Apocalypse Revealed #815
815. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. This symbolically means that through truths from the Word those who are of the Lord's church live good lives.
The fine linen symbolizes genuine truths, which are truths gained through the Word from the Lord, as in no. 814 just above. Righteous acts symbolize good lives in the case of people governed by truths (no. 668). Saints symbolize people who are of the Lord's church (nos. 173, 586).
Righteous acts are the practices of good lives in the case of people governed by truths, because no one can be called righteous unless he lives in accordance with truths. For in the natural sense a righteous person is everyone who lives rightly in accordance with civil and moral laws. But in the spiritual sense that person is called righteous who lives rightly in accordance with Divine laws, and Divine laws are truths from the Word. Someone who believes that he is righteous and so living a good life without living in accordance with truths is much deceived. For a person cannot be reformed and regenerated and so become good, except by means of truths and by a life in accordance with those truths.
It is apparent from this that the fine linen's being the righteous acts of the saints means, symbolically, that through truths from the Word those who are of the Lord's church live good lives.
This is clearly apparent in the case of angels in heaven. The more they are governed by truths and live in accordance with them, the brighter white the garments in which they appear clothed. That is because they enjoy a brighter light.
