8922. 'Lest perhaps we die' means that this form will destroy the life of heaven with them. This is clear from the meaning of 'dying' as dying spiritually, dealt with in 6119, thus being destroyed so far as the life of heaven is concerned. The fact that God's truth in an unadjusted form has that effect is clear from what has been shown just above in 8920. For truth in an unadjusted form, as it exists in heaven, is too high for it to be understood, and what is too high to be understood is not received. And what is not received does not pass into faith at all, nor accordingly into the life of faith, which is the life of heaven since a person is regenerated, that is, receives the life of heaven, through God's truth composing faith, 2046, 2063, 2189, 2979, 3155, 3876, 3877, 5893, 5912, 6247, 8635 8640, 8772.

2046. 'Every male' means those who possess the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'a male' as truth, dealt with in 672, 749. The reason why the word 'male', meaning the truth of faith, is used is that nobody can be purified from those filthy loves except the person who is governed by truth. From truth he recognizes what is pure or impure, and what is holy or unholy. Until he possesses such knowledge there are no channels into which and through which heavenly love flowing in constantly from the Lord is able to operate, for it cannot be received except within truths. It is by means of cognitions of truth therefore that a person is reformed and regenerated, but this does not take place before he has been endowed with them. Conscience itself is formed by means of the truths of faith, for the conscience with which a regenerate person is endowed is a conscience for what is true and right. On this matter see 977, 986 (end), 1033, 1076, 1077. This also is the reason why flint knives, or 'swords of flint', as they are called, were used for circumcision. 'Swords of flint' means truths, see above 2039 (end).