AC 2759 (Preface) - a heresy

AC 2759 - Preface

I tell you that you are Peter,
and on this rock I will build My Church,
and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
(Matt. 16: 15-19)

[2] They who press (rigidly adhere to) the sense of the letter
think that these things were said of Peter,
and that power so great was given him;
although they are fully aware that Peter was a very simple man,
and that he by no means exercised such power;
and that to exercise it is contrary to the Divine.
Nevertheless, owing to the insane and infernal love of self and the world
they desire to arrogate to themselves
the highest power on earth and in heaven,
and to make themselves gods,
they explain this according to the letter, and vehemently defend it;
whereas the internal sense of these words is,
that Faith itself in the Lord has that power,
which exists solely with those who are in love to the Lord
and in charity toward the neighbor:
and yet not faith, but the Lord from whom faith is.
By "Peter" there is meant that faith, as everywhere else in the Word.
Upon this is the Church built,
and against it the gates of hell do not prevail.
This faith has the keys of the kingdom of the heavens,
and it shuts heaven lest evils and falsities should enter in,
and opens heaven for goods and truths.
This is the internal sense of these words.


arrogate - assume or appropriate; to seize without justification
(various sources)