123. 7. Het is het voortdurende van de Goddelijke Voorzienigheid van de Heer dat Hij de mens met zich verbindt en Zich met hem, opdat Hij hem de gelukzalige dingen van het eeuwige leven kan geven.

Dit kan niet geschieden tenzij voor zoveel als de boze dingen met de begeerten ervan verwijderd zijn. Dat het voortdurende van de Goddelijke Voorzienigheid van de Heer is de mens te verbinden met Zich en Zich met hem, en dat het die verbinding is die de hervorming en de wederverwekking wordt genoemd en dat de mens daaruit de zaliging heeft, is boven in de n. 27-45 getoond. Wie ziet niet dat de verbinding met God het eeuwige leven en de zaliging is; dit ziet toch eenieder die gelooft dat de mensen uit de schepping beelden en gelijkenissen van God zijn, (Genesis 1:26, 27) en die weet wat het beeld en de gelijkenis van God is. Wie, die gezonde rede heeft, kan, als hij vanuit zijn redelijkheid denkt en vanuit zijn vrijheid wil denken, geloven dat er drie goden zijn, gelijkwaardig van wezen en dat het Goddelijk Zijn of het Goddelijk Wezen verdeeld kan worden. Dat het drievuldige in één God is, kan gedacht en begrepen worden, zoals de ziel en het lichaam in de engel en in de mens begrepen wordt en het daaruit voortgaande van het leven. Omdat dit drievuldige in één er alleen is in de Heer, volgt dat de verbinding zal zijn met Hem. Gebruik uw redelijkheid en tegelijk de vrijheid van denken en u zult deze waarheid in haar licht zien; maar neem eerst aan dat God is en dat de hemel is en dat het eeuwige leven is. Omdat nu God één is en de mens vanuit de schepping Zijn beeld en gelijkenis gemaakt is en omdat hij door de helse liefde en door de begeerten ervan en de verkwikkelijke dingen daarvan, in de liefde van alle boze dingen is gekomen, en hij vandaar het beeld en de gelijkenis van God bij zich verwoest heeft, volgt dat het het aanhoudende van de Goddelijke Voorzienigheid van de Heer is dat Hij de mens met Zich zal verbinden en Zich met de mens en zo te maken dat hij Zijn beeld zal worden. Dit is ook te dien einde dat de Heer de mens de gelukzalige dingen van het eeuwige leven kan geven, dit volgt hieruit, want de Goddelijke Liefde is zodanig. Dat Hij deze echter niet kan geven, noch hem Zijn beeld maken, tenzij de mens zoals uit zich de zonden in de uitwendige mens verwijdert, is omdat de Heer niet slechts de Goddelijke Liefde maar ook de Goddelijke Wijsheid is, en de Goddelijke Liefde niets doet tenzij vanuit haar Goddelijke Wijsheid en volgens die. Dat de mens niet met Hem verbonden en zo hervormd, wederverwekt en gezaligd kan worden, tenzij het hem is geoorloofd vanuit het vrije volgens de rede te handelen, hierdoor is de mens immers werkelijk mens, is volgens Zijn Goddelijke Wijsheid, en al wat is volgens de Goddelijke Wijsheid van de Heer is ook van Zijn Goddelijke Voorzienigheid.

128. Is there anyone who does not know from the Word that our fate after death depends on what we have done? Open the Word and read it and you will see this clearly: but set aside any thoughts based on faith and on our justification by faith alone. Here are a few passages to witness to the fact that the Lord teaches this throughout his Word.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire; so you will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:19-20)

Many people will say to me on that day, "Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and done many good deeds in your name?" But I will profess to them, "I do not recognize you. Depart from me, you who do injustice." (Matthew 7:22-23)

I will compare anyone who hears my words and does them to a wise man who built his house on a rock; but I will compare anyone who hears my words and does not do them to a senseless man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. (Matthew 7:24, 26; Luke 6:46-49)

[2] The Human-born One will come in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward all according to their deeds. (Matthew 16:27)

The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation that brings forth its fruits. (Matthew 21:53 [Matthew 21:43])

Jesus said, "My mother and my brothers are the people who hear the word of God and do it." (Luke 8:21)

Then you will come and stand there and knock on the door and say, "Open the door for us, Lord"; but he will answer, "I do not know where you come from. Go away from me, all you who do injustice." (Luke 13:25-27)

Those who have done what is good will go forth to a resurrection of life, but those who have done what is evil to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29)

[3] We know that God does not listen to sinners, but that he listens to anyone who worships God and does his will. (John 9:31)

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. (John 13:17)

Those who know my precepts and do them are the ones who love me; and I will love them and come to them and make my dwelling with them. (John 14:15, 21-24)

You are my friends if you do whatever I tell you to. I have chosen you so that you would bear fruit and so that your fruit would last. (John 15:14, 16)

[4] The Lord said to John, "Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus, 'I know your works. My complaint against you is that you have left your first charity. Repent and do the earlier works. If you do not, I will remove your lampstand from its place.'" (Revelation 2:1-2, 4-5)

Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna, "I know your works." (Revelation 2:8 [Revelation 2:8-9])

Write to the angel of the church in Pergamos, "I know your works," "Repent." (Revelation 2:13, 16 [Revelation 2:12-13, 16])

Write to the angel of the church in Thyatira, "I know your works and your charity, and your later works are more than the first ones." (Revelation 2:26 [Revelation 2:18-19])

Write to the angel of the church in Sardis, "I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. I have not found your works perfect in God's sight. Repent." (Revelation 3:1-2, 3)

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, "I know your works." (Revelation 3:7-8)

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write, "I know your works. Repent." (Revelation 3:14-15, 19)

I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now onward; their works follow them.'" (Revelation 5:13 [Revelation 14:13])

A book was opened that was the book of life, and the dead were judged, all of them according to their works. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Look, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, that I might give to all according to their works. (Revelation 22:12)

These come from the New Testament.

[5] There are still more in the Old, and I may cite just this one.

Stand in the gate of Jehovah and proclaim this word there. Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, "Make your ways and your deeds good. Do not put your trust in deceitful words, saying 'The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah!' Will you be stealing and murdering and committing adultery and perjuring yourselves and then come and stand in my presence in this house that bears my name and say, 'We are exempt when we do these disgusting things'? Will you make this house a robbers' cave? I myself have seen it," says Jehovah. (Jeremiah 7:1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 [Jeremiah 7:2, 3, 4, 9-10, 11])

253. Up to this point I have been explaining the instances listed in 237 that strict materialists use to justify their opposition to divine providence. Now I need to explain the ones about the religions of many nations that follow in 238, which also serve strict materialists as arguments against divine providence. These people say at heart, "How can there be so many contradictory religions rather than one worldwide, true religion when the goal of divine providence is a heaven from the human race [as explained in 27-45 above]?"

Please listen, though! No matter what religion people are born into, people can all be saved if they believe in God and live by the precepts of the Ten Commandments--not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to commit perjury, because to do so would be contrary to their religion and therefore contrary to God. They have a fear of God and a love for their neighbor, a fear of God because they think that committing these acts is against God and a love for their neighbor because murder, adultery, theft, perjury, and coveting their neighbor's house and spouse are against their neighbor. Because these people turn to the Lord during their lives and do no harm to their neighbors, they are led by the Lord; and people who are so led are also taught about God and their neighbor according to their religions. This is because people who live this way want to be taught, while people who live otherwise do not. Further, people who want to be taught are taught by angels after death, when they become spirits, and gladly accept the kind of truths we find in the Word. On this subject see the material in Teachings for the New Jerusalem on Sacred Scripture 91-97, 104-113.