Mankind: The Development of God's Presence - The Church - Part 5
By Rev. Paul Booth
By Rev. Paul Booth
The Crown of all Churches - The Lord's New Church. We have come to the fifth and final state of man's spiritual development when he is conjoined with the Lord. Swedenborg calls this the Crown of all Churches. By Church, I remind you that what is meant is where God lives and communicates within man. And, that is within his soul or spirit, within a man's celestial and spiritual, or within his internal mind, from where God's truth flows into his natural mind. In this new state he may reciprocates love to the Lord, from the Lord.
Let us look at man's progression and his development as a cycle of life, such as his conception, birth, and development into youth, ending in old age and finally death. However, like all cycles in the natural world, life can be raised up a new organ and, so, continues on earth. The species is conceived and born again. We point out man is not only natural; he is spiritual as well. And, it is, also, shown that true life comes from and is God's. Thus, the body is as a container or a vessel that contains the spirit. It is in this way that man can live 'as if' from self.
We have shown that there is remains or a remnant in man from which a new spiritual life continues. A man is created with a soul and a mind, that is, with a will and understanding, and both these are spiritual entities, not natural. In this, one can understand the true cycle of life - the life that comes from God and returns to God. In this, man is conjoined with God. In this, God is not merely present as in representatives, but He is with man in his heart and mind 'as it were'.
Now, the final state of man's development is where God's love flows as good and truth into its vessel, which is the man's new will and understanding. In this he becomes a spiritual man and 'as it were', is born again. So, it is that in this state that man becomes spiritual, that is, he lives from the Lord, who is within. The spiritual cycle of life is to know, to understand, to will and do the truth, and in this, a man is made new. In this state man can see that in the book of Revelation a judgment has taken place. What he sees is the end of his old self and the beginning of a new one appearing.
We began this lecture by stating that it is in a spiritual historical sense that one comes to understand the spiritual development of man. That spiritual sense we said is not revealed in either the Old or the New Testaments. It remained hidden in them and could not be revealed. We said that from a literal or natural understanding of the Word, that there is learned only an apparent truth and the genuine truth is not known. We pointed out that the cause of this is because man reasons from his self and not from the Lord's truth. What we are referring here is the man's rational. Now, recall that it was the spiritual man who received what had been recorded by the Celestial man that the spiritual man developed his spiritual understanding and that this was through the science of correspondences, but that this truth was lost.
It is in this final state that a man, who can be regenerated, receives this knowledge of correspondences again from Heaven and, thus, man can learn spiritual knowledge from God. This, then, becomes a new rational from God in man. The doctrine this man confirms does not come from his own natural will and understanding. This doctrine is from a spiritual origin; it is learned from the Lord, and thus, becomes a man's charity and is a new faith forming a new will and understanding in man.
The judgment spoken of in the Word, when understood in its literal sense, appears 'as if' there is a battle in the natural world between good and evil men. However, in its internal sense it is between falsities and truths, between good and evil. It is a spiritual battle fought in the spiritual world. In the natural sense it appears 'as if' the Lord Jesus Christ returns and leads this battle. In the spiritual sense is understood that He as the Good and the Truth is conjoined within man within his will and understanding - in his heart and mind - leading him in overcoming the evils and falsities that rule in him, and held him captive. These evils have tempted him even as they tempted the Lord. What is happening in this final state of a man's regeneration is that man receives a new spiritual; that is, he receives a new will and understanding from the Lord.
When and where did this new beginning of a new spiritual Church in man take place? Where is it written that those in the New Church will have genuine doctrines? Theologians and Biblical scholars teach that in the prophecies are hidden the truth of the Lord's return. Many attempts have been made to explain what the language used in these prophecy means. They do so by a natural or literal understanding of the Word. We have shown that living in the natural cycle of life, that life continues naturally in the children of men. It is when a person comes into a spiritual understanding that, then, one's will and understanding are made new within and that there is, then, a true conjunction with God and Heaven. This understanding comes directly from the Lord. It is in His Coming into man's heart and mind that a New Church is raised up within him. This is the Lord's coming again. It is seen in a New Revelation or Word. The Lord comes into a man's will and understanding as the man appropriates the Lord's Good and His Truth from this Word and sees spiritual truths. So, it is in a new Divine Word that the Lord now comes into one's heart and mind. In this new Word one can learn correspondences between Heaven and earth, and between a man's spiritual and natural state, thus understanding spiritual truths.
In this new Word one comes to understand the spiritual sense of the three Testaments, the Old and New Testaments and the Latin Word. In this understanding, if it is from love, one gains new spiritual knowledge, loves truth, because it is the truth and loves good, because it is the Lord's life within him. Then, man truly enters eternal life and death has no hold over him. There are three things that make this New Church in man. One, love to the Lord, two, wisdom from the Lord, and three, its use through an internal understanding. The first is according to one's natural love, for man lives in the natural degree of life. The second is according to one's understanding and is spiritual; that is, where one becomes wise and spiritual truths are known. And, the third is according to one's act in his love of God and his understanding of God from God, which is then celestial.
These qualities are revealed in a man's natural degree, when he has spiritual love, which is love to the neighbor or charity. The development is, first, through Divine Providence, then through love to the neighbor or charity, then in man's obedience, in his hearing the Word, and in its use, in which the power of the Lord is with a man. As a result, there one's spiritual life is developed where he, in temptations overcomes and is victorious over his sins. In effect, it is the Lord's Life within him acting to conjoin him to Himself.
Lastly, it is in the new understanding and will of man that a New Church is instituted. And these are in the truths and the goods that have now been revealed. These are seen in the religious writings of E. Swedenborg who was inspired by God. Thus, a New Church man accepts and believes that the Word had an internal - a spiritual - sense and in that sense these are understood a conjunction between Heaven and its celestial and spiritual things with external or natural things of regenerated man. Man can learn that there is an internal sense that corresponds to his natural sense of the Word. Thus, truth is conceived and born in a man's spirit and he grows spiritually. This comes through the acknowledgement of truth, that is, in its reception into man's thoughts and is seen in a man's love. It is his new faith. The establishment of a New Church within man is in the Lord's coming in truth and doctrine for He is Doctrine. This, then, is the conjunction of the Lord with man. This is the development of the spiritual man and is where a man comes to live with the Lord in Heaven and with one another, here, on earth.
The End
Let us look at man's progression and his development as a cycle of life, such as his conception, birth, and development into youth, ending in old age and finally death. However, like all cycles in the natural world, life can be raised up a new organ and, so, continues on earth. The species is conceived and born again. We point out man is not only natural; he is spiritual as well. And, it is, also, shown that true life comes from and is God's. Thus, the body is as a container or a vessel that contains the spirit. It is in this way that man can live 'as if' from self.
We have shown that there is remains or a remnant in man from which a new spiritual life continues. A man is created with a soul and a mind, that is, with a will and understanding, and both these are spiritual entities, not natural. In this, one can understand the true cycle of life - the life that comes from God and returns to God. In this, man is conjoined with God. In this, God is not merely present as in representatives, but He is with man in his heart and mind 'as it were'.
Now, the final state of man's development is where God's love flows as good and truth into its vessel, which is the man's new will and understanding. In this he becomes a spiritual man and 'as it were', is born again. So, it is that in this state that man becomes spiritual, that is, he lives from the Lord, who is within. The spiritual cycle of life is to know, to understand, to will and do the truth, and in this, a man is made new. In this state man can see that in the book of Revelation a judgment has taken place. What he sees is the end of his old self and the beginning of a new one appearing.
We began this lecture by stating that it is in a spiritual historical sense that one comes to understand the spiritual development of man. That spiritual sense we said is not revealed in either the Old or the New Testaments. It remained hidden in them and could not be revealed. We said that from a literal or natural understanding of the Word, that there is learned only an apparent truth and the genuine truth is not known. We pointed out that the cause of this is because man reasons from his self and not from the Lord's truth. What we are referring here is the man's rational. Now, recall that it was the spiritual man who received what had been recorded by the Celestial man that the spiritual man developed his spiritual understanding and that this was through the science of correspondences, but that this truth was lost.
It is in this final state that a man, who can be regenerated, receives this knowledge of correspondences again from Heaven and, thus, man can learn spiritual knowledge from God. This, then, becomes a new rational from God in man. The doctrine this man confirms does not come from his own natural will and understanding. This doctrine is from a spiritual origin; it is learned from the Lord, and thus, becomes a man's charity and is a new faith forming a new will and understanding in man.
The judgment spoken of in the Word, when understood in its literal sense, appears 'as if' there is a battle in the natural world between good and evil men. However, in its internal sense it is between falsities and truths, between good and evil. It is a spiritual battle fought in the spiritual world. In the natural sense it appears 'as if' the Lord Jesus Christ returns and leads this battle. In the spiritual sense is understood that He as the Good and the Truth is conjoined within man within his will and understanding - in his heart and mind - leading him in overcoming the evils and falsities that rule in him, and held him captive. These evils have tempted him even as they tempted the Lord. What is happening in this final state of a man's regeneration is that man receives a new spiritual; that is, he receives a new will and understanding from the Lord.
When and where did this new beginning of a new spiritual Church in man take place? Where is it written that those in the New Church will have genuine doctrines? Theologians and Biblical scholars teach that in the prophecies are hidden the truth of the Lord's return. Many attempts have been made to explain what the language used in these prophecy means. They do so by a natural or literal understanding of the Word. We have shown that living in the natural cycle of life, that life continues naturally in the children of men. It is when a person comes into a spiritual understanding that, then, one's will and understanding are made new within and that there is, then, a true conjunction with God and Heaven. This understanding comes directly from the Lord. It is in His Coming into man's heart and mind that a New Church is raised up within him. This is the Lord's coming again. It is seen in a New Revelation or Word. The Lord comes into a man's will and understanding as the man appropriates the Lord's Good and His Truth from this Word and sees spiritual truths. So, it is in a new Divine Word that the Lord now comes into one's heart and mind. In this new Word one can learn correspondences between Heaven and earth, and between a man's spiritual and natural state, thus understanding spiritual truths.
In this new Word one comes to understand the spiritual sense of the three Testaments, the Old and New Testaments and the Latin Word. In this understanding, if it is from love, one gains new spiritual knowledge, loves truth, because it is the truth and loves good, because it is the Lord's life within him. Then, man truly enters eternal life and death has no hold over him. There are three things that make this New Church in man. One, love to the Lord, two, wisdom from the Lord, and three, its use through an internal understanding. The first is according to one's natural love, for man lives in the natural degree of life. The second is according to one's understanding and is spiritual; that is, where one becomes wise and spiritual truths are known. And, the third is according to one's act in his love of God and his understanding of God from God, which is then celestial.
These qualities are revealed in a man's natural degree, when he has spiritual love, which is love to the neighbor or charity. The development is, first, through Divine Providence, then through love to the neighbor or charity, then in man's obedience, in his hearing the Word, and in its use, in which the power of the Lord is with a man. As a result, there one's spiritual life is developed where he, in temptations overcomes and is victorious over his sins. In effect, it is the Lord's Life within him acting to conjoin him to Himself.
Lastly, it is in the new understanding and will of man that a New Church is instituted. And these are in the truths and the goods that have now been revealed. These are seen in the religious writings of E. Swedenborg who was inspired by God. Thus, a New Church man accepts and believes that the Word had an internal - a spiritual - sense and in that sense these are understood a conjunction between Heaven and its celestial and spiritual things with external or natural things of regenerated man. Man can learn that there is an internal sense that corresponds to his natural sense of the Word. Thus, truth is conceived and born in a man's spirit and he grows spiritually. This comes through the acknowledgement of truth, that is, in its reception into man's thoughts and is seen in a man's love. It is his new faith. The establishment of a New Church within man is in the Lord's coming in truth and doctrine for He is Doctrine. This, then, is the conjunction of the Lord with man. This is the development of the spiritual man and is where a man comes to live with the Lord in Heaven and with one another, here, on earth.
The End