“And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” - Revelation 22:17
Kempton New Church

December
2

Defend What is Good

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and give birth to a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good. (Isaiah 7:14-15)

From the Divine love [The Lord] fought and conquered in the world. From the Divine power in the Human thence acquired, He alone forever fights and conquers for heaven and the church; and thus for the whole human race, and thereby saves them. This then is the good of merit, which is called "righteousness," because it belongs to righteousness to restrain the hells which are endeavoring to destroy the human race; and to protect and save the good and faithful (Arcana Coelestia 9715.7)

[in His combats of temptation] the Lord never looked for any prize of victory for Himself. His prize of victories was the salvation of the whole human race; and it was from love toward the entire human race that He fought. He who fights from this love demands for himself no prize, because this love is such that it wills to give and transfer all its own to others, and to have nothing for itself; so that it is the salvation of the whole human race that is here signified by the "reward." (Arcana Coelestia 1789)

But in all His combats of temptations the Lord never fought from the love of self, or for Himself, but for all in the universe, consequently, not that He might become the greatest in heaven, for this is contrary to the Divine Love, and scarcely even that He might be the least; but only that all others might become something, and be saved. (Arcana Coelestia 1812)

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