new church life:
september/october 2015
It works this way:
A person would not be very different from [the animals], if he were as free to act
as he is free to think; he too would be impelled only by his bodily senses at the
promptings of lust and pleasure. The case is different if he drinks in the spiritual
teachings of the church and uses them to control his free will. The Lord leads him
away from lusts and wicked pleasures and the innate longings he has for these; he
strives after good, and turns his back on evil. He is then moved by the Lord nearer
to the east and at the same time to the south in the spiritual world, and brought into
heavenly freedom, which is true freedom. (True Christian Religion 478:3)
Let us keep in mind that only the Lord can tell us how to get to heaven and
He lays the steps for us to take in the Word. Everything happens according to
order; there is a process to everything. How we see the Lord, what we think
about Him and our relationship with Him determines our way of life, and
this determines where we will end up in eternity. But as long as we are doing
something to avoid all evil, such as described in Revelation 21: 8, and trying to
live a good life based on the Lord’s teachings, He will be with us and lead us to
true heavenly freedom.
Amen.
The Rev. Ryan M. Sandstrom is pastor of the Ivyland New
Church in Ivyland, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife,
Daniela (Nobre), and their family.
Contact: [email protected]
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