Man'S Response To God: Faith

MAN'S RESPONSE TO GOD
By his Revelation, "the invisible God, from the

fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends,
and moves among them, in order to invite and
receive them into his own company." The
adequate response to this invitation is faith.
By faith, man completely submits his intellect
and his will to God. With his whole being man
gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred
Scripture calls this human response to God,
the author of revelation, "the obedience of
faith".
What is Faith?
Hebrew 11.1
Abraham thus fulfils the definition of
faith in Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not seen"
New International Version
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for

and assurance about what we do not see.”
English Standard Version
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen.”
Cross References
Romans 8:24
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is
no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?”
2 Corinthians 4:18
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is
unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”
Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to
God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free
assent to the whole truth that God has revealed.
For a Christian, believing in

God cannot be separated
from believing in the One
he sent, his "beloved Son", in whom the Father is
"well pleased"; God tells us to listen to him.
One cannot believe in Jesus Christ without sharing
in his Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to men
who Jesus is. For "no one can
say "Jesus is Lord", except by
the Holy Spirit", who
"searches everything, even
the depths of God. . No one
comprehends the thoughts
of God, except the Spirit of
God." Only God knows God completely: we believe
in the Holy Spirit because he is God.
Vatican II explains this faith-response as
follows, “By faith man freely commits his entire
self to God, making ‘the full submission of his
intellect and will to God who reveals’, and
willingly assenting to the Revelation given by
Him” (DV 5).
 Christian Faith touches every part of us: our

minds (believing), our wills (doing), and our
hearts (trusting).
Faith as BELIEVING
 Faith involves our basic convictions as
Christians.
 “For if you confess with your lips that Jesus

is Lord, and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead; you will be saved”
(Rom. 10:9).
 “These things have been recorded to help
you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the
Son of God, so that through this faith you
may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).
 Christian Faith is personal knowledge of
Jesus Christ as “my Lord and my God” (Jn
20:28).
 Christ solemnly assures each of us: “Here I

stand knocking at the door. If anyone hears
me calling and opens the door, I will enter
his house, and have supper with him, and he
with me” (Rv. 3:20).
Faith as DOING
 As St. James writes: “My brothers, what

good is it to profess faith without practicing
it?” (Jas. 2:14).
 “None of those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will

enter the Kingdom of God, but only the one
who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
(Mt. 7:32)
 This is how all will know you for my disciples:
your love for one another.” (Jn 13:35)
Faith is ENTRUSTING/WORSHIPPING
 Faith is also entrusting oneself into God’s

hands.
 “Everything is possible to a man who trusts.”
(Mk 9:23)
 Faith is from the heart-the loving, trusting,
and hoping in the Lord that comes from God’s
own love flooding our hearts.
 This trusting Faith “lives and grows through
prayer and worship”.
Genuine personal prayer and group
prayer find both their inspirational
source and summit of perfection in the
Liturgy, the Catholic community’s
official public Trinitarian worship of the
Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
in the Holy Spirit (PCP II 74-77).
WHAT IS FAITH?
Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not seen"
Cross reference:
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”

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MAN'S RESPONSE TO GOD

By his Revelation, "the invisible God, from the

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for

English Standard Version

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

For a Christian, believing in

 Christian Faith touches every part of us: our

 “For if you confess with your lips that Jesus

 Christ solemnly assures each of us: “Here I

 As St. James writes: “My brothers, what

 “None of those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will

 Faith is also entrusting oneself into God’s

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