New Church Life Mar/Apr 2014 | Page 23

    a garland. Arcana Coelestia 9931 says “and grave upon it with the engraving of a signet.” Can’t do that on a garland! In Apocalypse Revealed 300, “A crown was given him … In ancient times kings wore crowns in battle.” This is in the context of overcoming temptations and going forth to conquer. Is this not what the crown of churches is all about? Conjugial Love 786:  The New Church is the crown of all churches. It is clear from all the references that none but a king’s golden crown is meant, not a garland. But what is also most important is the spiritual meaning of a crown. It is clear that we would be falsifying the New Word if we changed the translation from “crown” to “garland.” From the meaning of “crown” the New Church has to be the crown of churches, not the garland of churches. It is all too easy for us in our unregenerate states to try to make the New Word fit our natural inclinations and perceptions rather than try to make them coincide with the Word. There is the thought in the idea of substituting “garland” for “crown” that we should be inclusive and practice charity, embracing all. Charity is not a matter of living in a nice warm environment with all other religions. Charity is our own spiritual state, and the spin-off from that is that we live amicably with everyone.  But we must love only the spiritual good in others; that does not mean accepting their religious beliefs.  It is a wonderful idea that we can live on earth as if we are one universal church, but that is not the reality of our unregenerate world. This is earth, not heaven.  Yes, if we all lived in true charity the doctrinal differences would only be of degree. Yes, there is the number that says if we all live in love to the Lord we will all be of His universal church, but these statements refer to heaven.  Those who have confirmed themselves in falsehoods will be in hell. Those who have believed falsely from ignorance are shown the ways of the new heaven, and if they accept them they live in heaven