65. All nations with any religion the world over possess precepts similar to those in the Ten Commandments. And all those who live those precepts in conformity with their religion are saved. But all who do not live them in conformity with their religion are condemned.

Those who live those precepts in conformity with their religion are instructed after death by angels, and they accept truths and acknowledge the Lord. That is because they refrain from evils as being sins and so are prompted by goodness, and goodness loves truth, and in accordance with the love’s desire accepts it, as we showed in nos. 32-41 above.

This is what is meant by the Lord’s saying to the Jews:

The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:43) Also by this:

...when the lord of the vineyard comes..., he will destroy those wicked men..., and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will render to him the fruits in their season. (Matthew 21:40-41) And by this:

I say to you that many will come from east and west, (and from the north and the south, ) and sit down...in the kingdom of (God). But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. (Matthew 8:11-12, Luke 13:29)

32. Insofar as Someone Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Loves Truths

Two universal emanations radiate from the Lord: Divine goodness and Divine truth. Divine goodness is an attribute of His Divine love, and Divine truth is an attribute of His Divine wisdom. These two are united in the Lord, and they emanate from Him as one. However, they are not received as one by angels in heaven or by people on earth. Some angels and people receive more of the emanation of Divine truth than they do of Divine goodness, and some receive more of the emanation of Divine goodness than they do of Divine truth.

It is owing to this that the heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, the other the spiritual kingdom. The heavens that receive more of the emanation of Divine goodness constitute the celestial kingdom, while those that receive more of the emanation of Divine truth constitute the spiritual kingdom. Regarding these two kingdoms into which the heavens are distinguished, see the book Heaven and Hell 20-28.

But even so, the angels of all the heavens possess wisdom and intelligence in the measure that the goodness in them is united with truth. Goodness that is not united with truth is for them not good. Conversely, truth that is not united with goodness is for them not true.

It is apparent from this that goodness combined with truth is what produces love and wisdom in angels and people. And because an angel is an angel, and a person human, because of the love and wisdom in him, it is apparent that goodness combined with truth is what makes an angel an angel in heaven, and a person part of the church.