Faith

See Benedict XVI on lacking faith

In order to understand the Roman Catholic concept of faith, we will first look at the Roman Catholic Church by Priest John McKenzie. Under "The Beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church", #1, Faith, we read, "The Roman Catholic understanding of faith has been notably evolved from the New Testament idea of faith, and it differs from the usual Protestant idea of faith no less notably. Since the work of Thomas Aquinas, whose explanation of faith was substantially incorporated into the acts of the First Vatican Council, Roman Catholics have understood faith to be an intellectual assent under the impulse of the will. The proper object of faith is truth revealed by God; the motive of belief is the authority of God who reveals. The Catholic thinks of faith as that act of the mind by which he accepts some propositions as true, and he thinks of the object of faith as the articles of belief. Faith is thus distinguished from faith in a person......"

Odd that he should even claim a New Testament basis for that kind of faith, for the New Testament is full of passages that specifically speak of faith in a Person - the Lord Jesus Christ. This faith is more than intellectual assent - it is a trustful response to Christ and His salvific provision for us. That faith is instrumental in our justification, but not the cause of our justification. The cause of our justification is always and only the meritorious work of Christ on the cross.

The problem with the Catholic concept is that they have again put the cart before the horse. Yes, we should have a willful mental act of accepting all that God has said in His Word, and that acceptance should lead to full obedience. But man is incapable of exercising sanctifying faith unless he has first had saving faith.

There is nothing in Roman Catholic ritual, sacraments, sacramentals, or prayer of celebration that calls forth saving faith, for there is nothing that can guarantee the completion of that salvific work, so any faith in any work or merit must fall short because the object of the faith is finite. Saving faith can only be placed in a Savior - not a code of laws or a doctrinal thesis.

If a man is drowning, his knowledge of the depth of the water, the rising of the tide, or his geographic location will not save him. He needs a savior who will throw him a life-line and pull him to shore. Catholic faith falls short because the Roman Catholic concept of a Savior is biblically inadequate. No matter how many creeds he memorizes and catechisms he learns, he must be introduced to a Person. Faith in truth will also not suffice; it must be saving faith in Jesus Christ.

POST VATICAN II

On February 7, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI defined faith as "identification with Christ expressed in love for God and neighbor."