New Church Life July/August 2017 | Page 8

n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 7 Writings. And that light will be ever more intense and meaningful to us in heaven as the complexity of doctrine coursing through the Word becomes more and more simple, understandable and meaningful in our spiritual lives. All the various denominations in Christianity have constructed arcane doctrines to separate themselves from one another. But these differences need never exist, we are told, “if we considered love for the Lord and charity for our neighbor the chief concern of faith. If we did, these distinctions would simply be differences of opinion on the mysteries of faith. True Christians would leave such issues up to the individual and the individual’s conscience. In their hearts they would say, ‘A person who lives as a Christian – who lives as the Lord teaches – is a real Christian.’” Then one common faith would emerge out of all the churches and “all disagreement due to doctrine would vanish . . . and the Lord’s kingdom would come on earth.” (Secrets of Heaven 1799.4) Indeed, we are told, “Love to God and love toward the neighbor are the whole of the Word.” (True Christian Religion 287) From Genesis through Revelation those are the unifying and overriding principles. So out of