Clement of Alexandria:
“Trusting is more than faith. For when one has believed that the Son of God is our Teacher, he trusts that His teaching is true.”
Clement of Alexandria: Read More »
Quotes – Early
Tertullian:
“By the confession of all past sins, they may express the meaning even of the baptism of John. For the Scripture says: ‘They were baptized, confessing their own sins.’ To us, it is a matter for thankfulness if we now do publicly confess our iniquities or our depravities. For, by mortification of our flesh and spirit, we make satisfaction for our former sins. At the same time, we lay in advance the foundation of defenses against the temptations that will closely follow.”
Cyprian:
“Those sins that had been previously committed are purged by the blood and sanctification of Christ.”
Justin Martyr:
“We are no longer purified by the blood of sheep and goats, by the ashes of a heifer, or by the offerings of fine flour. Rather, we are purified by faith through the blood of Christ.”
Lactantius:
“He Himself is virtue and He Himself is righteousness. Accordingly, He descended so that He could teach these things and mold the character of man.”
Lactantius:
“He sent his Son as an ambassador to men, so He could turn them from their unholy and vain worship to the knowledge and worship of the true God. He also sent Him so that He could turn their minds from foolishness to wisdom, and from wickedness to deeds of righteousness.”
Papias:
“If, then, anyone who had attended on the elders came, I asked minutely after their sayings, what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the Lord’s disciples: which things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. For I imagined that what was to be got from books was not so profitable to me as what came from the living and abiding voice.”
Clement of Rome:
“On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodom when all the country round was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that He does not forsake those that hope in Him, but gives up such as depart from Him to punishment and torture.”
Justin Martyr:
[Addressed to Jews:] “If they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy from God. The Scripture foretells that they shall be blessed, saying, ‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin.’ That is, after repenting of his sins, such a man can receive remission of those sins from God. It is not as you deceive yourselves and some others who resemble you in this. For you say that even though they are sinners, the Lord will not impute sin to them, for they know God.”