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Within
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Contrasting Beliefs
From the pages 'What the Bible
Says...', we have the following list of contrasts between the Orthodox ideas
and the New Church ideas presented here:
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Orthodox Idea: If you just believe, God will overlook all your sins. God punishes unbelievers, even if they are caring, good people.
- New Church Idea: God's mercy involves helping us become better people. God is willing to forgive everyone, and is more concerned how we live than with what we believe.
- References from Swedenborg:
Heavenly Secrets 8393,
Heavenly Secrets 9443-9454,
True Christian Religion 611-614
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Orthodox Idea: God is Three Persons. Jesus is Son of God, a separate Person from the Father.
- New Church Idea: God is One Person: Jesus Christ. The Father is the Soul, the Son is the Body, and the Holy Spirit is the Activity of the One Divine Person.
- References from Swedenborg: True Christian Religion 81-133, Doctrine of the Lord 29-36, 45-46, 55-60,
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Orthodox Idea: The Holy Spirit is the Third Person in the Trinity.
- New Church Idea: The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is the regenerating and enlightening influence of Jesus Christ, not of some third person.
- References from Swedenborg:
True Christian Religion 138
-
Orthodox Idea: We are saved instantly just by believing that Jesus died for our sins. We don't need to put any effort into our salvation.
- New Church Idea: Faith alone is not enough. We must actively resist evil, while acknowledging that the effort to resist comes from God.
- References from Swedenborg: Doctrine of Life 92-107,
True Christian Religion 596-600
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Orthodox Idea: We are saved instantly as soon as we believe in Jesus, without effort or good works.
- New Church Idea: Regeneration is a gradual process taking many years, involving effort, love, good works.
- References from Swedenborg: Heavenly Secrets 4063,
True Christian Religion 601-614.
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Orthodox Idea: Celibacy is better than marriage.
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New Church Idea: Marriage love is heavenly, spiritual, holy, pure and clean.
- References from Swedenborg:
Married Love 155-156
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Orthodox Idea: The husband is the head of the wife.
-
New Church Idea: Husband and wife are equals before God.
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References from Swedenborg:
Married Love 125-127
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Orthodox Idea: Adam and Eve were actual people.
-
New Church Idea: Adam and Eve were symbols of the Lord and His Church.
- References from Heavenly Secrets Chapters 1-3.
-
Orthodox Idea: Blood means death; Jesus saved us by dying a bloody death.
- New Church Idea: Blood means Life and Truth; Jesus saves us by giving us life and truth.
- References from Swedenborg: True Christian Religion 132,
Heavenly Secrets 9127
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Orthodox Idea: God punishes people, bad things are a result of His will.
- New Church Idea: The Lord wills only good, but permits bad things for the sake of our freedom.
- References from Swedenborg:
Divine Providence 275-284
-
Orthodox Idea: Angels are a superior race, created before humans
- New Church Idea: Angels are people who have died and gone to heaven.
- References from Swedenborg:
Heaven and Hell 311-317
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Orthodox Idea: This planet will be destroyed by wars and disasters, and Jesus will appear in the clouds to save the true believers.
- New Church Idea: Jesus comes as the Spirit of Truth, bringing about spiritual change.
- References from Swedenborg: True Christian Religion 753-791.
- Orthodox Idea: True believers will be caught up in the air when Jesus comes.
- New Church Idea: Jesus' coming will elevate our minds to a higher level, not our bodies.
- References from Swedenborg: True Christian Religion 753-791.
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Orthodox Idea: After death a person will remain asleep in the ground until the end of the world, when the body will rise.
- New Church Idea: We rise into the spiritual world immediately after death, and never assume our earthly bodies again.
- References from Swedenborg: Heaven and Hell 453-460, Last Judgment 14-27.
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Orthodox Idea: Satan was created as an angel, then rebelled.
- New Church Idea: Satan is all of the people in hell working as a unit.
- References from Swedenborg: Heaven and Hell 311-317.
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