AC 3295 - Part of the Regeneration Process

AC 3295

. . . before a man has been regenerated
he does good from truth;
but after he has been regenerated
he does good from good;
or more clearly, before a man has been regenerated
he does good from the understanding;
but after he has been regenerated, from the will.
The good therefore that is from the understanding
is not in itself good, but truth,
whereas the good which is from the will is good.
For example: one who does not honor his parents,
but from the commandment of the Decalogue
learns to honor them,
when first he honors them,
does it from the commandment;
and as this honor is from the commandment
it is not in itself good,
because it is not from love,
but is either from obedience to the law,
or from fear of the law.
Nevertheless it is called the good of truth,
but in its first coming forth it is truth;
for at that time the man does not do good, but truth;
whereas when the man honors his parents from love,
then it is good.
The same is true in all other cases.