Browse statements from Christian writers and witnesses closest to the apostolic era. The collection is ordered by attribution and divided into manageable pages.
Apostolic Constitutions:
“If anyone follows unrighteousness and does those things that are contrary to the will of God – such a person will be considered by God the same as the disobedient unbeliever.”
Apostolic Constitutions:
“The Holy Spirit always abides with those who are possessed of Him, so long as they are worthy. . . . The Holy Spirit remains with a person so long as he is doing…
Barnabas:
“The whole past time of your faith will profit you nothing, unless now in this wicked time we also withstand coming sources of danger.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“It is neither the faith, nor the love, nor the hope, nor the endurance of one day; rather, ‘he that endures to the end will be saved.’”
Clement of Alexandria:
“He who does not believe God is cheated of his own hope. And he does not believe God, who does not do what God has commanded.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“To keep from wrong is the beginning of salvation.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“But ‘to convert’ means that we in fact cease from our sins and no longer look behind.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“The Father is the only One who is able to undo what has been done and to blot out our former sins by the dew of the Spirit. He says, in effect, ‘I will…
Clement of Alexandria:
“Open your compassion to all who are enrolled as the disciples of God. Don’t look contemptuously at personal appearance. Don’t be carelessly disposed to only a certain age group. If someone appears to be…
Clement of Alexandria:
“Sometimes heretics quote from the prophetic Scriptures, but they misuse them in several ways. First, they don’t make use of all the Scriptures. Second, when they do cite a passage, they don’t quote it…
Clement of Alexandria:
“Likewise, no one is saved simply by trusting and believing that he will be saved. Instead, people should investigate the hope that the Savior gives them. By investigation, they should find out how they…
Clement of Alexandria:
“So believe the prophecies, the gospels, and the apostolic words. By living in accordance with them, lending your ears, and practicing these deeds, when you die, you will see the fulfillment of these truths.…
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:
“What necessity is there for self-restraint to the one who has no need of it? For to have such desires that one must exercise self-restraint in order to control them is characteristic of someone…
Clement of Alexandria:
“Abstinence from sins is not sufficient for perfection, unless a person also assumes the work of righteousness – activity in doing good.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“The spiritual man will pray that he may never fall from virtue, giving his most strenuous cooperation in order that he may become unfailing. . . . Now that he has made it his…
Clement of Alexandria:
“For it is in this manner that one truly follows the Savior: by aiming at sinlessness and at His perfection.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“Repentance, then, is a result of faith. For unless a man believes that to which he was addicted to be sin, he will not abandon it. And he must believe that punishment looms over…
Clement of Alexandria:
“He that repents of what he did, no longer does or says the things he did. . . . He, then, who has received the forgiveness of sins should sin no more.”
Clement of Alexandria:
“Being very merciful, God has promised a second repentance for those who fall into some transgression yet remain in the faith. In that manner, if anyone is tempted after his calling, and is overcome…
Clement of Alexandria:
“He, then, who from among the Gentiles and from that old life has come to faith, has obtained forgiveness of sins once. But he who has sinned after this should fear, even though he…
Clement of Alexandria:
“True repentance means to be no longer bound in the same sins for which He denounced death against Himself. Rather, it is to eradicate them completely from the soul. For on their extirpation, God…
Clement of Alexandria:
“God gives forgiveness of past sins. However, as to future sins, each one procures this for himself. He does this by repenting, by condemning the past deeds, and by begging the Father to blot…
Clement of Alexandria:
“When we hear, ‘Your faith has saved you,’ we do not understand Him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever will be saved. For works must also follow. But…