63. A religious persuasion has prevailed that no one can fulfil the Law; and the Law is, not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to bear false witness. Every civil and moral man can fulfil these precepts of the Law from civil and moral life; but that he can fulfil them from spiritual life this religious persuasion denies. Thus it follows that his abstinence from doing these evils is merely to avoid punishments and losses in the world, and not to avoid punishments and losses after he has left the world. Hence it is that the man with whom the above-mentioned religious persuasion prevails, thinks these evils lawful in the sight of God, but unlawful in the sight of the world.
[2] On account of this thought, from this religious persuasion of his, the man is in the lust of all these evils, and only refrains from doing them on account of the world. Such a man, therefore, after death, although he had not committed murder, adultery, theft and false witness, still lusts to do them; and further, he does them when the external which he had in the world is taken away from him. Every lust remains with man after death. Hence it is that such persons act in unity with hell, and cannot but have their lot with those who are in hell.
[3] Another lot, however, awaits those who, because to do these things is against God, do not will to kill, to commit adultery, to steal and to bear false witness. After some combat against these evils they do not will them, and consequently they do not lust to do them, saying in their hearts that they are sins, in themselves infernal and diabolical. These, after death, when the external which they had for use in the world is taken away from them, act in unity with heaven; and because they are in the Lord, they also come into heaven.
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