Faith alone
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Amen! And how simple a concept it is that Paul taught faith in contrast to works. In Hebrews 11 the author said, "By faith" they did this or that.
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Justification by Faith and Justification by Works
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stan the man
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James 2
I want to return to James 2 briefly and examine the third key term: justification.
The normal thing I will hear in Evangelical expositions of James 2 is that the justification being discussed is something called "justification before men" rather than "justification before God." Justification before men is said to be the knowability by men that one is justified by God. In other words, if one is justified before men then men know that one is the recipient of God's justification.
Unfortunately, this interpretation is completely impossible. The only point of evidence offered for it is James 2:18b, where James says: "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith." James's declaration "show me," is taken to be an assertion that it is this "justification before God before men" that is under discussion. However, this proves nothing since the exact same statement bears an alternative interpretation. James's point is that faith without works is impotent ("dead," "barren," without "profit"), and as an illustration of this he points out that faith cannot even be demonstrated to exist without works—that is how impotent it is!
Because 2:18b can bear different interpretations,it cannot be cited as evidence in favor of any one interpretation. However, the "justification before God before men" view can be positively ruled out as completely impossible based on ten points in the text.
First, in 2:14, James asks: "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can faith save him?" Here James shows us that the kind of profit he is interested in is salvation. The kind of faith plus works James is talking about profits toward salvation, which pertains to justification before God, not men. His question, "Can faith save him?" sets the tone for the whole discussion (as it should since it is in the first verse of it). The subject at hand is one's relationship with God, not one's reputation among men.
Second, in 2:15-16, James says: "If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?" Here James repeats the term "profit" from his previous argument, and again the subject is actual, substantive profit—having one's needs taken care of—rather than a non-substantive profit of a justification before men.
Third, in 2:17, as a conclusion to vv. 15-16, James says: "So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." Here the term "dead" is introduced as an antonym for "profit." James thus says that faith without works is <dead>, the ultimate form of impotence, the ultimate lack of power with respect to the "profit" he has discussed in the preceding three verses. He says faith without works <"is dead," >not "dead before men."
(Verse 18 is here omitted in this exegesis because when taken in isolation it can semi-plausibly bear a different interpretation than the one I am advocating.)
Fourth, to show the impotence of faith alone toward one's relationship with God, James asks in 2:19, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder." Demons have the faith James is talking about—intellectual assent to the truths of God—but it does not stop them from shuddering at the prospect of God's wrath. This is what James has in mind. He is not saying that demons shudder at the prospect of not having a good reputation among men or that because they have faith alone they lack justification before men.
Fifth, in verse 20 James asks, "Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?" Here the term "barren" is taken as the antonym to "profit" and the synonym to "dead" in the preceding verses, meaning that this introductory statement to the arguments which follow shows that the arguments to come are to be interpreted in the light of what has come before, which had definitely not been dealing with "justification before men."
Sixth, in verse 21, James says, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?" This absolutely cannot be read as some kind of justification before men since Abraham and Isaac were the only ones up there on the mount and their drama was played for God's benefit. He was the witness, not Abraham's contemporaries.
Seventh, in verse 23a, James says, "[A]nd the scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" Who in that Scripture did the reckoning? Was it men or God? It was not men, but God. Thus justification before God.
Eighth, in 23b James states: "[A]nd he was called the friend of God." Important question: Who called Abraham God's friend? God himself did: "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend" (Isa. 41:8). Thus justification before God.
Ninth, in verse 26, James says: "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead." Again, James does not say that the body <appears dead before men> but that the body <is dead> without the spirit.
Tenth, the whole "justification before men" argument rests on a linguistic slight of hand trick where one phrase is used to mean something completely different. By speaking of <"justification >before men" and <"justification >before God," the argument creates the illusion that the same kind of justification is being spoken of in both cases, simply the audience is different, being men in one case and God in the other.
However, in actuality, in the phrase "justification before men" the term "justification" is taken to mean "justification before God." This is why advocates of this interpretation speak of one's good works showing <before others> that one is justified <before God>. The concept of justification before God is stuffed into the concept of justification before men. The concept is actually "justification before God before men." While it would be possible to imagine the single Greek term "justified" representing "justified before men," there is no way that the single Greek term "justified" can represent the enormous, complex phrase "justification before God before men." This is a case of raw lexical word-stuffage, where a single Greek word is being used to represent a long and complex string of words and in which this usage is not paralleled anywhere else in New Testament, classical, koine, or patristic Greek anywhere. In other words, it is a blatant attempt to cobble together a theory to explain the term "justified" over against the obvious sense the term has in the Greek text.
Thus I must conclude that the term "justified" in this text means "justification before God." However, because some have the unbiblical notion that there is only one kind of justification before God, this creates a problem for some with the text. James clearly states that man is justified before God by faith plus works in this text, but if the only kind of justification before God that is available (on the Protestant view) is initial justification by which one comes to God then one ends up with the false statement that one is initially justified and has one's sins forgiven by faith plus works.
The Catholic, because he is not boxed in by this unbiblical assumption that there is only one kind of justification before God, is able to allow the text to flow naturally and recognize that this is a subsequent form of justification, one which applied to Abraham years after he was justified in Genesis 15:6, and still further years after he left Haran by the faith which obtained for him a good report (justification) with God (Heb. 11).
So in this passage James tells us that (after one's life with God has begun), a Christian is further justified—that is, he continues to grow in righteousness—not just by intellectually assenting to the truths of the faith but by doing the good works God's grace leads him into and which God chooses to reward.
This happens to be exactly the sense in which the Council of Trent takes the text (Decree on Justification 10)—that in James 2:24 we are being told about the growth in (actual) righteousness that occurs over the course of the Christian life.
Those guys at Trent sure knew what they were talking about.
I want to return to James 2 briefly and examine the third key term: justification.
The normal thing I will hear in Evangelical expositions of James 2 is that the justification being discussed is something called "justification before men" rather than "justification before God." Justification before men is said to be the knowability by men that one is justified by God. In other words, if one is justified before men then men know that one is the recipient of God's justification.
Unfortunately, this interpretation is completely impossible. The only point of evidence offered for it is James 2:18b, where James says: "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith." James's declaration "show me," is taken to be an assertion that it is this "justification before God before men" that is under discussion. However, this proves nothing since the exact same statement bears an alternative interpretation. James's point is that faith without works is impotent ("dead," "barren," without "profit"), and as an illustration of this he points out that faith cannot even be demonstrated to exist without works—that is how impotent it is!
Because 2:18b can bear different interpretations,it cannot be cited as evidence in favor of any one interpretation. However, the "justification before God before men" view can be positively ruled out as completely impossible based on ten points in the text.
First, in 2:14, James asks: "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can faith save him?" Here James shows us that the kind of profit he is interested in is salvation. The kind of faith plus works James is talking about profits toward salvation, which pertains to justification before God, not men. His question, "Can faith save him?" sets the tone for the whole discussion (as it should since it is in the first verse of it). The subject at hand is one's relationship with God, not one's reputation among men.
Second, in 2:15-16, James says: "If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?" Here James repeats the term "profit" from his previous argument, and again the subject is actual, substantive profit—having one's needs taken care of—rather than a non-substantive profit of a justification before men.
Third, in 2:17, as a conclusion to vv. 15-16, James says: "So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." Here the term "dead" is introduced as an antonym for "profit." James thus says that faith without works is <dead>, the ultimate form of impotence, the ultimate lack of power with respect to the "profit" he has discussed in the preceding three verses. He says faith without works <"is dead," >not "dead before men."
(Verse 18 is here omitted in this exegesis because when taken in isolation it can semi-plausibly bear a different interpretation than the one I am advocating.)
Fourth, to show the impotence of faith alone toward one's relationship with God, James asks in 2:19, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder." Demons have the faith James is talking about—intellectual assent to the truths of God—but it does not stop them from shuddering at the prospect of God's wrath. This is what James has in mind. He is not saying that demons shudder at the prospect of not having a good reputation among men or that because they have faith alone they lack justification before men.
Fifth, in verse 20 James asks, "Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?" Here the term "barren" is taken as the antonym to "profit" and the synonym to "dead" in the preceding verses, meaning that this introductory statement to the arguments which follow shows that the arguments to come are to be interpreted in the light of what has come before, which had definitely not been dealing with "justification before men."
Sixth, in verse 21, James says, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?" This absolutely cannot be read as some kind of justification before men since Abraham and Isaac were the only ones up there on the mount and their drama was played for God's benefit. He was the witness, not Abraham's contemporaries.
Seventh, in verse 23a, James says, "[A]nd the scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" Who in that Scripture did the reckoning? Was it men or God? It was not men, but God. Thus justification before God.
Eighth, in 23b James states: "[A]nd he was called the friend of God." Important question: Who called Abraham God's friend? God himself did: "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend" (Isa. 41:8). Thus justification before God.
Ninth, in verse 26, James says: "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead." Again, James does not say that the body <appears dead before men> but that the body <is dead> without the spirit.
Tenth, the whole "justification before men" argument rests on a linguistic slight of hand trick where one phrase is used to mean something completely different. By speaking of <"justification >before men" and <"justification >before God," the argument creates the illusion that the same kind of justification is being spoken of in both cases, simply the audience is different, being men in one case and God in the other.
However, in actuality, in the phrase "justification before men" the term "justification" is taken to mean "justification before God." This is why advocates of this interpretation speak of one's good works showing <before others> that one is justified <before God>. The concept of justification before God is stuffed into the concept of justification before men. The concept is actually "justification before God before men." While it would be possible to imagine the single Greek term "justified" representing "justified before men," there is no way that the single Greek term "justified" can represent the enormous, complex phrase "justification before God before men." This is a case of raw lexical word-stuffage, where a single Greek word is being used to represent a long and complex string of words and in which this usage is not paralleled anywhere else in New Testament, classical, koine, or patristic Greek anywhere. In other words, it is a blatant attempt to cobble together a theory to explain the term "justified" over against the obvious sense the term has in the Greek text.
Thus I must conclude that the term "justified" in this text means "justification before God." However, because some have the unbiblical notion that there is only one kind of justification before God, this creates a problem for some with the text. James clearly states that man is justified before God by faith plus works in this text, but if the only kind of justification before God that is available (on the Protestant view) is initial justification by which one comes to God then one ends up with the false statement that one is initially justified and has one's sins forgiven by faith plus works.
The Catholic, because he is not boxed in by this unbiblical assumption that there is only one kind of justification before God, is able to allow the text to flow naturally and recognize that this is a subsequent form of justification, one which applied to Abraham years after he was justified in Genesis 15:6, and still further years after he left Haran by the faith which obtained for him a good report (justification) with God (Heb. 11).
So in this passage James tells us that (after one's life with God has begun), a Christian is further justified—that is, he continues to grow in righteousness—not just by intellectually assenting to the truths of the faith but by doing the good works God's grace leads him into and which God chooses to reward.
This happens to be exactly the sense in which the Council of Trent takes the text (Decree on Justification 10)—that in James 2:24 we are being told about the growth in (actual) righteousness that occurs over the course of the Christian life.
Those guys at Trent sure knew what they were talking about.
stan the man
New Member
The Early Church
Let me post a reminder of what the Early Church believed. (The Early Church Father’s were the disciples of the Apostles.)
"Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all those things which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil-speaking, all abominable and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, seeking after change, all abominable lusts, detestable adultery, and execrable pride. 'For God,' saith [the Scripture], 'resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.' Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words."
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,30(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
"For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith?"
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,31(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
" All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,32(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
"Now I beseech thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to add [speed] to thy course, and that thou ever pray for all men that they may be saved, and that thou demand things which are befitting, with all assiduity both of the flesh and spirit. Be studious of unity, than which nothing is more precious. Bear with all men, even as our Lord beareth with thee. Show patience with all men in love, as [indeed] thou doest. Be stedfast in prayer. Ask for more understanding than that which thou [already] hast. Be watchful, as possessing a spirit which sleepeth not. Speak with every man according to the will of God. Bear the infirmities of all men as a perfect athlete; for where the labour is great, the gain is also great."
Ignatius of Antioch,To Polycarp,1(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:99
" Look ye to the bishop, that God also may look upon you. I will be instead of the souls of those who are subject to the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons; with them may I have a portion in the presence of God! Labour together with one another, act as athletes together, run together, suffer together, sleep together, rise together. As stewards of God, and of His household, and His servants, please Him and serve Him, that ye may receive from Him the wages [promised]. Let none of you be rebellious. Let your baptism be to you as armour, and faith as a spear, and love as a helmet, and patience as a panoply. Let your treasures be your good works, that ye may receive the gift of God, as is just. Let your spirit be long-suffering towards each other with meekness, even as God [is] toward you. As for me, I rejoice in you at all times."
Ignatius of Antioch,To Polycarp,6(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:100
"For he who keepeth these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooseth other things shall be destroyed with his works."Epistle of Barnabas,2(A.D. 132),in ANF,I:149
"But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, falsewitness; 'not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,' or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: 'Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again; and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.' "
Polycarp,To the Phillipians,2(A.D. 135),in ANF,I:33
"They only who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God; but as to those who keep not His commandments, there is no life in them."
Shepherd of Hermas,2 Comm 7(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:25
"But those who do not keep his commandments, flee from his life, and despise him. But he has his own honour with the Lord. All, therefore, who shall despise him, and not follow his commands, deliver themselves to death, and every one of them will be guilty of his own blood. But I enjoin you, that you obey his commands, and you will have a cure for your former sins."
Shepherd of Hermas,3 Sim 10:2(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:55
"But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is foretold as known beforehand, this too we explain. We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man's actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed. And again, unless the human race have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions, of whatever kind they be. But that it is by free choice they both walk uprightly and stumble, we thus demonstrate. We see the same man making a transition to opposite things. Now, if it had been fated that he were to be either good or bad, he could never have been capable of both the opposites, nor of so many transitions. But not even would some be good and others bad, since we thus make fate the cause of evil, and exhibit her as acting in opposition to herself; or that which has been already stated would seem to be true, that neither virtue nor vice is anything, but that things are only reckoned good or evil by opinion; which, as the true word shows, is the greatest impiety and wickedness. But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds, which cannot act by choice, did God make man: for neither would he be worthy of reward or praise did he not of himself choose the good, but were created for this end; nor, if he were evil, would he be worthy of punishment, not being evil of himself, but being able to be nothing else than what he was made."
Justin Martyr,First Apology,6(A.D. 155),in ANF,I:177
Let me post a reminder of what the Early Church believed. (The Early Church Father’s were the disciples of the Apostles.)
"Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all those things which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil-speaking, all abominable and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, seeking after change, all abominable lusts, detestable adultery, and execrable pride. 'For God,' saith [the Scripture], 'resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.' Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words."
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,30(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
"For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith?"
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,31(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
" All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Clement of Rome,Epistle to the Corinthians,32(A.D. 98),in ANF,I:13
"Now I beseech thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to add [speed] to thy course, and that thou ever pray for all men that they may be saved, and that thou demand things which are befitting, with all assiduity both of the flesh and spirit. Be studious of unity, than which nothing is more precious. Bear with all men, even as our Lord beareth with thee. Show patience with all men in love, as [indeed] thou doest. Be stedfast in prayer. Ask for more understanding than that which thou [already] hast. Be watchful, as possessing a spirit which sleepeth not. Speak with every man according to the will of God. Bear the infirmities of all men as a perfect athlete; for where the labour is great, the gain is also great."
Ignatius of Antioch,To Polycarp,1(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:99
" Look ye to the bishop, that God also may look upon you. I will be instead of the souls of those who are subject to the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons; with them may I have a portion in the presence of God! Labour together with one another, act as athletes together, run together, suffer together, sleep together, rise together. As stewards of God, and of His household, and His servants, please Him and serve Him, that ye may receive from Him the wages [promised]. Let none of you be rebellious. Let your baptism be to you as armour, and faith as a spear, and love as a helmet, and patience as a panoply. Let your treasures be your good works, that ye may receive the gift of God, as is just. Let your spirit be long-suffering towards each other with meekness, even as God [is] toward you. As for me, I rejoice in you at all times."
Ignatius of Antioch,To Polycarp,6(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:100
"For he who keepeth these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooseth other things shall be destroyed with his works."Epistle of Barnabas,2(A.D. 132),in ANF,I:149
"But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, falsewitness; 'not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,' or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: 'Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again; and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.' "
Polycarp,To the Phillipians,2(A.D. 135),in ANF,I:33
"They only who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God; but as to those who keep not His commandments, there is no life in them."
Shepherd of Hermas,2 Comm 7(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:25
"But those who do not keep his commandments, flee from his life, and despise him. But he has his own honour with the Lord. All, therefore, who shall despise him, and not follow his commands, deliver themselves to death, and every one of them will be guilty of his own blood. But I enjoin you, that you obey his commands, and you will have a cure for your former sins."
Shepherd of Hermas,3 Sim 10:2(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:55
"But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is foretold as known beforehand, this too we explain. We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man's actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed. And again, unless the human race have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions, of whatever kind they be. But that it is by free choice they both walk uprightly and stumble, we thus demonstrate. We see the same man making a transition to opposite things. Now, if it had been fated that he were to be either good or bad, he could never have been capable of both the opposites, nor of so many transitions. But not even would some be good and others bad, since we thus make fate the cause of evil, and exhibit her as acting in opposition to herself; or that which has been already stated would seem to be true, that neither virtue nor vice is anything, but that things are only reckoned good or evil by opinion; which, as the true word shows, is the greatest impiety and wickedness. But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds, which cannot act by choice, did God make man: for neither would he be worthy of reward or praise did he not of himself choose the good, but were created for this end; nor, if he were evil, would he be worthy of punishment, not being evil of himself, but being able to be nothing else than what he was made."
Justin Martyr,First Apology,6(A.D. 155),in ANF,I:177
stan the man
New Member
The Early Church
"On this account also Paul the Apostle says to the Corinthians, 'Know ye not, that they who run in a racecourse, do all indeed run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Every one also who engages in the contest is temperate in all things: now these men ida it] that they may obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. But I so run, not as uncertainty; I fight, not as One beating the air; but I make my body livid, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when preaching to others, I may myself be rendered a castaway.' This able wrestler, therefore, exhorts us to the struggle for immortality, that we may be crowned, and may deem the crown precious, namely, that which is acquired by our struggle, but which does not encircle us of its own accord (sed non ultro coalitam)."
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4:7(A.D. 180),in ANF,I:520
"But do you also, if you please, give reverential attention to the prophetic Scriptures, and they will make your way plainer for escaping the eternal punishments, and obtaining the eternal prizes of God. For He who gave the mouth for speech, and formed the ear to hear, and made the eye to see, will examine all things, and will judge righteous judgment, rendering merited awards to each. To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek immortality, He will give life everlasting, joy, peace, rest, and abundance of good things, which neither hath eye seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. But to the unbelieving and despisers, who obey not the truth, but are obedient to unrighteousness, when they shall have been filled with adulteries and fornications, and filthiness, and covetousness, and unlawful idolatries, there shall be anger and wrath, tribulation and anguish, and at the last everlasting fire shall possess such men. Since you said, "Show me thy God," this is my God, and I counsel you to fear Him and to trust Him."
Theophilius of Antioch,To Autolycus,I:14(A.D. 181),in ANF,II:93
" 'And other sheep there are also,' saith the Lord, 'which are not of this fold '--deemed worthy of another fold and mansion, in proportion to their faith. 'But My sheep hear My voice,' understanding gnostically the commandments. And this is to be taken in a magnanimous and worthy acceptation, along with also the recompense and accompaniment of works. So that when we hear, 'Thy faith hath saved thee, we do not understand Him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever shall be saved, unless also works follow. But it was to the Jews alone that He spoke this utterance, who kept the law and lived blamelessly, who wanted only faith in the Lord. No one, then, can be a believer and at the same time be licentious; but though he quit the flesh, he must put off the passions, so as to be capable of reaching his own mansion."
Clement of Alexandria,The Stromata,6:14(A.D. 202),in ANF,II:505
"[T]hus by the grace of the Saviour healing their souls, enlightening them and leading them to the attainment of the truth; and whosoever obtains this and distinguishes himself in good works shall gain the prize of everlasting life... But others rightly and adequately comprehend this, but attaching slight importance to the works which tend to salvation, do not make the requisite preparation for attaining to the objects of their hope."
Clement of Alexandria,Who is the rich man that shall be saved?,1,2(A.D. 210),in ANF,II:591
"[T]he apostolic teaching is that the soul, having a substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world, be rewarded according to its deserts, being destined to obtain either an inheritance of eternal life and blessedness, if its actions shall have procured this for it, or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments, if the guilt of its crimes shall have brought it down to this"
Origen,First Principles,Preface 5(A.D. 230),in ANF,IV:240
"Whoever dies in his sins, even if he profess to believe in Christ, does not truly believe in Him, and even if that which exists without works be called faith, such faith is dead in itself, as we read in the Epistle bearing the name of James."
Origen,Commentary on John,19:6(A.D. 232),in JUR,I:202
"And in like manner, the Gentiles by faith in Christ prepare for themselves eternal life through good works."
Hippolytus,Commentary on Proverbs(ante A.D. 235),in ANF,V:174
"He, in administering the righteous judgment of the Father to all, assigns to each what is righteous according to his works....the justification will be seen in the awarding to each that which is just; since to those who have done well shall be assigned righteously eternal bliss, and to the lovers of iniquity shall be given eternal punishment. And the fire which is un-quenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which dieth not...But the righteous will remember only the righteous deeds by which they reached the heavenly kingdom, in which there is neither sleep, nor pain, nor corruption"
Hippolytus,Against Plato,3(ante A.D. 235),in ANF,V:222-223
"For both to prophesy and to cast out devils, and to do great acts upon the earth is certainly a sublime and an admirable thing; but one does not attain the kingdom of heaven although he is found in all these things, unless he walks in the observance of the right and just way. The Lord denounces, and says, 'Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' There is need of righteousness, that one may deserve well of God the Judge; we must obey His precepts and warnings, that our merits may receive their reward. "
Cyprian,On the Unity of the Church,16(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:423
"You must pray more eagerly and entreat; you must spend the day in grief; wear out nights in watchings and weepings; occupy all your time in wailful lamentations; lying stretched on the ground, you must cling close to the ashes, be surrounded with sackcloth and filth; after losing the raiment of Christ, you must be willing now to have no clothing; after the devil's meat, you must prefer fasting; be earnest in righteous works, whereby sins may be purged; frequently apply yourself to almsgiving, whereby souls are freed from death. What the adversary took from you, let Christ receive; nor ought your estate now either to be held or loved, by which you have been both deceived and conquered. Wealth must be avoided as an enemy; must be fled from as a robber; must be dreaded by its possessors as a sword and as poison. To this end only so much as remains should be of service, that by it the crime and the fault may be redeemed. Let good works be done without delay, and largely; let all your estate be laid out for the healing of your wound; let us lend of our wealth and our means to the Lord, who shall judge concerning us. Thus faith flourished in the time of the apostles; thus the first people of believers kept Christ's commands: they were prompt, they were liberal, they gave their all to be distributed by the apostles; and yet they were not redeeming sins of such a character as these."
Cyprian,On the Lapsed,35(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:447
"On this account also Paul the Apostle says to the Corinthians, 'Know ye not, that they who run in a racecourse, do all indeed run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Every one also who engages in the contest is temperate in all things: now these men ida it] that they may obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. But I so run, not as uncertainty; I fight, not as One beating the air; but I make my body livid, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when preaching to others, I may myself be rendered a castaway.' This able wrestler, therefore, exhorts us to the struggle for immortality, that we may be crowned, and may deem the crown precious, namely, that which is acquired by our struggle, but which does not encircle us of its own accord (sed non ultro coalitam)."
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4:7(A.D. 180),in ANF,I:520
"But do you also, if you please, give reverential attention to the prophetic Scriptures, and they will make your way plainer for escaping the eternal punishments, and obtaining the eternal prizes of God. For He who gave the mouth for speech, and formed the ear to hear, and made the eye to see, will examine all things, and will judge righteous judgment, rendering merited awards to each. To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek immortality, He will give life everlasting, joy, peace, rest, and abundance of good things, which neither hath eye seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. But to the unbelieving and despisers, who obey not the truth, but are obedient to unrighteousness, when they shall have been filled with adulteries and fornications, and filthiness, and covetousness, and unlawful idolatries, there shall be anger and wrath, tribulation and anguish, and at the last everlasting fire shall possess such men. Since you said, "Show me thy God," this is my God, and I counsel you to fear Him and to trust Him."
Theophilius of Antioch,To Autolycus,I:14(A.D. 181),in ANF,II:93
" 'And other sheep there are also,' saith the Lord, 'which are not of this fold '--deemed worthy of another fold and mansion, in proportion to their faith. 'But My sheep hear My voice,' understanding gnostically the commandments. And this is to be taken in a magnanimous and worthy acceptation, along with also the recompense and accompaniment of works. So that when we hear, 'Thy faith hath saved thee, we do not understand Him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever shall be saved, unless also works follow. But it was to the Jews alone that He spoke this utterance, who kept the law and lived blamelessly, who wanted only faith in the Lord. No one, then, can be a believer and at the same time be licentious; but though he quit the flesh, he must put off the passions, so as to be capable of reaching his own mansion."
Clement of Alexandria,The Stromata,6:14(A.D. 202),in ANF,II:505
"[T]hus by the grace of the Saviour healing their souls, enlightening them and leading them to the attainment of the truth; and whosoever obtains this and distinguishes himself in good works shall gain the prize of everlasting life... But others rightly and adequately comprehend this, but attaching slight importance to the works which tend to salvation, do not make the requisite preparation for attaining to the objects of their hope."
Clement of Alexandria,Who is the rich man that shall be saved?,1,2(A.D. 210),in ANF,II:591
"[T]he apostolic teaching is that the soul, having a substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world, be rewarded according to its deserts, being destined to obtain either an inheritance of eternal life and blessedness, if its actions shall have procured this for it, or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments, if the guilt of its crimes shall have brought it down to this"
Origen,First Principles,Preface 5(A.D. 230),in ANF,IV:240
"Whoever dies in his sins, even if he profess to believe in Christ, does not truly believe in Him, and even if that which exists without works be called faith, such faith is dead in itself, as we read in the Epistle bearing the name of James."
Origen,Commentary on John,19:6(A.D. 232),in JUR,I:202
"And in like manner, the Gentiles by faith in Christ prepare for themselves eternal life through good works."
Hippolytus,Commentary on Proverbs(ante A.D. 235),in ANF,V:174
"He, in administering the righteous judgment of the Father to all, assigns to each what is righteous according to his works....the justification will be seen in the awarding to each that which is just; since to those who have done well shall be assigned righteously eternal bliss, and to the lovers of iniquity shall be given eternal punishment. And the fire which is un-quenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which dieth not...But the righteous will remember only the righteous deeds by which they reached the heavenly kingdom, in which there is neither sleep, nor pain, nor corruption"
Hippolytus,Against Plato,3(ante A.D. 235),in ANF,V:222-223
"For both to prophesy and to cast out devils, and to do great acts upon the earth is certainly a sublime and an admirable thing; but one does not attain the kingdom of heaven although he is found in all these things, unless he walks in the observance of the right and just way. The Lord denounces, and says, 'Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' There is need of righteousness, that one may deserve well of God the Judge; we must obey His precepts and warnings, that our merits may receive their reward. "
Cyprian,On the Unity of the Church,16(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:423
"You must pray more eagerly and entreat; you must spend the day in grief; wear out nights in watchings and weepings; occupy all your time in wailful lamentations; lying stretched on the ground, you must cling close to the ashes, be surrounded with sackcloth and filth; after losing the raiment of Christ, you must be willing now to have no clothing; after the devil's meat, you must prefer fasting; be earnest in righteous works, whereby sins may be purged; frequently apply yourself to almsgiving, whereby souls are freed from death. What the adversary took from you, let Christ receive; nor ought your estate now either to be held or loved, by which you have been both deceived and conquered. Wealth must be avoided as an enemy; must be fled from as a robber; must be dreaded by its possessors as a sword and as poison. To this end only so much as remains should be of service, that by it the crime and the fault may be redeemed. Let good works be done without delay, and largely; let all your estate be laid out for the healing of your wound; let us lend of our wealth and our means to the Lord, who shall judge concerning us. Thus faith flourished in the time of the apostles; thus the first people of believers kept Christ's commands: they were prompt, they were liberal, they gave their all to be distributed by the apostles; and yet they were not redeeming sins of such a character as these."
Cyprian,On the Lapsed,35(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:447
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"You therefore, who are rich and wealthy, buy for yourself of Christ gold tried by fire; that you may be pure gold, with your filth burnt out as if by fire, if you are purged by almsgiving and righteous works. Buy for yourself white raiment, that you who had been naked according to Adam, and were before frightful and unseemly, may be clothed with the white garment of Christ. And you who are a wealthy and rich matron in Christ's Church, anoint your eyes, not with the collyrium of the devil, but with Christ's eye-salve, that you may be able to attain to see God, by deserving well of God, both by good works and character."
Cyprian,Works and Almsgiving,14(A.D. 252),in ANF,V:480
"For this reason He has given us this present life, that we may either lose that true and eternal life by our vices, or win it by virtue."
Lactantius,Divine Institutes,7:5(A.D. 310),in ANF,VII:200
"But our faith thus teaches, that when men fall asleep, they sleep this slumber without knowing good from evil. And the righteous look not forward to their promises, nor do the wicked look forward to their sentence of punishment, until the Judge come and separate those whose place is at His right hand from those whose place is at His left. And be thou instructed by that which is written, that when the Judge shall sit, and the books be opened before Him and the good and evil deeds recited, then they that have wrought good works shall receive good rewards from Him Who is good; and they that have done evil deeds shall receive evil penalties from the just Judge... But hear, my beloved, this proof that retribution shall take place at the end. For when the Shepherd divides His flock and sets some on His right hand and some on His left. until He shall have acknowledged the service of the good, then He will cause them to inherit the kingdom; and until He shall have rebuked the evil and they are condemned, then He will send them to the torment."
Aphrahat,Select Demonstrations,8:21(A.D. 345),in NPNF2,XIII:381-382
"Terrible in good truth is the judgment, and terrible the things announced. The kingdom of heaven is set before us, and everlasting fire is prepared. How then, some one will say, are we to escape the fire? And how to enter into the kingdom? I was an hungered, He says, and ye gave Me meat. Learn hence the way; there is here no need of allegory, but to fulfil what is said. I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. These things if thou do, thou shall reign together with Him; but if thou do them not, thou shalt be condemned. At once then begin to do these works, and abide in the faith; lest, like the foolish virgins, tarrying to buy oil, thou be shut out."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,15:26(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:112
"We shall be raised therefore, all with our bodies eternal, but not all with bodies alike: for if a man is righteous, he will receive a heavenly body, that he may be able worthily to hold converse with Angels; but if a man is a sinner, he shall receive an eternal body, fitted to endure the penalties of sins, that he may burn eternally in fire, nor ever be consumed. And righteously will God assign this portion to either company; for we do nothing without the body. We blaspheme with the mouth, and with the mouth we pray. With the body we commit fornication, and with the body we keep chastity. With the hand we rob, and by the hand we bestow alms; and the rest in like manner. Since then the body has been our minister in all things, it shall also share with us in the future the fruits of the past. Therefore, brethren, let us be careful of our bodies, nor misuse them as though not our own. Let us not say like the heretics, that this vesture of the body belongs not to us, but let us be careful of it as our own; for we must give account to the Lord of all things done through the body. Say not, none seeth me; think not, that there is no witness of the deed. Human witness oftentimes there is not; but He who fashioned us, an unerring witness, abides faithful in heaven, and beholds what thou doest. And the stains of sin also remain in the body; for as when a wound has gone deep into the body, even if there has been a healing, the scar remains, so sin wounds soul and body, and the marks of its scars remain in all; and they are removed only from those who receive the washing of Baptism. The past wounds therefore of soul and body God heals by Baptism; against future ones let us one and all jointly guard ourselves, that we may keep this vestment of the body pure, and may not for practising fornication and sensual indulgence or any other sin for a short season, lose the salvation of heaven, but may inherit the eternal kingdom of God; of which may God, of His own grace, deem all of you worthy."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,18:19,20(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:139
"For it is not productive of virtue, nor is it any token of goodness. For none of us is judged for what he knows not, and no one is called blessed because he hath learning and knowledge. But each one will be called to judgment in these points--whether he have kept the faith and truly observed the commandments."
Athanasius,Life of Antony,33(A.D. 362),in NPNF2,IV:205
" 'O Lord, my heart is not exalted, neither have mine eyes been lifted up.' This Psalm, a short one, which demands an analytical rather than a homiletical treatment, teaches us the lesson of humility and meekness. Now, as we have in a great number of other places spoken about humility, there is no need to repeat the same things here. Of course we are bound to bear in mind in how great need our faith stands of humility when we hear the Prophet thus speaking of it as equivalent to the performance of the highest works: O Lord, my heart is not exalted. For a troubled heart is the noblest sacrifice in the eyes of God. The heart, therefore, must not be lifted up by prosperity, but humbly kept within the bounds of meekness through the fear of God."
Hilary of Poitiers,Commentary on the Psalms,130/131:1(A.D. 365),in NPNF2,IX:247
"Finally Scripture teaches us how far from common are these stones, inasmuch as, whilst some brought one kind, and others another, of less precious offerings, these the devout princes brought, wearing them upon their shoulders, and made of them the 'breastplate of judgment,' that is, a piece of woven work. Now we have a woven work, when faith and action go together. Let none suppose me to be misguided, in that I made at first a threefold division, each part containing four, and afterwards a fourfold division, each part containing three terms. The beauty of a good thing pleases the more, if it be shown under various aspects. For those are good things, whereof the texture of the priestly robe was the token, that is to say, either the Law, or the Church, which latter hath made two garments for her spouse, as it is written'--the one of action, the other of spirit, weaving together the threads of faith and works.... Faith is profitable, therefore, when her brow is bright with a fair crown of good works. This faith--that I may set the matter forth shortly--is contained in the following principles, which cannot be overthrown."
Ambrose,On the Christian Faith,II:11,13(A.D. 380),in NPNF2,X:225
"You therefore, who are rich and wealthy, buy for yourself of Christ gold tried by fire; that you may be pure gold, with your filth burnt out as if by fire, if you are purged by almsgiving and righteous works. Buy for yourself white raiment, that you who had been naked according to Adam, and were before frightful and unseemly, may be clothed with the white garment of Christ. And you who are a wealthy and rich matron in Christ's Church, anoint your eyes, not with the collyrium of the devil, but with Christ's eye-salve, that you may be able to attain to see God, by deserving well of God, both by good works and character."
Cyprian,Works and Almsgiving,14(A.D. 252),in ANF,V:480
"For this reason He has given us this present life, that we may either lose that true and eternal life by our vices, or win it by virtue."
Lactantius,Divine Institutes,7:5(A.D. 310),in ANF,VII:200
"But our faith thus teaches, that when men fall asleep, they sleep this slumber without knowing good from evil. And the righteous look not forward to their promises, nor do the wicked look forward to their sentence of punishment, until the Judge come and separate those whose place is at His right hand from those whose place is at His left. And be thou instructed by that which is written, that when the Judge shall sit, and the books be opened before Him and the good and evil deeds recited, then they that have wrought good works shall receive good rewards from Him Who is good; and they that have done evil deeds shall receive evil penalties from the just Judge... But hear, my beloved, this proof that retribution shall take place at the end. For when the Shepherd divides His flock and sets some on His right hand and some on His left. until He shall have acknowledged the service of the good, then He will cause them to inherit the kingdom; and until He shall have rebuked the evil and they are condemned, then He will send them to the torment."
Aphrahat,Select Demonstrations,8:21(A.D. 345),in NPNF2,XIII:381-382
"Terrible in good truth is the judgment, and terrible the things announced. The kingdom of heaven is set before us, and everlasting fire is prepared. How then, some one will say, are we to escape the fire? And how to enter into the kingdom? I was an hungered, He says, and ye gave Me meat. Learn hence the way; there is here no need of allegory, but to fulfil what is said. I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. These things if thou do, thou shall reign together with Him; but if thou do them not, thou shalt be condemned. At once then begin to do these works, and abide in the faith; lest, like the foolish virgins, tarrying to buy oil, thou be shut out."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,15:26(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:112
"We shall be raised therefore, all with our bodies eternal, but not all with bodies alike: for if a man is righteous, he will receive a heavenly body, that he may be able worthily to hold converse with Angels; but if a man is a sinner, he shall receive an eternal body, fitted to endure the penalties of sins, that he may burn eternally in fire, nor ever be consumed. And righteously will God assign this portion to either company; for we do nothing without the body. We blaspheme with the mouth, and with the mouth we pray. With the body we commit fornication, and with the body we keep chastity. With the hand we rob, and by the hand we bestow alms; and the rest in like manner. Since then the body has been our minister in all things, it shall also share with us in the future the fruits of the past. Therefore, brethren, let us be careful of our bodies, nor misuse them as though not our own. Let us not say like the heretics, that this vesture of the body belongs not to us, but let us be careful of it as our own; for we must give account to the Lord of all things done through the body. Say not, none seeth me; think not, that there is no witness of the deed. Human witness oftentimes there is not; but He who fashioned us, an unerring witness, abides faithful in heaven, and beholds what thou doest. And the stains of sin also remain in the body; for as when a wound has gone deep into the body, even if there has been a healing, the scar remains, so sin wounds soul and body, and the marks of its scars remain in all; and they are removed only from those who receive the washing of Baptism. The past wounds therefore of soul and body God heals by Baptism; against future ones let us one and all jointly guard ourselves, that we may keep this vestment of the body pure, and may not for practising fornication and sensual indulgence or any other sin for a short season, lose the salvation of heaven, but may inherit the eternal kingdom of God; of which may God, of His own grace, deem all of you worthy."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,18:19,20(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:139
"For it is not productive of virtue, nor is it any token of goodness. For none of us is judged for what he knows not, and no one is called blessed because he hath learning and knowledge. But each one will be called to judgment in these points--whether he have kept the faith and truly observed the commandments."
Athanasius,Life of Antony,33(A.D. 362),in NPNF2,IV:205
" 'O Lord, my heart is not exalted, neither have mine eyes been lifted up.' This Psalm, a short one, which demands an analytical rather than a homiletical treatment, teaches us the lesson of humility and meekness. Now, as we have in a great number of other places spoken about humility, there is no need to repeat the same things here. Of course we are bound to bear in mind in how great need our faith stands of humility when we hear the Prophet thus speaking of it as equivalent to the performance of the highest works: O Lord, my heart is not exalted. For a troubled heart is the noblest sacrifice in the eyes of God. The heart, therefore, must not be lifted up by prosperity, but humbly kept within the bounds of meekness through the fear of God."
Hilary of Poitiers,Commentary on the Psalms,130/131:1(A.D. 365),in NPNF2,IX:247
"Finally Scripture teaches us how far from common are these stones, inasmuch as, whilst some brought one kind, and others another, of less precious offerings, these the devout princes brought, wearing them upon their shoulders, and made of them the 'breastplate of judgment,' that is, a piece of woven work. Now we have a woven work, when faith and action go together. Let none suppose me to be misguided, in that I made at first a threefold division, each part containing four, and afterwards a fourfold division, each part containing three terms. The beauty of a good thing pleases the more, if it be shown under various aspects. For those are good things, whereof the texture of the priestly robe was the token, that is to say, either the Law, or the Church, which latter hath made two garments for her spouse, as it is written'--the one of action, the other of spirit, weaving together the threads of faith and works.... Faith is profitable, therefore, when her brow is bright with a fair crown of good works. This faith--that I may set the matter forth shortly--is contained in the following principles, which cannot be overthrown."
Ambrose,On the Christian Faith,II:11,13(A.D. 380),in NPNF2,X:225
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"Then, in the tenth place, work that which is good upon this foundation of dogma; for faith without works is dead, even as are works apart from faith. This is all that may be divulged of the Sacrament, and that is not forbidden to the ear of the many. The rest yon shall learn within the Church by the grace of the Holy Trinity; and those matters you shall conceal within yourself, sealed and secure."
Gregory of Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,45(A.D. 381),in NPNF2,VII:377
" 'Is it then enough,' saith one,'to believe on the Son, that one may have eternal life?' By no means. And hear Christ Himself declaring this, and saying, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. vii. 21); and the blasphemy against the Spirit is enough of itself to cast a man into hell. But why speak I of a portion of doctrine? Though a man believe rightly on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, yet if he lead not a right life, his faith will avail nothing towards his salvation."
Chrysostom John,Homilies on John,31:1(A.D. 391),in NPNF1,XIV:106
"You had a wife, the apostle says, when you believed. Do not fancy your faith in Christ to be a reason for parting from her. For 'God hath called us in peace.' 'Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.' Neither celibacy nor wedlock is of the slightest use without works, since even faith, the distinguishing mark of Christians, if it have not works, is said to be dead, and on such terms as these the virgins of Vesta or of Juno, who was constant to one husband, might claim to be numbered among the saints."
Jerome,To Pammachius,Epistle 48:6(A.D. 393),in NPNF2,VI:69
"Paul, joining righteousness to faith and weaving them together, constructs of them the breastsplates for the infantryman, armoring the soldier properly and safely on both sides. A soldier cannot be considered safely armored when either shield is disjoined from the other. For faith without works of justice is not sufficient for salvation; neither, however, is righteous living secure in itself of salvation, if it is disjoined from faith."
Gregory of Nyssa,Homilies on Ecclesiastes,8(A.D. 394),in JUR,II:45-46
"There is no gift of God more excellent than this. It alone distinguishes the sons of the eternal kingdom and the sons of eternal perdition. Other gifts, too, are given by the Holy Spirit; but without love they profit nothing. Unless, therefore, the Holy Spirit is so far imparted to each, as to make him one who loves God and his neighbor, he is not removed from the left hand to the right. Nor is the Spirit specially called the Gift, unless on account of love. And he who has not this love, 'though he speak with the tongues of men and angels, is sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal; and though he have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and though he have all faith, so that he can remove mountains, he is nothing; and though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and though he give his body to be burned, it profiteth him nothing.' How great a good, then, is that without which goods so great bring no one to eternal life! But love or charity itself,--for they are two names for one thing,--if he have it that does not speak with tongues, nor has the gift of prophecy, nor knows all mysteries and all knowledge, nor gives all his goods to the poor, either because he has none to give or because some necessity hinders, nor delivers his body to be burned, if no trial of such a suffering overtakes him, brings that man to the kingdom, so that faith itself is only rendered profitable by love, since faith without love can indeed exist, but cannot profit. And therefore also the Apostle Paul says, 'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love:' so distinguishing it from that faith by which even 'the devils believe and tremble.' Love, therefore, which is of God and is God, is specially the Holy Spirit, by whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by which love the whole Trinity dwells in us. And therefore most rightly is the Holy Spirit, although He is God, called also the gift of God. And by that gift what else can properly be understood except love, which brings to God, and without which any other gift of God whatsoever does not bring to God?"
Augustine,On the Trinity,15:18,32(A.D. 416),in NPNF1,III:217
"According to the Catholic faith we believe this also, that after grace has been received through baptism, all the baptized with the help and cooperation of Christ can and ought to fufill what pertains to the salvation of the soul, if they will labor faithfully."
Council of Orange II,Predestination (A.D. 529),in DEN,81
"They acknowledge that they know God, but in deeds they deny Him (Tit. i. 16). And John says, He that saith that he knows Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar (1 John ii. 4). James also, the brother of the Lord, writes saying, Faith without works is dead (Jam. ii. 20). If, then, believers now are not saved without good works, while the unbelieving and reprobate without good action were saved by our Lord descending into hell, then the lot of those who never saw the incarnation of the Lord was better than that of these who have been born after the mystery of His incarnation."
Gregory the Great.Pope [regn. A.D. 590-604],To George(Presbyter),Epistle 15,in NPNF2,XII:216
"If good life is wanting, faith has no merit, as the blessed James attests, who says, Faith without works is dead (Jam; ii. 18)."
Gregory the Great, Pope [regn. A.D. 590-604],To Theoderic,Epistle 110,in NPNF2,XIII:29
"The remission of sins, therefore, is granted alike to all through baptism: but the grace of the Spirit is proportional to the faith and previous purification. Now, indeed, we receive the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit through baptism, and the second birth is for us the beginning and seal and security and illumination s of another life. It behoves as, then, with all our strength to steadfastly keep ourselves pure from filthy works, that we may not, like the dog returning to his vomit, make ourselves again the slaves of sin. For faith apart from works is dead, and so likewise are works apart from faith. For the true faith is attested by works."
John Damascene,Orthodox Faith,9(A.D. 743),in NPNF2,IX:73
"Then, in the tenth place, work that which is good upon this foundation of dogma; for faith without works is dead, even as are works apart from faith. This is all that may be divulged of the Sacrament, and that is not forbidden to the ear of the many. The rest yon shall learn within the Church by the grace of the Holy Trinity; and those matters you shall conceal within yourself, sealed and secure."
Gregory of Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,45(A.D. 381),in NPNF2,VII:377
" 'Is it then enough,' saith one,'to believe on the Son, that one may have eternal life?' By no means. And hear Christ Himself declaring this, and saying, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. vii. 21); and the blasphemy against the Spirit is enough of itself to cast a man into hell. But why speak I of a portion of doctrine? Though a man believe rightly on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, yet if he lead not a right life, his faith will avail nothing towards his salvation."
Chrysostom John,Homilies on John,31:1(A.D. 391),in NPNF1,XIV:106
"You had a wife, the apostle says, when you believed. Do not fancy your faith in Christ to be a reason for parting from her. For 'God hath called us in peace.' 'Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.' Neither celibacy nor wedlock is of the slightest use without works, since even faith, the distinguishing mark of Christians, if it have not works, is said to be dead, and on such terms as these the virgins of Vesta or of Juno, who was constant to one husband, might claim to be numbered among the saints."
Jerome,To Pammachius,Epistle 48:6(A.D. 393),in NPNF2,VI:69
"Paul, joining righteousness to faith and weaving them together, constructs of them the breastsplates for the infantryman, armoring the soldier properly and safely on both sides. A soldier cannot be considered safely armored when either shield is disjoined from the other. For faith without works of justice is not sufficient for salvation; neither, however, is righteous living secure in itself of salvation, if it is disjoined from faith."
Gregory of Nyssa,Homilies on Ecclesiastes,8(A.D. 394),in JUR,II:45-46
"There is no gift of God more excellent than this. It alone distinguishes the sons of the eternal kingdom and the sons of eternal perdition. Other gifts, too, are given by the Holy Spirit; but without love they profit nothing. Unless, therefore, the Holy Spirit is so far imparted to each, as to make him one who loves God and his neighbor, he is not removed from the left hand to the right. Nor is the Spirit specially called the Gift, unless on account of love. And he who has not this love, 'though he speak with the tongues of men and angels, is sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal; and though he have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and though he have all faith, so that he can remove mountains, he is nothing; and though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and though he give his body to be burned, it profiteth him nothing.' How great a good, then, is that without which goods so great bring no one to eternal life! But love or charity itself,--for they are two names for one thing,--if he have it that does not speak with tongues, nor has the gift of prophecy, nor knows all mysteries and all knowledge, nor gives all his goods to the poor, either because he has none to give or because some necessity hinders, nor delivers his body to be burned, if no trial of such a suffering overtakes him, brings that man to the kingdom, so that faith itself is only rendered profitable by love, since faith without love can indeed exist, but cannot profit. And therefore also the Apostle Paul says, 'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love:' so distinguishing it from that faith by which even 'the devils believe and tremble.' Love, therefore, which is of God and is God, is specially the Holy Spirit, by whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by which love the whole Trinity dwells in us. And therefore most rightly is the Holy Spirit, although He is God, called also the gift of God. And by that gift what else can properly be understood except love, which brings to God, and without which any other gift of God whatsoever does not bring to God?"
Augustine,On the Trinity,15:18,32(A.D. 416),in NPNF1,III:217
"According to the Catholic faith we believe this also, that after grace has been received through baptism, all the baptized with the help and cooperation of Christ can and ought to fufill what pertains to the salvation of the soul, if they will labor faithfully."
Council of Orange II,Predestination (A.D. 529),in DEN,81
"They acknowledge that they know God, but in deeds they deny Him (Tit. i. 16). And John says, He that saith that he knows Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar (1 John ii. 4). James also, the brother of the Lord, writes saying, Faith without works is dead (Jam. ii. 20). If, then, believers now are not saved without good works, while the unbelieving and reprobate without good action were saved by our Lord descending into hell, then the lot of those who never saw the incarnation of the Lord was better than that of these who have been born after the mystery of His incarnation."
Gregory the Great.Pope [regn. A.D. 590-604],To George(Presbyter),Epistle 15,in NPNF2,XII:216
"If good life is wanting, faith has no merit, as the blessed James attests, who says, Faith without works is dead (Jam; ii. 18)."
Gregory the Great, Pope [regn. A.D. 590-604],To Theoderic,Epistle 110,in NPNF2,XIII:29
"The remission of sins, therefore, is granted alike to all through baptism: but the grace of the Spirit is proportional to the faith and previous purification. Now, indeed, we receive the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit through baptism, and the second birth is for us the beginning and seal and security and illumination s of another life. It behoves as, then, with all our strength to steadfastly keep ourselves pure from filthy works, that we may not, like the dog returning to his vomit, make ourselves again the slaves of sin. For faith apart from works is dead, and so likewise are works apart from faith. For the true faith is attested by works."
John Damascene,Orthodox Faith,9(A.D. 743),in NPNF2,IX:73
Faith alone said:
Rom 4:2-5 "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,"
Notice the phrase, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." When was this fulfilled, when he "believed" or when he obeyed?
We don't have to wonder, it was when he obeyed. James makes that very clear, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-- and he was called a friend of God. - James 2:21-23
Did his offering of his son upon the alter earn him anything? Certainly not! What merit or virtue is there in offering your son upon an alter. If that was something of merit, I could perform the same actions and God would owe me something.
No, it was not by works of merit that he was justified. He did not earn anything. He was obedient and when he was, the scripture was fulfilled that says he believed God.
Reminds me of John 3:36, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." - ESV, ASV, NAS
James_Newman
New Member
I never said Abraham was not justified by works. You are correct in your conclusion that James 2 is true. All I'm saying is he was already justified by faith alone. The justification in James 2 is also by faith, but it required works. The fact that Abraham was tempted by God does not negate the fact that he already had the promise that God had given him. He recieved additional blessing when he offered his son Issac. The problem is not with the works justifying Abraham, it is with denying the justification of faith that had already been imputed to him before he ever offered his son.
Genesis 22:15-18
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
He already had the promise by faith, he was given additional blessing because of his works. It's not the same justification.
Genesis 22:15-18
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
He already had the promise by faith, he was given additional blessing because of his works. It's not the same justification.
Faith alone
New Member
No, it was not when he obeyed. Don't used James' reference to something that happened 40 years later and 15 chapters later. In Genesis 15:6, well before Sarah got pregnant with Isaac, Abraham believed God's promise to him and God reckoned it to him as righteousness at that time. That is what the text says.mman said:
Now James is talking about something else - which is why you ended up where you did. 40 years later Abraham's faith was completed by his works. James refers to it as a fulfillment of the scripture earlier that said that Abraham was reckoned by God as being righteous.
But Abraham's initial faith earlier caused God to credit him with righteousness which he didn't earn. Now in Romans 4 where you quoted we see that Paul says, "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." So clearly Abraham was not justified before God as righteous by works, because if so then he earned it. It was a result of his faith.
So what happened 40 years later anyway? His deed of offering his only son Isaac, and we know from Hebrews 11 that Abraham expected that he would receive Isaac back whole after offering him up as a burnt offering. That act indicated that he truly trusted God. It was also visible to people. Those who saw it or heard about it gave testimony to his faith.
But one thing we cannot do. We cannot take what James is saying and have it contradict what Paul is saying. Any disagreement there? Then we need to acknowledge that the justification that James is referring to is not justification before God for eternal life. Paul made that clear in Romans 4. So it is either a justification before God - not related to his gaining of eternal life - or it is a justification (my opinion) before people.
The very Greek grammar makes it clear that James was not talking about a false faith, but one which was dead, ineffective, not completed. And the act James was talking about was not the point in his life in which he believed that God would give him a son through Sarah - the seed from which the Messiah would come. It is a point much later when he took his teenage son and prepared to offer him as a sacrifice.
So I have no issue with saying that our actions demonstrate whether or not we are genuinely trusting in God or not. But we should not re-define faith as such. It is not the works which justified Abraham before God, but the faith. His works - much later - revealed his faith.
FA
Faith alone
New Member
stan,
Thc for responding to my earlier posts on James 2:14ff. I do not have time today to deal with all that you have posted. But let me deal with a portion of it. Because what you dealt with is not how I described the way I view the text. (Though close) So it is somewhat of a straw man...
Anyway, that is not what I posted, and I haven't actually seen a view quite like it, to be honest. The part I am referencing is the blue portion above. I am referring to justification before men as simply their recognition of the faith of the believer. They cannot see their heart, but they can see the works which demonstrate a faith in practice.
Now the green portion is anotehr portion which I did not say, FWIW. I don't necessarily have a big problem with it, but it's not what I said.
I realize my posts were pretty long on James 2. But again this is not what I said in green above. It was not James who said that, but the hypothetical objector.
And again, I never said nanything about a justification "before God before men." Now the next portion in which you say that James says that faith without works is impotent - I don't have a problem with that. But it was the hypothetical objector who attempted to prove that faith could not be demonstrated without works. He said that James and a demon may both believe that there is one God, and yet that could provoke compeletely different works.
So I'm not sure where you got thisargument, or if you just misunderstood what I was saying, but this just doesn't relate to what I was saying.
I'll deal with some of your 10 points later - but since they are regarding an argument that I never made, I'll have to kinda pick-n-choose. But I went into detail on my position, so I'm not going to re-post it. It's in the record for those interested.
Thx,
FA
Thc for responding to my earlier posts on James 2:14ff. I do not have time today to deal with all that you have posted. But let me deal with a portion of it. Because what you dealt with is not how I described the way I view the text. (Though close) So it is somewhat of a straw man...
I'm interested to find that this is the normal thing. I have heard very few evangelicals say something similar to what I shared, or to the above, FWIW.stan the man said:
Anyway, that is not what I posted, and I haven't actually seen a view quite like it, to be honest. The part I am referencing is the blue portion above. I am referring to justification before men as simply their recognition of the faith of the believer. They cannot see their heart, but they can see the works which demonstrate a faith in practice.
Now the green portion is anotehr portion which I did not say, FWIW. I don't necessarily have a big problem with it, but it's not what I said.
stan,stan the man said:
I realize my posts were pretty long on James 2. But again this is not what I said in green above. It was not James who said that, but the hypothetical objector.
And again, I never said nanything about a justification "before God before men."
Now the next portion in which you say that James says that faith without works is impotent - I don't have a problem with that. But it was the hypothetical objector who attempted to prove that faith could not be demonstrated without works. He said that James and a demon may both believe that there is one God, and yet that could provoke compeletely different works.So I'm not sure where you got thisargument, or if you just misunderstood what I was saying, but this just doesn't relate to what I was saying.
Again - I never posed any "justification before God before men" view... straw man.stan the man said:
I'll deal with some of your 10 points later - but since they are regarding an argument that I never made, I'll have to kinda pick-n-choose. But I went into detail on my position, so I'm not going to re-post it. It's in the record for those interested.
Thx,
FA
Faith alone
New Member
mman,
What James said below was my point, more cogently expressed...
What James said below was my point, more cogently expressed...
James_Newman said:
Faith alone said:
You are saying Abraham had 2 justifications. That does not make sense to me.
The same quote is referenced in both places dealing with Abraham believing God and it was counted to him as righteousness.
James tells us when it was fulfilled.
Abraham did not earn his justification, it was by faith. However, he could not have been justified without his obedience because the promise never would have been fulfilled.
Back to my analogy, if you were to send me your bank account number with the promise of receiving 1 billion dollars, if you really believe the promise, you can consider yourself a billionaire, even before the transfer of funds. In fact, if I know you truly believe me and know that you will send me your account number, I can also consider you a billionaire, even before the transaction is made. However, with belief alone, you would never receive the money.
The obedience required on your part would in no way earn any part of the reward. There is nothing of merit in emailing an account number. If others emailed me their account number, I would not owe them anything or be obligated to them in any way.
If however, you come to my house and mow my yard, I will give you $40 dollars. That money would be earned because you did something of merit. No grace would be involved because you worked for the money and you could boast that you earned the money.
No so with the sending the account number. The money sent would be by my grace, you would have earned NOTHING, even though it takes obedience on your part. When you actually send the account, the transaction can be fulfilled.
James_Newman said:
Then explain to me what this means, "and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness" - James 2:23
You claim it was fulfilled before he offered Isaac, but James contradicts that notion. It can't be fulfilled twice.
Here is the complete section from James, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-- and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." - James 2:21-24
tragic_pizza
New Member
Justification and sanctification cannot be separated. They are separate, but they cannot exist apart from one another.
James_Newman
New Member
mman said:
It was fulfilled when God said it. It wasn't a prophecy, it was a statement of fact. The fact that it might have a double application to Abraham giving up Isaac doesn't eliminate the primary sense of the scripture.
Genesis 15:3-6
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
God knew that Abraham believed. He didn't need evidence. He was justified by believing God's promise that he would be given a seed and that it would be multiplied without number. He has obtained this promise by faith. He is not going to lose this promise. Then look at Gen 22
Genesis 22:12-18
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Notice God doesn't say 'now I know that you really did believe way back then.' Abraham feared God, and by faith was able to believe that God was able to raise up Isaac to keep His original promise of multiplying his seed.
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
This is a new promise. Now, not only is God going to increase the original blessing and multiplying, but in his seed all the nations of the earth are going to be blessed. Because he believed? No, but because he added works to his faith, and obeyed.
Hebrews 11:17-19
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
That James can say that this act 'fulfills' Gen 15:6 merely shows that it was by faith. Abraham could not have done that without believing God. But by doing so, he did not get to keep his promise from God. He obtained a better promise. So how does this relate to us?
We have a promise that we have obtained when we believed on Christ. That we would be saved, specifically that we would be raised up on the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Notice what this doesn't say. It doesn't say 'and I'm going to give him a crown, and put a robe on him, and let him sit in my throne, and rule over 10 cities...' These are all things that have been offered to believers who will by faith be obedient unto death.
James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
James is talking about believers being justified into the coming kingdom. Not the eternal justification of a believer that is only through believing on Jesus and His finished work on the cross. Before a man can see the kingdom, he must be born again. But being born again doesn't mean you automatically get the kingdom. Its a reward for faithful service to the Lord.
Faith alone
New Member
I am saying that we tend to immediately assume some spirtual significance when James used a plain term - "to justify - to declare to be righteous." Why assume that James is talking about eternal life salvation about gaining status as children of God - when throughout the letter it is clear that is not what he is talking about. The context, the example he used, everything says "not eternal life" stuff.mman said:
Why assume that justification has to do with God? I can understand with Paul since he has made it clear how he was using theterm, but why assume that with James? In Romans 4:2 even Paul refers to a justification before man (not before God).
Now it is possible that James was referring to the BEMA seat here, but I don't see it personally.
Now you are certainly correct in pointing out that both James and Paul referred to Abraham being justified by faith (alone), Genesis 15:6. But Paul used it to show that we are justified, like Abraham, not by works but by faith instead. Works follows faith. But faith places us in a state of being right in God's eyes. He was ver ycareful to contrast being justified by faith with being justified by works
James was dealing with some Christians who were saying that it doesn't matter how we live. We've trusted Christ and are justified before God on the basis of our faith alone. James acknowledges that but wants to show how essential works are for the Christian. But he is not saying that Abraham was initially justified by faith PLUS works. He is making a point that works are needed as well as faith in the Christian life. That's why his example had to do with one believer seeing another believer needing to be delivered ("saved") from hunger and cold. It wasn't spiritual. It wasn't intended to illustrate a person getting saved from his sins. The answer was not saying, "Be warm and well-filled." The answer was in demonstrating his trusting in God to help this person by doing something about his condition. No one's eternal state was of concern in that illustration.
James is concerned about those who have already settled their eternal destiny by trusting in Christ's death alone, and not relying upon their own works to deliver them from God's wrath - to cover their sins. But we cannot simply sit on our behinds and say, "Well, I've trusted in Christ's provision... nothing else to do." True, nothing else we can or should attempt to do to save ourselves from our sins. But IOT grow in Christ ("progressive sanctification") we need to do works. After Paul made it clear in Ephesians 2:8, 9 that we are saved from our sins by faith alone, and that works would only give us something about which to boast, he says in vs. 10 that we were created in Christ for good works, that we should walk in them. That is James concern - the walk of the believers he's written to - not their status of having their sins covered.
You're mixing apples and oranges theologically. It works physically, but we don't want a theological fruit salad.
mman,mman said:
The promise already was fulfilled the day Isaac was born. That's what Genesis 15:6 was about. I'm not buying your interesting analogy of transfer of funds because John 5:24 says the transfer happens immediately - we've already crossed over from death into life the moment we believe.
Thx - good discussion
FA
The problem with your analogy is that sending the bank account number is the means of getting the money, and getting the money itself is the object of the transaction while mowing the Lawn is the object of that analogy, and not the means of giving the money, which is just a reward.mman said:
In salvation, believing would correspond to sending the bank number, because that is the means of being in Christ.
Now, God asking us to do something else by nature not essential to salvation, such as baptism or any other work; where that in itself does not make one saved, but rather God ASSIGNS it is "our part" in a sort of tradeoff (You do this for me, and I'll do this for you), that would correspond to mowing the Lawn, and hence IS "earned"! Even if a person makes up a task to give someone, just to have a reason to reward him, (like grownups do with kids all the time) that is still earning.
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stan the man
New Member
I want to comment on something. Contrary to the claims of much contemporary Protestant preaching, justification, like the other aspects of salvation, has past, present, and future dimensions. This is shown by a variety of Bible passages, but especially by the Biblical discussion of the justification of Abraham. Contemporary Protestant preaching focuses mainly on the past dimension of justification. This aspect of justification is indicated in verses such as Rom 5:1 ("having been justified"), 5:9 ("having now been justified"), and 1 Co 6:11 ("you were justified"). These passages show that justification is clearly a past event in the life of the believer. But there it also has present and future dimensions. For example, the future dimensions are found these verses:
"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." (Rom 2:13)
"For no human being will be justified in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20)
Commenting on the second of these passages, British Bible scholar James D.G. Dunn points out that Paul's statement alludes to Psalm 142:2. He remarks, "The metaphor in the psalm is of a servant being called to account before his master, but in the context here [in Romans] the imagery of final judgement is to the fore . . . Against the view that Paul sees `justification' simply as an act which marks the beginning of a believer's life, as a believer, here is a further example [in addition to 2:13] of the verb used for a final verdict, not excluding the idea of the final verdict at the end of life . . . " (James Dunn, "Romans," Word Biblical Commentary, (Dallas: Word Books, 1988), vol. 38a, p. 153.)
But even apart from such verses, I could deduce a future justification on theological grounds alone. Some place much emphasis on the declarative aspect of justification (i.e., God declaring one righteous) and they have placed special emphasis on the legal/courtroom contexts in which this declaration may occur. However, the ultimate and final courtroom declaration concerning the believer does not occur until he stands before God (at his death and at the end of the world). So we may infer that the ultimate and final pronouncement of the believer as righteous does not lie in this life. We find the different temporal dimensions to justification illustrated very well in the life of Abraham. To begin with, Gen 15:6 clearly teaches us that Abraham was justified at the time he believed the promise concerning the number of his descendants. Paul confirms this when he quotes Genesis 15:6 to show that Abraham was justified at that time:
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness'" (Romans 4:2-3).
But if justification were a once-for-all event, rather than a process, that means Abraham could not receive justification either before or after Genesis 15:6. However, Scripture indicates that he did both. First, the book of Hebrews tells us that "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go." (Heb 11:8)
Every Protestant will passionately agree that the subject of Hebrews 11 is saving faith—the kind that pleases God and wins his approval (Heb. 11:2, 6)—so we know that Abraham had saving faith according to Hebrews 11. But when did he have this faith? The passage tells us: Abraham had it "when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive . . . " The problem for the once-for-all view of justification is that is that the call of Abraham to leave Haran is recorded in Genesis 12:1-4—three chapters before he is justified in 15:6. We therefore know that Abraham was justified well before (in fact, years before) he was justified in Gen. 15:6. But if Abraham had saving faith back in Genesis 12, then he was justified back in Genesis 12. Yet Paul clearly tells us that he was also justified in Genesis 15. So justification must be more than just a once-for-all event. Abraham also received justification afterward Gen 15:6, for the book of James tells us,
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God." (Jas 2:21-23)
James thus tells us "was not our father Abraham justified . . . when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?" In this instance, the faith which he had displayed in the initial promise of descendants was fulfilled in his actions (see also Heb. 11:17-19), thus bringing to fruition the statement of Genesis 15:6 that he believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Abraham therefore received justification—that is, a fuller fruition of justification—when he offered Isaac. (Some often object to this understanding of James 2, claiming that in that passage Abraham was said to be justified before men rather than before God. There are abundant exegetical reasons why this is not the case. Abraham was justified before God by offering Isaac, as will be shown later. But once some people recognize that the Bible teaches in Hebrews 11:8 that Abraham was already justified before he was justified in Genesis 15:6, there is not nearly so much motive to try to twist James 2:21-23 into meaning something else. Hebrews 11:8 already showed that justification is a process, and James 2:21-23 merely confirms that fact.)
"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." (Rom 2:13)
"For no human being will be justified in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20)
Commenting on the second of these passages, British Bible scholar James D.G. Dunn points out that Paul's statement alludes to Psalm 142:2. He remarks, "The metaphor in the psalm is of a servant being called to account before his master, but in the context here [in Romans] the imagery of final judgement is to the fore . . . Against the view that Paul sees `justification' simply as an act which marks the beginning of a believer's life, as a believer, here is a further example [in addition to 2:13] of the verb used for a final verdict, not excluding the idea of the final verdict at the end of life . . . " (James Dunn, "Romans," Word Biblical Commentary, (Dallas: Word Books, 1988), vol. 38a, p. 153.)
But even apart from such verses, I could deduce a future justification on theological grounds alone. Some place much emphasis on the declarative aspect of justification (i.e., God declaring one righteous) and they have placed special emphasis on the legal/courtroom contexts in which this declaration may occur. However, the ultimate and final courtroom declaration concerning the believer does not occur until he stands before God (at his death and at the end of the world). So we may infer that the ultimate and final pronouncement of the believer as righteous does not lie in this life. We find the different temporal dimensions to justification illustrated very well in the life of Abraham. To begin with, Gen 15:6 clearly teaches us that Abraham was justified at the time he believed the promise concerning the number of his descendants. Paul confirms this when he quotes Genesis 15:6 to show that Abraham was justified at that time:
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness'" (Romans 4:2-3).
But if justification were a once-for-all event, rather than a process, that means Abraham could not receive justification either before or after Genesis 15:6. However, Scripture indicates that he did both. First, the book of Hebrews tells us that "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go." (Heb 11:8)
Every Protestant will passionately agree that the subject of Hebrews 11 is saving faith—the kind that pleases God and wins his approval (Heb. 11:2, 6)—so we know that Abraham had saving faith according to Hebrews 11. But when did he have this faith? The passage tells us: Abraham had it "when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive . . . " The problem for the once-for-all view of justification is that is that the call of Abraham to leave Haran is recorded in Genesis 12:1-4—three chapters before he is justified in 15:6. We therefore know that Abraham was justified well before (in fact, years before) he was justified in Gen. 15:6. But if Abraham had saving faith back in Genesis 12, then he was justified back in Genesis 12. Yet Paul clearly tells us that he was also justified in Genesis 15. So justification must be more than just a once-for-all event. Abraham also received justification afterward Gen 15:6, for the book of James tells us,
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God." (Jas 2:21-23)
James thus tells us "was not our father Abraham justified . . . when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?" In this instance, the faith which he had displayed in the initial promise of descendants was fulfilled in his actions (see also Heb. 11:17-19), thus bringing to fruition the statement of Genesis 15:6 that he believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Abraham therefore received justification—that is, a fuller fruition of justification—when he offered Isaac. (Some often object to this understanding of James 2, claiming that in that passage Abraham was said to be justified before men rather than before God. There are abundant exegetical reasons why this is not the case. Abraham was justified before God by offering Isaac, as will be shown later. But once some people recognize that the Bible teaches in Hebrews 11:8 that Abraham was already justified before he was justified in Genesis 15:6, there is not nearly so much motive to try to twist James 2:21-23 into meaning something else. Hebrews 11:8 already showed that justification is a process, and James 2:21-23 merely confirms that fact.)
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The problem for the once-for-all view is that the offering of Isaac is recorded in Gen. 22:1-18—seven chapters after Gen. 15:6. Therefore, just as Abraham was justified before 15:6 when he left Haran for the promised land, so he was also justified again when he offered Isaac after 15:6. Therefore, we see that Abraham was justified on at least three different occasions: he was justified in Genesis 12, when he first left Haran and went to the promised land; he was justified in Genesis 15, when he believed the promise concerning his descendants; and he was justified in Genesis 22, when he offered his first promised descendant on the altar. As a result, justification must be seen, not as a once-for-all event, but as a process which continues throughout the believer's life. This is something that many Protestants have recognized. For example, James D.G. Dunn, E.P. Sanders, and Dale Moody. (See Dunn, Commentary on Romans and Jesus, Paul, and the Law; Moody, The Word of Truth; Sanders, Paul, Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People, and Paul and Palestinian Judaism; and Zeisler, Pauline Christianity.) Some of the early Reformers did as well. For example, the Swiss Reformer Martin Bucer regarded man as receiving a two-fold justification. First he received the iustificatio impii, or primary justification, in which he was declared righteous before God, and then he received the iustificatio pii, or secondary justification, in which he was actually made to behave righteously. (See Martin Bucer, Metaphrasis et enarratio in epist. D. Pauli ad Romanos.) Even the very first Protestant of them all—Martin Luther—held justification to be a process as well as a state. The well-known Luther scholar, Paul Althaus, summarizes Luther's position as follows:
"Luther uses the terms `to justify' . . . and `justification' . . . in more than one sense. From the beginning [of Luther's writings], justification most often means the judgement of God with which he declares man to be righteous . . . . In other places, however, the word stands for the entire event though which a man is essentially made righteous (a usage which Luther also finds in Paul, Romans 5), that is, for both the imputation of righteousness to man as well as man's actually becoming righteous. Justification in this sense remains incomplete on earth and is first completed on the Last Day. Complete righteousness is in this sense is an eschatological reality.
This twofold use of the word cannot be correlated with Luther's early and later theology; he uses `justification' in both senses at the same time, sometimes shortly after each other in the same text." (Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), p. 226.)
Luther himself wrote, "For we understand that a man who is justified is not already righteous, but moving toward righteousness. (Luther's Works, 34, 52, cited in Althaus, p. 237, n. 63.)
and
"Our justification is not yet complete . . . . It is still under construction. It shall, however, be completed in the resurrection of the dead." (Weimarer Ausgabe, 391, 252, cited in Althaus, p. 237, n. 63.)
I therefore see that, even though most Protestants deny that justification is a process as well as a state, many contemporary Protestant scholars, as some of the early Protestant Reformers, as well as the first Protestant of them all, recognized the justification was also a process. (I suspect that the process aspect of justification was more obvious to Luther than to English-speakers since none of his languages (German, Latin, Greek, Hebrew) had two sets of terms for justification/righteousness, as does English. It would thus be obvious to him that "to justify [to righteous]" a person can embrace more than simply legal righteousness.) In this, they were in accord with the teaching of the Bible.
"Luther uses the terms `to justify' . . . and `justification' . . . in more than one sense. From the beginning [of Luther's writings], justification most often means the judgement of God with which he declares man to be righteous . . . . In other places, however, the word stands for the entire event though which a man is essentially made righteous (a usage which Luther also finds in Paul, Romans 5), that is, for both the imputation of righteousness to man as well as man's actually becoming righteous. Justification in this sense remains incomplete on earth and is first completed on the Last Day. Complete righteousness is in this sense is an eschatological reality.
This twofold use of the word cannot be correlated with Luther's early and later theology; he uses `justification' in both senses at the same time, sometimes shortly after each other in the same text." (Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), p. 226.)
Luther himself wrote, "For we understand that a man who is justified is not already righteous, but moving toward righteousness. (Luther's Works, 34, 52, cited in Althaus, p. 237, n. 63.)
and
"Our justification is not yet complete . . . . It is still under construction. It shall, however, be completed in the resurrection of the dead." (Weimarer Ausgabe, 391, 252, cited in Althaus, p. 237, n. 63.)
I therefore see that, even though most Protestants deny that justification is a process as well as a state, many contemporary Protestant scholars, as some of the early Protestant Reformers, as well as the first Protestant of them all, recognized the justification was also a process. (I suspect that the process aspect of justification was more obvious to Luther than to English-speakers since none of his languages (German, Latin, Greek, Hebrew) had two sets of terms for justification/righteousness, as does English. It would thus be obvious to him that "to justify [to righteous]" a person can embrace more than simply legal righteousness.) In this, they were in accord with the teaching of the Bible.
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Once Saved NOT Always Saved! (This is what the Early Church believed. [The Early Church Fathers were disciples of the Apostles.])
"And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men; for there is hope of the repentance, that they may attain to God. For 'cannot he that falls arise again, and he may attain to God.' "
Ignatius of Antioch,To the Ephesians,10(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:53-54
"Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in the last time. "
Didache,16(A.D. 140),in ANF,VII:382
"And as many of them, he added, as have repented, shall have their dwelling in the tower. And those of them who have been slower in repenting shall dwell within the walls. And as many as do not repent at all, but abide in their deeds, shall utterly perish...Yet they also, being naturally good, on hearing my commandments, purified themselves, and soon repented. Their dwelling, accordingly, was in the tower. But if any one relapse into strife, he will be east out of the tower, and will lose his life."
Hermas,The Shephard,3:8:7(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:41-42
"[T]hat eternal fire has been prepared for him as he apostatized from God of his own free-will, and likewise for all who unrepentant continue in the apostasy, he now blasphemes, by means of such men, the Lord who brings judgment [upon him] as being already condemned, and imputes the guilt of his apostasy to his Maker, not to his own voluntary disposition."
Justin Martyr,fragment in Irenaeus' Against Heresies,5:26:1(A.D. 156),in ANF,I:555
"Now, in the beginning the spirit was a constant companion of the soul, but the spirit forsook it because it was not willing to follow. Yet, retaining as it were a spark of its power, though unable by reason of the separation to discern the perfect, while seeking for God it fashioned to itself in its wandering many gods, following the sophistries of the demons. But the Spirit of God is not with all, but, taking up its abode with those who live justly, and intimately combining with the soul, by prophecies it announced hidden things to other souls."
Tatian the Syrian,To the Greeks,13(A.D. 175),in ANF,II:71
"Christ shall not die again in behalf of those who now commit sin, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from His stewards and dispensers the money which He had entrusted to them, with usury; and from those to whom He had given most shall He demand most. We ought not, therefore, as that presbyter remarks, to be puffed up, nor be severe upon those of old time, but ought ourselves to fear, lest perchance, after [we have come to] the knowledge of Christ, if we do things displeasing to God, we obtain no further forgiveness of sins, but be shut out from His kingdom. And therefore it was that Paul said, 'For if [God] spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not thee, who, when thou wert a wild olive tree, wert grafted into the fatness of the olive tree, and wert made a partaker of its fatness.' "
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4:27:2(A.D. 180),in ANF,I:499
"But some think as if God were under a necessity of bestowing even on the unworthy, what He has engaged (to give); and they turn His liberality into slavery. But if it is of necessity that God grants us the symbol of death, then He does so unwilling. But who permits a gift to be permanently retained which he has granted unwillingly? For do not many afterward fall out of (grace)? is not this gift taken away from many?"
Tertullian,On Repentance,6(A.D. 204),in ANF,III:661
"Confession is the beginning of glory, not the full desert of the crown; nor does it perfect our praise, but it initiates our dignity; and since it is written, 'He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved,' whatever has been before the end is a step by which we ascend to the summit of salvation, not a terminus wherein the full result of the ascent is already gained. "
Cyprian,Unity of the Church,21(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:428
"Therefore, my beloved, we also have received of the Spirit of Christ, and Christ dwelleth in us, as it is written that the Spirit said this through the month of the Prophet: --I will dwell in them and will walk in them.Therefore let us prepare our temples for the Spirit of Christ, and let us not grieve it that it may not depart from us. Remember the warning that the Apostle gives us:--Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye have been sealed unto the day of redemption. For from baptism do we receive the Spirit of Christ ... And whatever man there is that receives the Spirit from the water (of baptism) and grieves it, it departs from him until he dies, and returns according to its nature to Christ, and accuses that man of having grieved it."
Aphrahat,Demonstrations,6:14(A.D. 345),in NPNF2,VIII:371-372
"Thou art made partaker of the Holy Vine. Well then, if thou abide in the Vine, thou growest as a fruitful branch; but if thou abide not, thou wilt be consumed by the fire. Let us therefore bear fruit worthily. God forbid that in us should be done what befell that barren fig-tree, that Jesus come not even now and curse us for our barrenness."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,I:4(A.D. 350),NPNF2,VII:7
"For what the Word has by nature, as I said, in the Father, that He wishes to be given to us through the Spirit irrevocably; which the Apostle knowing, said, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' for 'the gifts of God' and 'grace of His calling are without repentance.' It is the Spirit then which is in God, and not we viewed in our own selves; and as we are sons and gods because of the Word in us, so we shall be in the Son and in the Father, and we shall be accounted to have become one in Son and in Father, because that that Spirit is in us, which is in the Word which is in the Father. When then a man falls from the Spirit for any wickedness, if he repent upon his fall, the grace remains irrevocably to such as are willing; otherwise he who has fallen is no longer in God (because that Holy Spirit and Paraclete which is in God has deserted him), but the sinner shall be in him to whom he has subjected himself, as took place in Saul's instance; for the Spirit of God departed from him and an evil spirit was afflicting him."
Athanasius,Discourse Against the Arians,3:25(A.D. 362),in NPNF2,IV:407
"Clerics who are guilty of the sin unto death are degraded from their order,but not excluded from the communion of the laity."
Basil,To Amphilochius,Letter 199:32(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:237
"And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men; for there is hope of the repentance, that they may attain to God. For 'cannot he that falls arise again, and he may attain to God.' "
Ignatius of Antioch,To the Ephesians,10(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:53-54
"Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in the last time. "
Didache,16(A.D. 140),in ANF,VII:382
"And as many of them, he added, as have repented, shall have their dwelling in the tower. And those of them who have been slower in repenting shall dwell within the walls. And as many as do not repent at all, but abide in their deeds, shall utterly perish...Yet they also, being naturally good, on hearing my commandments, purified themselves, and soon repented. Their dwelling, accordingly, was in the tower. But if any one relapse into strife, he will be east out of the tower, and will lose his life."
Hermas,The Shephard,3:8:7(A.D. 155),in ANF,II:41-42
"[T]hat eternal fire has been prepared for him as he apostatized from God of his own free-will, and likewise for all who unrepentant continue in the apostasy, he now blasphemes, by means of such men, the Lord who brings judgment [upon him] as being already condemned, and imputes the guilt of his apostasy to his Maker, not to his own voluntary disposition."
Justin Martyr,fragment in Irenaeus' Against Heresies,5:26:1(A.D. 156),in ANF,I:555
"Now, in the beginning the spirit was a constant companion of the soul, but the spirit forsook it because it was not willing to follow. Yet, retaining as it were a spark of its power, though unable by reason of the separation to discern the perfect, while seeking for God it fashioned to itself in its wandering many gods, following the sophistries of the demons. But the Spirit of God is not with all, but, taking up its abode with those who live justly, and intimately combining with the soul, by prophecies it announced hidden things to other souls."
Tatian the Syrian,To the Greeks,13(A.D. 175),in ANF,II:71
"Christ shall not die again in behalf of those who now commit sin, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from His stewards and dispensers the money which He had entrusted to them, with usury; and from those to whom He had given most shall He demand most. We ought not, therefore, as that presbyter remarks, to be puffed up, nor be severe upon those of old time, but ought ourselves to fear, lest perchance, after [we have come to] the knowledge of Christ, if we do things displeasing to God, we obtain no further forgiveness of sins, but be shut out from His kingdom. And therefore it was that Paul said, 'For if [God] spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not thee, who, when thou wert a wild olive tree, wert grafted into the fatness of the olive tree, and wert made a partaker of its fatness.' "
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4:27:2(A.D. 180),in ANF,I:499
"But some think as if God were under a necessity of bestowing even on the unworthy, what He has engaged (to give); and they turn His liberality into slavery. But if it is of necessity that God grants us the symbol of death, then He does so unwilling. But who permits a gift to be permanently retained which he has granted unwillingly? For do not many afterward fall out of (grace)? is not this gift taken away from many?"
Tertullian,On Repentance,6(A.D. 204),in ANF,III:661
"Confession is the beginning of glory, not the full desert of the crown; nor does it perfect our praise, but it initiates our dignity; and since it is written, 'He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved,' whatever has been before the end is a step by which we ascend to the summit of salvation, not a terminus wherein the full result of the ascent is already gained. "
Cyprian,Unity of the Church,21(A.D. 251),in ANF,V:428
"Therefore, my beloved, we also have received of the Spirit of Christ, and Christ dwelleth in us, as it is written that the Spirit said this through the month of the Prophet: --I will dwell in them and will walk in them.Therefore let us prepare our temples for the Spirit of Christ, and let us not grieve it that it may not depart from us. Remember the warning that the Apostle gives us:--Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye have been sealed unto the day of redemption. For from baptism do we receive the Spirit of Christ ... And whatever man there is that receives the Spirit from the water (of baptism) and grieves it, it departs from him until he dies, and returns according to its nature to Christ, and accuses that man of having grieved it."
Aphrahat,Demonstrations,6:14(A.D. 345),in NPNF2,VIII:371-372
"Thou art made partaker of the Holy Vine. Well then, if thou abide in the Vine, thou growest as a fruitful branch; but if thou abide not, thou wilt be consumed by the fire. Let us therefore bear fruit worthily. God forbid that in us should be done what befell that barren fig-tree, that Jesus come not even now and curse us for our barrenness."
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,I:4(A.D. 350),NPNF2,VII:7
"For what the Word has by nature, as I said, in the Father, that He wishes to be given to us through the Spirit irrevocably; which the Apostle knowing, said, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' for 'the gifts of God' and 'grace of His calling are without repentance.' It is the Spirit then which is in God, and not we viewed in our own selves; and as we are sons and gods because of the Word in us, so we shall be in the Son and in the Father, and we shall be accounted to have become one in Son and in Father, because that that Spirit is in us, which is in the Word which is in the Father. When then a man falls from the Spirit for any wickedness, if he repent upon his fall, the grace remains irrevocably to such as are willing; otherwise he who has fallen is no longer in God (because that Holy Spirit and Paraclete which is in God has deserted him), but the sinner shall be in him to whom he has subjected himself, as took place in Saul's instance; for the Spirit of God departed from him and an evil spirit was afflicting him."
Athanasius,Discourse Against the Arians,3:25(A.D. 362),in NPNF2,IV:407
"Clerics who are guilty of the sin unto death are degraded from their order,but not excluded from the communion of the laity."
Basil,To Amphilochius,Letter 199:32(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:237
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