Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 364

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364. (2) 'If you do not do well, sin is lying at the door', which means that if your desires are not good charity does not exist, but evil. That 'sin lying at the door' means evil at hand and wishing to get in may become clear to anyone. Indeed when charity does not exist hatred and lack of compassion do so, which are the source of all evil. 'Sin' stands in general for the devil, and he, that is, his crew, is at hand when a person is devoid of charity. Only one thing will drive the devil and his crew away from the door, and that is love to the Lord and towards the neighbour.


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