17. It is hard for us to attain union or unity (of what is good and what is true or of what is evil and what is false) in this world, because as long as we are living here we are kept in a state of reformation or rebirth. We all attain one union or the other after death, though, because then we can no longer be remade or reborn: we keep the quality of the life we led in the world, that is, the quality of our primary love. If our life was governed by evil love, anything true we have learned in this world from teachers, sermons, or the Word is taken away. Once it is gone, we soak up the falsity that agrees with our evil the way a sponge soaks up water.

Conversely, if our life has been governed by good love, then everything false we have picked up from what we have heard and read in the world without intentionally adopting it is taken away, and in its place we are given the truth that agrees with our good.

This is the intent of these words of the Lord:

Take the talent from this one and give it to the one who has ten talents. To all those who have, more will be given, in ample supply; but from those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away. (Matthew 25:28-29; Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; Luke 19:24-26)