Quotes From the Early Christians
Justin Martyr:
“I hold further, that those of you who have confessed and known this man to be Christ, yet who have gone back for some reason to the legal dispensation [i.e., the Mosaic Law], and have denied that this man is Christ, and have not repented before death – you will by no means be saved.”
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.”
Justin Martyr:
“We who used to value the acquisition of wealth and possessions more than anything else now bring what we have into a common fund and share it with anyone who needs it. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies.”
Justin Martyr:
“Righteousness is not placed in Jewish rites, but in the conversion of the heart given in baptism by Christ. By reason, therefore, of this laver of repentance and knowledge of God, which has been ordained on account of the transgression of God’s people, as Isaiah cries, we have believed, and testify that that very baptism which he announced is alone able to purify those who have repented; and this is the water of life. But the cisterns which you have dug for yourselves are broken and profitless to you. For what is the use of that baptism which cleanses the flesh and body alone? Baptize the soul from wrath and from covetousness, from envy, and from hatred; and, lo! the body is pure. For this is the symbolic significance of unleavened bread, that you do not commit the old deeds of wicked leaven. But you have understood all things in a carnal sense, and you suppose it to be piety if you do such things, while your souls are filled with deceit, and, in short, with every wickedness. Accordingly, also, after the seven days of eating unleavened bread, God commanded them to mingle new leaven, that is, the performance of other works, and not the imitation of the old and evil works.”
Justin Martyr:
“‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin’ [Ps. 32:2]. That is, having repented of his sins, he can receive remission of them from God. But this is not as you [Jews] deceive yourselves, and some others who resemble you in this. For they say, that even though they remain sinners, the Lord will not impute sin to them, because they know God.”
Justin Martyr:
“We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Now, if this is not so, but all things happen by fate, then neither is anything at all in our own power. For if it is predetermined that this man will be good, and this other man will be evil, neither is the first one meritorious nor the latter man to be blamed. And again, unless the human race has the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions.”
Lactantius:
“A son . . . who deserts his father in order not to pay him obedience is considered deserving of being disinherited and of having his name removed forever from his family. How much more so does a person [deserve to be disinherited] who forsakes God? . . . Of what punishments, therefore, is he deserving who forsakes Him who is both the true Master and Father?”
Lactantius:
“We believe that our children have been corrected when we see that they repent of their errors. And though we may have disinherited them and cast them off, we again receive, cherish, and embrace them. Why, then, should we despair as if the mercy of God our Father might not be appeased by repentance? He who is both the Lord and a most indulgent Parent promises that He will remit the sins of the penitent. He promises that He will blot out all the iniquities of the one who begins afresh to practice righteousness. The uprightness of one’s past life is to no avail to him who lives badly, for the subsequent wickedness has destroyed his works of righteousness. Likewise, former sins do not stand in the way of him who has amended his life. For the subsequent righteousness has wiped away the stain of his former life.”
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.”
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:
“God especially desires for men to be cleansed from their sins. Therefore, he commands them to repent. Yet, to repent is nothing else than to profess and to affirm that one will sin no more. Therefore, the ones who are pardoned are those who slip into sin unintentionally and incautiously. He who sins willfully has no pardon.”
Lactantius:
“Let no one be disheartened. Let no one despair concerning himself if he has turned aside to the way of unrighteousness because he was overcome by passion, impelled by desire, deceived by error, or compelled by force. For it is possible for such a one to be brought back and to be set free. It is possible if he repents of his actions and makes satisfaction to God, turning to better things.”
Lactantius:
“By walking in the way of righteousness and following his Teacher, man can attain to eternal life.”
Lactantius:
“Let no one imagine that souls are immediately judged after death. For all are detained in one and a common place of confinement – until the arrival of the time in which the great Judge will make an investigation of their deserts. Those whose piety will have been approved will receive the reward of immortality. However, those whose sins and crimes will have been brought to light – these will not rise again. Rather, they will be hidden in the same darkness with the wicked, being destined to certain punishment.”
Methodius:
“Man was made with a free will . . . on account of his capacity of obeying or disobeying God. For this was the meaning of the gift of free will.”
Methodius:
“Man received power and enslaved himself – not because he was overpowered by the irresistible tendencies of his nature. . . . For if he had been made as any of the elements of creation, . . . he would cease to receive a reward befitting deliberate choice. Instead, he would be like an instrument of the Maker. And it would be unreasonable for him to suffer blame for his wrong-doings. For the real author of them would be the one by whom he is used.”
Methodius:
“Some persons decide that man is not possessed of free will. Rather, they assert that he is governed by the unavoidable necessities of fate and her unwritten commands. Such persons are guilty of impiety towards God Himself. For they make Him out to be the cause and author of human evils.”
Novatian:
“We should not think that such an inexhaustible providence of God does not reach to even the very least of things. For the Lord says, ‘One of two sparrows will not fall without the will of the Father. For even the very hairs of your head are all numbered’ [Matt. 10:29-30]. His care and providence did not permit even the clothes of the Israelites to be worn out. . . . Since He embraces all things and contains all things, . . . His care consequently extends to every single thing. For His providence encompasses the whole, whatever it is.”
Origen:
“The result of all the preceding remarks is to show that all the occurrences in the world . . . are not indeed brought about by God. Yet, neither do they happen without Him. For He not only does not prevent those wicked and opposing powers who are desirous to bring these things about, but He even permits them to do so. . . . Therefore, Holy Scripture teaches us to receive all that happens as though sent by God, knowing that without Him no event occurs.”
Origen:
“The soul that . . . is neither holy nor blameless because of wickedness . . . is not part of the church that Christ builds upon the rock. But if anyone wishes to embarrass us in regard to these things because of the great majority of those of the church who are thought to believe, it must be said to him that ‘many are called, but few chosen.’ . . . ‘Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.’ You will understand that this refers to those who boast that they are of the church, but who live weakly and contrary to the Word.”