DL 19 - In the Word to Love Means to Perform Uses

DL 19

In the Word to love means to perform uses,
because love is will,
and to will is to do.

. . . to love is to do because it is to will;
for whatever a man loves that he wills;
and what he wills that he does if it is possible;
and if he does not do it because it is not possible,
it still comes into interior act,
which is not made manifest.
For no endeavor or volition can exist in man
unless it comes into ultimates;
and when it is in ultimates it is in interior act,
although this act is not perceived by anyone,
not even by the man himself,
because it exists in his spirit.
From this it is that volition and act are a one,
and that the volition is counted as the act.
This does not apply to the natural world,
because in that world
the interior act of the will does not appear,
but it applies to the spiritual world,
for there it is seen.
For all in the spiritual world act according to their loves;
those who are in heavenly love act sanely;
those who are in infernal love act insanely;
and if because of any fear they do not act,
their will is interiorly active,
but is restrained by them from breaking forth;
nor does this action cease until the volition ceases.

Since, then, the will and the act are a one,
and will is the endeavor of love,
it follows that in the Word "to love"
has no other meaning than to do;
thus that "to love the Lord and to love the neighbor"
means to perform uses to the neighbor from love
which is from the Lord.
That this is so the Lord Himself teaches in John:

He that has My commandments and does them,
he it is that loves Me;
but he that loves Me not
keeps not My words.
(John 14:21, 24)

In the same:

Abide in My love.
If you have kept My commandments
you shall abide in My love.
(John 15:9, 10)