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。

3038. 'To your seed I will give this land' means the Divine Truth which belonged to the Lord's Human. This is clear from the meaning of 'seed' as the faith that is an expression of charity, and also those in whom such faith is present, dealt with in 1025, 1447, 1610, 2848 (and since all good and truth of faith are received from the Lord, it is Divine Truth itself that is meant in the highest sense by 'seed'); and from the meaning of 'this land', namely Canaan, as heaven or the Lord's kingdom, dealt with in 1413, 1437, 1607. And as heaven or the Lord's kingdom is meant, it is the Lord's Divine Human itself that 'the land of Canaan' is used to mean in the highest sense. For the Divine itself cannot flow into heaven except through the Lord's Divine Human, which the Lord also made plain in Matthew,

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him. Matthew 11:27.

And in John,

Nobody has ever seen God; the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known. John 1:18.

'The Son' is the Lord's Divine Human. Anyone who believes that in heaven they worship any other Father than the Lord is much mistaken.