Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/141

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SALVATION OF GENTILES.
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That Gentiles are saved as well as Christians, may be known to those who understand what it is that makes heaven in man. For heaven is in man; and those who have heaven in themselves enter heaven after death. It is heaven in man to acknowledge a Divine and be led by Him.


WHY GENTILES CAN GO TO HEAVEN.

The first and primary thing of every religion is, to acknowledge a Divine. A religion which does not include this acknowledgment, is no religion at all. And the precepts of every religion have respect to worship. That is, they teach how the Divine is to be worshipped in a manner acceptable to Him; and when this is settled in one's mind, yea, in the degree that he wills or loves it, he is led by the Lord.

It is known that Gentiles live a moral life as well as Christians, and that many of them live better than Christians. Men live a moral life either for the sake of the Divine, or from a regard to the opinion of the world. The moral life which is lived for the sake of the Divine is spiritual life. Both appear alike in the external form, but in the internal they are altogether different. One saves man; the other does not. For he who lives a moral life from a regard to the Divine, is led by the Divine; but he who lives a moral life from a regard to the opinions of the world, is led by himself. But let this be illustrated by an example:

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