Clement of Alexandria

2nd centuryChurch Father

It is truly stated about those who turn back to God: To the Lord you have proclaimed your commitment, affirming that He will be your God... and the Lord has vowed that you shall belong to Him as His people. God welcomes anyone who seeks His assistance and wishes to honor the true Creator. Even if there were only one individual among them, that person would be esteemed equally with the entire congregation, as being part of the whole allows him to contribute significantly, deriving his identity from that community; hence, the part reflects the entirety.

Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)

19th centuryChurch Father

The teaching found in the book of Deuteronomy first reveals that the call ‘to be ... holy’ is closely linked and nearly identical to the obligation ‘to observe all the commandments of God.’ Furthermore, it indicates that obeying God’s commandments leads to holiness. It also highlights that even in the Old Testament Church, all its members were summoned by God and His law to pursue the fulfillment of all His commandments, with the ultimate goal of achieving holiness. This was certainly not beyond their capacity, as it is not characteristic of God's wisdom to demand the unattainable. Additionally, since Christ came ‘not ... to destroy’ the old ‘law, ... but to fulfill it’ (Matt. 5:17) and established a new covenant that surpasses the old, which was merely ‘a shadow ...

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of the blessings to come’ (Heb. 10:1), He, through faith, has ‘given us’ new ‘divine powers, ... for life and godliness’ (2 Pet. 1:3). Consequently, this responsibility now rests upon us with renewed vigor, accompanied by the comforting assurance that comes from our faith. Previously, the author’s manuscript did not include the phrase about striving to fulfill God’s commandments for the sake of attaining holiness. Therefore, let us reflect on the contradiction we would impose upon ourselves and the judgement we would make if, citing inconvenience, we chose not to emulate the saints and pursue holiness. Such an attitude would not only place us beneath the perfection of the New Testament but also lower us below the imperfection of the Old Testament, bringing us far from the essence and dignity of being a Christian.

The Divine truth spoke to the early members of the Church during the Old Testament era: ‘The Lord hath chosen you this day, that ye shall be chosen men unto Him, as He saith unto you, to keep all His commandments: that ye shall be holy men unto the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 26:18-19). This passage from Deuteronomy teaches us that the call ‘to be holy’ is closely linked to the command ‘to observe all of God’s commandments’; adhering to these commandments is essential for attaining holiness. It underscores that even in the Old Testament Church, all its members were summoned by God and His law to strive for the observance of His commandments, ultimately leading to holiness. This divine expectation was not burdensome, for the wisdom of God does not require what is impossible to achieve.

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With the coming of Christ, who came ‘not ... to destroy’ the old ‘law, ... but to fulfil it’ (Matt. 5:17), we were granted a new and more perfect covenant, which serves only as ‘a shadow ... of the blessings to come’ (Heb. 10:1). Through our faith, He has ‘given us’ divine strength ‘for life and godliness’ (2 Pet. 1:3). Therefore, the responsibility to pursue holiness takes on fresh urgency for us, accompanied by the blessed assurance that faith provides.

The original text did not include a call to strive for the fulfillment of God's commandments to achieve holiness. Such a refusal to follow the example of the saints, citing inconvenience, contradicts the teachings of God. In doing so, we would not only fall short of the standards set in the New Testament but also beneath the foundational principles of the Old Testament; we would diminish ourselves below the honor of being called Christians. The call remains for us to ‘be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48). The Apostle also advises us to ‘be... imitators of God, as the Father in heaven is perfect’ (Matt. 5:48) and to ‘be imitators of God, as beloved children’ (Eph. 5:1). If it is possible and necessary to emulate the Most Holy God, how can we deny ourselves the opportunity to imitate the saints, who provide us with a more attainable example for guidance?

We are invited to ascend the heights like a ladder reaching to heaven; how could we decline the initial steps along the way? It is often claimed that present times make it inconvenient to emulate the saints. What exactly do they mean by ‘these times’? When did this notion begin? Can anyone provide a definitive answer to that question? Has any era the power to alter the obligations God has set for our salvation? Even if there are challenges to pursuing sanctity in today’s world, were those who lived in ancient times not confronted with similar difficulties? Was it easier in the early centuries of Christianity to practice piety, virtue, and holiness amidst the trials posed by idolatrous and faithless cultures, along with persecution from authorities hostile to the faith?

Deuteronomy 26:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Church Fathers on this verse

Clement of Alexandria

Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)

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