December
15

Let Love, Faith, and Goodwill Flow In

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This enrolling first was made when Kurenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, everyone to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed wife, being great with child. And it came to pass, that while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should bring forth; and she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling-clothes, and laid Him in the manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

Whenever traveling, sojourning, and passing from place to place, occur in the Word, nothing else is suggested to the angels than such change of state as exists with them. (Arcana Coelestia 1463)

Every man is only "flesh;" but when the life of charity and faith is breathed into him by the Lord, the flesh is made alive, and becomes spiritual and celestial, and is called a "new creature" (Mark 16:15), from having been created anew. (Arcana Coelestia 780)

When man is being regenerated, he is then becoming altogether another, and is being made new; therefore also when he has been regenerated, he is called "born again," and "created anew." Then, although he has a similar face and a similar speech, yet his mind is not similar; his mind, when he is regenerate, is open toward heaven, and there dwells therein love to the Lord and charity toward his neighbor, together with faith. It is the mind that makes a man another, and a new man. (Arcana Coelestia 3212)

Just as a man receives from the Lord a new life, so he receives the human form and, at length, a very beautiful angelic form, which is the likeness of the Lord. Thus it is as if He had created man anew, in similar fashion and in like manner. Hence it is that to create is to regenerate, and that a regenerated man is a new creature. (Spiritual Diary 4837)

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