Finding the Impossible Treasure

On True Christian Religion, chapter 4: The Sacred Scripture or the Word of the Lord Today, we consider Deism again: the idea that, having created the world, God then stood back and had no further involvement in it – a Divine watchmaker. There being no connection between the spiritual and natural – science [human intellect] is left to investigate the external, natural world unhindered. Swedenborg, although initially fascinated by the idea, came to disprove it in his own life experience: FIRSTLY, in Dreams – without a spiritual-natural connection, dreams are random, meaningless hallucinations: indeed all psychology would boil down to brain chemistry. But, Swedenborg finds a deep significance in dreams. SECONDLY in his spiritual experiences – to speak to the Lord, to interact with spirits and angels, and to do this at the same time as living in the natural world.

“I am well aware of the fact that many people will say that nobody can possibly speak to spirits or angels as long as he is living in the body, and that many will call it delusion. Some will say that I have spread these ideas around so as to win people’s trust, while others will say something different again. But none of this deters me; for I have seen, I have heard, I have felt.” (Arcana Caelestia, paragraph 68)

And THIRDLY in witnessing the nature of the Word. He asserts that the Word is Divine Truth Itself, while acknowledging that there’s no external evidence that this is the case, and he points out that one must go to the spiritual meaning that shows this.

“To think externally is to be blind to the holiness of the Word.” (paragraph 189)

“Therefore to prevent people from doubting that the Word is Divine and most holy, the Lord has revealed to me its internal sense, which in its essence is spiritual. This lies within the external or natural sense like the soul within the body. That sense is the spirit which gives life to the literal form. Consequently that sense can bear witness to the divinity and holiness of the Word, and convince even the natural man, if he is willing to be convinced.” (paragraph 192)

The Word is an important LINK between the Lord and the church, heaven and earth.

“ … There is holiness in every sentence, every word, in some places even every letter. Thus the Word forms a link between man and the Lord, and opens the way to heaven.” (paragraph 191)

AN IMPORTANT PARADOX – The Bible is NOT A DIRECT TELEPHONE LINE! While yet we can demonstrate the holiness of the Word from a knowledge of correspondences, a true understanding of the Word requires more than just an understanding of correspondences. On the one hand:

“Anyone who knows the spiritual sense from a knowledge of correspondences can understand these statements.” (paragraph 197)

On the other:

“A person who knows the science of correspondences, and wants to use his own intelligence to explore the spiritual sense of the Word, can do violence to this Divine Truth.” (paragraph 208)

THEREFORE THERE ARE GUARDS inherent in the Word, meant by the cherubim:

“… the literal sense is a protection to prevent the genuine truths within being harmed.” (paragraph260)

“no admission or access to the Lord except through the good of love.” (Arcana Caelestia, paragraph 9509)

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