THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
But he also brings another testimony, namely this: “To Him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name.” This is a prediction of the future events that would follow.
To confirm it, he fittingly brings the prophets as witnesses. Then he offers a strong proof from the prophets, because they were held in great honor. “To Him all the prophets bear witness.”
After inspiring fear, he then presents forgiveness of sins. He speaks not from himself, but in the person of the prophets. The fearful thing he says from himself, but the pleasant thing from the person of the prophets.
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You who have received this forgiveness, and have been counted worthy of faith, I beseech you: having learned the greatness of the gift, take care not to offend the Benefactor.
We did not receive forgiveness in order to become worse, but in order to become much better and more perfect.
Therefore let no one say that God is the cause of our sins because He did not subject us to punishment and torment. Tell me: if a magistrate held a murderer in his hands and released him, could he be considered the cause of later murders?
Not at all. How then do we ourselves dare to insult God with our impious mouths, and not fear and tremble? What will they not say? What will they not utter?
They say, “He Himself allowed them. He should have punished them, if they were worthy of it. He should not have distributed honors, crowns, and privileges to them, but subjected them to punishment and torment.”
“By doing nothing of the kind to them, but instead counting them worthy of honors, He makes them such.” No, I beg and implore you: let no one make such a judgment about us.
It is better to be buried in the earth a thousand times than to allow such things to be said about God because of us. The Jews said to Him, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself.”
And again: “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Mt 27:40). But that is more blasphemous than this.
Therefore let us strive that, because of us, He may not be called the cause of evil. Let us not fall under punishment for this very blasphemy. For He says, “Because of you the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles” (Rom 2:24).
Let us strive to make them say the opposite, by living a life worthy of Him who calls us, and by approaching the baptism of adoption.
Truly great is the power of baptism. It completely changes those counted worthy of this gift, and through it men cease to be the same men.
Let the Greek also believe that the power of the Spirit is great, because it has transformed and re-created. Why do you await your last breath, like a runaway slave or a criminal, as though you were not obliged to live for God?
Why do you behave toward Him as though toward some harsh and inhuman master? What could be colder, what more pitiful, than those who receive baptism at such a time?
God made you His friend and counted you worthy of every good, so that you, for your part, might show the works of a friend.
Tell me: suppose you had inflicted great injuries and insults on someone. After many vexations you caused him, you fell into the hands of the one you had offended.
Instead, he honored you, made you a sharer in all that was his, and crowned you among his friends for the very insults inflicted on him.
He said that he considered you his own son, and then suddenly died. Would you not consider this a loss? Would you not say, “I would have wished to see him alive, to repay what was due him.”
“I would have wished to thank him, so that I might not appear unworthy before my benefactor.” You would act so toward a man. But toward God, why do you try to arrange matters so as not to repay the Benefactor for such great gifts?
No. Approach then, when you can repay Him for your part. Why do you flee? You will say, “I cannot keep the commandments.” But did God command what is impossible?
Everything has been overturned for this reason, and the whole world has been corrupted, because no one takes any care to live according to God.
Catechumens, nourishing such thoughts, show no care for a pious life. Among the baptized, some received baptism in childhood. Others received it in illness.
Since they had no zeal to live for God, after recovering they likewise show no care. Others received it in health, but they too show little care.
They had burning zeal at that time, but afterward quenched their flame. Are you not allowed to pursue your affairs? Am I drawing you away from your wife? I am only restraining you from adultery.
Am I drawing you away from the use of property? Only from covetousness and robbery. Am I compelling you to distribute everything? Only to give a little, according to your ability, to those in need.
“Now your abundance,” says the Apostle, “is for their lack” (2 Cor 8:14). Yet even in this way we do not persuade. Are we compelling you to fast? We only forbid drunkenness and satiety.
We remove what causes you dishonor, what you yourself, even here before Gehenna, already recognize as shameful and hateful. Do we forbid merriment and joy? Only let it not be shameful or dishonorable.
What are you afraid of? What do you dread? Why do you tremble? Where there is married life, good use of property, and moderation in food, what occasion for sin is there?
Those outside command the opposite, and people listen to them. They do not ask according to ability, but say, “So much must be given.” Even if you plead poverty, they do not withdraw.
Christ is not like this. “Give,” He says, “from what you have, and I will set you among the first.” Again, they say: “If you want to be glorious, leave father, mother, relatives, and household.”
“Be at the king’s court, bearing labors, suffering insults, fawning, having no rest, and enduring countless vexations.” Christ is not like this. Rather, remain in your own house with your wife and children.
Order your affairs so that you may live a calm and secure life. You will say, “Yes, but that one promises wealth.” But He promises the Kingdom, or rather, along with it, wealth too.
He says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt 6:33). The other does not promise wealth as an addition, but He gives something before this.
“I was young,” says David, “and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Ps 36:25).
Let us begin the virtuous life. Let us lay its foundation. Only let us approach it, and you will see how many good things are in it.
You do those other deeds not without toil. Why, then, do you look with fear on these? “Yes,” you say, “those are without toil, but these with toil.” No, it is not so. It is not true.
If the truth must be said, those are joined with far greater difficulties and are performed with greater labor. These, if we wish, are easy.
Therefore let us not turn away, I beseech you, from the divine mysteries. Do not look at the man baptized before you who became wicked and lost his hope. Do not become still more negligent because of him.
Among soldiers we see some who do not serve as they should, and others who are exceedingly zealous. We do not look at the lazy, but imitate the disciplined.
So you also must look at those who, after baptism, became angels from men. Fear the uncertainty of the future. Death comes “like a thief in the night” (2 Pet 3:10).
It does not simply come like a thief. It attacks us while we sleep and snatches away those who are not watchful.
For this reason God left the future unknown, so that, always expecting it because it is unknown, we may live virtuously.
“But God,” you say, “is loving toward mankind.” How long shall we repeat this cold and laughable saying? I not only say, and will not cease saying, that God loves mankind.
I also say that no one loves mankind more than He does, and that He orders everything concerning us for our benefit. Do you not see how many, at every age, are subject to leprosy?
How many remain blind from their earliest age until old age? Others became blind afterward. Some live in poverty, some in chains, some in mines.
Some have been crushed there by the earth, and others have perished in war. Tell me, is this the work of love for mankind? Could He not have prevented this, if He had wished?
Yet He allows it. “Yes,” you say. Tell me then, why are some blind from their earliest age? I will not tell you until you promise me to be baptized, and after baptism to live piously.
You should not occupy yourself with resolving such questions. The word exists not for amusement. If I resolve this question, another will follow it. In Scripture there is an abyss of questions.
Therefore train yourselves not only to seek the resolution of questions, but also not to ask them, because there will never be an end to our questions.
If I resolve this one, I will give occasion for countless other questions. Let us rather learn to attain this, namely not to ask questions, than to seek their resolution.
Even if we resolve them, we resolve them not perfectly, but according to human understanding. The best resolution of such questions is faith.
That is, it is the conviction that God orders all things righteously, with love for mankind, and for our benefit, and that it is impossible to comprehend the reasons for this.
This is the only resolution, and there is no other better than it. Tell me, in what does the work of resolution consist? Certainly in this: that one no longer seeks what has been resolved.
If you are persuaded that everything is governed by God’s Providence, which allows one thing for a reason known to Him and orders another, you will no longer ask questions. You will receive their resolution ready for yourself.
But let us return to the subject. If you see so many enduring sufferings, and God allows all this, use the health of your body for the health of your soul.
“But,” you say, “what need have I to undergo labors and privations, when one can be cleansed of everything without toil?” First of all, I say: this is uncertain.
It happens not only that one is not cleansed without toil, but that one departs with all one’s sins. Even if this were certain, such words would not be pleasing.
God has brought you onto the field of battle. Golden weapons have been set forth. You must take them up and act. But you wish to be saved without glory and do nothing good.
Tell me: suppose there were a war, and the king himself were present. You saw some rushing into the ranks of the enemy, striking them and inflicting countless wounds.
Others entered single combat. Some ran forward, others charged on horses and received praise from the king, admiration, applause, and crowns.
At the same time others considered it better not to undergo any danger, to stay behind everyone, and to remain inactive.
Then, after the war ended, the first were summoned, rewarded with great gifts, and proclaimed. The last remained unknown even by name, and mere preservation of life was their recompense for their deeds.
Among which would you wish to be found? Even if you were made of stone, even if you were more careless than senseless and soulless things, would you not wish a thousand times to be among the first?
So I beg and implore you. Even if one must fall in battle, should he not be ready to choose this as well?
Do you not see how splendid those are who fall in such wars, though they die a death after which they cannot receive honors from the king? In this battle it is not at all so.
After it, you will certainly stand forth with your wounds. May all of us be counted worthy to show them, even without persecutions, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
With Him, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.