STUCK … between a rock and a hard place
Based upon The Lord the Redeemer, chapter 2 of Emanuel Swedenborg’s True Christian Religion.
“Redemption and the passion on the cross must be thought of as two distinct events; otherwise men’s minds will ground like a ship on sandbanks or rocks and sink, steersman, captain, crew and all, that is to say, it will go astray in all matters which concern salvation from the Lord.” [paragraph 127]
“It is a fundamental error to believe that the Passion on the cross was the real act of redemption. That error, together with the erroneous belief in three divine persons, existing from eternity, has so perverted the whole church, that there is no remainder of spirituality left in it.” [paragraph 132]
“This idea of God and redemption has reduced the whole of theology from the spiritual to the lowest natural level, by attributing to God purely natural properties. Yet everything in the church depends upon the idea of God, and the idea of redemption, … So long as it is spiritual, everything in the church becomes spiritual too, and as long as it is natural, everything in the church becomes natural too.” [paragraph 133]
DO WE NEED TO BE REDEEMED? WHY IS REDEMPTION NECESSARY?
“… it is a law of order that insofar as a person approaches, and comes near to God, which he should do entirely as if of himself, so far does God approach and come near to him, and link himself to the person in his midst.” [paragraph 89]
AND HOW DOES REDEMPTION HAPPEN?
“Divine order requires that a person should adjust himself to receive God, and prepare himself as a receiver and dwelling-place for God to enter into and live as in His temple. This a person must do of himself while still acknowledging that it is from God. … Every person must and will advance in accordance with this order, if he is to become spiritual instead of natural. The Lord advanced in the same way in order to make His natural human Divine; …” [paragraph 105]
“Divine Truth is the order itself of His kingdom existing everywhere, all the laws of which are truths, or eternal verities. Divine Good is the very essential of order, every aspect of which is an expression of mercy. Both of these – Divine Good and Divine Truth – are attributed to the Lord. If solely Divine Truth were His, no mortal man could be saved, for truths condemn everyone to hell. But Divine Good, which is the essence of mercy, raises people up from hell towards heaven.” (Arcana Coelestia, paragraph 1728)
Recorded on Sunday 5 February 2023
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