Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article First. On the Necessity of the Act of Faith
7. Assertion. Actual faith is necessary for all adults by necessity of means: for those not yet justified, unto justification; for those justified, unto salvation.
a. In order to salvation there is distinguished a twofold necessity, one of means, the other of precept. That is called necessary by necessity of means without which the end cannot be obtained, even if it is inculpably not employed; and that is called necessary by necessity of precept without which the end cannot be obtained only then, if it is culpably not employed. Of this kind is everything which obliges under grave precept.
If that which is necessary by necessity of means is not in our power, it is called necessary by necessity of means only; but if it is in our power, it is called necessary by necessity of means and of precept: for by the same obligation by which we are bound to the end, we are also bound to employ the means necessary for it, if they are in our power.
If that which is necessary by necessity of means is required in itself and cannot be supplied by another means, as sanctifying grace at the end of life, it is called necessary by a strict, absolute necessity of means and in reality; but if it can be supplied by another means, as the sacrament of baptism, it is called necessary by a broad, hypothetical necessity of means and at least in desire.
b. Habitual faith also is necessary for salvation by necessity of means: for from faith it is certain that no one is saved unless he is adorned with sanctifying grace; but together with sanctifying grace, which is infused in justification, habitual faith also is at the same time infused. But since moral theology treats not of habits, but chiefly of the acts of virtues, the discussion in this place is concerning the necessity of the act of faith. From this it is clear that this necessity regards adults alone; but in moral theology those are called adults who have attained the use of reason.
c. There are among recent theologians some who, in order to render easier the eternal salvation of unbelievers, teach that for obtaining justification there is not always required faith properly so called, by which a revealed truth is believed on account of the authority of God revealing, but that sometimes faith improperly so called suffices, by which the mind embraces a truth known by the light of reason under the actual influence of grace. The assertion is understood concerning faith properly so called.1
d. Where here the necessity of the act of faith is treated, it is only affirmed that some act of theological faith is necessary, prescinding from its object or from the truths to be believed, concerning which there will be discussion below.
1 Fr. Schmid, Die ausserordentlichen Heilswege, Brixen: Pressverein, 1899, second section, Die Notwendigkeit des Glaubens, p. 79. W. Liese, Der heilsnotwendige Glaube, Freiburg: Charitas-Druckerei, 1902. Martin, De necessitate credendi et credendorum seu de fide salutari, Paderborn: Schoeningh, 1906.
8. Necessity of means. 1. Actual faith is necessary for adults not yet justified by necessity of means unto obtaining first justification, whether ex opere operato through the sacrament or ex opere operantis through an act of charity or of perfect contrition: a. But without faith it is impossible to please God: for he who approaches God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder to those who seek Him;1 but these words of the apostle must be understood concerning actual faith, and that properly so called.2 b. And indeed an adult man cannot arrive at justification unless by his own acts he disposes himself for it; but he cannot dispose himself for it unless he knows that God is and that the same God will be propitious to him; and he cannot know this except through faith.3 c. The Council of Trent, speaking of faith, and that properly so called, adds, "without which justification has never happened to anyone."4
Explicit and formal actual faith is necessary only for the first justification of an adult; but for second justification, which the sinner obtains either in the sacrament of penance or through perfect contrition, virtual faith suffices, unless he has lost the habit of faith. For although the Council of Trent5 enumerates faith and hope among the dispositions of the adult for obtaining justification, nevertheless the acts which the council enumerates do not always have to be formally elicited, as in first justification, but it suffices that they be virtually present.
- Actual faith is necessary for adults already justified by necessity of means unto salvation: for the adult man ought to order himself and all his things to God, the ultimate end, or to tend by his acts to the supernatural end of eternal life and merit it for himself by good works; but this cannot happen unless he believes that God is, and that He is the rewarder of the good and the avenger of evils.
There are some who say that actual faith is necessary by necessity of means for absolutely all men using reason, even baptized children, as soon as they have arrived at the use of reason;6 others, on the contrary, say that actual faith is necessary for children of this kind by necessity of precept.7 Now nothing prevents it from being called necessary by necessity of means, provided it is held that adults of this kind are to be equated with infants until they have been instructed in faith and attend to the obligation of eliciting an act of faith, and therefore can be saved even without an act of faith.
- This faith in adults not yet justified ought to be explicit and formal, by which some truths are believed explicitly in themselves; nevertheless in adults already justified virtual faith suffices, provided they explicitly know the things which must be believed by necessity of means and acknowledge the authority of God revealing: for a more perfect faith is not required for obtaining the end on account of which faith is necessary. Furthermore, faith is necessary in reality, nor does its desire suffice, which is contained in the act of charity of God.
2 Cf. Schmid, loc. cit., n. 103.
3 Cf. Schmid, loc. cit., who in n. 94 ff. develops the arguments with equal acuteness and learning.
4 Council of Trent, sess. 6, c. 7. Cf. Vatican Council, sess. 3, c. 3.
5 Sess. 6, c. 6.
6 Lacroix, bk. 2, n. 11 ff.
7 Ballerini-Palmieri, II, n. 10.