Faith And Life

Accepimus ab Apostolo habitare Christum per fidem in cordibus nostris. Unde videtur non incongrue intelligi posse, tandiu Christum in nobis vivere, quandiu vivit fides. At postquam fides nostra mortua est, quodam modo Christus mortuus est in nobis. Porro fidei vitam opera attestantur, sicut scriptum est: Opera, quae dedit mihi Pater, ipsa testimonium perhibent de me. Nec discrepare videtur ab hac sententia, qui fidem sine operibus mortuam asserit in semetipso. Sicut enim corporis hujus vitam ex motu suo dignoscimus, ita et fidei vitam ex operibus bonis. Itaque vita quidem corporis est anima, per quam movetur et sentit; vita vero fidei charitas est, quia per illam operatur, sicut in Apostolo legis: Fides quae per dilectionem operatur. Unde et refrigescente charitate fides moritur, sicut corpus anima recedente. Tu ergo si videris hominem in bonis operibus strenuum, et fervore conversationis hilarem; vivere in eo fidem non dubites, indubitata tenens vitae illius argumenta. Sed sunt nonnulli, qui, cum spiritu coeperint, heu! carne postea consummantur. Scimus autem quia jam tunc non permaneat in eis spiritus vitae, quia scriptum est: Non permanebit spiritus meus in homine in aeternum, quia caro est. Quod si non permanet spiritus, haud dubium quin excidat charitas, quae nimirum diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Tempore, In Tempore Resurrectionis, ad Abbates Source: Migne PL 183.283c-284c

We receive from the Apostle that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. 1 Whence it seems not unreasonable to understand that Christ lives in us while faith lives. But after our faith is dead then in a way Christ is dead in us. However the life of faith is attested by works, as it is written, 'The works which my Father gave to me, they give witness of me,' 2 Nor does this seem to clash with this meaning that he who asserts faith without works has a dead faith in himself. 3 For as we discern life in this body by movement, so the life of faith is discerned by works. Thus as the life of the body is the soul by which it is moved and feels, so the life of faith is love, because faith works through love, as you read in the Apostle, 'Faith which works through love.' 4 Whence when love cools faith is dead, as the body is when the soul withdraws. You, therefore, if you see a man diligent in good works, and joyful in the fervour of his life, do not doubt that faith lives in him and that he holds the indisputable proofs of that life. But there are not a few, who begin with the spirit and, alas, later end with the flesh. 5 And then we know that the spirit of life shall not remain in them, because it is written, 'My spirit shall not remain in man forever, because he is flesh.' 6 And if the spirit does not remain, there is no doubt that love is cut off, which is diffused in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 7 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons For The Year, During The Resurrection, To The Abbots 1 Ephes 3.17 2 Jn 5.36 3 James 2.20 4 Gala 5.6 5 Galat 3.3 6 Genes 6.3 7 Rom 5.5