5612. 'Then I shall be sinning against you every day' means the good of the Church will not exist any longer. This is clear from the representation of Judah, who says this about himself, as the good of the Church, dealt with in 5583, 5603; from the meaning of 'sinning' as a separation, dealt with in 5229, 5474, thus the fact that it will not exist since that which is separated from someone does not exist with him any more; and from the meaning of 'every day' as for ever, thus not any longer. These words were spoken by Judah because the good of the Church has no existence without the intermediary, which is represented by 'Benjamin', between the internal and the external. For when either the good or the truth of the Church flows from the internal into the external it does so through the intermediary; consequently the existence of the intermediary is just as vital as the existence of the good of the Church, which is why Judah goes as surety for Benjamin. The non-existence of the good of the Church unless the intermediary is present is meant by these words spoken by Judah, while the non-existence of the truth of the Church is meant by those uttered by Reuben, 5542.