Heaven and Hell: The Portable New Century Edition

(Romina) #1

114 HEAVEN and HELL §218


g. There are two kinds of dominion, one from love for our neighbor and one from love for our-
selves: 10814. Everything good and happy comes from dominion out of love for our neighbor:
10160 , 10814. In heaven, no one wants to be in control because of self-love; all want to be helpful,
and this is governing out of love for their neighbor and is the source of whatever power they pos-
sess: 5732. Everything evil comes from dominion out of self-love: 10038. Once love for oneself
and for the world has begun to take control, people are forced into subjection to dictators simply
in order to be protected: 7364 , 10160 , 10814.

This is the meaning of the Lord’s words to the disciples:


Whoever among you wants to be great needs to minister to you; and who-
ever among you wants to be fi rst needs to serve you; just as the Son of
Humanity did not come to be ministered to, but to minister. (Matthew
20 : 27 – 28 [ 26 – 28 ])

Let the greatest among you be as the least, and the one who is your
guide be as one who ministers. (Luke 22 : 26 )

219 A similar form of government, on the smallest scale, is found in each
household. There is a master and there are servants; and the master loves
the servants and the servants love their master, so out of this love they
serve each other. The master teaches how to live and says what needs to
be done and the servants obey and fulfi ll their functions. Being useful is
the essential delight of life for everyone. We can see from this that the
Lord’s kingdom is an organized structure of functions.

220 There are forms of government in the hells as well; for unless there^
were, they would not be kept in restraint. However, the forms of govern-
ment there are exact opposites of those in the heavens because they all derive
from selfi shness. All people there want to control others and to be pre-
eminent. They hate the people who do not agree with them, and use vicious
means to get even with them because this is what selfi shness is like. So for
them it is the more vicious ones who hold offi ce, and who are obeyed out of
fear.g But more on this later, where I discuss the hells.


Divine Worship in Heaven


221
O

UTWARDLY, divine worship in the heavens is not unlike divine
worship on earth, but inwardly it is different. People there too have
doctrines and sermons and church buildings. The doctrines agree in
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