LIFE IN CHRIST: chap. 5, part 2

Lent with Fr Harton

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CHAPTER 5: FAITH (part 2)

But this word “unbelief” in its ordinary meaning conveys a wrong impression of what was in our Lord’s mind. He could hardly convict the disciples of unbelief and hardness of heart; they did believe in Him. As it stands the word is a mistranslation; what He said was not unbelief in the sense of having no faith at all, but little faith; they had some faith but it was insufficient.

It is clear, the, that while we may possess the fullness of the divine gift it is necessary for us to appropriate it by a very definite faith before it can become operative in us; it must become part of us and the ruling principle of our lives if it is to bear fruit, and it can only do so by our own act of faith. We can by our lack of faith render it inoperative. The gift is there: faith does not create but accepts it.