What must be the immediate and constant effect of a deeply seated faith in God?
A deeply rooted faith must lead us to confess it openly and live it out. Faith that remains hidden and inert is not the faith of the Gospel. Faith is the opposite of doubt, and it is always joined to a deep life of prayer, expressing our conviction that “Things which an eye did not see, and an ear did not hear, which did not enter into the heart of man, These God has prepared for those who love him” (1Co 2:9; see Q008, Q124). The Lord teaches: “if you have faith and never doubt… whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Mat 21:21–22). This entrustment of our whole life to God is what the Church places on our lips at every service: “Let us commit ourselves and one another, and all our life, unto Christ our God” (Divine Liturgy, litanies).
Faith is likewise joined to love and inner peace, for all are manifestations of the same Spirit: “the only thing that counts is faith working through love” (Gal 5:6; see Q480, Q481); “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 6:23); “Therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
