Arcana Coelestia #36
36. People who have separated faith from love do not even know what faith is. When they do entertain an idea about faith, some of them see it only as mere thought, others as thought directed towards the Lord, and a few as the doctrine of faith. But faith involves not only knowledge of all the things that the doctrine of faith embraces and the acknowledgment of them; it is first and foremost obedience to everything that doctrine teaches. The primary point that it teaches for men's obedience is love of the Lord and love of the neighbour. Whoever is devoid of this is devoid of faith, a point which the Lord teaches so plainly in Mark as to leave absolutely no room for doubt,
The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Therefore you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. The second is also like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 11:28-33.
In Matthew, He calls the former 'the first and great commandment', and says 'on these commandments the Law and Prophets depend', Matthew 22:35-40. The Law and the Prophets are the doctrine of faith in its entirety and the whole of the Word.
John 14:15-31
15
If you love me, keep my commandments.
16
I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,--
17
the Spirit of truth, whom the world can't receive; for it doesn't see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
18
I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.
19
Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.
20
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21
One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him."
22
Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23
Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
24
He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me.
25
I have said these things to you, while still living with you.
26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
27
Peace I leave with you. My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
28
You heard how I told you, 'I go away, and I come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I said 'I am going to my Father;' for the Father is greater than I.
29
Now I have told you before it happens so that, when it happens, you may believe.
30
I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.
31
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
