102. Be thou faithful even unto death' signifies a reception and acknowledgment of truths (veritas) until untruths have been removed and, as it were, abolished. By 'Be thou faithful unto death' in the natural sense is understood that to the end of life they are not going to lapse from faithfulness; but in the spiritual sense is understood that they are going to be receiving and acknowledging truths (veritas) until by their means untruths have been removed and, as it were, abolished. For this sense is properly for those who are in the spiritual world, for whom there is not any death, and therefore by 'death' here is understood the end of their temptation. It is said 'until they are, as it were, abolished', because the untruths and evils with a man are not abolished, but removed; and when they have been removed they appear as though abolished, because when the evils and untruths have been removed the man is kept in goods and truths by the Lord.