lives a good life from conscience can enter heaven.
Our role in helping to establish this New Church goes back to The Great
Commission at the end of the book of Matthew: “Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you.” (Matthew 28:19,20)
“Teaching all nations” sounds daunting – more than we may feel up to
attempting. But we do that just by the way we live the truth as we know it.
Consider this challenge from Helen Keller, who had a right to feel much
more limited in what she could do than most of us. Speaking at a national
meeting of Swedenborgians in Washington, DC, in 1928 – and when was the
last time we had a “national meeting of Swedenborgians”? – she said:
“It seems to me the New Church has a great mission in the world. The
people are in need of just the message that Swedenborg gave for mankind.
Instead of merely listening to that message, we should go out and teach it. I
want to see the New Church put on its beautiful garments and shake itself
from the dust of aloofness.”
The world is still in need of the message – just as it was on the 19th of
June in 1770 when that Holy City began descending, just as it was in Helen
Keller’s vision almost 90 years ago, just as it is today. We need to put on those
“beautiful garments” of “a bride adorned for her husband,” shake off that
aloofness that often holds us back or apart, and do what we are commanded
to do in establishing this New Church: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.”
We know we will never be alone. The vision of the New Church descending
ends with the promise: “I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and
morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever, let him take the
water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:16,17)
The “bright and morning star” signifies that God “will come with a new
light to herald His New Church, which is the Holy City New Jerusalem.”
(Apocalypse Revealed 954)
The whole purpose of the Second Coming portrayed in Revelation and
explained in the Heavenly Doctrines is to take away our blindness by shining
a new light of truth. Then we can see and judge for ourselves what kind of
spiritual life we will lead – and model for others.
We are just to take – and use – that light of the “bright and morning star.”
“Ye are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
(Matthew 5:14, 16)
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