AE 695 - For the Lord's Sake

 AE 695 [7, 9]

Rather love your enemies,
and do good and lend,
hoping for nothing again;
then shall your reward be much,
and you shall be sons of the Most High.
(Luke 6:35)

. . . good is not to be done for the sake of recompense,
that is, for the sake of self and the world,
thus not for the sake of reputation, glory, honor, and gain,
but for the Lord's sake,
that is, for the sake of good itself and truth itself
which are with such from the Lord,
thus in which the Lord is.
. . . he who does good and teaches truth from the Lord
is the Lord's son,
but not he who does good from self,
which is what everyone does
who looks to honor and gain as his end.

. . . everyone has heaven in the measure
of his affection of truth and good,
and according to its quality and quantity;
for on these affections
all things of heaven are inscribed,
since no one can have these affections
except from the Lord,
for it is the Divine proceeding from the Lord
in which and from which is heaven.