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Audio/Video reading of chapter 1

Description

In this chapter, Swedenborg describes the discrepancy between who God is and how people, Christian and non-Christian alike, as well as spirits perceive of Him.

Summary Notes

On Earth, Christians are able to speak of three Gods (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) as separate and distinct from each other. Angels though are unable to perceive of God as anything but one. 

Swedenborg alludes here that there is only one singular divine being in heaven. On Earth, many are able to think of the Son without conceiving of the Father or vice-versa. This separating of the beings is like speaking of beauty without a relation to a truth or truth without a relation to its beauty. Therefore when the angels conceive of Jesus in the new testament, they see in him, Jehovah, God of the old testament and vice-versa. They are unable to picture them as separate in their reading of the Word.

People will be instructed about God when they reach heaven but some will reject instructions.

It is commonly assumed in the Christian world that there can be no teaching of God or heavenly things in the next life. But Swedenborg says that teaching will be made available to departed souls as long as they have not hardened themselves to reject any divine idea that disagrees with what they held as their beliefs in the world.

Classes of people who can be instructed in the next life

• Children who died early on Earth will be instructed in the afterlife as they are generally open to instructions given their mentally undeveloped state.
• Gentile i.e., non-Christian believers as well as simple Christian folks will be given instruction on how they can perceive or relate to the true divine God using whatever limited spiritual knowledge they brought with them from the world.

Classes of people who will reject instruction in the next life

• Those who have faith in an invisible abstract divine force will struggle in the next life to believe in a human God. To them nature and God are alike in an agnostic way i.e. Nature/God have no relation to individuals. These souls will not be interested in an idea of a human-God and they are allowed to go their own way.
• Mockers and profaners of the Bible; souls who have knowledge of Christian doctrine but think of it as folly will seldom accept an invitation to rectify their beliefs.

Summary

Swedenborg highlights the importance of how we perceive of God especially when we read the Word. This perception is brought with us to the next life and it is the guiding force through which we navigate our way through the spiritual world after death. If we see God through a doctrinal lens without an accompanying true love of neighbour, then we will find it hard in the other life to perceive of God or the way to heaven within the spiritual world.