The answer
St. Augustine says, “there are works which appear good, without faith in Christ; but they are not good, because they are not referred to that end in which works are good; ‘for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes’ (Rom. 10:4). For that reason, He wills not to distinguish faith from work, but declared faith itself to be work. For it is that same faith that works by love (Gal. 5:6).”76
Abba Evagrius says, “Faith is the beginning of love; the end of love is knowledge of God.”77
St. Athanasius the Apostolic says, “For faith and godliness are allied to each other, and sisters; and he who believes in Him is godly, and he also who is godly, believes the more. He therefore who is in a state of wickedness, undoubtedly also wanders from the faith; and he who falls from godliness, falls from the true faith … And as when brother is helped by brother, they become as a wall to each other; so faith and godliness, being of like growth, hang together, and he who is practiced in the one, of necessity is strengthened by the other. Therefore, wishing the disciple to be exercised in godliness unto the end, and to contend for the faith, he counsels them, saying, ‘Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life’ (1 Tim. 6:12).”78
St. Clement of Alexandria says, “But it is not as I fear and hate a wild beast (since fear is twofold) that I fear the father, whom I fear and love at once. Again, fearing lest I be punished, I love myself in assuming fear. He who fears to offend his father, loves himself. Blessed then is he who is found possessed of faith, being, as he is, composed of love and fear. And faith is power in order to salvation, and strength to eternal life.”79
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Notes
76 St Augustine, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John, Tractate 25.12 (NPNF I/7:164) amended.
77 Abba Evagrius, “Instructions to Cenobites and Others,” in Early Fathers From the Philokalia, translated from the Russian text, “Dobrotolubiye,” by E. Kadloubovsky and G. E. H. Palmer, 8th edition (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1981): pp. 115–116.
78 St. Athanasius of Alexandria, The Festal Letters, Letter XI—For 339, 9 (NPNF II/4:536).
79 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 2.12 (ANF 2:360).