2442. 'And Lot came to Zoar' means that those with the affection for truth are saved. This is clear from the meaning of 'Zoar' as the affection for truth, dealt with in 2439. From this it also becomes clear that even people who are governed by faith are saved provided there is good within their faith, that is, they are moved by an affection for the truths of faith for the sake of good, that is, originating in good. The entire life of faith has no other source. That charity is the essential element of faith, indeed that it is faith itself because it is the very substance of faith, see 379, 389, 654, 724, 809, 916, 1162, 1176, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2049, 2116, 2189, 2190, 2228, 2261, 2343, 2349, 2417.

2439. 'Therefore he called the name of the city Zoar' means the affection for truth. This is clear from the meaning of that city as the affection for good, that is to say, the affection for good that is the fruit of knowledge, which is the affection for truth, dealt with in 1589, and from the meaning of 'calling the name' as knowing the essential nature of some person or thing, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 2009. Here the meaning is that little truth was present, for the name 'Zoar' in the original language means little or small. People with the affection for truth possess little truth because they possess little good in comparison with those with the affection for good; see above 2429

[2] What is more, truths which are in themselves truths are more true with one person, less so with another; and with some they are not truths at all but indeed falsities. This becomes clear from almost all things which in themselves are truths. For truths as they reside-with the individual vary according to his affections. For example, the doing of a good work or the good of charity is in itself a truth to be put into practice. With one person it is the good of charity because it flows from charity, with another a work of obedience because it flows from obedience, with others it is a merit-seeking because they wish by means of it to earn merit and salvation, but with certain people it is a hypocritical action which they do to be seen by others; and so on. So it is with all other truths which are called truths of faith. From this it also becomes clear that much truth resides with people with the affection for good, but less truth with those with the affection for truth; for the latter look on good as something rather remote from themselves while the former look on it as something present within themselves.