1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

7995. This is the statute of the Passover' means the laws of order for those who have been delivered from damnation and molestations. This is clear from the meaning of 'the statute' as that which arises from order, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the Passover' as the Lord's presence and deliverance from damnation, dealt with in 7097 (end), 7867. As regards that which arises from order, meant by 'the statute', it should be recognized that all the statutes which the children of Israel were commanded were the laws of order in their outward form, while the realities which those statutes were representations and meaningful signs of were the laws of order in their inward form, laws of order being truths deriving from good. The complex whole to which all the laws of order belong is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good. From this it is evident that in heaven order consists in what is completely Divine and the Lord's, Divine Good being the inner essence of order and Divine Truth its outward form.