2491. True faith is action
I spoke with some in the other life about faith who thought that faith without works saves, or is a saving faith. For when they just say this, many of them who do not understand separate belief in thought and in the understanding from belief in act, and then do not care at all about how they live, supposing that then they must be saved, even though the Lord said that the tree is known by its fruit [Matt. 7:20, Luke 6:44].
Then I was prompted to say that action is real belief, and by a spiritual mental image directed to the grasp and understanding of the spirits, I saw this clearly, namely, that faith in action is true belief, thus action is [true faith], because they are inseparable. The action lives from the faith that is in the action, that is, in the works of charity, because they are inseparable. 1748, 2 July.
2491. THAT TRUE FAITH IS ACTION.
I spoke concerning faith with certain ones in the other life, who supposed that faith without works saves or is saving; for when they say only this, many of those who do not understand separate faith in the thought and in the understanding from faith in the act, and so do not care how they live, supposing therefore that they are to be saved, although the Lord has said that the tree may be known by the fruit; then it was given to say that action is faith itself, and [to address it] to the apprehension and understanding of the spirits who are present: I perceived this plainly, to wit, that faith in action is true faith, therefore [is] action, because inseparable [therefrom] and action lives from faith, which is in the action, that is, in the works of charity; wherefore they are inseparable. - 1748, July 2.
2491. Quod vera fides sit actio
Loquutus sum cum quibusdam in altera vita de fide, qui putarunt quod fides absque operibus salvet, seu salvifica sit, nam cum hoc solum dicunt, plures eorum, qui non intelligunt, separant fidem in cogitatione, et in intellectu, a fide actu, et sic nihil curant quomodo vivunt 1
, putantes sic quod salvandi, tametsi Dominus dixerit, quod ex fructu cognoscetur arbor [Matth. VII: 20, Luc. VI: 44], tunc dabatur dicere, quod actio sit ipsa fides, et idea spirituali ad captum et intellectum spirituum, qui adsunt, percepi, hoc manifeste, nempe quod fides in actione sit vera fides, sic actio, quia inseparabiles, et actio vivit ex fide, quae in actione, hoc est in operibus charitatis, quare inseparabiles sunt. 1748, 2 Julius.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition vivant