Pope Shenouda III discusses the subject of faith as the foundation of Christian spiritual life, explaining that faith is not merely an intellectual idea or a theoretical belief, but a living power that works within a person and leads him to complete trust in God.

The Different Meanings of Faith

Pope Shenouda III explains that faith has several meanings:

• Faith as confidence in what is hoped for and conviction of things not seen.
• Faith as a gift from the Holy Spirit given to some believers.
• Faith as a fruit of the Holy Spirit that appears in spiritual life.
• Faith in Christ and His saving work, redemption, resurrection, and eternal life.

Practical Faith

Pope Shenouda III emphasizes the necessity of distinguishing between theoretical faith and practical faith. True faith appears in trusting God during trials and hardships, relying on Him and surrendering one’s life into His hands, not merely in mentally acknowledging His existence and attributes.

Biblical Examples of Faith

He presents many examples from the Holy Bible, such as the faith of Abraham in obeying God, and the faith of Daniel, the three young men, and the martyrs who accepted suffering and death while trusting in God’s promises and eternal life.

The Power and Influence of Faith

He affirms that faith is a great spiritual power capable of confronting fear, weakness, and Satan, and that the true believer gains courage, steadfastness, and peace through faith in God.

Faith and the Blessing of Others

He explains that God may grant blessing or healing to a person because of the faith of others, as happened with the paralytic, the daughter of the Canaanite woman, and the servant of the centurion, highlighting the importance of collective faith and prayer for others.

Growth in Faith

He points out that faith grows gradually like all spiritual virtues and needs prayer and continual seeking of God’s help until a person reaches higher levels of trust and dependence on God.

Faith, Prayer, and Salvation

He connects faith with answered prayer, explaining that prayer requires faith and confidence in God’s response according to His will. He also confirms that salvation is connected with faith working through love, that is, faith that appears in a fruitful life and obedience to God.

Main Message

The main message of the lecture is that faith is a divine gift and a spiritual power that must be transformed into a practical life of trust, obedience, and surrender to God. The believer grows in this faith through prayer and spiritual experience until he lives in peace and steadfastness and enjoys God’s work in his life.

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