923. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it, signifies that they who enter will bring with them the confession, acknowledgment, and faith, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that every truth of the church and every good of religion is from Him. That by "bringing glory and honor into it" is signified to confess the Lord, and to ascribe to Him all the good that is with them, may be seen above (n. 921); here the same is signified, with the difference, that they who are there meant by "the kings of the earth" are to bring it with them, but here that they who are meant by "the nations;" for it is said, "they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it" and by "nations" are signified they who are in the good of life, and believe in the Lord (n. 920), and also the reception of those who are in truths from the good of love from the Lord is treated of, see above (n. 922). Hence it follows that by "they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it" is signified that they who enter in will bring with them the confession, acknowledgment, and faith that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that all the truth of the church, and all the good of religion is with him. Nearly the same is signified by these things in Isaiah:
I will extend peace over Jerusalem, the glory of the nations like a torrent (Isa. 66:12).
It is said the truth of the church and the good of religion, because the church is one thing and religion is another. The church is called a church from doctrine, and religion is called religion from a life according to doctrine. All doctrine is called truth, and also its good is truth because it only teaches it; but the all of life according to the things which doctrine teaches, is called good, likewise to do the truths of doctrine is good. This is the distinction between the church and religion. But yet where there is doctrine and not life, there it cannot be said that there is either the church or religion, because doctrine regards life as one with itself, just like truth and good, faith and charity, wisdom and love, understanding and will; wherefore where there is doctrine and not life, there is no church.