New Church Life July/August 2016 | Page 27

         body, and if it were separated it would be, as was said, like living in a house that has no foundation. For moral and civil life is the active plane of the spiritual life, since to will well is the province of the spiritual life, and to act well of the moral and civil life, and if the latter is separated from the former the spiritual life consists solely of thought and speech, and the will, left with no support, recedes; and yet the will is the very spiritual part of a person. (Heaven and Hell 529) What is a person to do when spiritual principle and the law of the country he lives in differ? In a country like the United States there can be political efforts to change a law that seems in opposition to spiritual principle. If the issue is important enough to a person and changing the law seems unlikely he or she may choose civil disobedience. The person can consciously disobey the law knowing that it may lead to civil consequences. At times people have taken even more extreme steps. Our celebration of Independence Day is a reminder of a time when enough people in the original Thirteen Colonies decided to dissolve the political bonds that tied them to England and its king. They decided to become an independent and separate country. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence knew that if the American Revolution was suppressed and defeated they could forfeit their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. The short term consequences of their declaration were anything but easy and hopeful. But the longer results have proved a blessing to millions who followed. Those of us who are committed to the cause of the New Church in this world can find ourselves out of step with the broader culture in which we live. Priorities of church, marriage and family that the Lord teaches us about in the Heavenly Doctrine are appreciated in some quarters but viewed as quaint, provincial or wrong-headed by others. Consider the young woman who looks forward to marrying a husband and has committed herself to a chaste life prior to marriage. Friends, acquaintances and others can be mystified by this commitment. As we well know we may face opposition not just from individuals but from legal decisions of the country we inhabit. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: Those of us who are committed to the cause of the New Church in this world can find ourselves out of step with the broader culture in which we live. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16) 339