68. The association of man with angels is effected by the natural or literal sense of the Word, also because in every man from creation there are three degrees of life, the celestial, the spiritual and the natural. A man, however, is in the natural degree as long as he continues in this world. He is also in the spiritual degree only so far as he is in genuine truths, and in the celestial degree only so far as his life is in accordance with those truths. Still, he does not actually enter the spiritual or celestial degree itself until after death. But more will be said on this subject elsewhere.