doing good from love for the sake of good, thus from good, consequently from the Lord, it follows that to do good from charity is spiritual; but to do good from a spirit of obedience, because it is from the love of reward, is natural. This is the natural in which those are who are in the entrance to heaven; whither those also come who do good only from a spirit of obedience; and these are such as confirm themselves in the doctrine and life that faith produces good works as a tree does fruit.

[7] 4. Moreover, it should be known that those who believe that faith produces good works as a tree does fruit, also believe that heaven is allotted them before evils are removed, and yet so long as evils are in man, the goods that he does are not good; for from an evil tree only evil fruits are produced. The one only way to heaven therefore is for a man to abstain from evils, from the Word, because they are sins; unless these are first removed the Lord cannot enter and impart heaven.

[8] 5. The fifth reason why those who confirm themselves in the doctrine and life that faith produces good works as a tree does fruit, do not shut heaven against themselves is, that they do not falsify the Word like those who believe in justification and salvation by faith without good works. For those who believe that faith justifies without good works, falsify all those parts of the Word where love, charity, goods, works, deeds, working, and doing are mentioned and commanded, and this to the destruction of the Divine truth in the heavens. They understand by those expressions either faith, or the moral and civil good of the world, or that they are mentioned only for the common people, because of the simplicity of their faith. They thus destroy Divine truth itself by arguments drawn from man's inability to fulfil the law, because a man's good is not good, and because merit is inherent in it. But those, who, in simplicity, adjoin good works to faith do not falsify all those parts of the Word, and consequently they do not separate faith from love to God; and in this way they admit the Divine operation in every thing that man has to do, as well as in every thing that he has to believe. For they think and say that good works are to be done as from man; for he who does not act and believe as of himself, believes nothing and does nothing, and can have no religion. But still, because they are not in genuine truths, though they do not indeed close heaven against themselves, they cannot come nearer than the threshold of heaven. Still to such of them as have loved truths for the sake of truths, heaven is opened when Divine Order in them is restored, which takes place when charity and its good is in the first place and faith and its truths in the second; for they are then like those who go on in a straight way with the faces looking before, while previously they were like those who go with the faces turned backwards.

[9] 6. There are also many who make charity the essential means of salvation, as others do faith, and yet do not live the life of charity. But since their charity is only a lip-confession, and thus it is merely their faith, it follows that their charity, similarly, is not alive but dead. Therefore they differ but little from those who confess faith alone; for they are like in heart but unlike in soul. Nevertheless, they both close heaven against themselves.

102. And for my name's sake hast laboured. That this signifies acknowledgment of the Lord, and of the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth which have regard to Him, is evident from the signification of the name of Jehovah, or of the Lord, as being, in the highest sense, His Divine Human (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 2628, 6887), and in the relative sense, all things of love and of faith by which the Lord is worshipped, because these are Divine things which proceed from His Divine Human (Arcana Coelestia 2724, 3006, 6674, 9310). This is evident also from the signification of labouring as being earnest application of the mind, and study in order that those things may be known and acknowledged; for this is signified by labouring, when it is said of those who study the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good. From these considerations it follows, that by "and for my name's sake hast laboured," is signified acknowledgment of the Lord, and of the knowledges (cognitiones) which have regard to Him. The knowledges (cognitiones) which have regard to the Lord, are all those things which belong to love and faith.

In many passages of the Word, it is said, "for the sake of the name of Jehovah," "for the sake of the name of the Lord," "for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ," and that the name of God should be hallowed, and similar expressions. Those who do not think beyond the sense of the letter are of opinion, that in these passages name alone is understood: but this is not so, but everything by which the Lord is worshipped, everything which has relation to love and faith. Hence by the name of the Lord in the Word, are meant all things of love and of faith by which He is worshipped, but, in this case, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and of the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth which have regard to Him, because this is said to those only who study those knowledges (cognitiones).

[2] The reason why by the name of Jehovah, or of the Lord, is not meant the name itself, but everything of love and faith, is found in the spiritual world. In that world, the names used on earth are not enunciated, but the names of the persons spoken of are formed from the idea of all those things that are known about them, which things are summed up in one expression. Such is the enunciation of names in the spiritual world; this is why names in that world, as well as all other things, are spiritual. Nor are the names of the Lord and of Jesus Christ uttered there as on earth, but, instead of them, a name is formed from the idea of all those things that are known and believed concerning Him, which idea is derived from everything of love and of faith in Him. The reason is, that these things in the aggregate are the Lord with them; for the Lord is present with every one in the goods of love and of faith that are from Him. This being the case, the character of every one as to his love and faith in the Lord is there immediately known, merely from his enouncing in a spiritual expression, or a spiritual name, "the Lord" or "Jesus Christ." This is why those who have no love or faith towards Him, cannot utter His name, that is, they cannot form any spiritual name of Him. From these considerations it is now clear why it is that by the name of Jehovah, of the Lord, or of Jesus Christ, in the Word, is not meant the name, but the all of love and of faith by which He is worshipped.

[3] Lest, therefore, the opinion entertained by many should prevail, that the name alone of Jesus Christ, without love and faith in Him, thus without the knowledges (cognitiones) by which love and faith exist, contributes something to salvation, I adduce herewith a few passages from the Word in which the above-mentioned expressions are found, from which those who think more deeply may see that name alone is not meant. Thus in the following:

"Jesus said, Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake" (Matthew 10:22:24:9, 10.)

"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name" (John 1:12).

"When Jesus was in Jerusalem, many believed in his name" (John 2:23).

"He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

"These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31).

"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew 21:9; 23:39; Luke 13:35; 19:38).

"And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit life everlasting" (Matthew 19:29).

(What is here signified by houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, and lands, which are to be left for the sake of the name of the Lord, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 10490.)

"Jesus said, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13, 14);

here "to ask in my name," is to ask from love and faith.

"Many shall come in my name, saying, I am: go ye not therefore after them" (Luke 21:8; Mark 13:6);

by these "coming in the name of the Lord" and saying "I am" denotes to preach false doctrines and declare that they are true, and thus lead astray. The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

"Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many" (24:5, 11, 23-27);

for by Jesus is meant the Lord as to Divine good, and by Christ, the Lord as to Divine truth (Arcana Coelestia 3004, 3005, 3009, 5502), and by not being Christ, is signified, not Divine truth, but falsity.

[4] In the Old Testament, the name of Jehovah has a signification similar to that of the name of the Lord, because Jehovah, in the Old Testament, is the Lord. Thus it is said in Isaiah:

"And in that day shall ye say, Confess ye to Jehovah, call upon his name" (12:4).

Again:

"O Jehovah, we have waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. By thee only will we make mention of thy name" (26:8, 13).

Again:

"From the rising of the sun shall my name be called upon" (41:25).

And in Malachi:

"From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the nations: and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the nations" (1:11).

And in Isaiah:

"Every one that is called by my name, I have created him for my glory; I have formed him; yea, I have made him " (43:7). And in Micah:

"All people walk in the name of their God, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God" (4:5).

And in Moses:

"Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" (Deuteronomy 5:11).

Again:

"Jehovah separated the Levites, that they should minister and bless in the name of Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 10:8).

Again:

"They shall worship Jehovah in one place, where he shall place his name" (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 13, 14, 18, 26; 16:2, 6, 11, 15, 16).

"Where he shall place his name," denotes where there shall be worship from the good of love and the truths of faith. This was done at Jerusalem, and therefore by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine and worship (as may be seen in the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n, 6).

[5] Because by the name of Jehovah, or of the Lord, in the spiritual sense, is signified all worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, therefore, in the highest sense, by the name of Jehovah is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, because from His Divine Human proceeds the all of love and of faith. That the Lord, in the highest sense, is meant by the name of Jehovah, is clear in John:

"Jesus said, Father, glorify thy name. A voice came from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again" (12:28).

And in Isaiah:

"I will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the Gentiles. I am Jehovah, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another" (42:6, 8).

The coming of the Lord is here treated of. In Jeremiah:

"Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign, and this is his name whereby he shall be called, Jehovah, our righteousness" (23:5, 6).

Hence it is clear that in the Lord's Prayer the words "hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6:9) mean, that the Divine Human of the Lord is to be regarded as holy, and to be worshipped.

[6] Because the name of the Lord signifies such things, it is evident what is meant by the following passages.

In John:

"The shepherd of the sheep calleth his own sheep by name" (10:3).

In Luke:

"Rejoice because your names are written in heaven (10:20).

And in the Apocalypse:

"Thou hast a few names in Sardis" (3:4).

He who does not know what name signifies in the Word cannot possibly know how these words are to be understood in Matthew:

"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward; and whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (10:41, 42).

To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, and to give drink in the name of a disciple, signifies to love truth for the sake of truth, good for the sake of good, and to exercise charity from the faith of truth. For by a prophet is signified truth, by a righteous man is signified good, and by a disciple is signified good from truth; and to give to drink of cold water is to exercise charity from obedience; in their name denotes for the sake of their quality, thus for the sake of those things. Who could ever understand these things, unless it were known what name signifies? To love and to do truth for the sake of truth, and good for the sake of good, is to be affected with truth and good for their own sake, and not for the sake of one's own fame, honour, and gain. The former affection of truth and good is an affection truly spiritual; but the affection of truth and good for the sake of one's own fame, honour, and gain, is an affection merely natural. And because those who love truth and good for their own sake, or because they are truth and good, are in the spiritual affection of truth and good, it is therefore said, that they shall receive the reward of a prophet and of a righteous man; by which is meant, that they are in the spiritual affection of truth and good, this affection having its reward in itself, because it has heaven in itself. (That the happiness of heaven is in the affection of loving and doing truth and good without regarding reward as an end, thus for the sake of truth and good, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 6388, 6478, 9174, 9984. That a prophet signifies one who teaches truth, thus also, abstractedly, the truth which is taught, see n. 2534, 7269. That a righteous man signifies the good of love to the Arcana Coelestia 2235, 9857. That a disciple signifies good from truth, which is the good of charity, n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397. That to give to drink is to instruct in the goods and truths of faith, and thus to exercise charity, n. 3069, 3772, 4017, 4018, 8562, 9412; and that name signifies the quality of a thing, n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 3237; hence the name of Jehovah, or of the Lord, signifies all the quality by which He is worshipped, n. 2724, 3006, 6674, 9310.)