Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Hemel en Hel #23

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23. De liefde waarin zij verkeren die in het hemelse koninkrijk zijn, wordt de hemelse liefde genoemd en is liefde tot de Heer. En zij die in het geestelijke koninkrijk zijn, verkeren in de liefde die geestelijk wordt genoemd, wat liefde tot de naaste is. En aangezien al het goede van liefde is, want alles wat iemand liefheeft is voor hem het goede, wordt daarom het goede van het ene koninkrijk het hemelse goede genoemd, en het goede van de andere het geestelijke goede. Daaruit blijkt in welk opzicht de twee koninkrijken van elkander verschillen, namelijk op dezelfde manier als het goede van liefde tot de Heer verschilt van het goede van liefde tot de naaste. Dus omdat het goede van liefde tot de Heer een innerlijk goed is, en die liefde een innerlijke liefde, zijn de hemelse engelen innerlijke engelen, en worden zij hogere engelen genoemd.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Boekhuis NL and Guus Janssens for their permission to use this translation.

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Apocalypse Explained #22

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22. Grace to you and peace, signifies the delight of truth and good. This is evident from the signification of "grace" as being the delight of truth (about which more presently); and from the signification of "peace," as being the delight of the good of innocence and love (on which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the State of Peace in Heaven is treated of, n. 284-290). "Grace" means the delight of truth, because there are two things that proceed from the Lord, united in their origin, but separated with those that receive them. For there are those that receive more the Divine truth than the Divine good, and those that receive more the Divine good than the Divine truth. Those that receive more the Divine truth than the Divine good are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and are therefore called spiritual; but those that receive more the Divine good than the Divine truth are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and are therefore called celestial (On these two kingdoms in heaven and in the church, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28.) To those in the spiritual kingdom it is granted by the Lord to be in the affection of truth for the sake of truth; and this Divine is what is called grace; so far, therefore, as anyone is in that affection is he in the Lord's Divine grace; nor is there any other Divine grace with man, spirit, or angel, than to be affected by truth, because it is truth, since in that affection there is heaven and blessedness for them (See in The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n.232, 236, 238; and Heaven and Hell 395-414). Whether we say the affection of truth or the delight of truth it is the same; for there is no affection without delight.

[2] This in particular is what is meant by "grace" in the Word; as in John:

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt in us, and we beheld His glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth, of His fullness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16-17).

It is said "grace and truth," because grace is the affection and the delight of truth. And in Luke, after the Lord had explained in the synagogue the prophesy of Isaiah respecting Himself, that is, the Divine truth, it is said:

All wondered at the words of grace proceeding out of His mouth (Luke 4:22).

the Divine truths that the Lord spoke are called "words of grace proceeding out of His mouth," because they are acceptable, grateful, and delightful. In general, Divine grace is all that is given from the Lord; and as all that is so given has relation to faith and love, and faith is the affection of truth from good, this is meant in particular by Divine grace: for to be gifted with faith and love, or with the affection of truth from good, is to be gifted with heaven, thus with eternal blessedness.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.