93. I have spoken with some in the spiritual world who lived many centuries ago and confirmed themselves in the falsities of their religion, and I found that they remained steadfastly caught up in them.

I have also spoken with some there who were adherents of the same religion and thought as those others did, but who inwardly did not affirm its falsities, and I found that on being instructed by angels, they rejected the falsities and learned truths, and were saved, unlike the others.

Every person after death is instructed by angels, and those who see truths, and falsities in the light of those truths, are accepted. For everyone is given the ability after death to see truths spiritually. Those who have not confirmed themselves in falsities see truths, whereas those who have so confirmed themselves are unwilling to see truths, and if they do see them, they turn their backs on them, and then either deride them or falsify them.

5. 1. What the spiritual meaning is. The spiritual meaning is not the sense that shines from the literal one when one is studying the Word and interpreting it in order to confirm some dogma of the church. This sense is the Word’s literal sense. Rather its spiritual meaning is one not apparent in the literal one. The spiritual meaning lies within the literal one, like the soul within the body, like thought within the eyes, and affection within the face, which operate in concert, like cause and effect.

That spiritual meaning is what principally causes the Word to be spiritual, not only for people, but also for angels. Consequently that meaning is the means by which the Word communicates with the heavens.