9032. These last two verses have dealt with spiritual truth - which is truth derived from the Word that composes the teachings and belief of the Church - when it has been weakened by factual truth, which is truth as stated in the literal sense of the Word. But since the common belief is that truth composing the teachings and belief of the Church is one and the same as truth as stated in the literal sense of the Word, let an example serve to shed light on the matter. One genuine truth taught by the Church is that charity towards the neighbour and love to the Lord make the Church with a person, and that these kinds of love are instilled by the Lord through faith, that is, through the truths of faith obtained from the Word, so that faith alone does not make the Church. A person who has embraced this truth and goes to the Word finds it corroborated everywhere. Yet when he comes up against words that speak about faith without any mention at the same time of love, he hesitates and starts to have doubts about the truth he has been taught to believe As a consequence that truth is for a time weakened and separated from the rest which he still believes and does not doubt.
[2] Let the Lord's words in Mark about faith serve as an illustration.
One who believes and is baptized will be saved; but one who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16.
Because these words refer to faith and not at the same time to love the mind may hesitate and have doubts about the truth it has been taught, which is that heavenly love instilled through the truths of faith makes the Church. But when this factual truth - that is, truth as it is stated in the literal sense of the Word - is looked at on a more internal level, it is seen to be in agreement nevertheless with the truth as religious teachings present it For in the internal sense 'being baptized' means being regenerated, 4255, 5120 (end), and being regenerated is being led into the good of love and charity by means of the truths of faith, 8548-8553, 8635-8640, 8742 8747 From this it is clear that the truth as stated in the literal sense of the Word agrees with the truth as presented in religious teachings, provided that what is meant spiritually by 'being baptized' is understood And the reason why it says that 'one who does not believe will be condemned' is that an unbeliever cannot be baptized, that is, be regenerated, nor therefore be introduced into the Church, let alone become a Church. For baptism is the symbol of regeneration, and so of introduction into the Church, which is accomplished [by introduction] into good by means of truths from the Word.
[3] From all this it is now evident how to understand the things that are meant in the internal sense when it says that a man striking his companion with a stone or a fist - and the companion does not die, but lies down in bed - shall be innocent if the companion rises up and walks on his staff, but that he must pay for his cessation [from work], and thoroughly cure him. The meaning in the internal sense is that if a truth contained in the teachings and belief of the Church has been weakened by a factual truth which is derived from the literal sense of the Word, weakened but not wiped out, it is to be made good again and restored, which is accomplished by right explanation.
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