654. IX. It is what faith combines with which is the deciding factor. If true faith combines with good, that is a decision for everlasting life; but if faith combines with evil, that is a decision for everlasting death.

Charitable acts performed by a Christian and by a heathen look similar in external form, for one like the other does to his fellow the good actions prescribed by politeness and morality. These are in part similar to the good deeds of love towards the neighbour. Both in fact may give to the poor, help the needy, listen to sermons in churches. But who can judge from that whether those external good actions are similar in internal form, whether, that is, the natural good is also spiritual good? No conclusion about this can be reached except by taking faith into consideration, for it is faith that determines their quality. It is faith that causes God to be in them and links them with itself in the internal man. It is this that makes natural good deeds inwardly spiritual. The truth of this can be seen at more length from the discussions in the chapter on faith, where the following propositions are proved.

Faith is not alive until it is combined with charity. Charity becomes spiritual as the result of faith, and faith becomes spiritual as the result of charity. Faith without charity, not being spiritual, is no faith, and charity without faith, being lifeless, is no charity. Faith and charity attach and link themselves each with the other. The Lord, charity and faith make one, just as life, will and the understanding do; but if they are separated, each of them is destroyed like a pearl collapsing into dust [355-367].