The New Church That Is Today Being Established With and In Man - Part 2
By Rev. Paul Booth
By Rev. Paul Booth
So, like the Churches before, this Church, too, ended; there was no longer any truth or good left in it, which makes the Church in man true. From a natural understanding it appears that the development of this Church ended in desolation and destruction. As we have said, it was its consummation within man, but in actuality it is a person's preparation for the Lord to dwell and to reign within, for that is there where His kingdom is. For, it is both on earth and in Heaven; it is in a person's natural and in his spiritual mind. What we have shown by these four Churches is the development in a person is in a circle or a cycle of life 'if you will' - a natural cycle or circle of conception, birth, and of development and natural growth, ending in old age - vastation - and finally death or consummation. It is the circle of all nature, of every plant and animal, which continues, after its death in being raised up a new organ. So, the natural circle of life continues. The seeds or a remnant of such life continue and the species is conceived and born again.
However, life with mankind is not man's; life does not die. A person is also spiritual and it is in his spirit where life from God is and operates and that he lives 'as it were'. In the states of the Church, which a man comes into during his live while on earth, we saw there is a seed - a remnant - that can produce in man a new spiritual life that has died 'as it were' within the man. Is not man more than a beast that has no spirit or soul? Man is created with these; he has a soul; he has a mind - an understanding and will. These are not natural things, but are spiritual things. The circle of life with man to be complete must return to God from where it came. And, it does so as the New Church is established and develops in man.
In the prior states of man, that is, of the Church in man, there is the knowledge whereby a person can from being natural enter into spiritual life and, therefore, into Heaven. This circle of life is seen complete in the influx of good into truth in man and its reception there, which comes when truth becomes good's vessel. This happens when truth becomes genuine with man, that is, spiritual with man. A Man is to know, to understand, to will, and to do, for a man's spiritual life begins with knowing, and passes on to understanding, and then to willing, and lastly, to doing. This is the cycle of man's reformation and regeneration and is his circle of life.
Anyone can understand from the literal sense of the New Testament that there is to be an end or a judgment upon man and that he will then come into a new state here on earth, which is the New Church within him. This, of course, is referring to the establishment of a new Church in which spiritual love of the Lord will live in man. Let us, now, reveal this New Church. Historically in the Word in the Old and New Testaments there is seen the revelation of the New Church, but this New Church is not literally taught there. It is, however, in the Third Testament, which is the Word of the Divine Human written by Emanuel Swedenborg inspired by God. The Old and New Testaments in the literal sense does not predict the New Church's Coming, but this can be seen in the spiritual historically sense where it is revealed readily. Yet, it is in the Word of the Divine Human - the Third Testament - where all who search for the truth are revealed its doctrines and cannons and where can be learn the truth of its coming and establishment on earth.
So, in the book of Revelation there is prophecy concerning their spiritual historical sense. However, until the New Church could come on earth, what was foretold there, could only be understood according to its literal sense. The genuine sense or truth remained hidden from mankind and this until the New Church began to appear on earth and until man could begin to understand this new revelation from the Lord from a new rational. Thus, unless the Lord had come on earth and had put on the human of mankind, He would remain invisible to man and would not be acknowledged as the one God of Heaven and earth, even as some of the prior Churches had so worshiped. The earlier Christian Churches not being able to understand the spiritual sense of the Old and New Testaments had distorted and destroyed the truth by their natural understanding and love of self and the world. Their doctrines became false and divided the Lord in the Church, as can be seen by their creeds.
Then, in the passage or fullness of time, came the New Church to man. And, its coming is seen in the Lord's coming again, which is in Truth and is revealed in the Third Testament. This Church on earth, first, became established with those who were ignorant of Jehovah, for it is in these - called in the Word, Gentiles - that there is no principle of falsity opposed to the Truth and its faith, for they are ignorant of such truths. The evangelization was primarily to the other nations. Judaism basically rejected Christianity. (As long as the doctrine of the first Christian Churches remains within man in his will and understanding, the New Church cannot enter such men, for it would be fought against.) The Gentiles are those who do not have the Word as did the Israelites and Jews and as the first Christians did when the New Church finally came on earth. Thus, it is that the New Church was instrauated or set up in those who are in the good of love and of faith. This means in those who truly love the Lord. Such love is shown by their life. By the good of faith generally is meant charity towards their neighbor, and to others. Such love is found in people who have not confirmed doctrines according to their natural will and understanding. These, in a man's internal, are the Lord's and, therefore, are the man's spiritual. They come from a spiritual origin in man from the Lord. Such good and truth or charity and faith are learned from the Lord through the knowledge of good and truth, which can be found in the Word.
So, the coming of the New Church in man is through acknowledgement of the Truth Divine, that is, through the Lord as the Truth. It is instituted where God is acknowledged as the one only God, who is known as the Lord and seen as the Divine Human. Thus, the beginning of a new Church with a person begins in knowing the Lord in His Divine Human, for the Lord has made His Human Divine and is the one and only God of Heaven and earth. The prior Christian Churches, indeed have the Old and New Testaments, which teach many things concerning the Lord, but they did not acknowledge Him as the one God as is evidenced by their doctrines; their tenets, having showing otherwise.
Thus, it can be said, they are in the Church, but the Church is not in them. And, so, they are the external of the Church and can only know a few things, such as, charity and faith. So, in such a state can be seen the coming of the Lord. The state of such a Church with man is a natural or external state and its truths are natural or external and, so, are only understood in appearances. As such, they are representatives of spiritual things, such as faith and charity. What one understands, here, is that through one's external, his natural, a person in a new faith and a new truth is understood when there is a new love from the Lord from which one does good or charity. The beginning of the New Church in its natural state is as much a part of the New Church as it is with those who come into its spiritual state.
However, life with mankind is not man's; life does not die. A person is also spiritual and it is in his spirit where life from God is and operates and that he lives 'as it were'. In the states of the Church, which a man comes into during his live while on earth, we saw there is a seed - a remnant - that can produce in man a new spiritual life that has died 'as it were' within the man. Is not man more than a beast that has no spirit or soul? Man is created with these; he has a soul; he has a mind - an understanding and will. These are not natural things, but are spiritual things. The circle of life with man to be complete must return to God from where it came. And, it does so as the New Church is established and develops in man.
In the prior states of man, that is, of the Church in man, there is the knowledge whereby a person can from being natural enter into spiritual life and, therefore, into Heaven. This circle of life is seen complete in the influx of good into truth in man and its reception there, which comes when truth becomes good's vessel. This happens when truth becomes genuine with man, that is, spiritual with man. A Man is to know, to understand, to will, and to do, for a man's spiritual life begins with knowing, and passes on to understanding, and then to willing, and lastly, to doing. This is the cycle of man's reformation and regeneration and is his circle of life.
Anyone can understand from the literal sense of the New Testament that there is to be an end or a judgment upon man and that he will then come into a new state here on earth, which is the New Church within him. This, of course, is referring to the establishment of a new Church in which spiritual love of the Lord will live in man. Let us, now, reveal this New Church. Historically in the Word in the Old and New Testaments there is seen the revelation of the New Church, but this New Church is not literally taught there. It is, however, in the Third Testament, which is the Word of the Divine Human written by Emanuel Swedenborg inspired by God. The Old and New Testaments in the literal sense does not predict the New Church's Coming, but this can be seen in the spiritual historically sense where it is revealed readily. Yet, it is in the Word of the Divine Human - the Third Testament - where all who search for the truth are revealed its doctrines and cannons and where can be learn the truth of its coming and establishment on earth.
So, in the book of Revelation there is prophecy concerning their spiritual historical sense. However, until the New Church could come on earth, what was foretold there, could only be understood according to its literal sense. The genuine sense or truth remained hidden from mankind and this until the New Church began to appear on earth and until man could begin to understand this new revelation from the Lord from a new rational. Thus, unless the Lord had come on earth and had put on the human of mankind, He would remain invisible to man and would not be acknowledged as the one God of Heaven and earth, even as some of the prior Churches had so worshiped. The earlier Christian Churches not being able to understand the spiritual sense of the Old and New Testaments had distorted and destroyed the truth by their natural understanding and love of self and the world. Their doctrines became false and divided the Lord in the Church, as can be seen by their creeds.
Then, in the passage or fullness of time, came the New Church to man. And, its coming is seen in the Lord's coming again, which is in Truth and is revealed in the Third Testament. This Church on earth, first, became established with those who were ignorant of Jehovah, for it is in these - called in the Word, Gentiles - that there is no principle of falsity opposed to the Truth and its faith, for they are ignorant of such truths. The evangelization was primarily to the other nations. Judaism basically rejected Christianity. (As long as the doctrine of the first Christian Churches remains within man in his will and understanding, the New Church cannot enter such men, for it would be fought against.) The Gentiles are those who do not have the Word as did the Israelites and Jews and as the first Christians did when the New Church finally came on earth. Thus, it is that the New Church was instrauated or set up in those who are in the good of love and of faith. This means in those who truly love the Lord. Such love is shown by their life. By the good of faith generally is meant charity towards their neighbor, and to others. Such love is found in people who have not confirmed doctrines according to their natural will and understanding. These, in a man's internal, are the Lord's and, therefore, are the man's spiritual. They come from a spiritual origin in man from the Lord. Such good and truth or charity and faith are learned from the Lord through the knowledge of good and truth, which can be found in the Word.
So, the coming of the New Church in man is through acknowledgement of the Truth Divine, that is, through the Lord as the Truth. It is instituted where God is acknowledged as the one only God, who is known as the Lord and seen as the Divine Human. Thus, the beginning of a new Church with a person begins in knowing the Lord in His Divine Human, for the Lord has made His Human Divine and is the one and only God of Heaven and earth. The prior Christian Churches, indeed have the Old and New Testaments, which teach many things concerning the Lord, but they did not acknowledge Him as the one God as is evidenced by their doctrines; their tenets, having showing otherwise.
Thus, it can be said, they are in the Church, but the Church is not in them. And, so, they are the external of the Church and can only know a few things, such as, charity and faith. So, in such a state can be seen the coming of the Lord. The state of such a Church with man is a natural or external state and its truths are natural or external and, so, are only understood in appearances. As such, they are representatives of spiritual things, such as faith and charity. What one understands, here, is that through one's external, his natural, a person in a new faith and a new truth is understood when there is a new love from the Lord from which one does good or charity. The beginning of the New Church in its natural state is as much a part of the New Church as it is with those who come into its spiritual state.