'The teachings, ' I replied, 'of the church meant by the New Jerusalem are these:

(i) God is one, in whom is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. (ii) Faith leading to salvation is believing in Him. (iii) Evil actions are to be shunned, because they are the work of the devil and come from him. (iv) Good actions are to be done, because they are the work of God and come from Him. (v) A person must perform these actions as if they were his own, but he must believe that they come from the Lord present with him and acting through him.'

[2] On hearing this his fury departed for a few moments. But after pondering for a while, he glowered at me again and said: 'Are these five commandments what the new church teaches about faith and charity?' 'Yes,' I answered. Then he asked roughly, 'How can you prove the first point, that God is one , in whom is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord Jesus Christ?' 'My proof,' I said, 'is this. Do you not agree that there is one, undivided God, and a Trinity? If there is one, undivided God, is He not one Person? If He is one Person, is there not a Trinity in that Person? He is the Lord Jesus Christ, as is clear from it being said that He was conceived of God the Father (Luke 1:34,35), and so in soul He was God. It follows from this, as He said, that He and the Father are one (John 10:30); He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him (John 14:10, 11); whoever sees and knows Him, sees and knows the Father (John 14:7, 9); no one sees and knows the Father but He who is in the Father's bosom (John 1:18); all things of the Father's are his (John 3:35; 16:15); He is the way, truth and life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). That means from Him, because He is in Him. Also according to Paul:

All the fulness of the Godhead resides bodily in him. Col. 2:9.

Moreover, He has power over all flesh (John 17:2); and He has all power in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). It follows from this that He is the God of heaven and earth.'

[3] Then he asked how I could prove the second point, that faith leading to salvation is believing in Him. 'I prove this, ' I said, ' by the words of the Lord Himself:

This is the Father's will, that everyone who believes in the Son should have everlasting life. John 6:40.

God so loved the word that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:15, 16.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life.; but he who does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. John 3:36.

[4] Later he said, 'Prove your third and following points.' 'What need is there,' I answered, 'to prove that evil actions are to be shunned because they are the work of the devil and come from him? Or that good actions are to be done, because they are the work of God and come from Him? Or that a person ought to do good actions as if they were his own, but to believe that they come from the Lord present with him and working through him? The whole of Holy Scripture from beginning to end is a confirmation of these points. Is there anything else in it, to put it briefly, than shunning evil and doing good actions, and believing in the Lord God? Moreover, there cannot be any religion without these three points. Surely religion is a matter of how one lives; and what is this but shunning evil and doing good actions? How can a person do these things and believe in the Lord God, except as from himself? If therefore you take these things away from the church, you deprive it of the Holy Scriptures and also of religion; and without these it is no longer a church.'

On hearing this the man went off to think about it; but he still departed in an angry mood.