December
20

New Life after Each Experience of Death

And Joseph and His mother marveled at the things which were spoken concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. And also a sword shall pass through thine own soul, that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:33:35)

They who have not been instructed about man's regeneration suppose that a man can be regenerated without temptation; and some that he has been regenerated when he has undergone one temptation. But be it known that without temptation no one is regenerated, and that many temptations follow on, one after another. The reason is that regeneration takes place to the end that the life of the old man may die, and the new heavenly life be insinuated, which shows that there must needs be a fight, for the life of the old man resists, and is not willing to be extinguished, and the life of the new man cannot enter except where the life of the old man has been extinguished. Hence it is evident that there is a fight on both sides, and this fight is a fiery one, because it is for life. (Arcana Coelestia 8403.2)

Before man can know what is true, and be affected with what is good, there must be a removal of such things as hinder and resist their admission; thus the old man must needs die, before the new man can be conceived. (Arcana Coelestia 18)

Man first begins to live when that perishes which in the world he believes to be the all of life; and that the life which he then receives is relatively ineffable and unlimited; and that he is altogether ignorant of this so long as he is in evil-these and similar truths can never be believed, unless the man is in good; for it is good which comprehends, because the Lord through good flows in with wisdom. (Arcana Coelestia 3175.4)

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