Quotes From the Early Christians
Cyprian:
“‘And allow us not to be led into temptation’ [Matt. 6:13]. In these words, it is shown that the adversary can do nothing against us unless God has first permitted it. So all of our fear, devotion, and obedience should be turned towards God. For in our temptations, nothing is permitted to do evil unless power is given from Him. . . . But power is given to evil ones against us according to our sins.”
Cyprian:
“This pestilence and plague, which seems horrible and deadly, searches out the righteousness of each one. . . . It reveals whether those who are in health will tend the sick. It reveals whether relatives affectionately love their kindred.”
Cyprian:
“He allows these things to happen for this reason: that our faith may be tested.”
Cyprian:
“We are philosophers – not in words – but in deeds. We do not speak great things; we live them.”
Cyprian:
“But self-control and modesty do not consist only in purity of the flesh, but also in seemliness and in modesty of dress and adornment.”
Cyprian:
“He who is freed owes obedience to his Deliverer.”
Cyprian:
“It is clear that the devil is driven out in baptism by the faith of the believer. But he returns if the faith should afterwards fail.”
Cyprian:
“Those sins that had been previously committed are purged by the blood and sanctification of Christ.”
Cyprian:
“The former Law that had been given by Moses was about to cease, and a new law was to be given. Another dispensation and a new covenant were to be given. The old baptism was to cease and a new one was to begin.”
Cyprian:
“Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Assuredly, then, whoever believes in God and lives in faith is found righteous and is already blessed in faithful Abraham.”
Cyprian:
“How can a man say that he believes in Christ, if he does not do what Christ commanded him to do? From where will he attain the reward of faith, if he will not keep the faith of the commandment? . . . He will make no advancement in his walk toward salvation, for he does not keep the truth of the way of salvation.”
Cyprian:
“‘Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’ There is need of righteousness, that one may deserve well of God the Judge. We must obey His teachings and warnings, so that our merits may receive their reward.”
Cyprian:
“When the servant does not do what is commanded, the Lord will do what he threatens. . . . ‘I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. . . . And these will go away into everlasting burning.”
Cyprian:
“He follows Christ who stands in His commandments, who walks in the way of His teaching, who follows His footsteps and His ways, who imitates that which Christ both did and taught. . . . To put on the name of Christ, and yet not to go in the way of Christ – what else is this but a mockery of the divine name! It is a desertion of the way of salvation. For He Himself teaches and says that the persons who keep His commandments will come into life.”
Cyprian:
“Although there can be no other baptism but one, [the heretics] think that they can baptize; although they forsake the fountain of life, they promise the grace of living and saving water. Men are not washed among them, but rather are made foul; nor are sins purged away, but are even accumulated. Such a nativity does not generate sons to God, but to the devil. By a falsehood they are born, and they do not receive the promises of truth. Begotten of perfidy, they lose the grace of faith. . . . These, doubtless, they imitate and follow, who, despising God’s tradition, seek after strange doctrines, and bring in teachings of human appointment, whom the Lord rebukes and reproves in His Gospel, saying, ‘You reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.’”
Cyprian:
“When the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, came unto all, He gathered alike the learned and unlearned. He published the teachings of salvation to each sex and every age. He made a concise summary of His teachings, so that the memory of the scholars might not be burdened by the heavenly learning, but could quickly learn what was necessary to a simple faith.”
Cyprian:
“An ever-burning Gehenna will burn up the condemned – a punishment that devours with living flames. Nor will there be any means by which at any time they can have either rest or an end to their torments. Souls with their bodies will be reserved in infinite tortures for suffering. . . . This is in accord with the truth of Holy Scripture, which says, ‘Their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched.’ . . . The pain of punishment will then be without the fruit of penitence. Weeping will be useless and prayer ineffectual. Too late, they will believe in eternal punishment who would not believe in eternal life.”
Cyprian:
“The liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy, it says: ‘Look! I have set before your face life and death, good and evil. Choose for yourself life, that you may live’ [Deut. 30:19]. Also in Isaiah: ‘And if you are willing and hear me, you will eat the good of the land’ [Isa. 1:19].”
Disputation of Archelaus and Manes:
“Many are still perishing – those who have not chosen to devote themselves to work of righteousness. For only those who have received Him . . . ‘have obtained power to become the sons of God.’”
Hermas:
“‘I heard, sir, that some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins.’ He said to me, ‘That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case. For he who has received remission of his sins should not sin any more, but should live in purity. . . . And therefore I say to you, that if anyone is tempted by the devil, and he sins after that great and holy calling in which the Lord has called His people to everlasting life, he has opportunity to repent but once. But if he should sin frequently after this, and then repent, to such a man his repentance will be of no avail.”