Heavenly Doctrine (Chadwick) n. 167

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

167. The signs that sins are forgiven, that is, taken away, are the following. Such people feel pleasure in worshipping God for God's sake and in performing services for the neighbour for his sake, and so in doing good for good's sake and in speaking truth for truth's sake. They are unwilling to acquire merit by any charitable act or point of faith, they flee from and loathe evils, enmity for example, or hatred, revenge, or adultery, and even thinking about such things with the intention of doing them. However, the signs that sins are not forgiven, that is, taken away, are the following. These people worship God, but not for God's sake. They perform services for the neighbour, but not for his sake. So they do not do good or speak truth for the sake of good and truth, but for selfish and worldly reasons. They want to acquire merit by their deeds. They experience a not unpleasant feeling in evils, in enmity for example, in hatred, revenge and adultery, and as a result they have no constraints in thinking about them.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church