726. Without linking with the Lord, everlasting life and salvation are impossible, because He is Himself both of these. It is clear from passages in the Word that He is everlasting life, including this from John:
Jesus Christ is the true God and everlasting life. 1 John 5:20.
He is also salvation, because salvation and everlasting life are one and the same thing. His name Jesus also means salvation, and He is for this reason all over the Christian world given the title of Saviour. Still only those approach the Holy Supper worthily who are inwardly linked with the Lord, and these are those who have been regenerated. Who the regenerated are has been shown in the chapter on reformation and regeneration.
[2] There are many besides who confess the Lord and do good to the neighbour; but they are not regenerated unless they do this out of love towards the neighbour and faith in the Lord. For in doing good to the neighbour they can be motivated solely by reasons which concern the world or themselves, but not the neighbour as such. Their deeds are purely natural, with no spiritual content hidden in them. For such people make a confession of the Lord only with their mouths and lips, while their hearts are far away. Real love towards the neighbour and real faith come only from the Lord; and both are conferred upon a person when he of his own free will does good on the natural level to the neighbour, and believes truths with his reason, and looks to the Lord, doing all these three things because of the commandments in the Word. Then the Lord plants charity and faith in his midst, and makes both of these spiritual. So the Lord links a person to Himself, and the person links himself to the Lord; for linking is impossible if it is not reciprocal. But these propositions have been fully demonstrated in the chapters on charity, faith, free will and regeneration.
