4. 2. The Son of God (Romans 1:3-4).

Called after Jesus Christ, Christians (Romans 1:6) through the faith of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22).

Faith in Christ. Through Jesus Christ we have peace toward God, and to God we have access by faith into this grace, and we glory in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).

By Jesus Christ were we reconciled to God (Romans 5:10,11).

As by one man sin entered into the world, so by the justice of one are we justified (Romans 5:12, 13, 15, 18-19).

There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, in order that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit (Romans 8:1-4). Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us (Romans 8:34).

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, hunger, death, angels, principalities, height, depth, etc. (Romans 8:35-39)?

From the fathers Christ is according to the flesh, who is over all; God blessed forever. Amen (Romans 9:5).

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

We are one body in Christ; all are members having different gifts according to grace (Romans 12:5-6). The gifts which belong to different members are enumerated in a long series (verses 6, 13).

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14).

Whether we live, we live in the Lord; whether we die, we die in the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and rose and lived again that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living (Romans 14:8-9).

It is written, I live, saith the Lord, for every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:11). Isaiah saith, there shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to rule over the nations; in Him shall the nations hope (Romans 15:12).

The Gospel of Christ (Romans 15:19-21).

Chosen and tried in the Lord, in Christ: to work and labor in the Lord (Romans 16:8-13).

9. IX. Those whose aim is to possess luxury and honours in the world and also in heaven, as well as those who aim at wealth and profit in the world and those who aim at a reputation for learning, do not see or find any real truth in the Word.

I was allowed to talk with many in the spiritual world, who had thought that they would shine like stars in heaven, because, so they said, they had treated the Word as holy, read it through many times, collected many passages from it and used them to prove the dogmas of their belief. So they had a reputation for learning in the world and they themselves together with others believed that they would be Michaels and Raphaels. But many of them were tested to see what love had made them study the Word, and it was discovered that for some it had been self-love, so that they would appear important in the world and be respected as leaders of the church; for some it was to get a reputation for learning and so be promoted to honours; for some it was to acquire wealth, and for some to become learned preachers. When finally they were examined to see whether they had learned any real truth from the Word, it was found that they knew nothing but what is obvious to anyone from its literal sense, and they knew no genuine truth which might serve inwardly for instruction. The reason for this was that their aims were themselves and the world, not the Lord and heaven. When these are their aims a person and his mind are confined to himself and the world, and he thinks constantly from his self, which is in thick darkness as regards everything in heaven. For a person's self is nothing but evil and the falsity it produces. So someone who in reading the Word regards himself, or honours or reputation or profit, cannot be withdrawn by the Lord from the self, and so be raised into the light of heaven; and consequently he cannot receive any influence from the Lord through heaven.

[2] I saw many such people, and each of them made all possible efforts to reach heaven, and they were admitted there. But on arrival they were examined to see if they knew anything of the truth the angels have, but they knew nothing but the bare words of the literal sense without any inner understanding of them. So in the eyes of the angels they looked stripped of their clothes and as if naked, and so they were sent down below. Some of them were deprived of intellectual sight in the light of heaven, and afterwards of their eyesight. Afterwards they were seized by violent pain in the heart, and were thus taken below. But the proud belief that they had deserved heaven lingered.

This is the fate of those who study the Word with the aim of acquiring honours, reputation and profit. But quite different is the fate of those who are led to study the Word by an affection for truth, or who in reading the Word take pleasure in truth for its own sake. Their aim is the love of God and the love of the neighbour, and they have life as their aim. All of these as lovers of truth receive influence from the Lord, seeing and finding real truths in the Word. For their intellects are enlightened, and this allows them to perceive the truths as if of themselves, though not really from themselves; and after death they are raised to heaven, where truth enjoys its own light, so becoming spiritual and angels.