Spiritual Meaning of
Spiritual Meaning of |
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But perfect signifies the truth which is from charity, for there is truth from many another origin; but that which is from the good of charity from the Lord is called perfect and a perfect man, as in David:--
Who shall sojourn in Thy tent, who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He that walketh perfect, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart (Ps. 15:1, 2).
The perfect (or complete) man is here described. Again:--
With the holy Thou wilt show Thyself holy; with the perfect man Thou wilt show Thyself perfect (Ps. 18:25),
where the perfect man is one who is so from holiness, or the good of charity. And again:--
Jehovah will withhold no good from them that walk in perfectness (integritate) (Ps. 84:11).
[3] That a perfect man is one who is true from good, or who speaks and does truth from charity, is evident from the words walk and way being often applied to what is perfect, that is, to wholeness or entirety, and also the words upright or uprightness, which words pertain to truth. As in David:--
I will teach the perfect in the way how far he shall come unto me. I will walk within my house in the perfectness of my heart (Ps. 101:2);
and in the sixth verse:--
He that walketh in the way of the perfect, he shall minister unto me (Ps. 101:6).
Again:--
Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah (Ps. 119:1).
And again:--
Perfectness and uprightness shall guard me (Ps. 25:21).
And in another place:--
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace (Ps. 37:37).
It is evident from these passages that he is called righteous who does what is good, and that he is called perfect who does what is true therefrom, which also is to do righteousness and judgment. Holiness and righteousness are the celestial of faith; perfectness and judgment are the spiritual thence derived.
from AC 612
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| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |