Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 9820

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9820. To sanctify him. That this signifies thereby a representative of the Divine truth in this kingdom, is evident from the signification of "to be sanctified," as being to be imbued with Divine truth from the Lord; for the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord is what is called "holy" in the Word, for the reason that the Lord alone is holy, thus whatever proceeds from Him (see n. 9680). From this it is that the holiness which proceeds from Him is called "the Holy Spirit" (as shown just above, n. 9818, and on which subject see also what was adduced in the passages cited in n. 9229). [2] From this it is plain how it is to be understood that angels, prophets, and apostles are called "holy" ("holy angels" in Matt. 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; "holy prophets" in Rev. 16:6; 18:20; and "holy apostles" in Rev. 18:20), that is, not that they were holy from themselves, but from the Lord; "holy angels" because these are receptions of the Divine truth which is from the Lord, and therefore by them in the Word are signified truths Divine, and in general something of the Lord (n. 1925, 2821, 4085, 4295); "holy prophets" because by these is signified the Word which is Divine truth, and specifically doctrines derived from the Word (n. 2534, 3652, 7269); and "holy apostles" because by these is signified all the truth of faith and all the good of love in the complex (n. 3488, 3858, 6397). [3] That the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is holiness itself, thus the Lord, from whom is this holiness, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which may now be adduced only the words of the Lord in John:

Father, sanctify them in Thy truth; Thy Word is truth. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified in the truth (John 17:17, 19);

from this it is evident that it is the Lord who sanctifies man, spirit, and angel, because He alone is holy (Rev. 15:4), and that they are holy only insofar as they receive of the Lord, that is, insofar as they receive from Him of faith and love to Him.


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