New life Quote by Emanuel Swedenborg
““In the Protestant Christian world, active repentance, which is examining ourselves, recognizing and admitting to our sins, praying to the Lord, and starting a new life, is extremely difficult to practice, for a number of reasons that will be covered later. Therefore here is an easier kind of repentance: When we are considering doing something evil and are forming an intention to do it, we say to ourselves, “I am thinking about this and I am intending to do it, but because it is a sin, I am not going to do it.” This counteracts the enticement that hell is injecting into us and keeps it from making further inroads.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Heaven and Hell, 1758
He proposes a mental repentance: acknowledging sinful intent and refusing to act, which can block temptation.
In simple terms: Admitting intent to sin and refusing to act helps resist temptation.
Key Takeaway
Practice mental acknowledgment of wrongdoing before acting.
Themes
spirituality
self-control
ethics
psychology
religion
Mood
contemplative
spiritual
practical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- therapy
- spiritual counseling
- ethical training
- habit formation
Key Concepts
intention
self-awareness
moral discipline
Questions to Reflect On
- How effective is mental repentance compared to active repentance?
- What supports can strengthen this practice?
A Different Perspective
May not address underlying causes of sinful thoughts.
