第九节 信仰随其所联结者而定判决
654# 信仰与其所联结的对象决定判决：若真信仰与善联结，判决就是永生；但若信仰与恶联结，判决就是永死。基督徒所行的仁义之工，与外邦人所行的仁义之工，在外在形式上看起来相似；因为二者都向同伴行文明与道德之善，这些善在某方面类似于爱邻之善。甚至，人可以施舍穷人，帮助贫乏者，在圣殿中听道；但谁能由此判断这些外在的善在内在形式上是否相似，也就是说，它们是否既是属世的，也是属灵的呢？这一点只能由信仰来断定；因为信仰限定这些善的性质。信仰使上帝在这些善之中，并在内在人里面将这些善与自己联结；由此，属世的善就在内里成为属灵的善。
事实确是如此，这一点可从“论信仰”一章中的论述更充分地看出；那里已经证明以下几点：
信仰在与仁义联结以前，并没有生命；仁义因信仰而成为属灵的，信仰也因仁义而成为属灵的；没有仁义的信仰，因其不是属灵的，就不是信仰；没有信仰的仁义，因其没有生命，就不是仁义；信仰与仁义彼此相互应用并联结；主、仁义和信仰成为一，如同生命、意志和理智成为一；但若它们被分开，各自都要灭亡，如同结合体碎裂成尘。
654# 基督徒所做的仁爱作为和异教徒所做的仁爱作为，在外在形式上看起来是一样的，因为他们都对同伴或同胞实践文明和道德的善行。这些善行在某些方面类似于对邻之爱的善行。事实上，两者都可以救济穷人，帮助有需要的人，在教会听讲道；然而，谁能据此判断，这些外在的善行在内在形式上是否是一样的，或换句话说，这些属世的善行是否也是属灵的？这只能从信仰中得出结论，正是信仰决定了它们的品质，或赋予了它们品质，因为信仰使神在它们里面，并把它们与内在人中的它自己结合在一起；正因如此，属世的善行从内在变成属灵的。事实就是这样，这一点可从信仰那一章所论述的主题更清楚地看出来，那里确立了以下事实：信仰在与仁爱结合之前，不是活的信仰。仁爱从信仰那里变成属灵的，信仰从仁爱那里变成属灵的。没有仁爱的信仰因不是属灵的，故不是信仰；没有信仰的仁爱因不是活的，故不是仁爱。信仰和仁爱相互和可互换地应用和结合。主、仁爱和信仰，就像人的生命、意愿和理解力一样构成一体；如果它们分开，各自都会像珍珠化为粉末一样灭亡（TCR 355-367节）。
654. It Is What Our Faith Is United to That Determines the Verdict We Receive. If We Have a True Faith That Is United to Goodness, the Verdict Is Eternal Life; If We Have a Faith That Is United to Evil, the Verdict Is Eternal Death
Deeds of goodwill appear similar in outward form regardless of whether they are done by Christians or non-Christians. Both kinds of people exercise civility and morality by doing good things for their companions, and these are at least somewhat like actions of love for their neighbor. Indeed, non-Christians give to the poor, help the needy, and hear sermons in places of worship. Who is in a position, though, to judge whether those acts, which are good in outward form, are also good in inward form - that those earthly good actions are also spiritually good? The only basis for such a conclusion is the faith that accompanies those actions. It is faith that reveals their quality. Faith brings God into those actions; faith also unites itself to those actions in the inner self, which causes deeds of earthly goodness to become inwardly spiritual.
The truth of this can be fully seen in the chapter on faith, in the following points made there: Faith is not alive before it is united to goodwill. Goodwill becomes spiritual through faith, and faith becomes spiritual through goodwill. Faith without goodwill is not real faith, because it is not spiritual; goodwill without faith is not real goodwill, because it has no life. Faith and goodwill apply themselves to each other and are united mutually and reciprocally. The Lord, goodwill, and faith form a unity in the same way our life, our will, and our intellect form a unity; if we separate them, each one crumbles like a pearl that is crushed to powder [362-367].
654. IX. It is what faith combines with which is the deciding factor. If true faith combines with good, that is a decision for everlasting life; but if faith combines with evil, that is a decision for everlasting death.
Charitable acts performed by a Christian and by a heathen look similar in external form, for one like the other does to his fellow the good actions prescribed by politeness and morality. These are in part similar to the good deeds of love towards the neighbour. Both in fact may give to the poor, help the needy, listen to sermons in churches. But who can judge from that whether those external good actions are similar in internal form, whether, that is, the natural good is also spiritual good? No conclusion about this can be reached except by taking faith into consideration, for it is faith that determines their quality. It is faith that causes God to be in them and links them with itself in the internal man. It is this that makes natural good deeds inwardly spiritual. The truth of this can be seen at more length from the discussions in the chapter on faith, where the following propositions are proved.
Faith is not alive until it is combined with charity. Charity becomes spiritual as the result of faith, and faith becomes spiritual as the result of charity. Faith without charity, not being spiritual, is no faith, and charity without faith, being lifeless, is no charity. Faith and charity attach and link themselves each with the other. The Lord, charity and faith make one, just as life, will and the understanding do; but if they are separated, each of them is destroyed like a pearl collapsing into dust [355-367].
654. IX. FAITH, WITH THAT TO WHICH IT IS CONJOINED, IS WHAT DETERMINES THE VERDICT; IF A TRUE FAITH IS CONJOINED TO GOOD, THE VERDICT IS FOR ETERNAL LIFE; BUT IF FAITH IS CONJOINED TO EVIL, THE VERDICT IS FOR ETERNAL DEATH.
The works of charity done by a Christian and those done by a heathen appear in outward form to be alike, for one like the other practises the good deeds of civility and morality toward his fellow, which in part resemble the deeds of love to the neighbor. Both, even, may give to the poor, aid the needy and attend preaching in churches, and yet who can thereby determine whether or not these external good deeds are alike in their internal form, that is, whether these natural good deeds are also spiritual? This can be concluded only from the faith; for the faith is what determines their quality, since faith causes God to be in them and conjoins them with itself in the internal man; and thus natural good works become interiorly spiritual. That this is so may be seen more fully from the subjects treated of in the chapter on Faith, where the following points are made clear:
Faith is not living faith until it is conjoined with charity. Charity becomes spiritual from faith, and faith from charity. Faith apart from charity, since it is not spiritual, is not faith; charity, apart from faith since it is not living, is not charity. Faith and charity apply and conjoin themselves to each other mutually and interchangeably. The Lord, charity, and faith make one, like life, will, and understanding, but when separated they all perish like a pearl reduced to powder.
654. IX. FAITH DECIDES THE ISSUE WITH WHAT IT CONJOINS ITSELF. IF TRUE FAITH CONJOINS ITSELF WITH GOOD, THE DECISION IS FOR ETERNAL LIFE; BUT IF FAITH CONJOINS ITSELF WITH EVIL, THE DECISION IS FOR ETERNAL DEATH.
Works of charity, done by a Christian and by a heathen, are the same in outward appearance, for they both perform the good deeds of the civil and moral life towards their fellow citizens. These in some respects are similar to the good works of love towards the neighbor; both indeed may give to the poor, assist the needy, and listen to sermons in churches; but who can judge whether such external deeds are also good in their internal form, or, in other words, whether the natural deeds are also spiritual? This can only be decided from the faith, for it is this which gives them their quality; for faith causes God to be in them, and conjoins them with itself in the internal man; and it is from this that natural good works become inwardly spiritual. That this is the case may be more clearly seen from what was said in the chapter on Faith, where the following facts are established:
"Faith is not living before it is conjoined with charity. Charity becomes spiritual from faith, and faith from charity. Faith without charity, not being spiritual, is not faith; and charity without faith, not being living, is not charity. Faith and charity apply and conjoin themselves to each other reciprocally. The Lord, charity and faith make one, like life, will and understanding in man; and if they are divided, each perishes like a pearl reduced to powder."
654. Quod Fides cum quo se conjungit, faciat sententiam, si fides vera se conjungit cum bono, fit sententia pro vita aeterna, at si fides se conjungit cum malo, fit sententia pro morte aeterna.
Opera charitatis, quae fiunt a Christiano et quae ab Ethnico, in externa forma apparent similia, nam unus sicut alter facit bona civilitatis et moralitatis consocio, quae quoad partem similaria sunt bonis amoris erga proximum, imo potest dare pauperibus, opitulari egenis, in templis auscultare conciones; sed quis potest inde judicare, num bona illa externa sint similia in interna forma, seu naturalia sint etiam spiritualia; de hoc non potest concludi nisi ex fide, nam fides qualificat illa, fides enim facit ut Deus sit in illis, et conjungit illa secum in interno homine, inde fiunt bona naturalia interius spiritualia. Quod ita sit, plenius videri potest ex transactionibus in Capite de Fide, ubi demonstrantur sequentia haec, Quod fides non vivat antequam charitati conjuncta est. Quod Charitas ex fide, et fides ex charitate spiritualis fiat. 1 Quod fides absque charitate, quia non est spiritualis, non sit fides, et quod charitas absque fide, quia non vivit, non sit charitas. Quod 2 fides et charitas se applicent et conjungant mutuo et vicissim. Quod Dominus, Charitas et Fides unum faciant, sicut vita, voluntas et intellectus, at si dividuntur, unumquodvis pereat, sicut unio dilapsa in pollinem.
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