December5

A Genuine Desire to Know

And◦ in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent··out from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And the angel coming··in to her said◦, Hail, thou who art graced! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. But◦ when she saw◦ him she was disturbed at◦ his word, and reasoned within herself what··manner of a greeting this should be. (Luke 1:26-29)

The Virgin also, of whom He was born, signifies the church as to the affection of truth. ...the genuine affection of truth is willing and longs to know the veriest truths of faith for the sake of good use as the end, and for the sake of life; ... But they who are in the genuine affection of truth, that is, who long to know truths for the sake of good use, and for the sake of life, also abide in the doctrinal things of the church until they arrive at the age when they begin to think for themselves; then they search the Scriptures and supplicate the Lord for enlightenment, and when they are enlightened they rejoice from the heart. (God the Savior 37; Arcana Coelestia 8993.3-4)

Affection or love constitutes the life of everyone; consequently those who are in the affection of truth constantly serve the Lord, even when they are in their vocations, business, and employments, for the affection that is within reigns continually and serves. ... Serving the Lord is to be in truths, and to act sincerely and justly in everything; for then the principles of truth, sincerity, and justice, that are with man, serve the Lord. (Apocalypse Explained 478.3)

The spiritual man when being regenerated... first learns the doctrinal things of truth, next is affected by them (which is the good of the doctrinal things), then that by taking a mental view of these doctrinal things he is affected with the truths in them (which is the good of truth), and lastly that he wills to live according to them, which is the good of life. In this way the spiritual man when being regenerated advances from the doctrine of truth to the good of life. (Arcana Coelestia 3332.2)

The truly Christian man whose faith and life is ... turned towards heaven. The Lord leads his will, or love, and gives him the affection of good, that is, the faculty of being affected, or made glad, by reason of good; he also leads his understanding, so that he may be affected with truth, and so that, immediately he hears it, he is also gladdened, and it is implanted in his life; and, so far as he learns the truth, so far it abides in him, and, by its means, he is led by the Lord. (Spiritual Diary 5796)

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