This can be illustrated by a comparison with wild and domesticated
animals. A wild animal is a wild animal, and a domesticated animal is a
domesticated animal, in everything it does. A wolf is a wolf in every-
thing it does. A tiger is a tiger in everything it does. A fox is a fox in
everything it does. A lion is a lion in everything it does. The same goes
for a sheep or a goat in all its actions. It is the same for us, except that
our quality is determined by our inner self. If we are wolves or foxes
inside, everything we do is inwardly wolfish or foxlike. The opposite is
true if we are inwardly like a sheep or a lamb. Nevertheless, the inner
quality that is present in everything we do is not necessarily apparent in
our outer self, because our outer self can turn in different directions
around our inner self, although our inner self remains nonetheless hid-
den within it. The Lord says, “Good people bring what is good out of
the good treasure in their heart, and evil people bring what is evil out of
the evil treasure in their heart” (Luke 6 : 45 ). He also says, “Every type of
tree is known by its fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes or
gather grapes from a bramble bush” (Luke 6 : 44 ).
After we die it becomes very obvious to us that everything that comes
from us has the nature of our inner self, since we are then living as our
inner self and no longer as our outer self.
When the Lord, goodwill, and faith dwell in our inner self, then
there is goodness within us, and all the work that comes from us is good.
This point will be demonstrated in the following sequence.
a. “Goodwill” is benevolence toward others; “good works” are good
actions that result from benevolence.
b. Goodwill and faith are transient and exist only in our minds unless,
when an opportunity occurs, they culminate in actions and become
embodied in them.
c. Goodwill alone does not produce good actions; even less does faith
alone produce them. Good actions are produced by goodwill and
faith together.Now I will take up these points one by one.
(a) “Goodwill” is benevolence toward others; “good works” are good actions 374
that result from benevolence.Goodwill and good works are two distinct
things, just as will and action, or a mental impulse and a physical move-
ment, are two distinct things. They are as distinct as our inner self and our
outer self. Our inner self and our outer self are as distinct as a cause and an
effect. The causes of all things are formed in our inner self, and all their
§374 faith 447