How Salvation is Attained

Is Salvation Attained by Faith?  Or by both Faith and Charity?

The Debate in Christianity about Salvation...
In Christianity, there has been a debate about how a person is saved...

Is Salvation attained by Faith Alone?  
Or
Is Salvation attained by Faith and Charity Together?

Those Who Are Taught That Faith Alone Saves...

Reformed Christians are taught that Faith Alone saves a person.

Yet even though each Reformed Christian is taught that Faith Alone saves, each Reformed Christian has the freedom to form within their mind their own idea about how this doctrine is to be used in their daily personal life of religion.

The true nature of salvation is illustrated in the following discourse between two different Reformed Christians and an Angel of Heaven recorded in two numbers in the Theological Writings of Swedenborg. From the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning Faith:

What is your Doctrine?... And What Religion did You Form from it?...
( …This is Asked of a Person Who in His Life was in Faith  Separated  from  Charity…)

42. The angel said that with him who was in faith  separated  from charity, he spoke as follows:

[Angel…] "My friend, what are you?"
He replied, "I am a Reformed Christian."

[Angel…] What is your doctrine, and the religion you form from it?"
He replied that “it was faith.”

[Angel…] He then asked, "What is your faith?"
and he answered, "This is my faith: God the Father sent His Son to make satisfaction for mankind, and they are saved who believe this."

The angel then asked him, "What more do you know respecting salvation?"
He replied that “salvation was through that faith alone.”

The angel further asked, "What do you know respecting redemption?"
He replied that “this was effected by the passion of the cross, and that the merit of the Son is imputed through that faith.”

The angel then asked, "What do you know of regeneration?"
He replied that “this is effected by that faith.”

[Angel…] Again, "What do you know of repentance and the remission of sins?"
and he answered that “they are effected by that faith.”

Then the angel said, "Tell me what do you know about love and charity?"
and he answered that “they are that faith.”

[Angel…] Again, "Tell me what do you know about good works?"
and he answered that “they are that faith.”

[Angel…] Again he said, "What do you think about all the commandments in the Word?"
and he replied that “they are included in that faith.”

Then the angel said, "You will therefore do nothing?"
To this he replied, "What can I do? I cannot do good, which is good, of myself."

[Angel…] Again he asked "Can you have faith of yourself?"
and he replied that “he could not.”

The angel thereupon asked, "How then can you have faith?"
to which he replied, "This I do not inquire into. I must have faith."

At length the angel said, "Surely you know something more respecting salvation?"
and he answered, "What more should I know when salvation is effected by that faith alone?"
                                        

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​Then the angel said, "You answer like one who plays but one note on his pipe: I hear nothing but faith. If you know this and no more, you know nothing. Go and behold your companions."

He went away and found them in a desert place where there was no grass.

He asked why that was so, and the answer he received was, "Because there is nothing of the Church in them."

(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Faith, n. 42)


What is your Doctrine?... And What Religion did You Form from it?...
( ... This is Asked of a Person Who in His Life was in Faith  NOT  Separated  from Charity …)

43. With the one who was in faith  not separated  from charity, the angel spoke as follows:

[Angel…] "My friend, what are you?"
He replied, "I am a Reformed Christian."

[Angel…] "What is your doctrine and the religion you form from it?"
He replied that “it was faith and charity.”

[Angel…] He said, "These are two,"
and the other replied that “they cannot be separated.”

[Angel…] He asked, "What is faith?"
and the answer was, "Believing what the Word teaches."

[Angel…] He then asked, "What is charity?"
and was answered, "Doing what the Word teaches."

[Angel…] He then said, "Have you only believed these things or have you also done them?"
and the other replied, "I have also done them."

Then the angel of heaven, looking upon him said, "My friend, come with me and dwell with us [in heaven]."

(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Faith, n. 43)


The Response of the Two Reformed Christians to the Double Question by the Angel… What is your Doctrine?  And What Religion did You Form from it?...

In the two numbers quoted above from the Theological Writings of Swedenborg, an angel spoke to two Reformed Christians.

The angel’s introductory question to each was.., "My friend, what are you?"

Both persons replied…, "I am a Reformed Christian."

Then the angel asked each Reformed Christian a double religious question:
What is your doctrine? And the religion you form from it?"

First Reformed Christian

The first Reformed Christian was in faith separated from charity in his life.

To this double religious question ("What is your doctrine[?], and the religion you form from it?")…,   — He replied…, "that it was faith."

The angel then asked a series of questions: "What is your faith?" "What more do you know respecting salvation?" "What do you know respecting redemption?" "What do you know of regeneration?" "What do you know of repentance and the remission of sins?" "Tell me what do you know about love and charity?" "Tell me what do you know about good works?" "What do you think about all the commandments in the Word?" "You will therefore do nothing?" "Can you have faith of yourself?" "How then can you have faith?"  "Surely you know something more respecting salvation?"
​To each of these questions asked by an angel, the first Reformed Christian used the word "Faith" in his answers. And he further indicated could do nothing good of himself, could not have faith of himself, could not inquire into how he could have faith, and only knew he must have faith.

Second Reformed Christian

In contrast, the second Reformed Christian, unlike the first Reformed Christian, thought faith and charity should be conjoined together.

And to the angels double religious question  ("What is your doctrine[?], and the religion you form from it?")…,    — He replied…, "that it was faith and charity."

To the angel's statement that "these [faith and charity] are two…,"   
— the Reformed Christian replied…,   "that they cannot be separated."
 
The angel then asked him three more questions: "What is faith?" "What is charity?" "Have you only believed these things or have you also done them?"
To the first question…, "What is faith?...,"
— the answer was…,   → "Believing what the Word teaches."

The second question…, "What is charity?...,"
 — the answer was…,   → "Doing what the Word teaches."

To the third question…, "Have you only believed these things or have you also done them?,"
— the 2nd Reformed Christian replied…,   → "I have also done them."

Since the second Reformed Christian believed that faith and charity could not be separated, but also conjoined them together in his life by BELIEVING what the Word teaches and by DOING what the Word teaches (doing what the truths of faith teach),  the angel looking upon him said…, "My friend, come with me and dwell with us [in heaven]."


Contrast between the Two Reformed Christians...

Both Reformed Christians used the word “Faith” in their response to the first part of the angel’s double question, — "What is your doctrine[?]".

The difference between these two Christians appeared in their response to the second part of the double question, — "and the religion you form from it?". 

The first Reformed Christian answered the double question with only one religious word…,

"It is Faith." 

The second Reformed Christian answered the double question with two religious words…,

"Faith  and Charity."

The first Reformed Christian's said his doctrine was “faith”. In response the Angels question about what religion he formed out of this doctrine / faith, this Christian thought it was the same thing as his doctrine - “faith”.

This Reformed Christian did not see any difference between “Doctrine” and “Religion”, since he thought that “repentance and the remission of sins”, “love and charity”, “good works”, and “all the things commanded in the Word” are “effected by,”  “through,”  “included in,” or simple “are” “that faith”. This Reformed Christian did not see that DOING the Lord's commandments in the Word was essential for salvation.

The second Reformed Christian also stated that his doctrine was “faith” (Believing what the Word teaches). In response the Angels question about what religion he formed out of this doctrine / faith, this Christian thought it was “charity” (Doing what the Word teaches).

Even though the act of “faith” (Believing what the Word teaches), and the act of forming a religion out of this doctrine / faith in one‘s life, also called “charity” (Doing what the Word teaches), are two separate acts, the second Reformed Christian acknowledged to the Angel that "that they cannot be separated." This Reformed Christian saw that both BELIEVING (Faith) and  DOING (Charity) are essential for salvation.

This illustrates the reality that every person is judged according to their life, according to the religion they form within themselves by the actions in their life, and not merely according to their doctrine alone / faith alone, as the Lord teaches in the Word of the New Testament:

He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and I will love him and will make My abode with him.
(John 14:21, 23).

If ye do My commandments ye shall abide in My love.
(John 15:10).

Faith (Believing what the Word teaches), and Charity (Doing what the Word teaches) are both Essential for Salvation, and not one without the other.

The relationship between Faith and Charity are more fully explained in what follows…
 
The Theological Writings of Swedenborg Explain further What the Relationship is Between Faith and Charity…
  ̶  ̶  Faith… First in Time    ̶  ̶    Charity… First in respect to the End  ̶  ̶

The Theological Writings of Swedenborg explain further the religious relationship between Faith and Charity in the following words...

“Faith, by which is also meant truth, is first in time; but charity, by which is also meant good, is first in respect to the end.

Now that which is first in respect to the end is actually first, because it is primary and consequently first-born [in the mind].

Whereas, that which is first in time is not actually first, but only apparently so.

What happens in the Building of a Temple?   House?   Garden?   Field?...

To make this clear it will be illustrated by comparisons, as by what happens in the building of a temple, and of a house, in the laying out of a garden, and the cultivation of a field.

In the building of a temple, the first thing in time is to lay the foundation, to erect the walls, to put on the roof, and then to place an altar in position and set up a pulpit. But what is first in respect to end is the worship of God therein, the purpose for which those things are done.

In the building of a house, the first thing in time is to build its exterior, and then to furnish it with all necessary conveniences. But what is first in respect to end is a commodious dwelling for the owner and those who are to be of his household.

In the laying-out of a garden, the first thing in time is to level the ground, to prepare the soil, to plant trees, and to sow what will be of use [as food]. But what is first in respect to end is the enjoyment of its fruits.

In the cultivation of a field, the first thing in time is to level the ground, to plough, harrow, and sow. But what is first in respect to end is the harvest, thus also use [of the harvest as food].

From these illustrations all may conclude what is first in itself.
For in building a temple or a house, in laying out a garden and preparing a field, everyone looks to the use [the purpose, the end] in the first place, keeping this ever before him and turning it over in his mind, while he provides the means to attain it, [that is, the means to attain the use, the purpose, the end].

…Truth of Faith is First in Time   ̶   Good of Charity is First in respect to End…

We conclude, therefore, that the truth of faith is first in time, but that the good of charity is first in respect to end. And that the latter, being primary, is actually the first-born in the mind.”

…The propositions concerning faith are:

 I.  A saving faith is faith in the Lord God the Savior, Jesus Christ.

 II.  The sum and substance of faith is that he who lives well and believes rightly, is saved by the Lord.

III.  A man acquires faith by approaching the Lord, learning truths from the Word, and living according to them….

V.  Faith without charity is not faith, and charity without faith is not charity, and neither has any life except from the Lord….”

(True Christian Religion 336 – by Swedenborg)

Salvation is Attained by Both Faith and Charity…

Every Christian agrees that man was created for eternal life, and that every man may inherit it provided he lives according to the means of salvation prescribed in the Word (and so does every heathen who has religion and sound reason).

The Means of Salvation have relation to Living Well and Believing Rightly…

The means of salvation, however, are manifold, and yet they all, in general and in particular, have relation to living well and believing rightly, consequently to charity and faith.

For to live well is charity, and to believe rightly is faith.

These two general means of salvation are not only prescribed to man in the Word, but are also commanded.
​
It follows, therefore, that man can obtain for himself eternal life from power appointed and granted to him by God. So far as man uses this power, and at the same time looks to God, God increases it, so that all that was merely natural charity is transformed into spiritual charity, and all that was merely natural faith into spiritual faith.
(True Christian Religion 340 – by Swedenborg)      

What is your Doctrine?... 
And What Religion did You Form from it?...
(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Faith, n. 42)

The Church is called a Church from Doctrine, and
Religion is called Religion from a Life according to Doctrine…
(Apocalypse Revealed, n. 923)

All Religion has relation to Life, and the Life of Religion is to do Good...
(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Life , n.1)

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