could not be reformed. Because good and evil are a matter of our free
choice we become guilty when we act on our own initiative on behalf of
evil, and innocent when we act on our own initiative on behalf of good-
ness. Because evil is the Devil and goodness is the Lord, we become
guilty if we act on behalf of the Devil, and innocent if we act on behalf
of the Lord. The free choice that we all have makes it possible for us to
be reformed.
[ 5 ] The same situation exists for all of us with our inner and outer
selves. These selves are two distinct things, yet they are reciprocally
united. Our inner self acts on and in our outer self, but not through it.
Our inner self contains thousands of things. Our outer self takes from our
inner self only what is suited for some useful purpose. In our inner self,
the part of our mind that enables us to have volition and perception,
there are arrays of concepts in enormous quantities. If these concepts
flowed out through our mouths they would be like a blast of air from an
industrial bellows. Our inner self, with its universe of contents, is compa-
rable to an ocean, a large flower garden, or a park. The outer self takes
from it just as much as it needs to get something done.
When the Lord’s Word is quite thoroughly present in our inner self it
too is comparable to an ocean, a large flower garden, or a park. In that
case we speak and act on our own initiative on behalf of the Word. The
Word does not act through us. The same is true in regard to the Lord,
because he is the Word, that is, the divine truth and the divine goodness
in it. The Lord acts on his own (or from the Word) on us and in us, but
not through us, because we act and speak freely on the Lord’s behalf
when we act and speak from the Word.
[ 6 ] The point here can be more accurately illustrated by the mutual
interaction between soul and body. The soul and the body are two dis-
tinct things, yet they are reciprocally united. The soul acts on and in the
body but not through it. Instead, the body acts on its own initiative on
behalf of the soul.
The soul does not act through the body in that the soul and the body
do not consult and engage in decision making with each other. The soul
does not command or request the body to do this or that, or say this or
that with its mouth. The body does not call for or petition the soul to
give it, or supply it with, something. Everything belonging to the soul
belongs to the body, mutually and reciprocally.
The same is true for the divine and the human natures in the Lord.
The Father’s divine nature is the soul of his human nature, and the
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