TEST 2

Sources On Faith

Scripture

Hebrews 11:1-3, 6

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the men of old received divine approval. ³ By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear. . . .

And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture

1. Faith is not theologically defined but rather described in reference to things not yet possessed and not yet seen. Hence its voluntative and intellectual sides are considered.

·         For the human will faith is a basic support as it holds to a revealed but absent end;

·         for the intellect it is the argument or proof giving conviction of what is not evident to senses or intellect.

o   This is one of many explanations of this difficult sentence.

2. It is by faith the ancient saints earned their testimony of praise. (§ 943a 11:1–3 Nature of Faith)

By faith:

·         Abel offered sacrifice

·         Enoch pleased God

·         Noah constructed an ark

·         Abraham obeyed / went out  / offered up Isaac

·         Sarah considered God faithful

·         Isaac blessed

·         Jacob blessed / worshipped

·         Joseph mentioned the Exodus and instructed

·         Moses suffered / left Egypt / kept Passover

TEST

How can someone make this profession this without knowing everything the Church teaches?           

·         Belief vs. Faith

o   Mere belief [to think with assent] can be based on any number of things (experience, arguments, trust, ignorance, etc.).

o   Faith is something that must be FREELY CHOSEN.

o   This is why people are judged according to their FAITH, not their KNOWLEDGE.

“Our actions are meritorious in so far as they proceed from the free-will moved with grace by God. Therefore every human act proceeding from the free-will, if it be referred to God, can be meritorious. Now the act of believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the Divine truth at the command of the will moved by the grace of God, so that it is subject to the free-will in relation to God; and consequently the act of faith can be meritorious.” (St. Thomas Aquinas ST II-II, Q.2, A.9).

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