The Theological Virtue of Faith

Theological Virtues

• Theological Virtues are faith, hope, and charity

Faith

• According to the Hebrews, faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen
• Faith is a trust in God's promises and providence

Offenses against Faith

• One of the offenses against faith is incredulity, which is the refusal to believe in God's revealed truth

Heresy

• Heresy is a deliberate denial of a truth that is essential to the Christian faith

Blasphemy

• Blasphemy is a contemptuous rejection of God and His divine attributes

Promoting Faith

• The first step in promoting one's faith is to listen to God's word and to obey His commands

Hope

• The fruit of hope that helps one not to easily give up is perseverance
• Despair is the offense against hope where one has lost confidence in the goodness and mercy of God

Charity

• Charity is the form of love that is unconditional for all, seeking the good of another without expectation of reward

Sin

• According to William May, sin is a deliberate rejection of God's love and a refusal to fulfill His will
• Hatta in the Old Testament means "to miss the mark" or "to fall short"
• Skotos in the New Testament means "darkness" or "ignorance"

Types of Sin

• Venial sin is a lesser offense that does not destroy the sinner's relationship with God
• Mortal sin is a grave offense that severs the sinner's relationship with God
• The three-fold dimension of sin includes the personal dimension, the interpersonal dimension, and the social dimension
• The essence of committing and omitting an action to sin involves a deliberate choice to reject God's will and a failure to do what is good