We also read in John, “As the Father has life in himself, so he also 40
granted the Son to have life in himself ” (John 5 : 26 ). This means that as
the Divine itself that has existed from eternity is alive in itself, so also the
human aspect that it acquired in time is alive in itself. “Life in itself ”
means the absolute and only life from which all angels and people on
earth are alive.
Our reason is capable of seeing this in relation to the light that radi-
ates from the sun in the physical world. That light cannot be created, but
the forms for receiving it can. Our eyes are forms tuned to receive that
light. When the light flows in from the sun, we see. It is similar with life.
Life, as I just pointed out [§ 39 ], is light radiating from the sun in the
spiritual world. That light too cannot be created, but it is at all times
flowing in. As it enlightens our intellect, it also brings it to life. Because
light, life, and wisdom are one, wisdom cannot be created either, nor can
faith, truth, love, goodwill, or goodness; but forms for receiving those
things have been created. They are human and angelic minds.
Be very careful, then, not to convince yourself that you are alive
from yourself—do not think you are wise, have faith, are loving, per-
ceive truth, or will or do what is good from yourself. As people do con-
vince themselves of these things, they cast their mind down from heaven
to earth and change from being spiritual to being oriented to nature,
their own senses, and their own body. They close the higher regions of
their mind. Doing so blinds them to everything having to do with God,
heaven, or the church. Then whatever they happen to think, reason, or
say on these subjects is ridiculous, because they are in the dark. At the
same time, ironically, they gain greater confidence in the wisdom of their
perspective. Since the higher regions of their mind are closed, where the
true light of life makes its home, a lower region of their mind opens up
that is attuned only to the glimmer of the world. That glimmer, devoid
of light from the higher regions, is faint and deceptive. In it, false things
seem true and true things false; argumentation on false premises seems
like wisdom, and on true premises seems like madness. People like this
truly believe they have the visual powers of an eagle, when in fact they
cannot see what comes from wisdom any more than a bat can see in
broad daylight.
4. Love and wisdom are united in God.All the goodness of love and 41
goodwill comes from God, and so does all the truth of wisdom and of
faith, as any wise person in the church knows. In fact, all human reason
is capable of seeing that this is true, once it is aware that love and wisdom
originate in the sun that surrounds Jehovah God in the spiritual world;
§41 god the creator & creation 59