4) As a Christian begins with faith, so faith begins with the Gospel. Without the Gospel, there can be no faith. We must believe God's merciful promise, which relates to the Gospel, if we want to receive faith in our hearts.

5) In order to receive faith in the heart from the Gospel, one must feel in the heart the power, reproof, condemnation and fear of God's judgment from the law. This requires the preaching of the law of God.

6) From this it can be seen how one should learn in the Word of God, that is, in the law and the Gospel, since from the law sin is known and God's wrath against sin is felt (see Romans 3:20), and from the Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit consolation and living faith are instilled in the heart.

7) The Gospel does not benefit those who are defective, unrepentant and do not cease to sin, since it is only preached to those who fear God and His righteous Judgment and are wounded by fear and sorrow for their sins. They need and are offered consolation from the Gospel. They are told: "Do not be afraid, only believe" (Mark 5:36). To them Christ preached in the Gospel is the Comforter and Physician, just as He Himself says: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick" (Matt. 9:12).

Chapter 2.

On Faith

The righteous shall live by faith.

(Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38)

Faith, on the other hand, is the fulfillment of things hoped for, and the assurance of things not seen.

(Hebrews 11:1)

§ 281. Faith is that which we do not see, or do not comprehend with our minds, but we believe that it is so. Thus, we do not see God (although we know Him from the creation of the world, but faith accomplishes this knowledge as imperfect, and so we know it more from faith than from reason), but we believe that there is God, there is One. We do not comprehend with our minds how God is one in nature, but is triune in Persons, but we believe, guided by the Word of God. We do not see Christ, the Son of God, eternal life, the heavenly kingdom, but we believe in them. We do not comprehend with our minds the resurrection of the dead, the most holy Eucharist of the Body and Blood of Christ, but faith confirms us in this.

In these and other mysteries of God, reason must follow faith, and not faith in reason, that is, the knowledge of them does not depend on reason, but on faith, and we believe not because we know, but because we know. Thus, the knowledge of them is not the fruit of our reason, but of faith, which is established on the firm foundation of the holy Word of God, the truth and omnipotence of God.

This is offered in order not to test with the mind that which requires faith alone, but to captivate every thought in obedience to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). For the most famous sign of unbelief is to ask about the mysteries of God: how can this be? That is why St. John Chrysostom teaches: "Where there is faith, there is no need for testing. Where is it not fitting to test, what need is there for testing? The test of faith is ruinous. For he who tests will not find." (Discourse 1 on the First Epistle to Timothy). For if we could comprehend it with our minds, then we would not need faith. Faith is needed where our mind does not comprehend. But this faith, that is, the knowledge of the Holy Mysteries and Orthodox dogmas only by faith, is not enough for salvation, as will be said below.