AC 3934 - Works: Thinking, Willing, and Doing Good

AC 3934 [2,4, 8]

That a "troop" in the external sense means works,
is because these correspond to the good of faith;
for the good of faith produces works,
because the good of faith is not possible without works,
just as thinking good and willing good
are not possible without doing good.
The one is the internal,
and the other the corresponding external.

Works of charity are those
which flow from charity as from their soul;
but works of faith are those which flow from faith.
Works of charity exist with the regenerate person;
and works of faith with him
who has not yet been regenerated,
but is being regenerated;
the case being the same as it is
with the affections of good and of truth;
for the regenerate person
does good from the affection of it,
thus from willing good;
but the person who is to be regenerated
does good from the affection of truth,
thus from knowing good.

. . . a person is never in charity and faith
unless he is in works,
for this reason "works"
are so frequently mentioned in the Word . . .

Moreover be it known
that the Lord's kingdom commences in a person
from the life which is of works,
for he is then in the beginning of regeneration;
but when the Lord's kingdom is in a person,
it terminates in works,
and then the person is regenerate.
For his internal person
is then within his external person
in correspondence . . .
and his works are of his external person,
while charity and the derivative faith
are of his internal person;
and therefore in this case his works are charity.