SS 914 , 93 - Heresies

SS 91

It has been shown above
that the Word cannot be understood apart from doctrine,
and that doctrine serves as a lamp
in whose light genuine truths may be seen.
And the reason is that the Word was written
solely in terms of correspondences.
As a result, the Word contains
many appearances of truth that are not naked truths,
and was much accommodated
to the comprehension of natural people,
even of sensual people,
yet at the same time it was written in such a way
that simple people can understand it in simplicity,
the intelligent in intelligence,
and wise in wisdom.

Now because that is the nature of the Word,
the appearances of truth,
which are truths clothed,
may be seized on as naked truths.
And when these are affirmed,
they become falsities.

People who do this, however,
are people who believe themselves wiser than others,
even though they are not wise.
For it is the part of wisdom to see
whether something is true before affirming it,
and not to affirm whatever one pleases.
People who do the latter
are people who possess a talent
for defending their affirmations
and are caught up in a conceit in their own intelligence.
But those who do the former
are people who love truths,
who are affected by them because they are true,
and who apply them to useful life endeavors.
For they are enlightened by the Lord
and see truths in the light of those truths,
in contrast to the first people
who create their own enlightenment
and see falsities also in the light of those falsities.

SS 93

Every person after death is instructed by angels,
and those who see truths,
and falsities in the light of those truths,
are accepted.
For everyone is given the ability after death
to see truths spiritually.
Those who have not
confirmed themselves in falsities see truths,
whereas those who have so confirmed themselves
are unwilling to see truths,
and if they do see them,
they turn their backs on them,
and then either deride them or falsify them.