Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 471and see, when yet they see nothing. Those, therefore, who do notsee, that is, understand the things they believe, are “blind.” And inconsequence of this also they are unable to perfect the life by meansof the things pertaining to faith; for the understanding is the way toman’s life; by no other way can man become spiritual. All who arein heaven see truths with the understanding, and thus receive them;but what they do not see with the understanding they do notreceive; and if anyone says to them that they must have faith,although they do not see or understand, they turn away, saying,“How can this be? I believe what I see or understand; but I amunable to believe what I do not see or understand; such things maybe falsities that destroy spiritual life.”[2] That those who are in the doctrine of faith alone andjustification by faith are without the understanding of good,because they are without the will of good, can be seen from this,that they know nothing whatever about charity towards theneighbor, consequently nothing about good; for all spiritual good isfrom charity, and there is nothing without charity; consequentlythose who separate faith from charity, saying that charitycontributes nothing to salvation, but only faith, are altogetherignorant of what good is because they are ignorant of what charityis, and yet spiritual good and the affection of it that is called charityis the spiritual life of man, and without it there is no faith. Fromthis it is clear that such are without the understanding of good. Andthis is in consequence of their being without the will of good, forthe reason that they declare themselves to be righteous [just] or tohave been made righteous [justified] when they have faith; and by“justified” they mean not to be condemned on account of anythingthat they think and will, since they have been reconciled to God;consequently they believe, because it follows by connection withtheir principle, that the evil equally with the good are saved if onlythey receive faith, even if this should be in the last hours of life.The mysteries of this doctrine consist in this, that they speak ofprogressive steps of justification that are not from anything ofman’s life, or from his affection of charity, but are from mere faithin the reconciliation of God the Father through the Son, whichfaith they call confidence or trust, and saving faith itself; notknowing that where there is nothing of charity there can be