AC 4273 - States of Truth & Good Evolve; AC 4274 - "Wrestling"

AC 4273 - States of Truth & Good Evolve

. . . the state of truth and good
is of one kind of the beginning,
of another in its progress,
and still another in the end . . ..

AC 4274 - "Wrestling"

And there wrestled a man with him.
(Genesis 32:24)

That this means temptation as to truth,
is evident from the meaning of "wrestling,"
as being temptation.
Temptation itself is nothing else
than a wrestling or combat;
for truth is assaulted by evil spirits
and is defended by the angels
who are with the person.
The perception of this combat by the person
is the temptation.
But no temptation can take place
unless the person is in the good of truth,
that is, in the love or affection of it.
For he who does not love his truth,
or is not affected by it,
cares nothing for it;
but he who loves it
is in anxiety lest it should suffer injury.
Nothing else produces
the understanding life of person
except that which he believes to be true,
nor his will life
except that which he has impressed upon himself
as being good;
and therefore when that is assaulted
which he believes to be true,
the life of his understanding is assaulted;
and when that which he has impressed upon himself
as being good is assaulted,
the life of his will is assaulted;
so that when a person is being tempted,
his life is at stake.
That the first of combat is as to truth,
or concerning truth,
is because this is what he principally loves,
and that which is of anyone's love is
that which is assaulted by evil spirits;
but after the person loves good more than truth,
which takes place when the order is being inverted,
he is tempted as to good.
But what temptation is few know,
because at this day few undergo any temptation,
for no others can be tempted
than those who are in the good of faith,
that is, in charity toward the neighbor.
If they who are not in this charity were to be tempted,
they would succumb at once;
and they who succumb come into
the confirmation of evil and the persuasion of falsity;
for the evil spirits with whom they are thus associated
then conquer within them.
This is the reason why at this day
few are admitted into any spiritual temptation,
but only into some natural anxieties,
in order that they may thereby be withdrawn
from the loves of self and of the world,
into which they would otherwise rush without restraint.