“All religion is of life; and the life of religion is to do good.” - Doctrine of Life §1
Kempton New Church

December
12

“His Name is John”

And to Elizabeth was fulfilled the time that she should bring forth; and she gave birth to a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the young child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. And his mother answered and said, Not so, but he shall be called John. And they said to her, There is no one of thy kinsfolk who is called by this name. And they beckoned to his father, what he would have him called. And he asked for a tablet, and wrote, saying, John is his name; and they all marveled. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were talked of in all the hill‐country of Judea. And all who heard laid them up in their hearts, saying, Who then shall this little child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1:57‒66)

“And a son of eight days.” This signifies any beginning of purification whatever, so “the eighth day” signified that this ought to be effected at all times, and thus always, as from a new beginning. (Arcana Coelestia 2044)

In order that the External Man may be reduced into order, it must be made subordinate to the Internal Man, and it is made subordinate when it obeys. (Arcana Coelestia 9708)

The Lord wills a total submission, in order that He may make a man blessed and happy. He wills that that man be not partly his own and partly the Lord’s, for then there are two lords, which no one can serve at the same time (Matt. 6:24). (Arcana Coelestia 6138:2)

previous next