287. We can also tell that love and wisdom are human by looking at heaven's angels, who are people in full beauty to the extent that they are caught up in love, and therefore in wisdom, from the Lord. The same conclusion follows from what it says in the Word about Adam's being created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26), because he was created in the form of love and wisdom.

All earthly individuals are born in the human form as to their physical bodies. This is because our spirit, which is also called our soul, is a person; and it is a person because it is receptive of love and wisdom from the Lord. To the extent that our spirit or soul actually accepts love and wisdom, we become human after the death of these material bodies that we are carrying around. To the extent that we do not accept love and wisdom we become grotesque creatures, retaining some trace of humanity because of our ability to accept them.

9357. It should be recognized that the Word on our planet, given to us by the Lord by way of heaven, constitutes a union of heaven and the world, 9212. To this end there is a correspondence of everything in the letter of the Word with Divine realities in heaven. It should also be recognized that the Word deals in its highest and inmost sense with the Lord, with His kingdom in heaven and on earth, and with love and faith received from Him and shown to Him, consequently with life received from Him and abiding in Him. Such ideas present themselves to angels in heaven, whatever planet they come from, when the Word existing on our planet is read and preached.