862. Verse 4. These are they that were not defiled with women, signifies those who have not falsified the truths of the Word. This is evident from the signification of "to be defiled and contaminated with women," as being to falsify the truths of the Word, since this has the same signification as "to commit whoredom" and "to play the harlot." That "whoredoms," "harlotries," and "adulteries," which are so often mentioned in the prophecies of the Word, signify falsifications and adulterations of the truth and good of the doctrine of the church, thus of the Word, may be seen above (n. 141, 161, 511, 695, 803); therefore it is added "for they are virgins," which signifies that they are in the affection or love of truth for the sake of truth. It is said that these hundred forty-four thousand "are not defiled with women, for they are virgins," because these hundred forty-four thousand mean all who are in truths from good; and those who are in truths from good cannot falsify truths, because good opens the spiritual mind, which receives light from heaven and enlightens the natural mind; therefore when truths appear they are acknowledged and received, and falsities are rejected. It is altogether different with those who are in truths without good. Such are in falsities, although they believe themselves to be in truths. For truths without good have no light or life; consequently they are inwardly as it were black and dead; and therefore when interiorly regarded by such they are either falsified or are scattered as if they were nothing. Such are the truths of the Word with those who are in faith separated from charity. When these speak from the sense of the letter of the Word they can speak nothing else than truths, since all things of the Word are truths; and yet those things that constitute the sense of the letter are appearances of truth because they are for the simple and for little children, and therefore are adapted to their apprehension. But when one who is in faith separated from charity interiorly examines these appearances of truth and undertakes to draw forth their genuine meaning or genuine truth he falls into falsities, by which he destroys the very truths of heaven, and thus closes heaven to himself. It is otherwise with those who are in truths from good; for these are continually enlightened by the Lord; for the Lord flows into good, and through good into truths with man; but not into truths without good, thus not into faith without charity.