AC 1304, 1307 - The Destruction of Loving Self

AC 1304

The church is of such a nature
that when charity toward the neighbor departs,
and the love of self succeeds in its place,
the doctrine of faith is of no account
except insofar as it can be turned into the worship of self;
and nothing whatever is accounted holy in worship
unless it is for the sake of self,
and thus unless it is self-worship.
All love of self is attended with this;
for he who loves himself more than others,
not only hates all who are not subservient to him,
and shows them no favor
except when they have become subservient,
but also, insofar as he is not under restraint,
he rushes on even until he exalts himself above God.

AC 1307

The love of self is that
which is least of all
in accord with the heavenly life;
for all evils come from it,
not only hatreds,
but also revenges, cruelties, and adulteries;
and still less does it accord
when it enters into worship, and profanes it.