Verse 23. But he is not yet prepared to realize his own inmost good, by the removal of all appearances; nor can he truly worship the Lord until his defect is removed, and if that good were manifested he would profane it. But the Lord from His Divine Good will remove the impediment, because He can sanctify man to the uttermost.

51. As regards the “image,” an image is not a likeness but is according to the likeness; it is therefore said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after our likeness”. The spiritual man is an “image,” and the celestial man a “likeness” or similitude. In this chapter, the spiritual man is treated of; in the following, the celestial. The spiritual man, who is an “image,” is called by the Lord “a son of light”, as in John,

He that walketh in the darkness knoweth now whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light.(John 12:35-36).

He is called also a “friend:”

Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you (John 15:14-15).

But the celestial man, who is a “likeness” is called a “son of God” in John:

As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; who were born not of bloods, ¹ nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13).

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