How is faith established in our inner souls?

St. Aphrahat says, “Faith is compounded of many things, and by many kinds is it brought to perfection. For it is like a building that is built up of many pieces of workmanship and so its edifice rises to the top. And know, my beloved, that in the foundations of the building stones are laid, and so resting upon stones the whole edifice rises until it is perfected. Thus also the true Stone, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the foundation of all our faith. And on Him, on [this] Stone faith is based. And resting on faith all the structure rises until it is completed …

“And now hear concerning faith that is based upon the Stone, and concerning the structure that is reared up upon the Stone. For first a man believes, and when he believes, he loves. When he loves, he hopes. When he hopes, he is justified. When he is justified, he is perfected. When he is perfected, he is consummated … then he becomes a house and a temple for a dwelling-place of Christ, as Jeremiah the Prophet said:— The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are you, if you amend your ways and your works (Jer. 7:4–5). And again He said through the Prophet:— I will dwell in them and walk in them (Lev. 26:12). And also the Blessed Apostle thus said:— You are the temple of God and the spirit of Christ dwells in you (1 Cor. 3:16 etc.). And also our Lord again thus said to His disciples:— You are in Me and I am in you (John 14:20) …

“So also let the man, who becomes a house, yes, a dwelling-place, for Christ, take heed to what is needed for the service of Christ, who lodges in him, and with what things he may please Him. For first he builds his building on the Stone, which is Christ. On Him, on the Stone, is faith based, and on faith is reared up all the structure. For the habitation of the house is required pure fasting , and it is made firm by faith .

82 St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, Volume I , trans. R. G. Macmullen (Oxford University Press, 1844) Sermon 21.16: p.177, amended.

83 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 3.9.

84 St. Augustine of Hippo, City of God 19:26, 27 (FOTC 24:245–246).

“There is also needed for it pure prayer , and through faith is it accepted. Necessary for it too is love , and with faith is it compounded. Furthermore alms are needed, and through faith are they given.

“He demands also humility , and by faith is it adorned.

“He chooses too virginity , and by faith is it loved.

“He joins with himself holiness , and in faith is it planted.

“He cares also for wisdom , and through faith is it acquired.

“He desires also hospitality , and by faith does it abound.

“Requisite for Him also is simplicity , and with faith is it commingled.

“He demands patience also, and by faith is it perfected. He has respect also to longsuffering , and through faith is it acquired.

“He loves mourning also, and through faith is it manifested.

“He seeks also for purity , and by faith is it preserved.

“All these things does the faith demand that is based on the rock of the true Stone, that is Christ. These works are required for Christ the King, who dwells in men that are built up in these works.”⁸⁵