heard such teaching no longer give thought to any evil of life or any
good of life. Everyone, moreover, is inclined by nature to embrace such
teaching, and once he has done so he no longer thinks about the state of
his life. This is why it is not known that shunning evils as sins is the
Christian religion itself.

[2] That this is unknown was disclosed to me in the spiritual world. I
have asked more than a thousand newcomers from the world whether they
knew that to shun evils as sins is religion itself. They said that they
did not and that it was a new idea which they had not heard before, but
had heard that they cannot of themselves do good and that they are not
under the yoke of the law. When I inquired whether they knew that a man
must examine himself, see his sins, repent and begin a new life and that
otherwise sins are not remitted, and if sins are not remitted, men are
not saved; and when I reminded them that this was read out in a deep
voice to them each time they observed the Holy Supper, they replied that
they paid no attention to that but only to this, that they have remission
of sins by the sacrament of the Supper and that faith effects the rest
without their knowing it.

[3] I asked again, Why have you taught your children the Decalog? Was it
not that they might know what evils are sins to be shunned? Was it only
that they might know and believe, but do nothing? Why is it said that
this is new? To this they could only reply that they know and yet do not
know, and that they never think of the sixth* commandment when they
commit adultery, or about the seventh when they steal or defraud
secretly, and so on, and still less that such acts are contrary to divine
law, thus contrary to God.

* Swedenborg follows the numbering of the Commandments customary with
Lutherans, as with Roman Catholics.

[4] When I recalled to them many things from the teachings of the
churches and from the Word confirming the fact that to avoid and be
averse to evils as sins is the Christian religion's very self and that
one who does so has faith, they fell silent. They were convinced of it,
however, when they saw that all were examined as to their life and judged
according to their deeds, and no one was judged according to faith apart
from life, for everyone has faith according to his life.

[5] Christendom in large part has not known this because by a law of
divine providence everyone is left to act in freedom according to reason
(o