8911. The things that have been stated so far show what the situation is with a person and his life. That is to say, they show that a person is such as his will is, and that he remains such after death since death is not the end to life but the continuation of it. Since therefore a person is such as his will is - because, as has been stated above, the will is the real person - being judged according to one's deeds means being judged according to one's will, since there is no disparity between will and deed. Though external restraints exist - fear of the law, and fear of the loss of position, gain, reputation, or life - to inhibit the deed, the deed is all along in the will, and the will all along in the deed. It is like endeavour and motion. Motion is nothing other than an extension of the endeavour; for as endeavour comes to an end, so does motion. Therefore there is nothing essential within motion apart from endeavour. Learned people know this, for it is a recognized and well-established idea. In the human being endeavour is the will and motion is action; and they are called such in the human being because in him endeavour and motion are living. Being judged according to one's will is the same as being judged according to one's love; it is also the same as being judged according to the ends one has in view in life, as well as being judged according to the way one lives. For a person's will is his love, it is the end he has in view in life, and it is the very life itself within him. The truth of this is clear from the Lord's words which have already been quoted - One who looks at a woman ¹ in such a way that he lusts after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28. It is clear also from His saying that killing someone is not only performing that deed but also the desire to perform it, which is meant by being angry and reviling him with insults, Matthew 5:21-22. Furthermore a person is indeed judged according to his deeds; yet no further questions are asked than these - How far did those deeds spring from his will? and What nature did his will give them?

Footnotes:

7366. EXODUS CHAPTER 8.

TEACHINGS ABOUT CHARITY

It has been stated above that self-love and love of the world residing with a person constitute hell. Now the nature of those loves must be stated, in order that a person may know whether he is ruled by those kinds of love, and consequently whether he has hell within himself or heaven; for a person has within himself either hell or heaven. The Lord teaches in Luke 17:21 that the kingdom of God resides within a person; therefore that is also where hell resides.

3653. From these considerations it may now be seen that these verses give a thorough description of the state of the Church when vastated as regards the goods of love and as regards the truths of faith. At the same time they urge what is to be done in those circumstances by those with whom such goods and truths are present. There are three kinds of people within the Church, namely, those who are moved by love to the Lord, those who are moved by charity towards the neighbour, and those who are moved by the affection for truth. Members of the first group - those moved by love to the Lord - are meant specifically in the injunction, Let those who are in Judea flee into the mountains. Members of the second group are those who are moved by charity towards the neighbour; and these are meant specifically in, Let him who is on the roof of the house not go down to take anything out of his house. Members of the third group are those who are moved by the affection for truth; and these are meant specifically in, Let him who is in the field not turn back to get his clothing. See what has been stated and explained already about these matters in Volume Two, in 2454, and also in the same paragraph what is meant by 'turning back' and 'looking back behind oneself'.