Monday, September 03, 2012

AC 3464 - correspondence & the angels or spirits with us

AC 3464
. . . all matters of doctrine
drawn from the literal sense of the Word
include interior truths within them.
For the literal sense of the Word 

is like a well with water in it,
in that every single thing in the Word
holds within itself the internal sense,
which resides also in matters of doctrine
drawn from the Word.

[2] The situation with matters of doctrine
drawn from the literal sense of the Word
is that when anyone possesses them
and at the same time lives according to them
a correspondence exists within himself.
For the angels who reside with him
are alive to the interior truths 

when he is alive to the exterior;
and in this way he has communication with heaven
by means of matters of doctrine,
though this is conditioned by how good a life he leads.
For example, when at the Holy Supper
this person in simplicity
thinks about the Lord from the words
'This is My body' and 'This is My blood'
the angels residing with him
have in mind
love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor;
for love to the Lord
corresponds to the Lord's body and to the bread,
while charity towards the neighbor
corresponds to His blood and to the wine.
This being the nature of the correspondence,
there flows from heaven
by way of the angels
into that holiness present with the person at that time
an affection which he receives
according to the good within his life.

[3] Actually angels dwell with every person
in the affection that belongs to his life,
and so in the affection for the matters of doctrine
according to which he lives,
but never in the matters of doctrine
with which his life is at variance.
If his life is at variance with them,
as it is if his affection is to gain position and wealth
for himself by means of matters of doctrine,
the angels in that case depart
and spirits from hell dwell in that affection.

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