AR 923 - The Church and Religion

AR 923

And they shall bring the glory and the honor 
of the nations into it. 
(Revelation 21:26)

This symbolically means 
that those who enter the New Jerusalem 
will bring with them 
a confession, acknowledgment and faith 
that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, 
and that every truth of the church 
and every good of religion 
comes from Him.

. . . Almost the same symbolism
occurs in the following verse in Isaiah:

. . . I will spread peace over (Jerusalem) . . .,
and the glory of the nations like a . . . stream. 
(Isaiah 66:12)

We say the truth of the church 
and the good of religion 
because the church is one thing 
and religion another. 
The church is called a church 
because of its doctrine, 
and religion is called religion
because of its life in accordance with doctrine. 
Every teaching of doctrine is called truth, 
and the good of doctrine is also truth, 
because doctrine only teaches it. 
But every effect of a life 
in accordance with what doctrine teaches 
is what we call good. 
Putting the truths of doctrine into practice 
is also good. 
This is the distinction 
between the church and religion. 
But still, where there is doctrine and not life, 
neither the church nor religion 
can be said to exist, 
because doctrine regards life as united with it, 
altogether like truth and good, 
faith and charity, 
wisdom and love, 
and intellect and will. 
Consequently, where there is doctrine and not life, 
the church does not exist.