“ The Nature and Effects of Faith. -- The first thing that is necessary for every Christian is faith, without which no one is truly called a faithful Christian. Faith brings about four good effects. The first is that through faith the soul is united to God, and by it there is between the soul and God a union akin to marriage. I will espouse thee in faith. When a man is baptised the first question that is asked him is: Do you believe in God? This is because Baptism is the first Sacrament of faith. Hence, the Lord said: He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. Baptism without faith is of no value. Indeed, it must be known that no one is acceptable before God unless he have faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Saint Augustine explains these words of Saint Paul, All that is not of faith is sin, in this way: Where there is no knowledge of the eternal and unchanging Truth, virtue even in the midst of the best moral life is false. The second effect of faith is that eternal life is already begun in us; for eternal life is nothing else than knowing God. This the Lord announced when He said: This is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. This knowledge of God begins here through faith, but it is perfected the future life when we shall know God as He is. Therefore, Saint Paul says: Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for. No one then can arrive at perfect happiness of heaven, which is the true knowledge of God, unless first he knows God through faith. Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed. The third good that comes from faith is that right direction which it gives to our present life. Now, in order that one live a good life, it is necessary that he know what is necessary to live rightly; and if he depends for all this required knowledge on his own efforts alone, either he will never attain such knowledge, or if so, only after a long time. But faith teaches us all that is necessary to live a good life. It teaches us that there is one God who is the rewarder of good and the punisher of evil; that there is a life other than this one, and other like truths whereby we are attracted to live rightly and to avoid what evil. The just man liveth by faith. This is evident in that no one of the philosophers before the coming of Christ could, through his own powers, know God and the means necessary for salvation as well as any old woman since Christs coming knows Him through faith. And, therefore, it is said in Isaias that the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord. The fourth effect of faith is that by it we overcome temptations: The holy ones by faith conquered kingdoms. We know that every temptation is either from the world or the flesh or the devil. The devil would have us disobey God and not be subject to Him. This is removed by faith, since through it we know that He is the Lord of all things and must therefore be obeyed. Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist ye, strong in faith. The world tempts us either by attaching us to it in prosperity, or by filling us with fear of adversity. But faith overcomes this in that we believe in a life to come better than this one, and hence we despise the riches of this world and we are not terrified in the face of adversity. This is the victory which overcometh the world: our faith. The flesh, however, tempts us by attracting us to the swiftly passing pleasures of this present life. But faith shows us that, if we cling to these things inordinately, we shall lose eternal joys. In all things taking the shield of faith. We see from this that it is very necessary to have faith. ” ― What is Faith? . *. Source: The Catechetical Instructions of Saint Thomas Aquinas .
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 07:50:14 +0000