Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 3

Verses 3:1, 2. That some in the perverted church, in consequence of the miracles which the Lord worked, seek conjunction with him, and acknowledge his doctrine to be divine.

Verse 3:3. To whom it is taught, that man cannot attain any perception of heavenly good and truth, except by regeneration.

Verses 3:4, 5. This however is understood by those of the perverted church, according to a natural idea, and not according to a spiritual idea, and therefore they are further instructed, that regeneration is effected by a reception of the truths of faith in man's understanding, and by a love and life in conformity with those truths.

Verses 3:6, 7. Because man is at first born merely natural, but has the capacity of afterwards becoming spiritual, by a life according to truths derived from the Word, and therefore he ought not to regard regeneration as a strange, or irrational operation.

Verse 3:8. Yet that scarcely any of the innumerable arcana of regeneration come to the knowledge and perception of man.

Verses 3:9, 10. This cannot be comprehended by those of the perverted church, who are in the knowledges of external truth, when yet those knowledges ought to have conducted them to the apprehension of internal truth.

Verses 3:11, 12. For the literal or external sense of the Word proceeds from, and is filled with, the interior things of the divine truth and wisdom, which things are rejected by those who remain in the love of mere natural things, and who, on that account, cannot comprehend celestial and spiritual things.

Verse 3:13. For celestial and spiritual things can only be comprehended by those who receive into their minds and lives the divine truth, inasmuch as the divine truth alone comes down from heaven, and therefore is alone capable of elevating any into the things of heaven.

Verses 3:14, 15. That this divine truth therefore assumed a sensual corporeal principle here on earth, to the intent that sensual corporeal men might have a divine object of faith presented to them, and being thus elevated to conjunction with that object, might be preserved from the defilement and death of merely sensual and corporeal life.

Verse 3:16. That this was effected from the divine love, to the intent that mankind might no longer continue immersed in mere natural love, but might be raised into the sphere of celestial and spiritual love.

Verses 3:17, 18. Wherefore God assumed the Human [nature] to the intent that mankind might conjoin goodness and truth in their minds and lives, since a right faith in the Divine Humanity of the Lord leads to such conjunction, whereas a want of that faith leads to separation.

Verses 3:19, 20. For the Divine Humanity of the Lord is divine truth, and if divine truth be rejected in consequence of evil love, then nothing appertains to man but the false principle of evil.

Verse 3:21. On the other hand, if divine truth be loved and obeyed, man is conducted to the Lord's Divine Humanity, because he is willing to acknowledge that all the good which he wills and does is from that divine source.

Verses 3:22, 23, 24. That when the Lord had finished these sayings, he instructs the perverted church in the truths of purification, which truths also were taught in abundance by those who were principled in charity and faith, whilst they were in a state of freedom.

Verses 3:25, 26, 27. Nevertheless these truths are received with doubt by those of the perverted church, and therefore it is taught that all purifying truth is from the Divine Truth, and thus that all wisdom, intelligence, reason, and science, are not of man, but of the Lord in his Divine Humanity.

Verses 3:28, 29. And that the design of all representative truth is only to prepare mankind for the reception of the Divine Truth, that thus good and truth may be conjoined in the church, and the church may rejoice in being instructed concerning the precepts of faith, and in receiving them in faith and obedience.

Verses 3:30, 31. Thus the Divine Truth becomes all in all in the church, as being inmost truth, and all other good and truth only administer externally.

Verses 3:32, 33. For the Divine Truth testifies concerning the Lord, both as to his divine wisdom and divine love, and notwithstanding its being rejected by the generality of mankind, brings conviction along with it to those who receive it.

Verses 3:34, 35. Which truth is from the Lord's Divine Humanity, whose intelligence and wisdom are infinite, being in eternal union with the divine good, and thus possessing the all of that good.

Verse 3:36. Whosoever therefore receives truth from that Divine Humanity with a right faith, is made partaker also of the divine good, but whoever rejects it, can have no apprehension of that good, but remains in his own natural evils.

2. As for the fact that religion is about how we live and that the [religious] way to live is to do good, everyone who reads the Word sees this and acknowledges it on reading it. We find the following in the Word:

Whoever breaks the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of the heavens, but whoever does and teaches [these commandments] will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of the heavens. (Matthew 5:19-20)

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire; therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:19-20)

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of the heavens, but those who do the will of my Father who is in the heavens. (Matthew 7:21)

On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name and done many great things in your name?" But then I will declare to them, "I do not know you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23)

Everyone who hears my words and does them I will liken to a wise man who built his house on the rock; but everyone who hears my words and does not do them will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:24, 26)

Jesus said, "A sower went out to sow. Some seed fell on a hard-packed path, some on stony ground, some among thorns, and some into good ground. The people who received seed in good ground are those who hear and understand the Word, and as a result bear fruit and become productive, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold." When he had said these things, Jesus cried out and said, "Those who have ears to hear must hear this." (Matthew 13:3-9, 23)

The Son of Humanity is going to come in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay all people according to their deeds. (Matthew 16:27)

The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that bears its fruits. (Matthew 21:43)

When the Son of Humanity comes in his glory, then he will sit on the throne of his glory and will say to the sheep on his right, "Come, you who are blessed, and possess as your inheritance the kingdom prepared for you since the founding of the world; because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me." Then the righteous will answer him, "When did we see you like this?" But the king will answer and say, "I tell you truly, as much as you did this to one of the least of my people, you did it to me." And the king will say similar things to the goats on the left, but since they had not done things like these, he will say, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:31-46)

Bear fruit that is consistent with repentance. The axe is already lying against the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:8-9)

Jesus said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord, ' and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and hears what I am saying and does it is like someone building a house who laid its foundation on the rock; but anyone who hears and does nothing is like someone building a house on the ground without a foundation." (Luke 6:46-49)

Jesus said, "My mother and my brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it." (Luke 8:21)

Then you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open the door for us!" But he will say in reply, "I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." (Luke 13:25-27)

This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. All who do evil hate the light, because their deeds would be exposed; but those who do the truth come to the light so that their deeds may be clearly seen, because their deeds were done in God. (John 3:19-21)

Those who have done what is good will go forth into [the resurrection of life, but those who have done what is evil will go forth into] the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:29)

We know that God does not hear sinners; but he does hear people who worship God and do his will. (John 9:31)

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. (John 13:17)

The people who love me are those who have my commandments and do them; and I will love them and will manifest myself to them. I will come to them and make a home with them. Those who do not love me do not keep my words. (John 14:15, 21-24)

Jesus said, "I am the vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, so that it will bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2)

My Father is glorified by your bearing much fruit and becoming my disciples. (John 15:8)

You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. I have chosen you so that you will bear fruit and your fruit will remain. (John 15:14, 16)

The Lord said to John, "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'I know your works. I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Repent and do the first works, or else I will remove your lampstand from its place.'" (Revelation 2:1-2, 4-5)

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write, "I know your works." (Revelation 2:8-9)

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write, "I know your works. Repent!" (Revelation 2:12-13, 16)

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write, "I know your works and your love; your last works are more than the first." (Revelation 2:18-19)

To the angel of the church in Sardis write, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. I have not found your works perfect before God. Repent!" (Revelation 3:1-3)

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, "I know your works." (Revelation 3:7-8)

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write, "I know your works. Repent!" (Revelation 3:14-15, 19)

I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "[Yes,]" says the spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (Revelation 14:13)

A book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by the things that were written in the book; all were judged according to their works. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to all according to what they have done. (Revelation 22:12)

In the Old Testament, too:

Repay them according to their work and according to the deeds of their hands. (Jeremiah 25:14)

Jehovah, whose eyes are open to all the ways of humankind, to give to all according to their ways and according to the fruit of their deeds ... (Jeremiah 32:19)

I will punish them according to their ways and repay them according to their deeds. (Hosea 4:9)

Jehovah deals with us according to our ways and according to our deeds. (Zechariah 1:6)

There are also many passages where it says that we are to do the statutes, commandments, and laws, such as the following:

Keep my statutes and my judgments. Anyone who does so will live by means of them. (Leviticus 18:5)

You shall observe all my statutes and my judgments by doing them. (Leviticus 19:37; 20:8; 22:31)

The children of Israel were promised blessings if they did the precepts and curses if they did not do them (Leviticus 26:3-46). They were commanded to make for themselves a fringe on the hems of their garments to remind them of all the precepts of Jehovah so that they would do them (Numbers 15:38-39)-and there are thousands more passages.

Then too, the Lord teaches in parables that works are what make us part of the church and that our salvation depends on them. Many of his parables are about those who do good being accepted and those who do evil being rejected. See, for example, the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44), the parable of the fig tree that bore no fruit (Luke 13:6 and following), the parable of the talents and the minas which those [in the parable] were to use in business (Matthew 25:14-31; Luke 19:12-25), the parable of the Samaritan who bound up the wounds of the man beaten by robbers (Luke 10:30-37), the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), and the parable of the ten young women (Matthew 25:1-12).