1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

9945. 'You shall make with the work of an embroiderer' means through cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the work of an embroiderer' as something that consists of factual knowledge, dealt with in 9688. The reason for saying through cognitions of goodness and truth is that 'cognitions' is used to mean knowledge about things of a more internal nature such as the Church possesses regarding faith and love. The reason why this kind of factual knowledge is meant here by 'the work of an embroiderer' is that 'the belt of the tunic', which was made from the work of an embroiderer, means the bond holding together the inmost things ¹ of the spiritual kingdom, dealt with immediately above; and everything in the spiritual world is held in connection by means of cognitions and the affections resulting from them.

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