Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6876

6876 Faith without love is dead....

July 23, 1957: Book 74

You would never ever have been able to redeem yourselves had I not accomplished the act of Salvation on your behalf. My infinite love wanted to lift you out of a wretched state although it was caused through your own fault.... Consequently, it was an act of grace and mercy for you, it was an unmerited gift which is at your disposable if you want to become as blessed again as you were in the beginning. Hence the Words 'only by grace can you be saved....' However, without this act of Salvation of Mine you would never have been able to attain beatitude, for you did not have enough strength to lift yourselves out of the abyss and your will was even weaker, so that you would not strive to release yourselves from Satan's bondage either. Thus it is imperative that you make use of the blessings of the act of Salvation.... And this first of all requires your faith in the divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, in Whom I embodied Myself in order to suffer and die for you humans, in order to acquire an inconceivable treasure of grace for you as Jesus, the man. Without this faith in Me you will never make contact with Me and appeal to Me for help, for a stronger will, for the strength to be able to ascend.... But what is to be understood as 'faith in the divine Redeemer'? If the words 'I believe in Him' alone were enough then Salvation would truly be assured to the greatest part of the human race, for these words are very often and by many people said. But these words alone are not enough for Me to grant beatitudes according to My promise 'He that believeth in Me hath everlasting life....' I demand a living faith, complete inner conviction of what you humans are taught about the sacrifice on the cross by those who proclaim the Gospel to you on My instructions.... However, in order to attain this inner conviction it requires an already awakened spirit which enlightens the person from within, which gives him an understanding of the cause, of the reason for the act of love which the man Jesus accomplished.... Only what the human being understands will he be able to believe with conviction.... Thus a person must first give his inner spark of love the opportunity to manifest itself, which can only be brought about by love again. An entirely unloving person can therefore indeed say the words 'I believe in Jesus Christ' but he lacks all inner conviction, consequently, he will never be able to acquire eternal life either. Only love recognises Him, and thus I demand a faith that has come alive through love.... But even the concept of 'love' shall be explained, for this word, too, is frequently misused....

All you humans experience love, but you must ask yourselves in which direction your love aims.... you must learn to differentiate between the desiring and the giving love.... the temporal love, which always wants to own, and the pure divine love, which always wants to give happiness. The fact that an earthly- inclined love will not awaken the divine spiritual spark in you is self-evident, thus it must be the unselfish, happiness-giving love which should be kindled in order to allow for the 'working of the spirit' in you. This love is strength which, once the person has kindled it, will never let him rest, which constantly impels him into loving activity, which is not satisfied with emotions but which completely transform the person's nature, so that he increasingly more often enters into contact with Me, because 'Whoever remains in love remains in God and I in him....'And such love subsequently will also yield a living faith, for the contact with Me through love must also lead to brightest realisation, so that the significance of the act of Salvation is clearly revealed to him and that nothing can shake his faith anymore.... 'Whoever remains in love remains in God and I in him....' Anyone who spends serious thought on these Words must also realise that a person, who is most intimately in contact with Me through love, will also be permeated by My strength of love, that the flow of strength will flow into him.... but that this influx of strength will no longer allow for inactivity. Thus the strength of love must somehow take effect.... and namely in a way which testifies to the source of this strength, in an activity which is 'wanted by God'.... in all kinds of loving actions. The person can simply no longer refrain from taking loving actions as soon as he is permeated by My strength of love, and thus his love will also prove itself by implementing good deeds.... The human being will more or less show his love for Me in selfless works of neighbourly love and thereby join Me ever more firmly and be saved for time and eternity.... For in that case he believes in Me and My act of Salvation, he has already found redemption because this proven love demonstrates his release from My adversary, who shies away from love because he lacks all love himself. No-one without love will have a living faith, and no-one will feel love within himself who does not manifest it in good deeds, because love is a force which impels people into loving activity. And the reason why no living faith in Jesus Christ and His act of Salvation can be found anymore in the last days.... is because love has grown cold amongst people.... Therefore time and time again love must be preached to people first, love for one's neighbour must be so strongly emphasised because only this love testifies to love for Me, and love for one's neighbour will also always require an activity, be it of an earthly or psychological nature.... earthly or spiritual help, which, understandably, will only be valued if it is motivated by love.... All this is so easy to understand and yet, without love, people's thinking is and will remain confused. But the 'redemption' consists of the fact that the human being abandons his opposition and allows himself to be illuminated by My strength of love again as in the beginning, when the spiritual being was still perfect.... From love you once emerged and you shall become love again, only then will you be, and remain, blissfully happy for all eternity....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna