Editing Swedenborgianism (section)

=== Christ, the Church, and salvation ===
Since, without the aid of divine truth, man remains in a state of Ignorance, the salvation of humanity has always required that a unifying connection between God and the minds of men is maintained through the "Word", or divine revelation of truths required for regeneration.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swedenborg |first=Emanuel |title=New Jerusalem |publisher=Swedenborg Foundation |year=2016 |edition=New Century |pages=158 (par. 249)}}</ref> The "Church", as a term, refers to any people, culture, or religion where "the Lord is acknowledged and the Word exists".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swedenborg |first=Emanuel |title=New Jerusalem |publisher=Swedenborg Foundation |year=2016 |edition=New Century |pages=151 (par. 242)}}</ref> The term does not simply refer to Christendom. Christianity’s predecessor, Judaism, as well as all other faiths of the world, though imperfect, are or were, at one point, expressions of the Word. Anyone who believes in God and loves goodness and truth is part of the Church and may be regenerated.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swedenborg |first=Emanuel |title=New Jerusalem |publisher=Swedenborg Foundation |year=2016 |edition=New Century |pages=151 (par. 244–245)}}</ref>

Swedenborg divides history into a series of churches, or stages of the Church, that were born and eventually "died", that is to say, became "naturalistic" and devoid of spiritual truth, serving the fears and worldly desires of man rather than providing regeneration.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Swedenborg |first=Emanuel |title=New Jerusalem |publisher=Swedenborg Foundation |year=2016 |edition=New Century |pages=152 (256: 4–5)}}</ref> Because of this, the equilibrium between heaven and hell became more and more unbalanced towards the powers of hell prior to the coming of Christ, threatening the entire human race.<ref>TCR, n. 3.</ref>

It is for this reason that God took human form. By doing so, he could provide man with a means of regeneration through his teachings and fight hell directly; Jesus experienced temptation, conquered it, descended into hell, and defeated the forces of evil.<ref>TCR, n. 139–155.</ref>

The New Church differs from older Christian churches on the notion that Christ's death was redemption itself; "The belief that the passion of the cross was redemption itself is a fundamental error of the church; and that error, together with the error concerning three Divine persons from eternity, has perverted the whole church, so that nothing spiritual is left in it."<ref>TCR, n. 132.</ref> The [[Crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]] was the last temptation endured by Jesus.<ref>TCR, n. 126.</ref>