The Doctrine of Good and Truth Explained -2
by Reverend Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 24: 1-8; 10-19; 22,23 | John 3: 18-21 | The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 25: (the first paragraph only)
by Reverend Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 24: 1-8; 10-19; 22,23 | John 3: 18-21 | The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 25: (the first paragraph only)
It is of Divine order, that good and truth shall be conjoined, and not separated; thus that they shall be one, and not two; for, conjoined, they proceed from the Divine, and they are conjoined in heaven, and for that reason they ought to be conjoined in the Church. The conjunction of good and truth in heaven is called The Heavenly Marriage; for all who are there are in that marriage. On this ground it is that heaven in the Word, is compared to a marriage, and that the Lord is called the Bridegroom and Husband, while Heaven is called the Bride and Wife; and so also the Church. Heaven and the Church are so called, because those who are in them receive the Divine Good in Truths.
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 13)
(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 13)
.
There are persons who, because they have followed the teachings taught in the Church, are in truths, yet they may not be in good. Still, though they may be inspired and look towards good. In fact, the truths that they have learned from the Church, if believed and followed, become with them good. In truth there is a close relationship between truth and good in that what a man loves, that he wills and thinks and confirms by different reasons. Let us take an example as it applies to the Lord Himself since the Word itself speaks primarily of the Lord. We learn from the Arcana C&œ;lestia that it is the Lord who is primarily signified, although in the literal sense it often speaks of the different historical charactors or historically made up persons as in Genesis chapter one and two. In Genesis 31, verse 3, one reads the following "And Jehovah said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers and to the thy nativity. And I will be with thee". Literally, of course this pertains to Jacob being asked to return to the land of his fathers meaning Abraham. Howver, this spiritually pertains to the Lord. It signifies that the Lord Jesus should, when He was on earth in the human, take Himself nearer to Divine good, which good here refers to the Father that He had said was within Him. We ought to know the Lord's Father is the Divine in heaven and that by Divine is meant good. The Lord while He was on earth had to acquired goods and truths as any person does and, thus, He was to make His Human Divine, which here is represented by Jacob in the verse just read who was tarrying with Laban his father-in-law and had become rich, (recall all the sheep that he had accumulated for himself while living there)) but now he was to take himself from there and to leave Laban. In the spiritual since, the Lord was to go to the Divine good and in thus doing He was to come nearer to the derivative truth or the truths which are from good and to remain just in truth. Here, one learns that all genuine truth is born from good and is called truth because it is of good.
If we only are acquainted or only think about knowing truth but if do not live or act to do the truth, then this is not our very life and as a result we do not really have any good within us. We may indeed see that truths are learned in one's natural state as from the church's doctrine, even quoting them virbatem. Nonetheless, within the doctrine there is to be seen a spiritual good; thus one sees the church that we have within is to be internal or spiritual and not merely a natural doctrine. It is in this way that the truth becomes spiritual good, and this because a person has lived according to the truth therein which is taught. One can see this when "spiritual good is truth that has become good; for truth becomes good when the man lives according to it, for it then passes into the will, and from the will into act, and becomes of life; and when it becomes of life it is no longer called truth but good" (Arcana C&œ;lestia 5595). What one must come to understand here is that truths have acquired life and are to become a part of one's very life; they have done this from a consent of the understanding and will.
Thus, we see there is to be a conjunction within man of truth and good and also of the understanding and will. The result of this is: the start of the person's regeneration. This is due or caused by one's affection and their love to do or to follow truths during their life on this earth; these in effect become one in the person. Here, we are speaking about their conjunction. In Genesis 31: 51, 52 one can read about this happening between Laban and Jacob. "And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, (by heap is signified good) and behold the pillar (by pillar is represented ultimate truths and goods) which I have set between me and thee. This heap be a witness, and the pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over to me, and this pillar, for evil." So here, we see there is a conjunction and a confirmation as it pertains to how much good flows into which the Divine flows in - both the good and truth. The conjunction involves what is effected by how much good and this according to the reception of it in truth. As such, we see good is the agent and truth is the recipient. Anyone can see that truths limits the flow of good into a man. No matter what nature enters into our memory by our affection or by our love, as we have just shown these delights or loves are accordingly in our life. However, what may not be known is that when these delights are reproduced there is an excitement for the same things within us be it good or evil. Thus, if we are not in good then no truth can be implanted within a genuine affection unless what is of falsity becomes rooted out interiorly so that good can enter.
The case with one's regeneration that was mentioned as it pertains to the conjunction of truth with good is as a person's very life. Here, in such case, we are led by the Lord when as a child, then as a youth, and at last as an adult. When as a young child the truths are "altogether external and corporeal, for as yet he is unable to apprehend interior truths" (AC 3665 sub number 2) These are like most general vessels and "are filled with goods, and in portion as they are filled, the man is enlightened," (number 3) and good increases within.
Of course, we see this leading to the person who comes into truths from goods. Basically, there is a truth which leads to good and a truth which proceeds from good. The truth which leads to good is not essentially the truth. The reason is, is because it is like faith saving a person without works; indeed there may be that it is the truth, but it does not look to good nor is it from good. So, how is it that truth is genuine truth with a man? First, It must derive its essence from the good of charity and from innocence. But, how since we have said it is not essentially truth?
In Genesis 24 there is the story of Abraham sending out his head servant to find a woman for his son Isaac. She is not to be from amoung the Canaanites. And, so he begins his search. The story goes that he ask for Jehovah's guidance and while sitting by a well where the town's daughters of the fathers daily come to draw water. He sees a beautiful young girl and asks if he can drink out of her pitcher. She obliges and she also draws water for his camels and then he then asks "Whose daughter are you? tell me I pray, is there room in your fathers house for us to spend the night?" (Genesis 24: 23) She tells him that she is the daughter of Bethuel and that there is room for him. He learns that her father is a relative of Abraham.
Here, in the internal sense, one sees an exploration or a looking for the good of charity and innocence. And because she (Rebecca) was a youth and was in innocence we learned it was what was earlier spoken of concerning truths. Here, also, by the father's house denoting good and by the father, here as Bethuel, is meant the good of charity. Thus, we see the two essentials required from which genuine truth comes which is from good. Now, know that if we search the Word we will find Bethuel was among the Gentiles, but we learn that he wasof the better disposed Gentiles and here one sees that his daughter Rebecca thus represents such good. Therefore, "truth which is to be initiated and conjoined to good, derives its first origin from no other source, as may be evident from all those with whom truth is received and wedded to good." (Arcana C&œ;lestia 3111)
One sees here Isaac's wife Rebecca was a Gentile and was outside the Church, but still had that innocence and the good of charity, which meant she was good to others among whom she lived. Whike with those in the Church who do not have the same measure of innocence and charity towards the neighbor, even if they are acquainted with the truth or doctrines, and even profess it but do not acknowledge it with their heart are not in innocence nor in charity. The best you can say of them is that they are in truths apart from good. I encourage you to take the Word of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine and read the section about Good and Truth and look up the references there in Arcana C&œ;lestia. In that way the Word of the Third or Last Testament will be opened up and clearer to you.
I will now quote a few important sentences from the section of Good and Truth. "A man is wise so far he is in good, and from good in truths, but not so far he is acquainted with truths and is not in good. "A man who is in truths from good, is actually raised out of the light of the world into the light of heaven, and thus out of obscurity into clearness. "Again a man does not know what good is, before is is in it and [acts]from it." Plus, "the man also who is truths from good is enlightened in the same proportion (in wisdom) and is thus enlightened while reading the Word." And lastly, "The man who is in truths from good becomes an angel after death."
( NJHD 23, from portions of the third paragraph)
Amen.
There are persons who, because they have followed the teachings taught in the Church, are in truths, yet they may not be in good. Still, though they may be inspired and look towards good. In fact, the truths that they have learned from the Church, if believed and followed, become with them good. In truth there is a close relationship between truth and good in that what a man loves, that he wills and thinks and confirms by different reasons. Let us take an example as it applies to the Lord Himself since the Word itself speaks primarily of the Lord. We learn from the Arcana C&œ;lestia that it is the Lord who is primarily signified, although in the literal sense it often speaks of the different historical charactors or historically made up persons as in Genesis chapter one and two. In Genesis 31, verse 3, one reads the following "And Jehovah said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers and to the thy nativity. And I will be with thee". Literally, of course this pertains to Jacob being asked to return to the land of his fathers meaning Abraham. Howver, this spiritually pertains to the Lord. It signifies that the Lord Jesus should, when He was on earth in the human, take Himself nearer to Divine good, which good here refers to the Father that He had said was within Him. We ought to know the Lord's Father is the Divine in heaven and that by Divine is meant good. The Lord while He was on earth had to acquired goods and truths as any person does and, thus, He was to make His Human Divine, which here is represented by Jacob in the verse just read who was tarrying with Laban his father-in-law and had become rich, (recall all the sheep that he had accumulated for himself while living there)) but now he was to take himself from there and to leave Laban. In the spiritual since, the Lord was to go to the Divine good and in thus doing He was to come nearer to the derivative truth or the truths which are from good and to remain just in truth. Here, one learns that all genuine truth is born from good and is called truth because it is of good.
If we only are acquainted or only think about knowing truth but if do not live or act to do the truth, then this is not our very life and as a result we do not really have any good within us. We may indeed see that truths are learned in one's natural state as from the church's doctrine, even quoting them virbatem. Nonetheless, within the doctrine there is to be seen a spiritual good; thus one sees the church that we have within is to be internal or spiritual and not merely a natural doctrine. It is in this way that the truth becomes spiritual good, and this because a person has lived according to the truth therein which is taught. One can see this when "spiritual good is truth that has become good; for truth becomes good when the man lives according to it, for it then passes into the will, and from the will into act, and becomes of life; and when it becomes of life it is no longer called truth but good" (Arcana C&œ;lestia 5595). What one must come to understand here is that truths have acquired life and are to become a part of one's very life; they have done this from a consent of the understanding and will.
Thus, we see there is to be a conjunction within man of truth and good and also of the understanding and will. The result of this is: the start of the person's regeneration. This is due or caused by one's affection and their love to do or to follow truths during their life on this earth; these in effect become one in the person. Here, we are speaking about their conjunction. In Genesis 31: 51, 52 one can read about this happening between Laban and Jacob. "And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, (by heap is signified good) and behold the pillar (by pillar is represented ultimate truths and goods) which I have set between me and thee. This heap be a witness, and the pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over to me, and this pillar, for evil." So here, we see there is a conjunction and a confirmation as it pertains to how much good flows into which the Divine flows in - both the good and truth. The conjunction involves what is effected by how much good and this according to the reception of it in truth. As such, we see good is the agent and truth is the recipient. Anyone can see that truths limits the flow of good into a man. No matter what nature enters into our memory by our affection or by our love, as we have just shown these delights or loves are accordingly in our life. However, what may not be known is that when these delights are reproduced there is an excitement for the same things within us be it good or evil. Thus, if we are not in good then no truth can be implanted within a genuine affection unless what is of falsity becomes rooted out interiorly so that good can enter.
The case with one's regeneration that was mentioned as it pertains to the conjunction of truth with good is as a person's very life. Here, in such case, we are led by the Lord when as a child, then as a youth, and at last as an adult. When as a young child the truths are "altogether external and corporeal, for as yet he is unable to apprehend interior truths" (AC 3665 sub number 2) These are like most general vessels and "are filled with goods, and in portion as they are filled, the man is enlightened," (number 3) and good increases within.
Of course, we see this leading to the person who comes into truths from goods. Basically, there is a truth which leads to good and a truth which proceeds from good. The truth which leads to good is not essentially the truth. The reason is, is because it is like faith saving a person without works; indeed there may be that it is the truth, but it does not look to good nor is it from good. So, how is it that truth is genuine truth with a man? First, It must derive its essence from the good of charity and from innocence. But, how since we have said it is not essentially truth?
In Genesis 24 there is the story of Abraham sending out his head servant to find a woman for his son Isaac. She is not to be from amoung the Canaanites. And, so he begins his search. The story goes that he ask for Jehovah's guidance and while sitting by a well where the town's daughters of the fathers daily come to draw water. He sees a beautiful young girl and asks if he can drink out of her pitcher. She obliges and she also draws water for his camels and then he then asks "Whose daughter are you? tell me I pray, is there room in your fathers house for us to spend the night?" (Genesis 24: 23) She tells him that she is the daughter of Bethuel and that there is room for him. He learns that her father is a relative of Abraham.
Here, in the internal sense, one sees an exploration or a looking for the good of charity and innocence. And because she (Rebecca) was a youth and was in innocence we learned it was what was earlier spoken of concerning truths. Here, also, by the father's house denoting good and by the father, here as Bethuel, is meant the good of charity. Thus, we see the two essentials required from which genuine truth comes which is from good. Now, know that if we search the Word we will find Bethuel was among the Gentiles, but we learn that he wasof the better disposed Gentiles and here one sees that his daughter Rebecca thus represents such good. Therefore, "truth which is to be initiated and conjoined to good, derives its first origin from no other source, as may be evident from all those with whom truth is received and wedded to good." (Arcana C&œ;lestia 3111)
One sees here Isaac's wife Rebecca was a Gentile and was outside the Church, but still had that innocence and the good of charity, which meant she was good to others among whom she lived. Whike with those in the Church who do not have the same measure of innocence and charity towards the neighbor, even if they are acquainted with the truth or doctrines, and even profess it but do not acknowledge it with their heart are not in innocence nor in charity. The best you can say of them is that they are in truths apart from good. I encourage you to take the Word of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine and read the section about Good and Truth and look up the references there in Arcana C&œ;lestia. In that way the Word of the Third or Last Testament will be opened up and clearer to you.
I will now quote a few important sentences from the section of Good and Truth. "A man is wise so far he is in good, and from good in truths, but not so far he is acquainted with truths and is not in good. "A man who is in truths from good, is actually raised out of the light of the world into the light of heaven, and thus out of obscurity into clearness. "Again a man does not know what good is, before is is in it and [acts]from it." Plus, "the man also who is truths from good is enlightened in the same proportion (in wisdom) and is thus enlightened while reading the Word." And lastly, "The man who is in truths from good becomes an angel after death."
( NJHD 23, from portions of the third paragraph)
Amen.
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