A New Understanding

Old Testament

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing...

"Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things,
which you do not know."

Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it wiith my whole heart.

The New Testament

"And He will send His angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..."

"See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it."

"Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..."

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things…”

After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter into the city.

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

The Heavenly Doctrines

The Birth of the New Church

The New Christian Church is not being established through miracles such as the Lord's birth on earth, but through revelation of the spiritual sense of the Word and teachings about life after death, and these surpass all miracles.

The Lord's second coming, is not in person, but in the Word, which is from Him and which He is.

After the completion of the book [True Christian Religion], the Lord called together His twelve disciples, who had followed Him in the world; and a day later He sent them all forth throughout the spiritual world to preach the Gospel, that the Lord God Jesus Christ is king, and His kingdom shall be for ever and ever... This happened on the nineteenth of June in the year 1770.

The Nunc Licet Temple 

One day there appeared to me a magnificent temple, square in form, the roof of which was crown-shaped, arched above and raised round about; its walls were continuous windows of crystal; its door was of a pearly substance. Within, on the south side, towards the west was a pulpit, on the right-hand side of which lay the open Word enveloped in a sphere of light, the splendor of which surrounded and illuminated the whole pulpit. In the center of the temple was a sanctuary, before which there was a veil, at that time raised, and there a golden cherub stood with a sword turning hither and thither in his hand.

Afterward, when I drew nearer, I saw this inscription above the door, Nunc Licet - It is now permitted [allowed] - which meant that it is now permitted to enter understandingly into the mysteries of faith.

Enter with Understanding

[I]t is not the Word that constitutes the church, but the understanding of it.

The Word is like a mine containing in its depths gold and silver in great abundance, and like a mine which at greater and greater depths conceals stones more and more precious. These mines are opened in the measure of a person's understanding of the Word.

[T]he Church exists only where the Word is rightly understood.