The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, Founded on the Precepts of the Decalogue. ¹

by Emanuel Swedenborg

(First published 1763)

Translator’s Table of Contents:

- Every Religion Is a Way of Life, and Its Life Is the Doing of Good, 1

- No One Can of Himself Do Good That Is Good, 9

- Insofar as a Person Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Does Good, Not of Himself, but from the Lord, 18

1. If a person wills and does good before he refrains from evils as being sins, the good that he does is not good. 24

2. If a person thinks and speaks piously, and does not refrain from evils as being sins, his pious thoughts and words are not pious. 25

3. If a person gains much knowledge and wisdom, and does not refrain from evils as being sins, he is still not wise. 27

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Loves Truths, 32

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Has Faith and Is Spiritual, 42

- The Ten Commandments Tell Us What Evils Are Sins, 53

- Every Form of Murder, Adultery, Theft, or False Witness, Including Every Urge to Commit Them, Is an Evil Which Must Be Refrained from as Being a Sin, 62

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Murder as a Sin, So Far He Has Love for the Neighbor, 67

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Adultery as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Chastity, 74

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Stealing as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Honesty, 80

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of False Witness as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Truth, 87

- No One Can Refrain from Evils as Being Sins So as to Turn Away from Them Inwardly Except by Battles Against Them, 92

- A Person Must Refrain from Evils as Being Sins and Fight Against Them as Though of Himself, 101

- If Someone Refrains from Evils for Any Other Reason Than That They Are Sins, He Does Not Really Refrain from Them, but Only Keeps Them from Being Seen by the World, 108

Translator's Notes or Footnotes:

17. That no one can do any good that is good of himself is something the Lord teaches in John:

A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. (John 3:27)

Also in John:

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” means that all good comes from the Lord. Fruit means goodness. “Without Me you can do nothing” means that no one can do good of himself.

People who believe in the Lord and do good from Him are called “sons of light” (John 12:36, Luke 16:8), “sons of the wedding” (Mark 2:19), “sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36), “sons of God” (John 1:12), and “born of God” (John 1:13). We are told that “they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). That the Lord will make His abode with them (John 14:23). That they have faith in God (Mark 11:22). That their deeds are done from God (John 3:21).

These tenets are summed up in the following words:

As many as received (Jesus), to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13) To believe in the name of the Son of God is to believe the Word and live in accordance with it. The will of the flesh is the native character of a person’s will, which in itself is evil, and the will of man is the native character of his intellect, which in itself is falsity springing from evil. People born of these are those who will and act, and think and speak, in accord with their native self. People born of God are those who do these in obedience to the Lord.

In sum, good is not good that originates from man, but good is good that originates from the Lord.