Conjugial Love (Rogers) n. 351

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

351. (15) Of the latter, even though polygamous, those are saved who acknowledge God and from religion live according to civil laws of justice. All in the entire world are saved who acknowledge God and live according to civil laws of justice as a matter of religion. By civil laws of justice we mean such injunctions as are found in the Ten Commandments, namely, not to commit murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to bear false witness. These injunctions are civil laws of justice in all countries of the earth, for without them no state would survive. [2] However, some people live according to them out of fear of the law's penalties, some out of a civic obedience, and some as a matter of religion as well; and those who live according to them as a matter of religion as well are saved. That is because God is then in them; and any person who has God in him is saved. Who does not see that when the children of Israel set out from Egypt, they had among their laws not to commit murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to bear false witness, since their fellowship or society could not have survived without those laws? And yet the same laws were then proclaimed by Jehovah God on Mount Sinai in a stupefying and miraculous manner. But the reason they were so proclaimed was to make those laws also laws of religion, so that people might do them not only for the good of society, but also for God, and in doing them for God out of religion, be saved. [3] It can be seen from this that pagans who acknowledge God and live according to civil laws of justice are saved. For it is not their fault that they know nothing regarding the Lord, consequently nothing regarding the chastity of marriage with one wife. Indeed, it is contrary to Divine justice that any be condemned who acknowledge God and live according to laws of justice as a matter of religion, which is to abstain from evils because they are against God and do good things because they accord with God.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church