Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 1643

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

1643. THAT NO ONE TAKES AUGHT OF CREDIT TO HIMSELF IN HEAVEN BECAUSE HE HAS TAUGHT MANY THINGS. The spirits of two individuals known to me in their lifetime, and who had been distinguished as teachers, and had labored with exemplary diligence in preaching, began to say that they were now also prompted by a [similar] desire of teaching. I perceived that the desire by which they were influenced in their lifetime has thus, as it were, revived, but the motive by which it was prompted was concealed from me. But when certain others, who were high above me, and who, as I presume, were teachers while in the world, on which count they were now exceedingly high in heaven, entered into conversation with me respecting a certain one who when living on earth had been actuated by an intense love of teaching, so that it seemed to constitute his very life, I thence took occasion for further converse, and remarked that I knew not whence their ardent desire of teaching arose, though I knew that they had been of such a quality In the life of the body. But there are some who are prompted to that pursuit from a desire of being accounted wise in the estimation of the world, this being in fact their grand incentive; wherefore from such a pursuit or labor they can expect no reward in heaven, inasmuch as their motive is selfish, to wit, to acquire the reputation of wisdom. Others [engage in it] with a view to becoming great and being promoted to honors; others for the sake of gain; others forcedly, having an eye to the compensation, though their delights are rather in other and worldly things; others again from a natural inbred love for the employment, so that they could reasonably expect nothing [by way of remuneration] therefrom. Indeed as to what concerns this zeal in teaching it is not their own, but the Lord's, as they themselves confess in their preachings. Wherefore if anyone places merit in such an occupation, he obtains nothing in heaven.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church