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248. (Verse 20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. That this signifies the perpetual presence of the Lord is evident from the signification of door, or gate, as being, in the highest sense, the Lord as to introduction into heaven or into the church, and in the internal sense truth from good which is from Him, because by it man is admitted into heaven (concerning this see above, n. 208). Here, because it is said by the Lord, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" signifies His perpetual presence, and at the same time His perpetual will, because He wills to admit into heaven, and also does admit; and He conjoins Himself with all who receive Him, which is effected by means of truths from good, or by faith from charity; therefore it follows, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Because mention is made of a door, mention is also made of knocking, which signifies the Lord's perpetual will of conjoining Himself with man, and of communicating to him the happiness of heaven. That this is the case, is evident from this, that in the Lord is Divine love; and Divine love consists in the will to give all its own to others, and in the will that they may receive it. And because this can be accomplished only by the reception of good and truth, or love and faith, by man, because these are the Divine things which proceed from the Lord and are received, and, being Divine, the Lord Himself is in them, therefore conjunction of the Lord with angels and with men is effected by means of truths from good, or by means of faith from love. To will to give these things and to implant them in man, is specifically signified by I stand at the door and knock.
[2] There are two things in man's free-will from the perpetual presence of the Lord, and from His perpetual will of conjoining Himself with a man. THE FIRST is, that he has the capability and the faculty of thinking well concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour; for every one can think well or ill concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour; if he thinks well, the door is opened, if otherwise, it is shut. To think well concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour, is not from man and his proprium, but from the Lord, who is perpetually present, and by perpetual presence gives him that capability and faculty; but to think ill concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour, is from man himself and his proprium. THE SECOND THING in the free-will of man from the perpetual presence of the Lord with him, and from His perpetual will of conjoining Himself with him is, that he is able to abstain from evils, and in proportion as he does this, in the same proportion the Lord opens the door and enters. For the Lord cannot open and enter so long as evils are in a man's thought and will, because these oppose and close the door. It has been granted to man by the Lord to know the evils of his thought and will, also the truths by means of which these evils are to be dispersed; for the Word has been given, where those things are made known.
[3] From these considerations, it is evident that nothing is wanting in order that a man may be reformed if he will, for all means of reformation are left to man in his free-will; but it should be well understood that that free-will is from the Lord, as said above, and hence that the Lord operates those things, if man, from free-will, which is given to every one, is receptive. Reception must be entirely on man's part, which is meant by If any one hear my voice, and open the door. It is of no consequence that a man, in the beginning, does not know that this is from the Lord, because he does not perceive the influx, if he only believes afterwards from the Word that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from the Lord; for the Lord effects those things, although man is ignorant of the fact; and this by His perpetual presence, which is signified by I stand at the door and knock. Finally, the Lord wills that man from himself should abstain from evils and do good, only believing that the faculty of so doing is not from himself, but from the Lord. For the Lord desires that a man should be receptive; and reception can be given only as man acts as of himself, although it is from the Lord; thus also a reciprocal faculty is given with man, which is his new will.
[4] From these considerations it is evident how much those are deceived who say that man is justified and saved by faith alone, because he cannot do good of himself. And what else would such belief be, but that man would hang down his hands and expect immediate influx? and he who did this could receive nothing at all. Those also who believe that they can dispose themselves for influx by prayers, adorations, and other externals of worship are mistaken; for these things are nothing unless a man abstains from thinking and doing evils, and by means of truths from the Word leads himself as of himself to goods as to life; if a man does these things, then he disposes himself, and in such case his prayers, adorations and external acts of worship, avail before the Lord. (Upon this subject more may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 521-527.)
248. Verse 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, signifies the perpetual presence of the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "door or entrance," as being in the highest sense the Lord in respect to admission into heaven or into the church, and in the internal sense truth from good, which is from Him, since by this man is admitted (See above, n. 208), since it is here said by the Lord, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock," not only His perpetual presence is signified, but also His perpetual wish to admit, and He does admit and conjoin Himself with all who receive Him, which is effected by means of truths from good or by means of faith from charity; therefore this follows, "If anyone hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." As the word "door" is used, so the word "knocking" is used, which signifies the Lord's perpetual wish to conjoin Himself with man, and to communicate to him the blessednesses of heaven. That this is the meaning can be seen from this, that in the Lord is Divine love, and Divine love is wishing to give all its own to others, and wishing that they may receive Him; and as this can be effected only by man's receiving good and truth, or love and faith, since these are the Divine things that proceed from the Lord and are received (and as these are Divine, the Lord is in them), therefore there is conjunction of the Lord with the angels and with men by means of truths from good or by means of faith from love. The desire to give these things to man and to implant them in him is signified especially by, "I stand at the door and knock."
[2] There are two things that are in man's freedom by reason of the perpetual presence of the Lord, and His perpetual desire to conjoin Himself with man. The first thing therefrom in man's freedom is that he has the means and faculty to think well about the Lord and the neighbor; for everyone is able to think well or ill about the Lord and the neighbor; if he thinks well the door is opened, if ill it is shut. To think well about the Lord and the neighbor is not from man himself and from what is his own [ejus proprio], but from the Lord, who is perpetually present and by His perpetual presence gives man that means and faculty; but to think ill about the Lord and the neighbor is from man himself and from what is his own [ejus proprio]. The other thing which is in man's freedom by reason of the perpetual presence of the Lord with him, and the Lord's perpetual desire to conjoin Himself with man, is man's ability to abstain from evils; and so far as he does abstain the Lord opens the door and enters; for the Lord is unable to open and enter so long as evils are in man's thought and will, since these block the way and close it up. Moreover, it has been granted to man by the Lord to know the evils of the thought and will, as also the truths by which evils are to be dispersed; for the Word is given wherein these things are disclosed.
[3] From this it can be seen that nothing is lacking that man may be reformed if he wishes to be; for all the means of reformation have been bequeathed to man in his freedom; but it should be well known that this freedom is from the Lord, as was said above, and that the Lord effects reformation thereby, provided man, from the freedom that is given to everyone, receives. There must absolutely be reception on the part of man, which is meant by "If anyone hear My voice and open the door." It does not matter, if man, because he does not perceive the inflowing, does not know in the beginning that this is from the Lord, provided he afterwards believes from the Word that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from the Lord, for the Lord effects these things, although man does not know it, and this by His perpetual presence, which is signified by "I stand at the door and knock." In short, it is the Lord's wish that man of himself should abstain from evil things and do good, if he only believes that the ability to do so is not from man, but from the Lord; for it is the Lord's will that there be reception on man's part, and reception is possible only as man acts as of himself, though it is from the Lord. Thus something reciprocal is given with man, and this is his new will.
[4] From this it can be seen how mistaken those are who say that man is justified and saved by faith alone, because he cannot do good from himself. What else would this be than letting his hands hang down waiting for immediate influx? He who does this receives nothing at all. They also err who believe that they can make themselves receptive of influx by prayers, adorations, and the externals of worship; these things are of no effect unless man abstains from thinking and doing evils, and by truths from the Word leads himself, as of himself, to things good in respect to life; when man does this he makes himself receptive, and then his prayers, adorations, and externals of worship avail before the Lord. (On this see more in the work on Heaven and Hell 521-527.)
248. (Vers. 20.) "Ecce sto ad ostium et pulso." - Quod significet praesentiam Domini perpetuam, constat ex Significatione "ostii" seu "januae", quod in supremo sensu sit Dominus quoad intromissionem in caelum aut in ecclesiam, et in sensu interno verum ex bono quod ab Ipso, quia homo per id intromittitur (de qua supra, n. 208); hic quia dicitur a Domino, "Ecce sto ad ostium et pulso", significatur perpetua Ipsius praesentia, et simul perpetua Ipsius voluntas quod velit intromittere; et quoque intromittit omnes et Se conjungit omnibus qui Ipsum recipiunt, quod fit per vera ex bono seu per fidem ex charitate; quare sequitur, "Si quis audiverit vocem meam et aperuerit ostium, intrabo ad illum, et cenabo cum illo et ille Mecum." Quia "ostium" dicitur, etiam dicitur "pulsare"; et per id significatur perpetua voluntas Se conjungendi cum homine et communicandi cum illo felicitates caeli: quod ita sit, ex eo constare potest, quod in Domino sit Divinus Amor, ac Divinus Amor est velle dare omne suum aliis, ac velle ut recipiant Ipsum; et hoc quia non fieri potest aliter quam per receptionem boni et veri seu amoris et fidei ab homine, quoniam haec sunt Divina quae procedunt ab Ipso et recipientur, et quia Divina sunt est Ipse in illis, ideo conjunctio Domini cum angelis et hominibus est per vera ex bono seu per fidem ex amore. Haec velle dare et implantare homini in specie significatur per "Sto ad ostium et pulso."
[2] Sunt duo quae in libero hominis sunt, ex perpetua praesentia Domini, et ex perpetua Ipsius voluntate Se conjungendi cum illo: – Primum quod inde est in libero hominis, est quod ei sit copia et facultas bene cogitandi de Ipso et de proximo; quisque enim de Domino et de proximo bene aut male cogitare potest; si bene cogitat aperitur ostium; si male, clauditur: bene cogitare de Domino et de proximo non est ab homine et ejus proprio, sed a Domino, qui perpetuo praesens est et per perpetuam praesentiam dat ei illam copiam et facultatem; at male cogitare de Domino et de proximo est ab ipso homine et ejus proprio. Alterum quod in libero hominis est ex perpetua praesentia Domini apud illum, et ex perpetua voluntate Ipsius conjungendi Se cum illo, est quod possit abstinere a malis; et quantum abstinet tantum aperit Dominus ostium et intrat; non enim potest Dominus aperire et intrare quamdiu mala in cogitatione et voluntate hominis sunt, nam haec obstant et claudunt. Datum etiam est a Domino scire mala cogitationis et voluntatis, tum vera per quae discutienda sunt; nam datum est Verbum, ubi illa retecta sunt.
[3] Ex his constare potest quod nihil desit quin homo reformari possit si velit; omnia enim media reformationis relicta sunt homini in ejus libero: sed probe sciendum est quod liberum illud sit a Domino, ut supra dictum est, et inde quod Dominus operetur illa, si homo ex libero, quod cuivis datum est, recipiat; receptio ab homine omnino erit, quod intelligitur per "Si quis audierit vocem meam et aperuerit ostium." Nihil facit quod homo in principio non sciat quod a Domino, quoniam non percipit influxum, modo ex Verbo dein credat quod omne bonum amoris et verum fidei sit a Domino; Dominus enim operatur illa tametsi homo nescit, et hoc ex perpetua Ipsius praesentia, quae significatur per "Sto ad ostium et pulso." In summa, Dominus vult ut homo ex se abstineat a malis et agat bona, modo credat quod facultas ita faciendi non sit ab homine sed a Domino: vult enim Dominus ut receptio sit apud hominem; et receptio non aliter datur quam ut homo sicut ex se faciat, tametsi est ex Domino; sic etiam datur apud hominem reciprocum, quod est nova ejus voluntas.
[4] Ex his constare potest quantum falluntur qui dicunt quod homo justificetur et salvetur per solam fidem, quia non potest bonum facere a se. Quid hoc foret aliud quam remittere manus, et exspectare immediatum influxum? Is qui hoc facit, prorsus nihil recipit. Errant etiam qui credunt se posse disponere ad influxum per preces, adorationes et externa cultus: haec nihil faciunt, nisi homo abstineat a cogitando et faciendo mala, et per vera ex Verbo se sicut a se ducat ad bona quoad vitam; si homo haec facit tunc se disponit; et tunc preces, adorationes et externa cultus coram Domino valent. (De his plura videantur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 521-527.)