1. True Christianity

Containing a Comprehensive Theology of the New Heaven and the New Church

The Faith of the New Heaven and the New Church

THE faith of the new heaven and the new church is stated here in both universal and specific forms to serve as the face of the work that follows, the doorway that allows entry into the temple, and the summary that in one way or another contains all the details to follow. I say "the faith of the new heaven and the new church" because heaven, where there are angels, and the church, in which there are people, act together like the inner and the outer levels in a human being. People in the church who love what is good because they believe what is true and who believe what is true because they love what is good are angels of heaven with regard to the inner levels of their minds. After death they come into heaven, and enjoy happiness there according to the relationship between their love and their faith. It is important to know that the new heaven that the Lord is establishing today has this faith as its face, doorway, and summary.

704. In these passages, flesh does not mean flesh, and blood does not mean blood, as all who are enlightened from heaven can sense within themselves. Both terms in their earthly meaning relate to the Lord's suffering on the cross, which people were to remember. This is why the Lord said, as he simultaneously celebrated the supper of the last Jewish Passover and instituted the supper of the first Christian Passover, "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25).

Likewise, the bread does not mean bread or the wine wine. In their earthly meaning, these terms have the same import as flesh and blood - that is, the Lord's suffering on the cross. We read that "Jesus broke bread and gave it to his disciples and said, 'This is my body'; and he took the cup and gave it to them and said, 'This is my blood'" (Matthew 26:[26-28]; Mark 14:[22-24]; Luke 22:[19-20]). For this reason he referred to his impending suffering on the cross as a "cup" (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44; Mark 14:36; John 18:11).