Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 509neighbor is not from man himself and from what is his own (ejusproprio), but from the Lord, who is perpetually present and by Hisperpetual presence gives man that means and faculty; but to thinkill about the Lord and the neighbor is from man himself and fromwhat is his own (ejus proprio). The other thing which is in man’sfreedom by reason of the perpetual presence of the Lord with him,and the Lord’s perpetual desire to conjoin Himself with man, isman’s ability to abstain from evils; and so far as he does abstain theLord opens the door and enters; for the Lord is unable to open andenter so long as evils are in man’s thought and will, since theseblock the way and close it up. Moreover, it has been granted toman by the Lord to know the evils of the thought and will, as alsothe truths by which evils are to be dispersed; for the Word is givenwherein these things are disclosed.[3] From this it can be seen that nothing is lacking that man maybe reformed if he wishes to be; for all the means of reformationhave been bequeathed to man in his freedom; but it should be wellknown that this freedom is from the Lord, as was said above, andthat the Lord effects reformation thereby, provided man, from thefreedom that is given to everyone, receives. There must absolutelybe reception on the part of man, which is meant by “If anyone hearMy voice and open the door.” It does not matter, if man, becausehe does not perceive the inflowing, does not know in the beginningthat this is from the Lord, provided be afterwards believes from theWord that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from theLord, for the Lord effects these things, although man does notknow it, and this by His perpetual presence, which is signified by “Istand at the door and knock.” In short, it is the Lord’s wish thatman of himself should abstain from evil things and do good, if heonly believes that the ability to do so is not from man, but from theLord; for it is the Lord’s will that there be reception on man’s part,and reception is possible only as man acts as of himself, though it isfrom the Lord. Thus something reciprocal is given with man, andthis is his new will.[4] From this it can be seen how mistaken those are who say thatman is justified and saved by faith alone, because he cannot do