Faith is more than mere thought, emotion, and belief. Faith elevates one's being, while belief is limited to a mental state or emotion. Faith implies a [[causation|causal]] role by the believer in an outcome,<ref>For example, the Biblical [[Peter]]'s walking on water based on his faith.</ref> or in overcoming a personal fear. Faith also implies advancement or accomplishment of something good, while mere belief does not achieve by itself.
The importance of faith logically follows from the existence of [[God]], as explained in Luke 17:7-10 (merely doing as told is not enough - "We are unworthy servants; we have '''''only''''' done what was our duty.").<ref>Luke 17:10 (ESV) (emphasis added).</ref> God went beyond His duty, obviously, and would prefer His creation to do likewise. That requires faith.
== Faith in God vs. secular psychology for solving addictions and other personal problems ==
==Frequency==
[[File:Belief-god.jpg|left|thumb|550px|Financial Times (FT)/Harris Poll among adults in 5 countries in 2006]]
==Expression==
:"O my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three Divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that Your Divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because You revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen."
What Protestant Evangelicals call Faith, Catholics call the virtue of Hope (''defined as "confident expectation of good without doubting"''). The Catholic Act of Hope is a formal prayer of [[assurance]]:
:"O my God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of Your grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen."
Catholics emphasize the teaching of [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/james/2-19.htm James 2:19], in which the [[DemonsDemon|devils]] have accurate faith but no hope.
==Martin Luther on Faith==