“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

Week 1
Day 4

    Listen:

Piety and Charity
External Worship and the Worship of Life

That to do good is to worship the Lord, appears from the Lord’s words: Whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24; NJHD 127)

How do we go to heaven?

My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matt. 11:30).

HH 533. That it is not so difficult to live the life of heaven as some believe can now be seen from this, that when anything presents itself to a man that he knows to be dishonorable and unjust, but to which his mind is carried along, it is simply necessary for him to think that it ought not to be done because it is opposed to the Divine precepts. If a man gets himself used to thinking this way, and from so doing establishes a habit of thinking this way, he is gradually conjoined to heaven. And so far as he is conjoined to heaven the higher regions of his mind are opened; and so far as these are opened he sees whatever is dishonorable and unjust, and so far as he sees these evils they can be driven away, for no evil can be driven away until it is seen. Man is able to enter into this state because of his freedom, for is not anyone able from his freedom to think this way? And when man has made a beginning, the Lord gives life to all that is good in him, and causes him not only to see evils to be evils, but also to refrain from willing them, and finally to turn away from them. This is meant by the Lord’s words in Matthew 11:30.

But it must be understood that the difficulty of thinking this way and of resisting evils increases so far as man from his will does evils, for in the same measure he gets used to them until he no longer sees them, and at length loves them and from the delight of his love excuses them, and confirms them by every kind of fallacy, and declares them to be allowable and good. This is the fate of those who in early youth plunge into evils without restraint, and also reject Divine things from the heart.

HH 534. The way that leads to heaven, and the way that leads to hell were once represented to me. There was a broad way tending towards the left or the north, and many spirits were seen going in it; but at a distance a large stone was seen where the broad way came to an end. From that stone two ways branched off, one to the left and one in the opposite direction to the right. The way that went to the left was narrow or confined, leading through the west to the south, and thus into the light of heaven; the way that went to the right was broad and spacious, leading obliquely downwards towards hell. All at first seemed to be going the same way until they came to the large stone at the head of the two ways. When they reached that point they divided. The good turned to the left and entered the confined way that led to heaven, while the evil, not seeing the stone at the fork of the ways, fell on it and were hurt, and when they rose up they ran on in the broad way to the right which went towards hell.

HH 534:2. What all this meant was afterwards explained to me. The first way that was broad, where many, both good and evil, went together and talked with each other as friends, because there was no visible difference between them, represented those who externally live alike, honorably and justly, and between whom seemingly there is no difference. The stone at the head of the two ways or at the corner, on which the evil fell and from which they ran into the way leading to hell, represented the Divine truth, which is rejected by those who look towards hell; and in the highest sense this stone signified the Lord’s Divine Human. But those who acknowledged the Divine truth and also the Divine of the Lord went by the way that led to heaven.

By this again it was shown that in externals the evil lead the same kind of life as the good… And yet those who from the heart acknowledge… the Divine of the Lord, are led to heaven, while those who do not are led to hell.

HH 534:3. …The way that leads to life is confined not because it is difficult but because there are few who find it, as is said in Matthew and Luke…. “Stone” signifies Divine truth… For this reason, the Law was inscribed on tables of stone….

HH 535. …The life of angels is a life of joy resulting from a state of blessedness, and consists in performing good deeds, which are works of charity…. Their joy… discards merit and consists in active labors and practical services, and in a blessedness resulting from the good accomplished by it.

Questions
  1. Does it seem difficult to get ourselves used to thinking, when we are drawn toward some evil, “This should not be done because it is against the Lord’s Commandments”? Is it hard to get into this habit? Do you know any strategies that help?
  2. At first we just know that the Lord says No. If we obey Him, gradually our minds are opened to heaven, and in that light we see that certain things are dishonorable and unjust. Then we can refrain from willing them—that is, stop wanting to do them— and finally turn away from them. Can you think of something you used to want, but now you don’t even want it anymore?
  3. Some people in early youth (in aestate adolescente) plunge into evils without restraint and at the same time reject Divine things. Parents have a responsibility to restrain adolescents because they cannot rationally restrain themselves (CL 456e) , but what are the limits of what parents can do?
  4. Notice how essential it is for people to acknowledge the Divine truth, and that the Lord is God. Helping people with this is meant to be a key function of worship and of conversations among friends. How can we help each other?
  5. Why do you think it says there are few who find the way to heaven?
previous next