that direction. As I came closer, the roaring stopped and I heard a noise
like a crowd of people. Then I noticed a house full of holes; it had a wall
around it. The noise was coming from the house.
I went up to the house. There was a doorkeeper there. I asked who
was inside. The doorkeeper said the people inside were the wisest of the
wise; they were having a debate on metaphysical topics. The doorkeeper
said this out of a simple belief that it was true.
“Would it be all right if I went in?” I said.
The doorkeeper said, “Yes, as long as you don’t speak—since I have
permission to let [even] non-Christians in; they have to stand next to me
here in the front hall.”
I went inside. There I saw a circular area with a raised platform in the
middle. A group of supposedly wise people was discussing the secrets of
their faith.
Then a topic was proposed as a subject for discussion: the good that
people do in the ongoing state of being justifiedby their faith or in their
progression of faith after its activation—is that a religious good or not?
They unanimously agreed that “religious good” means good that con-
tributes to salvation.
[ 2 ] The point was sharply debated. The debaters who eventually won
the upper hand were saying that the good things people do in their ongo-
ing state of or progression in faith are only moral in nature. Those good
actions are helpful for people’s prosperity in the world but do nothing for
their salvation. Only faith benefits their salvation.
They argued their point in the following way: “How could any good
that people do voluntarily be united to something they get for free? Sal-
vation is had for free. How could any good that people do be united to
the merit of Christ? The merit of Christ is the sole source of salvation.
And how could the work that people do be united to the work that the
Holy Spirit does? It does everything without the help of humankind.
“Surely these, the only factors that save people, are present in the act
of justification by faith alone; and these three sole things that bring sal-
vation become permanent in the ongoing state or progression of faith.
Therefore additional good that people do could never be called religious
good (or good that benefits their salvation, as we said). In fact, if people
do good for the sake of salvation, their own will is in it. They cannot
help hoping for some reward. Therefore it should be called religious evil
instead!”
[ 3 ] There were two non-Christians standing next to the doorkeeper in
the front hall. They heard these points and one said to the other, “These
§390 faith 479