249. If any one hear My voice, signifies if one attends to the Lord's precepts. This is evident from the signification of "to hear," as being to attend, that is, to observe with attention, and to hearken or obey; for the things that enter by the hearing are not only seen by the understanding, but also, if they are in accord with man's affection, are obeyed; for interior affection joins itself to things heard, but not to things seen. There are therefore two significations of hearing and hearkening in common discourse, namely, to hear anyone or listen, and to hear anyone or hearken to him; the latter means to obey, but the former means to perceive; consequently "hear thou" means to be obedient, and "see thou" means to be intelligent. Such things in common discourse have their origin in the spiritual world, in which man is in respect to his spirit (See above, n. 14 and 108). This is evident also from the signification of "My voice," or the Lord's voice, as being the truths of the Word, of doctrine, and of faith therefrom, thus precepts (See Arcana Coelestia 219, 220, 3563, 6971, 8813, 9926).

[2] It is said, if one attends to the Lord's precepts; which means if one wishes to know truths, and to study them from the Word; this no one can do who is in evils of life, and who has confirmed himself in falsities of doctrine. Those who have confirmed themselves in falsities of doctrine attend to nothing in the Word except what favors the principles of their falsity; other things they either pass by, as if not seen, or pervert and falsify; while those who are in evils of life do not care about truths, and when they hear them do not listen to them. Thus in one way of hearing, which is seeing and perceiving truths, they receive, but not in the other way, which is hearkening to or obeying truths. But those who wish to know truths, and to study them from the Word, are such as are in the spiritual affection of truth; these love truth because it is truth; and those are in that affection who wish to live according to truths from the Word, thus according to the Lord's commandments. Such are meant by "If anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

In a natural sense, the commandment 'Thou shalt not steal,' in Exodus 20:15, means, according to the letter, not stealing, robbing, or committing piracy in peace time, and in general, not secretly depriving anyone of his goods, or under any pretext. It also extends to all pretense, illegitimate gain, unreasonable loans, and extortion. It can also refer to tax, tariff or debt fraud. Workmen break this commandment in doing their work unfaithfully and dishonestly, as do merchants who deceive with their product, either in weight, measure, or accounting, officers depriving soldiers of wages, judges ruling for friends, bribes, relationship, affinity, and other ways of perverting the laws or legal cases, and so deprive others of their rightful possessions. In a spiritual sense, stealing means depriving others of the truths of their faith with falsity and heresy. Priests ministering only for the sake of gain, or worldly honor, and teach as they see fit or can see from the Word as untrue, are spiritual thieves, since they take the means of salvation, which are the truths of faith, away from people. In several passages of the Word, these priests are even called thieves. In a celestial sense, thieves mean people who take divine power away from the Lord, and claim His merit and righteousness themselves. These people may outwardly worship God, but still do not trust or even believe in Him, but only themselves.

(Odkazy: True Christian Religion 317)