113. That is why the Lord says in Matthew,

Blind Pharisee, cleanse the inside of the cup and the plate first, so that the outside of them may be clean as well. (Matthew 23:26)

And in Isaiah,

Wash yourselves! Purify yourselves! Take away the evil of your deeds from before my eyes! Stop doing evil! And then, even if your sins have been like scarlet, they will become white like snow; even if they have been as red as purple-dyed cloth, they will be like wool. (Isaiah 1:16, 18)

23. In sum, insofar as someone refrains from evils as being sins and turns to the Lord, so far he possesses charity, and so far he accordingly possesses faith.

To be shown that insofar as someone refrains from evils as being sins and turns to the Lord, so far he possesses charity, see The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem 67-73; also 74-91; and that so far he has faith.

What charity is in a proper sense may be seen in 114.