It must be understood that only those can acknowledge and confess the Lord in another life who have acknowledged and confessed Him in the world; for the quality characterising a man's acknowledgment and confession therefrom in the world remains after death. Some believe that those who had no faith in the world will still receive it in the other life, when they hear from others, and see for themselves, what it is; as, for example, that there is a God, that the Lord is the Saviour of the world, that the Word is holy, and the like. But I can testify, that those who had no faith in the world, cannot have it after death, although they hear from the angels, and see with their own eyes, what it is.

It was tried with many who had not believed, in order that they might be brought to the faith, but in vain. It was evident, therefore, that according to a man's quality when he dies, such he remains to eternity. This is also meant by the five foolish virgins who had no oil in their lamps, but wished to procure it for themselves; and after they had bought it, and come to the house of the marriage, they were not admitted. By buying oil is signified to procure for themselves, after death, the good of love. There are many who procure for themselves something after death, when they become spirits; but this does not remain, because it was not interiorly rooted in them, as it is with those who, in the world, procure those things for themselves.

[2] The redeemed from the earth signify those who, having been instructed, received the acknowledgment of the Lord in the world. And because by buying is signified to procure the knowledges of truth and good, which is effected by instruction, so by the redeemed here are signified those who received instruction. That by buying and selling is signified to procure for oneself the knowledges of truth and good, and to communicate them to others, may be seen above (n. 840). And the reason why those who, having been instructed, received the faith of God, are said to be redeemed by the Lord is, that those who were estranged by falsities are said to be sold. Hence it is that those who are brought back from falsities to truths - that is, who are taken out of hell by the Lord, and led to heaven - are called the redeemed; and the Lord is called the Redeemer. That to redeem, where it is said of the Lord, signifies to vindicate from evils and set free from falsities, therefore from hell; and thus that it signifies to reform and regenerate, may be seen above (n. 328). That to redeem by His blood, signifies conjunction with the Divine by means of the acknowledgment of the Lord, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him, see above (n. 328, 329). That the Lord as to the Divine Human is called the Redeemer, see also above (n. 328).