Arcana Coelestia #51
51. As regards what the image is, an image is not a likeness but is 'according to a likeness'. Therefore it is said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness'. A spiritual man is an image, whereas a celestial man is a likeness or exact replica. The spiritual man is the subject in this present chapter, the celestial man in the next. The spiritual man, who is an image, is called by the Lord 'a son of light', as in John,
He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be sons of light. John 12:35-36.
He is also called 'a friend',
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:14-15
The celestial man however, who is a likeness, is called 'a son of God', in John,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His Name, who were born, not of blood, 1 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.
Footnotes:
1. literally, of bloods
Arcana Coelestia #5068
5068. The reason the Lord calls Himself 'the King' in the following words - 'When the Son of Man comes in His glory, He will sit on the throne of [His] glory.....Then the King will say to them' - is that the Lord's kingly rule is Divine Truth, on which judgement is based and in accordance with which it is executed. But the basis and execution of judgement in the case of the good is different from what it is with the evil. Because the good have accepted Divine Truth, the basis on which they are judged is good, and so mercy; but because the evil have not accepted Divine Truth, the basis of their judgement is truth, but not mercy, for the reason that they have cast mercy aside and as a consequence are constantly casting it aside in the next life. The acceptance of Divine Truth implies not only possessing faith but also expressing that faith in action, that is, making what doctrine teaches a matter of life. These are the reasons why the Lord calls Himself 'the King'. The Lord's kingly rule consists in Divine Truth, see 1728, 2015(end), 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966.
