16. I have talked with angels about this on a number of occasions. They have expressed their astonishment that church people do not know that to love the Lord and to love one's neighbor is to love what is good and true and to do them intentionally. They should realize, though, that we demonstrate our love by intending and doing what someone else wants. This is how we become loved in return - not by "loving the other" and not doing what that other wants; in essence, that is not loving at all. They should also realize that the good that comes from the Lord is the Lord's own likeness because he is within it. We become likenesses of him and are united to him when we make what is good and what is true matters of our lives by doing them intentionally, since intending something is loving to do it. The Lord teaches that this is true when he says, "Those who have my commandments and do them are the ones who love me, and I will love them and make my dwelling with them" (John 14:21, 23); and again, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love" (John 15:10, 12).

231. That thou art neither cold nor hot. That this signifies that the life is between heaven and hell, because without charity, is evident from the signification of cold, as being not to be in spiritual but in infernal love, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of hot, as denoting to be in spiritual love, concerning which also we shall speak presently. It is therefore evident, that by being neither cold nor hot, is signified, to be neither in infernal love nor in spiritual love, but between both; and he who is between both is between hell and heaven.

[2] That such are those who are in faith alone, or in faith separated from charity, has not hitherto been known; but that it is so, is clear from each of the things written to the angel of this church; also from this consideration, that those who are in faith separated from charity live to themselves, to the world, and to a natural disposition, and those who so live are in infernal love; and that yet by reading the Word, and by hearing discourses therefrom, by receiving the Holy Supper, and by many things which they retain in the memory from the Word, they look towards heaven; and when they do so, they are in some degree of spiritual heat; but still because they have not any heat, or spiritual love, since they do not live according to the Word, therefore they are neither cold nor hot. Thus too they divide the mind into two parts; namely, by means of the things of the Word they turn themselves to heaven, and by means of the things of life they turn themselves to hell, so that they halt between both.

When those who are of such a character come into another life, they desire to go to heaven, saying that they have faith, that they have read the Word, have heard sermons, have frequented the Holy Supper, and that by these things they expect to be saved, but when their life is examined, it is seen to be entirely infernal; that is, that they made no account of enmity, hatred, revenge, craftiness, deceitful stratagems; that when they did what was right, sincere and just, it was only in external form, for the sake of appearing such to the world, whilst inwardly, or in their spirit, they thought other things, and many opposite things, believing that thoughts and intentions are of no account provided they do not openly appear before the world. This is why the spirit of such, when loosened from the earthly body, is of such a quality; for it is man's spirit which thinks and intends.

[3] These are they who are meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? But then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (7:22, 23).

So also by these words in Luke:

"When ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity" (13:25-27).

[4] The reason why cold signifies infernal love is, that heat signifies heavenly love. (That heat signifies heavenly love, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140, 567, 568; and that love to the Lord, and love towards the neighbour, or charity, are heavenly loves, and constitute heaven, may be seen in the same work, n. 13-19; and that the love of self and the love of the world are infernal loves and constitute hell, n. 551-565. That in the hells also there is heat, but impure, see Arcana Coelestia 1773, 2757, 3340; but that that heat is changed into cold when heavenly heat flows in, see in the work, Heaven and Hell 572.)