December
26

Turn to the Word of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not one thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light appears in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God; his name was John. He came for testimony, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him. He was not that Light, but was sent that he might testify concerning the Light. He was the true Light, which enlightens every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came to His own, and His own took Him not in. But as many as received Him, to them He gave authority to become the children of God, to them who believe in His name, who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in a tabernacle among us, and we observed His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

In regard to the trust and confidence which is called Faith itself, the case is this. Those who are in the love of self and of the world, that is, those who are in evils and the consequent falsities, cannot have this Faith, for their heart is not toward God, but toward themselves and the world. Whereas those who are in charity toward the neighbor and in love to the Lord can have such Faith, for their heart is toward the Lord. This the Lord also teaches in John: As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to be the sons of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13); those who are “born of bloods, of the will of the flesh, and of the will of man,” are those who are in what is evil and false from the loves of self and of the world. And those who are “born of God” are those who are in the good of charity and of faith from the Lord. (AC 9241)

There are two things that constitute the church, namely, the acknowledgment and belief that the Lord has the power to save, and that the Word is Divine; and that where these two are not acknowledged and believed there is no church; and for the reason that the Lord reforms man and gives him faith and love, and the Word teaches the way in which man must go to the Lord that he may receive faith and love from Him. (AE 1070)

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