"with publicans and sinners?" - A True Interpretation of the Gospels

 

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A True Interpretation of the Gospels

Swedenborg (1688-1772), who claimed that he could see Heaven and the hell while living in this world, wrote in 1744 a diary to show his thoughts about this world and belief in Christ Jesus and the God: 

[164] Afterwards I came into a state of hesitation, — ^because 

I seemed to be so far separated from God, that I could not yet 

think of Him in a living manner, — whether I should not turn 

my journey homewards. There came a mass of involved rea- 

sonings and motions of the body, but I gathered courage and 

experience and perceived that I had come here in order to do 

the very best and to promote the glory of God, that I had re- 

ceived talent, that everything had helped to this purpose; that 

the spirit had been with me from my youth unto this end. I 

considered myself unworthy to live if I had gone otherwise than 

the right way, and thus I laughed at the other seductive 

thoughts. [165] Thus as to pleasure, wealth, high position, 

which I had pursued, I perceived that all was vanity, and that 

he is the more happy who is not in possession thereof, but is con- 

tented, than the one who does possess them. And therefore I 

laughed at all confirmatory reasonings, and thus by the help of 

God I came to a resolution. May God help ! 

I seemed to hear a hen cackling, as takes place at once after 

she has laid an egg.  

(https://archive.org/stream/emanuelswedenbor00swed/emanuelswedenbor00swed_djvu.txt)

The italic part in the above citation proves that Swedenborg was not brainwashed by Satan, and thus we should trust in him, although "Swedenborg identifies him with "luxury, riches, pride.'" and in the Spiritual Diary 5492-95 describes his death-bed repentance as being of no avail" (ditto).

The point at issue is that being rich is a state of betrayal to the God and Christ Jesus.  And, Satan uses money and worldly wealth to brainwash men.  The more a man thinks of money, the less he loves the God and Christ Jesus. 

Indeed, this is one of major themes of the Gospels.  The Good News mean that there is life after death, the spirit world, and Heaven when poor or unhappy people are welcomed.  For poor and unhappy people in this world, the Gospels and the words of Christ Jesus are really good news, since Christ Jesus declared so with authority given by the God.  And Swedenborg supported the ideas of the Gospels, although there are some biases and confusions in his writings. 

So, even for people suffering from the corona-pandemic, the Gospels must be good news reassuring them of life after death.

In this context, the Pope and other religious leaders in the Christian communities should declare at any occasions that there is life after death and Heaven where poor and unhappy people are welcomed.  If people have really realized the meaning and significance of such declarations, people should become unafraid of death as well as poverty.

Anyway, we had better not try to solve problems or address challenges by use of money.   

But we must ask the God, Christ Jesus, and their Angels to give help, advice and hope.  So, somebody around A.D. 1 around Jerusalem must have prayed and asked the God to send one of His Angles to save Jewish people from the Roman Empire, and in response to such a pleading the God sent His Son Christ Jesus to Palestine 2000 years ago, which should be a true interpretation of the Gospels.  

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Luke 5, King James Version
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.