1. Faith is the reciprocation of God's love.
When God, while moulding a race that will acknowledge and worship the living God, called Abraham (Gen 12:1-3), he responded to that call promptly. Since he answered that divine call with utmost obedience and faith, he became 'the father of the faithful'. Satan told lies in the Garden of Eden. He said to Eve, "If you eat this fruit you will become like God". That was a lie. Thus Satan became the 'father of all liars'. Now God asks us this question, "Whom do you want to follow?" 'Abraham's path or that of the devils? Each one of us has to give a reply.
2. Faith in the Holy Trinity :
St. John's Gospel, Chapter 14 tells us of the nature of faith that we must follow. Jesus said, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and Father is in me." (John 14:18). Jesus said again, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever." (14:15). Then we become powerful individuals who can minister to God through our faith in the Holy Trinity. As Mother Mary gave Jesus to the world upon being filled with the Holy Spirit, God also invites us to give Jesus to the non-believers in order to make them the people of faith. God calls us to spread the faith in Jesus through communion with the Holy Catholic Church, the Saints and the Word of God.
3. Faith and Salvation :
"Christ has brought the law to an end so that everyone who believes is put right with God." (Rom 10:4) Thus Jesus became the fulfillment of all laws. If you trust in Jesus and confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". (Rom 10:9). This is the assurance that God has given us. The Scripture testifies, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." (Rom 10:11). Similarly, the Word of God reassures us when He says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your family." (Acts 16:31).
Whenever we put our faith in him, we come one step closer to eternal life because the Word of God says, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life." (John 3:16).
Faith in Jesus means our love for God as a reciprocation and response to His great love for us and as well as the whole world. As we grow in God's love, we automatically grow in faith.
Points to remember:
- No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him." (Heb. 11:6).
- As the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without actions is dead. (James 2:26).
-Fr. Chacko Pulladan V.C.