Two-Fold Judgment

By: Zach Franzen

            “For judgment I have come into this world” (John 9:39). “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47). Why does the Lord say these apparently contradictory statements? What role does the Lord play in judgment? Who gives judgment? More from the Lord in John, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (5:24). Okay, so those who believe in His word do not come into judgment. “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him” (John 12:47). Wait! He won’t judge those who don’t believe in His words? If those who do not believe in the Lord’s words are not judged by Him, and those who believe His words pass through judgment, then who is it that receives judgment, and who hands out judgment? In an attempt to tackle these questions, and understand why the Lord said these apparently contradictory statements we will explore the two-fold nature of judgment: judgment from good and judgment from truth.

           

Judgment from good

             To be judged from good is to be saved. To understand what it means to be judged from good we must first understand the source of good. Despite many verses in the Word mentioning God’s wrath and anger, God is the only true source of good. For the sake of clarity, “God” and “the Father” both represent the same thing--this source of good. God is not just the only source of good, but is also incapable of evil. The Father from himself can do nothing but save, because the goodness that comes from Him contains mercy itself.  To be judged from good is to be saved, because good is unable to condemn anyone.

How can I be judged from good? Swedenborg lays out the prerequisites in Arcana Coelestia: “Those judged from good are saved since they have accepted good…Good is the Lord's, and those who acknowledge this in life and faith are the Lord's, and are therefore saved” (§2335, #2). To accept good form the Lord is to live a life of charity, while acknowledging in our thoughts and actions that all good is from the Lord.

Judgment from truth

            Where the “God” and “the Father” represent good, the “Son” or “Jesus” represents truth. The Lord says in John, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (5:22). We see that it is impractical for the Father to judge because He would lift all in to heaven. All judgment has been given to the Son because it is Divine truth that judges and condemns. Swedenborg states that the reason why truth judges instead of good is that Divine good judges no one, because it explores no one; but Divine truth [judges], because it explores every one (A.E. §297). Upon this exploration of Divine truth is the separation of truth from falsity. For this reason apocalyptic literature often describes this aspect of Divine truth as a “sword” or a “sickle” that separates (A.E. §908).

So, the Father has given all power to judge to the Son because it is the truth that judges. Just as we begin understand this concept Swedenborg, right on cue, makes a statement that seems to undermine everything; “The Lord judges no one by Divine truth, but Divine truth viewed in itself, judges that man who receives it not, but rejects it.” Okay, all power to judge has been given to the Son, but he does judge anyone? Who or what does the judging? This is a slippery slope, but needs to be explained. The difference is the “Son” and the “Lord.” The Son, who has been given the power to judge, represents Divine truth, which judges, whereas the “Lord” more specifically represents the conjunction of Divine good and Divine truth, which does not judge. The Son is an aspect of the Lord, while the Lord is more than just the Son. Furthermore Swedenborg says, “The Lord does not judge by Divine truth; but the Divine truth regarded in itself judges those who reject it” (A.E. §907, #3). It is helpful here to recognize that the Word could also be used to represent Divine truth. Those who reject the Word are judged by that word. Swedenborg states this more clearly by saying; “The Word regarded in itself judges man, and not the Lord himself by it” (A.E. §907, #3). This is what is meant by John, “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (12:47-9).

Judgment from good and truth

            Now that we recognize that it is the Divine truth of the Lord –the Word—that judges, Swedenborg on cue, says, “Divine truth separated from good condemns all, and judges all to hell” (A.E. §907, #2). Whoa! Okay, that sounds pretty harsh! In the book of Revelation John explains one of his visions, “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle” (14:14). Swedenborg says, “having on His head a golden crown denotes the Divine Good girded for judgment” (A.E. §907).

            The significance of this crown represents the use of Divine good within the process of judgment. According to Merriam-Webster “gird” means to surround, or encircle. This definition portrays an image of the Divine good surrounding and overlooking in on the judgment of Divine truth, so all are not condemned to hell. Swedenborg specifies the use of Divine good within judgment as, “the separation of good and evil, which precedes judgment” (A.E. §907). Evidence of this can be seen in the visitation that preceded the last judgment of 1757, which Swedenborg describes as “the separation of good and evil” that “precedes destruction” (L.J. §61).

Visitation

            Visitation is an exploration into the last state of a church. The lamenting of angels who can see the growing power of evil from hell brings about visitation. The angels begin to pray to the Lord; in response the appearance is the Lord sending down his angels to announce the coming of the last judgment. The angels here represent the Lord’s Divine truth. The reality of visitation is the Divine good (Lord) sending Divine truth (angels) down to explore in respect to truth and good the state of those receiving visitation and thence separation.

            The Divine good girding Divine truth in judgment is seen in the act of visitation. The effect of visitation was the separation and distancing by means of affections those who are good as to their interiors and exteriors—“sheep,” from those who are good as to their exteriors but evil as to their interiors—“goats.” If this visitation and thus separation did not take place before the last judgment those represented by goats would have dragged those represented by sheep into hell. But this was prevented by Divine good girding or overlooking the judgment of Divine truth. Had the Divine truth visited and judged all would have been plunged into hell because we from our self are completely evil. From this we can see and how and why the Divine good girded or overlooked judgment Divine truth.

            The next logical question that inevitably follows is: What’s the point of judgment if visitation explores and separates? The answer is because the exploration and separation brought about by visitation is a temporary separation to provide distance between sheep and goats allowing a more clean and permanent separation.

The fact that visitation is only temporary is because the Lord allows us freedom and rationality, and wills that we use it to understand the difference between good and evil. We can see this in ourselves as we battle evils. The Lord shows us that our acts are evil and we temporarily turn away from them. But we cannot permanently shun those evils until, from freedom and rationality, we understand what those evils are and how they affect us. It is only then, that we, as if from ourselves, truly shun those evils and in a more permanently turn to the Lord.

This understanding of evil, is brought about by the revelation and thus judgment of Divine truth, and leads to the permanency of heaven and hell; whereas visitation is a temporary separation brought about by the Lord to save those represented by sheep.

Judgment

            Judgment, as said above, is the Divine truth—the Word, from the Lord judging and separating what is true from what is false. We saw that all power to judge was given to the Son, but that the Lord never actually judges anyone, the Divine truth of the Word judges. We can see the Divine truth judging when we look at the revelation of the Heavenly Doctrines, to those living on earth, by the Lord.

By revealing from firsts to lasts, or from the Lord to those living on earth, it allowed spirits to understand these revealed Divine truths. When those on earth read the Word the associative spirits perceive an interior meaning, and come to their own understanding or perception of the nature of good and evil. As those spirits begin to understand and perceive an interior meaning, their ruling loves are uncovered. After their ruling loves are revealed and understood they then choose where they would like to stay permanently, according to their ruling loves they accrued in their life on earth. This is what is meant by the exploration of Divine truth; that it is a personal exploration of your ruling loves. This is why the Swedenborg said, “the Divine truth judges…because it explores every one (A.E. §297).

Conclusion

            Judgment is two-fold; there is judgment from Divine truth girded by Divine good on those who have conjoined good and truth, and judgment from Divine truth on those who have not conjoined good and truth. The former, referred to by Matthew 25:41-46, are to be condemned and the latter, referred to by Matthew 25:34-40, are to be saved.

            Whether we choose to follow the Lord and live our lives according to his truths, or to follow our self, whether it is in this life or the life after death, Judgment is inevitable. How will you be judged? The correct answer is to be judged by Divine truth girded by Divine good. This means living a life of charity, while acknowledging that all good and truth is from the Lord. This seems simple and manageable, yet it is difficult and not easily achieved. But insofar as we try to live a life of charity while acknowledging that all good and truth is from the Lord, the Lord will gird or overlook the judgment of Divine truth by the judgment of Divine good and lift us into heaven.