{"id":13134,"date":"2020-08-16T15:03:49","date_gmt":"2020-08-16T19:03:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordstudy.newchurch.org\/?page_id=13134"},"modified":"2020-08-16T15:03:49","modified_gmt":"2020-08-16T19:03:49","slug":"good-of-truth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/spiritual-glossary\/good-of-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"Good of Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a subtle difference between loving what is good and<\/span><\/h4>\n

loving to do what is good. Loving<\/a> what is good<\/a> comes directly from the heart<\/a>, and is in essence pure emotion<\/a>; it means recognizing goodness because of its goodness, and loving that thing or action itself. Loving TO DO what is good is a step removed, and involves the mind<\/a>. It means loving \"doing good\" as a general concept, and turning to the mind and to knowledge<\/a> to figure out what \"good\" is.<\/p>\n

That latter concept is what Swedenborg<\/a> means by \"the good of truth,\" or \"spiritual<\/a> good,\" and it is a state<\/a> that is far more familiar and far more attainable for us in the modern world, which is so awash in thought, debate and information. If we dedicate ourselves to being good and turn to the Lord<\/a> for guidance, we come into a state where we truly love being good, love being kind<\/a>, love being helpful. But we still have to use our minds, to examine our motives and assumptions and assess what is truly good and what is not.<\/p>\n

Swedenborg says the more exalted state -- where people are in \"the good of love\" -- existed mostly among early humans<\/a> who are now in the highest heavens. They recognize what is good instantaneously what is good because it harmonizes<\/a> with their love of good. They don't need to think about it or measure it or label it or consider it; they can simply feel it. Swedenborg refers to this as a \"celestial<\/a>\" state, as opposed to the \"spiritual\" state of the good of truth.<\/p>\n

Passages from Swedenborg<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4581<\/h4>\n

4581. 'And he poured out a drink-offering onto it' means the Divine\u00a0<\/a>Good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>Truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a drink-offering' as the Divine\u00a0<\/a>Good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>Truth, dealt with below. But first one must say what the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0is. The\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0is that which elsewhere has been called the good of faith, which is love towards the neighbour, or charity. There are two universal kinds of good, the first being that which is called the good of faith, the second that which is referred to as the good of love. The good of faith is the kind of good meant by 'a drink-offering', and the good of love the kind meant by 'oil'. The good of love exists with those whom the Lord brings to what is good by an internal way, while the good of faith exists with those He brings to it by an external way. The good of love exists with members of the celestial Church, and likewise with angels of the inmost or third heaven, but the good of faith with members of the spiritual Church, and likewise with angels of the middle or second heaven. Consequently the first kind of good is called celestial good, whereas the second kind is called spiritual good. The difference between the two is, on the one hand, willing what is good out of a will for good and, on the other, willing what is good out of an understanding of it. The second kind of good therefore - spiritual good or the good of faith, which is the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0- is meant by 'a drink-offering'; but the first - celestial good or the good of love - is meant in the internal sense by 'oil'.<\/p>\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5826<\/h4>\n

[2] What is meant by internal\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0existing if spiritual good is what the Church possesses is this: Spiritual good, which 'Israel' represents, is the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, that is, truth existing in will and action. This truth or\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0causes a person to be a Church. When truth has been implanted in his will - something he perceives to have happened from the fact that he feels an affection for truth because his intention is to live according to it - internal\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0are present in him. When that internal\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0are present in a person he has the Lord's kingdom within him and he is consequently the Church; and together with those who are very similar to him he constitutes the Church at large. From this it may be recognized that for the Church to be the Church spiritual good, which is the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, must exist and not simply truth by itself. At the present day it is by virtue of truth alone that a Church is called the Church, and it is what marks off one Church from another. Let anyone ask himself whether truth is anything unless it has life in view. What are religious teachings without that end in view? What for example are the Ten Commandments if separated from a life led according to them? For if someone knows them and the full extent of their meaning and yet leads a life contrary to them, what use are they? Surely none at all; indeed do they not serve to condemn some people? The same is so with other religious teachings that are derived from the Word. These too, being spiritual laws, are commandments for leading a Christian life; they likewise have no use at all unless they are made a person's guide to life. Let anyone weigh up what resides with himself and discover whether he has anything there which really is anything other than what enters into the life he leads, or whether life which really is his life resides anywhere else in a person than in his will.<\/p>\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5733<\/h4>\n

5733. 'Fill the men's pouches with food' means into the natural, bringing the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'pouch' as the exterior natural, dealt with in 5497, and from the meaning of 'food' as the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, dealt with in 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5487, 5582, 5588, 5655. From these meanings it is evident that 'he commanded the one who was over his house, Fill the men's pouches with food' means an influx from itself into the natural, bringing the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth. Since the expressions 'the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth' and 'the truth of good' occur rather often, the difference between the two should be stated. Anyone unacquainted with what the celestial Church is when compared with the spiritual Church cannot possibly know the difference. The truth of good is a characteristic of the celestial Church, the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0a characteristic of the spiritual Church. With members of the celestial Church good was implanted in the will part of the mind, the proper place for good to be seated. From that good - that is, through that good received from the Lord - they had a perception of truth; that is why the truth of good resided with them. But with members of the spiritual Church good is implanted in the understanding part of the mind, by means of truth; for all truth belongs in the understanding. They are led by means of truth towards good, for good consists for these people in putting truth into practice, which is why the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0resides with them. This is the situation, properly speaking, with those two Churches; but the truth of good is also attributed to those who belong to the spiritual Church, even though they are not properly speaking in possession of it, for reasons which will be discussed elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8649<\/h4>\n

Forms of the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0are truths which have become part of the will and consequently of life; and they constitute the new will that exists with a member of the spiritual Church.<\/p>\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7835<\/h4>\n

7835. 'Then he and his neighbour immediately next to his house shall take one' means being joined to the nearest\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking' - that is, taking along with one's immediate neighbour, a single animal - as being joined together; and from the meaning of 'neighbour next to his house' as the nearest\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth. The meaning of 'immediate neighbour' as the nearest is self-evident; and for the meaning of 'house' as good, see above in 7833. The term '<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth' is used because those belonging to the spiritual Church are the subject, and with them good is the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0being truth present in will and action. For when the truth of faith is received together with charitable affection it is implanted in the inward parts of the mind. And when that truth presents itself again, the affection to which that truth has been linked presents itself too, appearing in the form of good. So it is then that good in that Church is the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, which is also called spiritual good.<\/p>\n

Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 458<\/h4>\n

458. And palms in their hands.- That this signifies that they are in the good of life according to those truths, is evident from the signification of a palm, as denoting the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, or spiritual good, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of hands, as denoting power, and thence all ability in man; see above (n. 72, 79). Therefore their having palms in their hands signifies that the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth\u00a0was in them, or that they were in the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth. The\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, when possessed by any one, is the good of life, for truth becomes good by a life in agreement with it, previously it is not good in anyone. For when truth is in the memory only and thence in the thought, it is not good, but it becomes good when it enters into the will, and thence into act, the will itself being that which transforms truth into good. This is evident from this fact, that what a man wills, he calls good, and what he thinks, he calls truth. For the interior will of man, which is the will of his spirit, is the receptacle of his love. For what a man loves from his spirit, he wills, and what he thence wills, this he does; wherefore the truth which is of his will is also of his love, and whatever pertains to his love, he calls good. From these things it is evident how good in man is formed by means of truths, and that all good, which is good in man, is good of the life. It is supposed that there is a good also of the thought, although it be not of the will, because a man can think that this or that is good; nevertheless it is not good there, but truth. To think what is\u00a0<\/a>good,\u00a0<\/a>is\u00a0<\/a>truth, and also to know and thence to think what is good are classed amongst truths; but if a man so loves that truth which is in the thought as to will, and from willing, to do it, then, because it is of the love, it becomes good.<\/p>\n

[2] This may be illustrated by the following example. There were certain spirits, who, in the life of the body, believed charity to be the essential of the church, and consequently essential for salvation, and not faith alone, and yet the same spirits had not lived a life of charity, for they merely thought and concluded that it was so. But it was told them, that merely to think, and thence believe, that charity saves, was the same thing as believing that faith alone saves, if a man does not will and act; they were therefore rejected. Hence it was evident, that merely to think good, and not to will and do it, does not constitute good in any one. The case would be the same if a man knew truths and goods themselves, and merely from thought protested his belief in them, if he did not give his life to them by willing and doing them. These things are said, in order that it may be known that the\u00a0<\/a>good\u00a0<\/a>of\u00a0<\/a>truth, or spiritual good, when it is really in any one, is the good of life. This therefore, is what is signified by the palms in their hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"\"<\/p><\/div>

Who (or What) is Swedenborg?<\/span><\/h4>\n

The ideas on this site are based on the works of Emanuel Swedenborg<\/a>, an 18th<\/sup>-century Swedish scientist and theologian. Swedenborg claimed that his religious writings, the sole focus of the last three decades of his life, were done at the behest of the Lord<\/a> himself, and constituted a revelation for a successor to the Christian<\/a> Church.<\/p>\n

In keeping with Swedenborg\u2019s own statements, modern believers downplay his role as author, attributing the ideas to the Lord instead. For this reason they generally refer to Swedenborg\u2019s theological works as \u201cthe Writings,\u201d and some resist the label \u201cSwedenborgian\u201d as placing emphasis on the man rather than the message.<\/p>\n

Since \u201cthe Writings\u201d would be an unfamiliar term to new readers, we have elected to use the name \u201cSwedenborg\u201d as a label for those theological works, much as we might use \u201cIsaiah\u201d or \u201cMatthew\u201d to refer to books of the Bible<\/a>. The intent, however, is not to attribute the ideas to Swedenborg, any more than we would attribute the divinity of the Bible to Isaiah the man or Matthew the man.<\/p>\n

So when you read \u201caccording to Swedenborg\u201d on this site, it\u2019s really shorthand for \u201caccording to the theological works from the Lord through Swedenborg.\u201d When you read \u201cSwedenborg says,\u201d it\u2019s really shorthand for \u201cthe theological works of Swedenborg say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is a subtle difference between loving what is good and loving to do what is good. Loving what is good comes directly from the heart, and is in essence pure emotion; it means recognizing goodness because of its goodness, and loving that thing or action itself. Loving TO DO what is good is a […]<\/p>\n

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