AC 9282 - Why Laws Must Be Done

AC 9282 - Why Laws Must Be Done

As the laws of life, of worship, and of the civil state,
are not anything with a person
so long as they are in his understanding only,
but become something with him when they are in the will,
therefore it is said in the Word throughout
that they must be "done;"
for doing is of the will;
but knowing, understanding, acknowledging, and believing
are of the understanding.
These latter, however, have no being with a person
until they become of the will,
nor do they come forth with him
until they become of the understanding from the will;
for the being of a person is to will,
and the coming forth is to acknowledge
and believe therefrom.
The things which have
no such being and coming forth with a person
are not appropriated to him,
but stand without,
and are not as yet received into the house;
and therefore they do not contribute anything
to the eternal life of the person;
for unless such things have been made of the life,
they are dissipated in the other life;
those only remaining which are of the heart,
that is, of the will
and from this of the understanding.