Emanuel Swedenborg

‘Gospod mi je dozvolio istovremeno biti u duhovnom i prirodnom svijetu, i sa anđelima razgovarati kao sa ljudima, i na taj način se upoznati sa stanjima onih koji nakon smrti prijeđu u taj do sada nepoznat svijet. Razgovarao sam sa svim svojim rođacima i prijateljima, također sa kraljevima, vojvodama, i učenim ljudima nakon njihovog odlaska iz ovog života, i to neprestano u trajanju od dvadeset i sedam godina. Ja sam stoga u stanju, iz stvarnog iskustva, opisati stanja ljudi nakon smrti, i to onih koji su živjeli dobrim životima, kao i onih koji su živjeli opakim životima.’

Emanuel Swedenborg

‘Gospod mi je dozvolio istovremeno biti u duhovnom i prirodnom svijetu, i sa anđelima razgovarati kao sa ljudima, i na taj način se upoznati sa stanjima onih koji nakon smrti prijeđu u taj do sada nepoznat svijet. Razgovarao sam sa svim svojim rođacima i prijateljima, također sa kraljevima, vojvodama, i učenim ljudima nakon njihovog odlaska iz ovog života, i to neprestano u trajanju od dvadeset i sedam godina. Ja sam stoga u stanju, iz stvarnog iskustva, opisati stanja ljudi nakon smrti, i to onih koji su živjeli dobrim životima, kao i onih koji su živjeli opakim životima.’

Mighty to save 1

Mighty to save

‘That the State and Condition of man after death is according to his past life in this world, and that the Predominant Love, which he takes with him into the Spiritual World, continues with him for ever, and can never be changed to all eternity, consequently, that if his Predominant Love be good, he abides in heaven to all eternity, but if it be evil, he abides in hell to all eternity (‘Heaven and Hell – 480, 521, 527′; True Christian Religion – 199′; Arcana Caelestia – 10596, 10749’; ‘Conjugial Love – 524′; Apocalypse Explained – 745, 837, 971, 1164, 1220’.’

This is one of the Propositions (nr. 15) taken into serious consideration at the FIRST GENERAL CONFERENCE of all Readers of the Theological Writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg (= members of the New Jerusalem Church), who are desirous of rejecting, and separating themselves from, the Old Church, or the present Established Churches, together with all their Sectaries, throughout Christendom, and of full embracing the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, held in Great East Cheap, London, on Easter Monday, from the 13-17th day of April, 1789; at the same following Resolution was moved and unanimously agred to (nr. 19):

‘That it is the opinion of this Conference, that the Doctrine of the New Church concerning the nature of man’s eternal state and condition after Death, according to his past life in this world, as described in the 15 Proposition, is Doctrine drawn from the pure and genuine sense of the Holy Word, and calculated through divine mercy, to instruct, reform and bless mankind.’

Dear Members,

I would like to discuss with you something from the writings of E. Swedenborg, whom I study passionately and intensively now for more than 6 years, something which I find inconsistent with the Scriptures/Word of God or, if you prefer, with the spirit which is in the Gospel/Message of our Lord, Jesus Christ Jehovah.

That ‘something’ is, in my opinion, as well contradictory to what E. Swedenborg says/teaches in the rest of his writings.

We read for example (this idea or perception is presented in all his books) in Arcana Caelestia – 10749 (Potts): “The life of man cannot be changed after death. It then remains such as it had been. Nor can the life of hell be transferred into the life of heaven, because they are opposites. From this it is evident that those who come into hell remain there forever; and that those who come into heaven remain there forever.’

Reason Swedenborg states something like that originates firstly (1) in his own experiences/encounters in spiritual world, secondly (2), in statements of the angels on that very subject, and thirdly (3), in literal not spiritual understanding of the Lord’s words from Luke 16:26 (2 Corinthians 3:6).

We read further in ‘Heaven & Hell – 480 (Harley)’: ‘Man after death continues to eternity such as his will or ruling love is. This, too, has been confirmed by abundant experience. I have been permitted to talk (1) with some who lived two thousand years ago, and whose lives are described in history, and thus known. They were found to be still the same persons and exactly as described, that is, in respect of the love out of which and in accordance with which their lives were formed. There were others known to history, who had lived seventeen centuries ago, others who had lived four centuries ago, and three, and so on, with whom I was also permitted to talk; and I found that the same affection still ruled with them, with no other difference than that the delights of their love had been turned into such things as correspond. The angels declare (2) that the life of the ruling love is never changed in anyone even to eternity, since everyone is his own love; consequently, to change that love with a spirit is to take away or extinguish his life. They also gave the reason that man after death is no longer capable of being reformed by instruction, as in the world, because the ultimate plane, which consists of cognitions and affections, is then quiescent and, not being spiritual, cannot be opened (see above, n. 464); and upon that plane the interiors pertaining to the mind and “animus” rest as a house rests on its foundation; and on this account, such as the life of one’s love had been in the world, such he continues to be to eternity.’

And further, when in another place he supports the very same statement from the Word of God, namely in his New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine – 239 (Whitehead)’: The life of man cannot be changed after death. It then remains such as it had been. For the quality of man’s spirit is in every respect the same as that of his love, and infernal love can never transcribed into heavenly love, because they are opposite. This is meant by the words of Abraham to the rich man in hell (3):

     Between us and you there is a great gulf; so that they which would pass to you cannot; neither can they pass to us from thence (Luke 16:26).

Hence it is evident that all who come into hell remain there to eternity; and they who come into heaven remain there to eternity.’

Now, I ask most kindly all of you, how that statement affects you personally, I mean, how idea/image which this statement clearly brings into your mind, idea of people who will stay in hellish torments and despair for eternity, in your opinion agrees with the Gospel of Love, with your idea of God of Love, God who is, as Swedenborg himself states many many times in his writings, Love and Mercy itself?! How, in your opinion, this agrees with what is said in Matthew 18:14, namely, ‘It is not will of our Heavenly Father, who is Lord Jesus Christ Jehovah, that ANY (and here ponder on word ANY!) of even most insignificant ones will be and remain LOST!’

Don’t you think that that end contradicts main end which Lord had, has and must have in His view, which is ‘celestial being in every aspect similar to Him’ or ‘Child of God’ [‘heaven from human race’, as Swedenborg teaches (Divine Providence – 45), in reality points to the same end, but here I am talking in more particular and precise sense]?

Don’t you think that that kind of end for ‘crown of creation’ (and of course, here we talk about major part of humanity), for God’s ‘finest’ work, makes Divine Providence or Divine Wisdom, which is in itself ‘means by which Divine love brings itself into effect or realization’, quite ineffective/impotent, Providence which in accordance with Swedenborgs own words (‘Divine Providence – 331-334’) ‘continues its dealings with man to eternity’ (Divine Providence – 55), and that not only with good ones but as well with those who are in hell (Divine Providence – 249:3)??!

In another words, do you really think that God in His Omniscience, which foresees everything, did not arranged some ‘law’ or ‘condition’ (= outcome of transgressing the law) by means of which He will, of course without disturbing man’s free will, take care (of course with the same end in the view) of that, for Him unacceptable ‘type of final human experience’ (Matthew 19:26)?

Do you think that ‘He who is Omnipotent and Omniscient (Canons – 12) is not Mighty to Save (Isaiah 63:1)’?! Do you think that HE, even if ‘people turn themselves from (= rejects) Him’ [‘Arcana Caelestia (Potts) – 2335:3; it is easy understandable that He never turn His back on them! Isaiah 65:2] lacks means to ‘pull them out of there’, He who out of pure Mercy come to this misguided Earth to ‘save what is lost’ (Matthew 18:11), who in His heart wishes (‘and His will for sure will be done!!’) that all people inherit His Kingdom, do you think that He, Who is Father of us all, ‘leaves those who after Earthly trial end up in hell’ to stay there for eternity time (how can we judge eternity/what is going to happened in eternity by evidence of one or few thousand years?!)?

Do you think that what is portrayed in parable of Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) works just on Earth and not as well in the spiritual world, which means in eternity?

Do you think, really, that people there are lacking means to be instructed from the Lord and consequently to repent and be reformed?

In the another words, ‘Do you think that Eternal Shepherd was, is and will be looking for ‘lost sheeps’ only/just on this Earth (only during the human life span on Earth), that this is His eternal endeavor/inclination’?

If you think (here by ‘think’ I have on my mind ‘thinking of the heart’) that way, that will be indeed ‘cruel belief’ [see ‘Brief Exposition (Whitehead) – 66’].

                                                                                                May spirit of our Lord

                                                                                                            Jesus Christ Jehovah

                                                                                                                        Be with you always

                                    Lorens

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