“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
24

Leave What is Harmful Behind

And when they had heard the king they went out; and behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the little Child was. And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. (Matthew 2:9-10)

The life of heaven is to be led of the Lord by means of good. In order that a man may come to that life, good must be implanted by means of truth; that is, charity by means of faith. So long as this is being done, the man is in the way to heaven, but is not yet in heaven. And in order that at that time the truths which are of faith may be confirmed, and may also be conjoined with good, the man is let into temptations, for these are the means of the conjunction of good and truth. When therefore the man is in good, that is, in the affection of doing good for the sake of good, thus for the sake of the neighbor, he is uplifted into heaven, for he is in the order of heaven, and is led of the Lord by means of good. (Arcana Coelestia 8559)

When evils have been removed, which is done when a man shuns them because they are infernal; then the Lord enters with truths and goods from heaven, and leads him. … from which it follows that a man's love or affection is reformed only by a spiritual shunning of evils and turning away from them, which is shunning them and turning away from them because they are infernal. From all this it can now be seen what it is "to follow the Lord whithersoever He goeth." (Apocalypse Explained 864.6)

Spirits suppose that they could have been led differently, and so become better than they are, thus be kept from actual evils, and many things. The evil throw the blame on the Lord, but they were told that it is their fault. I perceived in spiritual idea, that they can never be led better than they are: so that there are necessities every moment of their lives, … and it was previded from eternity, and so previded that each and all things tend to our ultimate end, to be parts in the Grand Man, that is, in the Lord's kingdom. (Spiritual Diary 3114)

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