8013. 'There shall be one law for the native and for the sojourner sojourning in the midst of you' means that someone who has received instruction in and accepted the Church's truth and good, and leads a life in keeping with them, will be as someone within the Church who has already been instructed and leads a life conforming to the commandments of faith and charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'there shall be one law' as a similar right, thus that it shall be as it is with another; from the meaning of 'the native' as one born within the Church who is in possession of its truth and good in respect of doctrine and in respect of life, dealt with just above in Sell; and from the meaning of 'the sojourner sojourning in the midst of you' as one who receives instruction in the Church's truth and good and accepts them, and leads a life in keeping with them, also dealt with above, in 8007.

[2] The expression 'in keeping with the commandments of faith and charity' is used because of the difference, which is that before regeneration one leads a life in keeping with the commandments of faith, but after regeneration in keeping with the commandments of charity. Before regeneration no one knows from affection what charity is, only from doctrine, whose commandments, which are called the commandments of faith, at that time direct a person's life. But after regeneration he does know from affection what charity is. This is because he now loves his neighbour and has a heartfelt desire for his welfare; his life is now directed by a law written on his heart, for an affection that belongs to charity governs his actions. This state is entirely different from the previous one. People in the first state are in dim light so far as the truths and the forms of the good of faith are concerned, but those in the latter state are in comparison in bright light. They see truths and corroborate them in a state of enlightenment, whereas the former see truths and corroborate them not in a state of enlightenment but because they have been convinced that the teachings of the Church are true. And since they do not see them in a state of enlightenment they are equally capable of corroborating falsities as truths, and having corroborated them they see them altogether as truths. From this one may recognize what is meant by leading a life in keeping with the commandments of faith, and what by leading a life in keeping with the commandments of charity.

[3] With regard to sojourners, the people were commanded several times in the Word not to make any distinction between 'the native of the land' and 'the sojourner sojourning with them'. The reason why was that gentile nations from whom sojourners came are just as much received into heaven as those within the Church are, after they have received instruction in and accepted the truths of faith. Regarding gentiles in the next life, see 932, 1032, 1059, 2049, 2284, 2589-2604, 2861, 1863, 3263, 4190, 4197. This was why it was commanded that as it was with the native, so it should be with the sojourner, as in Moses,

If a sojourner should sojourn with you who would make a fire-offering of an odour of rest to Jehovah, he shall do as you do. As for the assembly, one statute shall there be for you and for the sojourner who sojourns, an eternal statute throughout your generations. As you are, so shall the sojourner be before Jehovah. There shall be one law and one judgement for you and for the sojourner sojourning with you. Numbers 15:14-16.

In the same author,

As the native among you shall the sojourner sojourning with you be to you. Leviticus 19:34.

In the same author,

One judgement shall there be for you; it shall be for the sojourner as for the native. Leviticus 14:22.

In the same author,

When the sojourner has sojourned with you, he shall keep the Passover to Jehovah, according to the statute for the Passover, and according to the regulations ¹ for it. There shall be one statute for you, both for the sojourner and for the native of the land. Numbers 9:14.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

2284. 'Perhaps ten will be found there' means if remnants were still present. This is clear from the meaning of the number 'ten' as remnants, dealt with in Volume One, in 576, 1738. What remnants are however has been stated and shown in various places already, as in 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 1050, 1738, 1906, namely that they are all the good and all the truth with a person which lie stored away in his two memories and in his life.

[2] It is well known that there is nothing good nor anything true except that from the Lord; also that what is good and true is flowing in constantly from the Lord into man, but it is received in varying ways, and that in fact it is received according to the life of evil and according to the false assumptions in which the person has confirmed himself. These are what either annihilate, or stifle, or pervert the goods and truths flowing in constantly from the Lord. To prevent goods being mixed with evils therefore, and truths with falsities - for if they were mixed a person would perish for ever - the Lord separates them, and stores away within his interior man the goods and truths he receives. From there the Lord will never allow them to come forth as long as that person is governed by evil and falsity, except at those times when the person has entered some state that is a holy state, or when deeply and anxiously concerned about something, or in times of sickness, or other similar circumstances. These things which the Lord has so stored away in the person are what are called remnants, and of which very much mention is made in the Word, though nobody as yet knows that this is what they mean.

[3] It is according to the nature and the amount of the remnants, that is, of the good and truth residing with him, that a person experiences blessedness and happiness in the next life, for, as has been stated, such remnants are stored away in his interior man and are laid bare when he leaves things of a bodily and worldly nature behind him. The Lord alone knows the nature and the amount of remnants a person has. The person himself cannot possibly know this, for at the present day man is such that he is able to counterfeit what is good while within there is nothing but evil. A person can also appear to be evil and yet may have good within. For these reasons one is never allowed to judge the nature of another person's spiritual life; for the Lord alone, as has been stated, knows this. But one is allowed to judge the nature of another person's life, private and public, since this is of importance to society.

[4] It is very common for those who have adopted an opinion regarding any truth of faith to sit in judgement on others and to say that they cannot be saved unless their beliefs coincide with their own - a judgement which the Lord has forbidden, in Matthew 7:1-2. Yet from much experience I have been led to know that members of every religion are saved provided that they have received through a life of charity remnants of good and appearances of truth. This is what was meant by 'if ten were found [there] they would not be destroyed for the sake of the ten', that is, that if remnants were present they would be saved.

[5] The life of charity consists in thinking what is good in regard to another, and in willing for him that which is good, and in feeling joy within oneself that others as well are saved. But those people do not possess the life of charity whose will is that no others should be saved than those whose beliefs coincide with theirs, especially those who are indignant that the situation is otherwise. This becomes clear solely from the fact that more gentiles are saved than Christians. For people who have thought what is good in regard to their neighbour and have willed for him that which is good accept the truths of faith in the next life more readily than those who called themselves Christians; and they acknowledge the Lord more than Christians do. Indeed nothing gives angels greater delight and happiness than to be teaching those who pass from the world into the next life.