455. HOW IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT ALTHOUGH GOD MESSIAH LEADS ALL MEN BY SPIRITS AND ANGELS, SO THAT NOTHING IS THEIRS, THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS GUILTY OF SINS It may appear as doubtful that although nothing that man thinks and does is his, because he is led by spirits, nevertheless he still becomes guilty of sins, and will suffer the punishments of the doers of evils; but this is perceived from faith when man is in the truth of faith. He then believes, as is the truth, that nothing is his, because he is led by God Messiah in the way of truth, or in the truth of faith, and then all evil is bent into good, thus nothing of evil is imputed to him. But on the other hand, when he is not in the truth of faith, he then believes that everything is his own, and that he both thinks and acts from himself, thus he is imbued with phantasies which remain, and therefore such a faith cannot but be imputed to him as evil, because, as he believes, he acts from himself. Wherefore evil cannot be easily bent into good, but rather good into evil, which strikes root and is increased, even until the man acquires a nature which remains such after death; that phantasy is then vastated by punishments. 1748, Jan. 7. Thus when he is not in faith, he puts on persuasions which must be eradicated.