7950. Unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the house of the pit. That this signifies the falsified truths of faith which are in the last place, is evident from the signification of "the firstborn in the land of Egypt," as being faith separate from charity (as just above, n. 7948), thus also the falsified truth of faith (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "the captive that was in the house of the pit," as being those who are in the last place, for the captive is contrasted with "the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon the throne," whereby is signified the falsified truth of faith which is in the first place (n. 7779, 7949). In the proximate spiritual sense, by "the captive in the house of the pit," is meant one who is in the bodily sensuous, thus in mere thick darkness concerning truths and goods, because not even in the faculty of perceiving, as are they who are in the interior sensuous; hence it is that they are signified who are in the last place.
[2] That "the firstborn in the land of Egypt" denotes the falsified truth of faith, is because "the firstborn of Egypt" denotes faith separate from charity (n. 7948). They who are in this faith are in mere darkness and thick darkness with respect to the truths of faith; for they cannot be in any light, thus not in any perception of what truth is, and whether it is truth. For all spiritual light comes through good from the Lord, thus through charity, for the good of charity is like a flame from which is light; for good is of love, and love is spiritual fire, from which comes enlightenment. He who believes that they who are in evil can also be in enlightenment in respect to the truths of faith, is very much mistaken. They can be in a state of confirmation, that is, they may be able to confirm the doctrinal things of their church, and this sometimes with skill and ingenuity; but they cannot see whether what they confirm is true or not. (That falsity also can be confirmed even so as to appear like truth; and that it is not the part of a wise man to confirm, but to see whether the thing is so, see n. 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680.)
[3] He therefore who is in evil as to life is in the falsity of his evil, and does not believe the truth, however well he knows it. He sometimes supposes that he believes, but he is mistaken. That he does not believe will be granted him to know in the other life, when his perceiving is reduced into agreement with his willing. Then he will disown, hold in aversion, and reject the truth, and will acknowledge as truth that which is contrary, that is, falsity. Hence then it is that they who are in faith separate from charity cannot do otherwise than falsify the truths of faith.