In Christianity, there has been a debate about how a person is saved...

• Is Salvation by Faith Alone?
• Is Salvation by Charity Alone?
• Is Salvation 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, all Reformed Christians have the freedom to form within their mind their own ideas on how this doctrine is to be used in the life of religion of their everyday life.

The true nature of salvation is illustrated in the following discourse between two different Reformed Christians and an angel of heaven:

What is your Doctrine?...  And What Religion did You Form from it?
42. The angel said that with him who was in faith separated from charity, he discoursed as follows: "My friend, what are you?" He replied, "I am a Reformed Christian." "What is your doctrine, and the religion you form from it?" He replied that it was faith. 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. 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. Again, "Tell me what do you know about good works?" and he answered that they are that faith. 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." 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?" 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."


What is your Doctrine?...  And What Religion did You Form from it?
43. The angel's discourse with him who was in faith not separated from charity was as follows: "My friend, what are you?" He replied, "I am a Reformed Christian." "What is your doctrine and the religion you form from it?" He replied that it was faith and charity. He said, "These are two," and the other replied that they cannot be separated. He asked, "What is faith?" and the answer was, "Believing what the Word teaches." He then asked, "What is charity?" and was answered, "Doing what the Word teaches." 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."
(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Faith 42 - 43)

The angel had an initial dual question for each Reformed Christian after asking them, "My friend, what are you?" and receiving the reply,  "I am a Reformed Christian." This initial dual question was:

• What is your doctrine[?],
  
• and the religion you form from it?"

The first Reformed Christian was in faith separated from charity in his life. To this initial dual 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 these questions asked by an angel, this Reformed Christian used the word "Faith" in his answers, and indicated he 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.

The second Reformed Christian, unlike the first Reformed Christian, conjoined faith and charity. And to this initial dual question, "What is your doctrine[?], and the religion you form from it?",  — He replied, "that it was faith and charity."

• "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 Reformed Christian replied, →"I have also done them."

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

What is your Doctrine?...  And What Religion did You Form from it?
In this contrast between two different Reformed Christians, both stated that Faith was their doctrine in response to the question, — "What is your doctrine[?]". The first difference between these two appeared in their response to the second part of the dual question, — "and the religion you form from it?".  The first Reformed Christian answered the first and second part of the dual question with one word "Faith."  The second Reformed Christian answered the second part of the question with the word "Charity."

The first Reformed Christian's doctrine was faith, and the religion of life he formed out of this doctrine for himself was faith alone, since he did not live according to the Lord's commandments. The second Reformed Christian's doctrine was also faith, yet the religion of life he formed out of the this doctrine for himself was charity — "Doing what the Word teaches" ... by living according to the Lord's commandments.

This illustrates the truth that everyone is judged according to the life of religion formed within a person by their life, and not according to their doctrine alone, as the Lord taught 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).

This also illustrates the truth that faith and charity must be conjoined together by Doing what the Word of God teaches by living according to the Lord's commandments in His Word.

We saw above the contrast between two different Reformed Christians, each of which was taught that faith alone saves...

• The first one did not live according to the Lord's commandments...
• The second one willed, and did the Lord's commandments...

This contrast existed even though both were taught that Faith Alone could save them, because each had the FREEDOM to form whatever life of religion they wanted from the doctrine they were taught.

The following teaching from the Word of the Third Testament explains how those taught that the Essential of the Church is Charity can live a life of Faith Alone:

" 458. And palms in their hands. - That this signifies that they are in the good of life according to those truths, is evident from the signification of a palm, as denoting the good of truth, or spiritual good, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of hands, as denoting power, and thence all ability in man; see above (n. 72, 79). Therefore their having palms in their hands signifies that the good of truth was in them, or that they were in the good of truth.

The good of truth, when possessed by any one, is the good of life, for truth becomes good by a life in agreement with it, previously it is not good in anyone. For when truth is in the memory only and thence in the thought, it is not good, but it becomes good when it enters into the will, and thence into act, the will itself being that which transforms truth into good.

This is evident from this fact, that what a man wills, he calls good, and what he thinks, he calls truth. For the interior will of man, which is the will of his spirit, is the receptacle of his love. For what a man loves from his spirit, he wills, and what he thence wills, this he does; wherefore the truth which is of his will is also of his love, and whatever pertains to his love, he calls good.

From these things it is evident how good in man is formed by means of truths, and that all good, which is good in man, is good of the life. It is supposed that there is a good also of the thought, although it be not of the will, because a man can think that this or that is good; nevertheless it is not good there, but truth. To think what is good, is truth, and also to know and thence to think what is good are classed amongst truths; but if a man so loves that truth which is in the thought as to will, and from willing, to do it, then, because it is of the love, it becomes good.

[2] This may be illustrated by the following example. There were certain spirits, who, in the life of the body, believed charity to be the essential of the church, and consequently essential for salvation, and not faith alone, and yet the same spirits had not lived a life of charity, for they merely thought and concluded that it was so. But it was told them, that merely to think, and thence believe, that charity saves, was the same thing as believing that faith alone saves, if a man does not will and act; they were therefore rejected.

Hence it was evident, that merely to think good, and not to will and do it, does not constitute good in any one. The case would be the same if a man knew truths and goods themselves, and merely from thought protested his belief in them, if he did not give his life to them by willing and doing them. These things are said, in order that it may be known that the good of truth, or spiritual good, when it is really in any one, is the good of life. This therefore, is what is signified by the palms in their hands."
( Apocalypse Explained, n. 458 )


From these teachings, it is evident that the doctrine one is taught does not in itself determine one's inner life and belief out of good. Instead it is HOW one uses faith, uses truth, uses doctrine that one has been taught which determins one's inner life and inner beliefs. The only genuine use of faith, truth, and doctrine is to will it and then act to do it as the Lord commands:

 "...merely to think, and thence believe, that charity saves, was the same thing as believing that faith alone saves, if a man does not will and act..."

What was taught about the two Reformed Christians is also true of those who are taught that the Essential of the Church is Charity:

• The one who did not live according to the Lord's commandments was in a life of faith alone...
• The one who wills, and does the Lord's commandments, wills and does what faith teaches comes into spiritual good, which is saving...

From this, it can be seen that faith alone is not merely a verbal confession with words that Faith Alone saves. Instead, Faith Alone is faith in the memory, which faith has not yet entered into a person's willing, and acting to do what faith dictates, what the Lord commands.

 Faith Alone Seen in the Light of Heaven

Below is a description of the nature of faith separated from charity seen from the light of heaven: 

44.   In order that it may be seen what the nature of faith is when separated from charity, I will set it forth in its nakedness as follows:
God the Father, being angry with mankind, cast them out from His presence, and to satisfy justice resolved to be revenged by their eternal damnation. He said to the Son: Go down, fulfil the Law and take upon thyself the damnation destined for them: and then perchance I will have mercy. Therefore, He descended, fulfilled the Law, and suffered Himself to be hung on the cross, and cruelly put to death.
When this was done, He returned to the Father and said, I have taken upon myself the damnation of mankind: now be merciful. Thus, He interceded for them. But He received for answer: For their own sake I cannot; but as I saw thee on the cross and then beheld thy blood, I am moved to compassion. Nevertheless I will not pardon them. I will however, impute to them thy merit, but only to those who acknowledge this. This shall be the faith by which they may be saved.


45. Such is that faith in its stark reality. Who that is in any light of reason does not see in it inconsistencies which are contrary to the Divine Essence itself? as, that God, who is Love itself and Mercy itself, could out of anger and consequent vengefulness condemn men and devote them to hell? also that He should desire to be moved to compassion by the condemnation being laid upon His Son, and by beholding His passion on the cross and His blood? Who that is in any light of reason does not see that God could not say to a God who was His equal, I do not pardon them, but I impute to them thy merit? as also, Now let them live as they please: only let them believe this and they shall be saved? besides many other inconsistencies.


46. The reason, however, why these things have not been seen is, because they have induced a blind faith, and by means of it have closed men's eyes and stopped their ears. If you close men's eyes and stop their ears, that is, if you cause them not to think and exercise their understanding; and if you then tell those who are impressed with any idea whatever of eternal life, anything you please, they will believe it: even though you should tell them that God can be angry and breathe vengeance; that God can inflict eternal damnation upon any one; that God desires to be moved to compassion by the blood of His Son; that He will impute and attribute this to man as a merit of his own, and will save him by the mere thinking so; and further, that one God could stipulate with another God of one Essence with Himself, and enjoin such things upon Him; with other inconsistencies of a similar kind. But open your eyes and unstop your ears, that is, think about these things with understanding and you will see how discordant they are with the truth itself.
(Doctrine of New Jerusalem Concerning Faith 44 - 46)