142. Verse 15. So thou hast them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate, signifies those who separate good from truth, or charity from faith, which is against Divine order. This is evident from what was said and shown above n. 107, where similar words occur. To which this is to be added: That those who separate truth from good, or faith from charity, turn away from themselves all influx of heaven into the goods they do, in consequence of which their goods are not good; for heaven flows in, that is, the Lord through heaven, into the good of man's love; he, therefore, that rejects the good of charity from the doctrine of the church, and receives instead only those things that are called matters of faith, is shut out of heaven; truths with such have no life; and it is the life of truth, which is good, that conjoins, but not truth without life, or faith without charity. (But more on these subjects in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem where it treats of Charity 84-107, and of Faith, n 108-122)

9076. 'If expiation has been imposed on him' means in order that he may be made free from damnation. This is clear from the meaning of 'expiation' as in order that he may be free from damnation. For acts of expiation were imposed on those who did not do evil on purpose or with guile. Those acts were various, and when one was performed it was called 'a redeeming of the soul', since life was redeemed by means of it. But those outward things were signs of inward ones; that is to say, 'an expiation' meant deliverance from damnation, and 'redeeming' consequently meant amendment of spiritual life through active repentance. Since 'expiation' meant deliverance from damnation, therefore it also meant being pardoned of sins, and so being cleansed.