203. (III.) A man ought to shun evils as sins as if of himself and yet from the Lord. Who that reads the Word, and has any religion, does not know that evils are sins? The Word teaches this from the beginning to the end, and this is the whole of religion. Evils are called sins from this that they are contrary to the Word, and contrary to religion. Who does not know that no one can shun evils as sins unless as of himself? Who can repent otherwise? Does a man not say within himself, "This I will not. From doing this I will abstain. Yea, whenever the evil returns I will fight against it and conquer it"? And yet no one thus speaks within himself unless he believes in God. He who does not believe in God does not regard evil as sin, and so does not fight against it, but rather for it. But he who believes in God says also, within himself, "Through God I will conquer it." And he supplicates, and prevails. This is not denied to anyone, but is granted to all; for the Lord is in continual effort, from His Divine love, to reform and regenerate man, and so to purify him from evils. And when the man also wills and intends it, this perpetual effort of the Lord becomes an act. Thus and no otherwise does a man receive power to resist evils and fight against them. Before this he does not receive, but rejects. This, then, is to shun evils as sins as if of one's self, and yet from the Lord. But on this subject also see The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem (n. 101-107). To which I will add this: Say to a man of sound reason, "Only believe that Christ, the Son of God, has redeemed you from hell, and so from all evil; and pray to God the Father that for this reason He will remit your sins, and they will be remitted, and then you will have no need to shun evils as sins as of yourself. Can you do anything at all of yourself? What, then, can you do as of yourself?" And take a little stone or a piece of wood from the earth into your hand and tell him, "You can do no more for your justification and salvation than this little stone or this bit of wood"; and the man of sound reason will answer, "I know that I can do nothing from myself, but yet I can repent of my evils as of myself. This the Lord Himself has taught, and this His apostles, Paul, the Word, and all religion teach. In the act of repentance do I do nothing as of myself?" Then let it be said, "What will you do, since you are able to do nothing? Do it if you will. I repent by faith, you by works; and faith without works is saving." But the man of sound reason will reply, "You are in error, sir, The Lord teaches me to do, and teaches me to believe. Let faith be for you. For me there shall be faith and works together. I know that after death a man must render an account of his doings; and that just as anyone does, so he believes."