TCR 470, 471 - Life

TCR 470

It is generally believed 
that life is in a person and is his own, 
and consequently 
that he is not only a form receptive of life, 
but actually is life. 
This general belief arises from the appearance, 
for he lives, that is, he feels, thinks, 
speaks and acts altogether as of himself. 
This proposition, then, 
that a person is a form receptive of life, 
and not life itself, 
cannot but seem to be 
like something hitherto unheard of, 
or like a paradox, 
opposed to sensual thought, 
because contrary to the appearance. 
. . . The cause, however, of this fallacy 
derived from appearance 
is that most people at this day are natural, 
and few are spiritual. 
The natural person judges from appearances, 
and the fallacies consequently derived 
are diametrically opposed to this truth, 
that a person is merely a form receptive of life 
and not life itself.

TCR 471

Who does not see, if he can think 
from reason elevated above 
the sensual things of the body, 
that life cannot be created? 
For life is nothing else than 
the inmost activity of love and wisdom, 
which are in God and which are God; 
and this life may also be called living force itself. 
He who sees this can also see 
that this life cannot be transferred to any person, 
except together with love and wisdom. 
No one denies, or can deny, 
that all the good of love and all the truth of wisdom 
are from God alone; 
and that as far as a person receives these from God 
he lives from God, 
and is said to be born of God, that is, regenerated. 
On the other hand, so far as any one 
does not receive love and wisdom, 
or what is the same, charity and faith, 
so far he does not receive life 
which in itself is life from God; 
but he receives from hell 
not another life, but life inverted, 
which is called spiritual death.