December25

Conjunction with the Lord

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with▵ God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with▵ God. All things were··made◦ by Him, and without Him was· not one thing ·made◦ that was··made◦. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light appears in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was◦ a man sent◦ from▵ God; his name was John. He◦ came for◦ testimony, that◦ he might testify concerning the Light, that◦ all might believe through him. He was not that▵ Light, but was sent that◦ he might testify concerning the Light. He was the true Light, which enlightens every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was··made◦ by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came to◦ His··own▵, and His··own▵ took· Him not ·in. But◦ as··many· ·as received Him, to them He gave authority to become the children of God, to those who believe in◦ His name, who were··born, not of◦ bloods, nor of◦ the will of flesh, nor of◦ the will of a man◦, but of◦ God. And the Word was··made◦ flesh, and dwelt· ·in··a··tabernacle among us, and we observed His glory, the glory as of the only· ·begotten of▵ the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

But first let us consider what the Divine mercy is. The divine mercy is pure mercy towards the whole human race, to save it; and it is also unceasing towards every man, and is never withdrawn from any one; so that everyone is saved who can be saved. And yet no one can be saved except by Divine means, which means the Lord reveals in the Word. The Divine means are what are called Divine truths, which teach how man must live in order to be saved. By these truths the Lord leads man to heaven, and by them He implants in man the life of heaven.

This the Lord does for all. But the life of heaven can be implanted in no one unless he abstains from evil, for evil obstructs. So far, therefore, as man abstains from evil he is led by the Lord out of pure mercy by His Divine means, and this from infancy to the end of his life in the world and afterwards to eternity. This is what is meant by the Divine mercy. And from this it is evident that the mercy of the Lord is pure mercy, but not apart from means, that is, it does not look to saving all out of mere good pleasure, however they may have lived. (Heaven and Hell 522)

That the Divine truth or the Word is a covenant or conjunction, is because it is the Divine from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself. And therefore when the Word is received by man, the Lord Himself is received...That the Divine conjoins Itself with those who love the Lord, and keep His Word, may be seen in John 14:23: “Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make an abode with him.” (John 14:23). (Arcana Coelestia 9396.9)

That the conjunction and presence of the Lord is through the Word, is because the Word is the union of man with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; for the Word is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. Therefore they who are in this truth in respect to doctrine and life (that is, in respect to faith and love) are in the Divine proceeding from the Lord, thus are conjoined with Him. (Arcana Coelestia 9378.2)

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