THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
For this reason he calls the Holy Spirit “the pledge,” the pledge of our salvation. A pledge is security for the whole.
He purchased our salvation for us and for the present has given only the pledge. Why, then, did He not grant everything at once?
Because we, on our part, have not yet fulfilled everything. We have believed; this is only the beginning. He has given the pledge.
But when we show faith in works, then He will present us with everything.
He also distinguished us in another way, by giving us His own Blood, and He promised yet another honor.
As in time of war nations give one another hostages, so God gave us His Son as the pledge of peace and reconciliation. From Him, τό εξ αυτού, He gave the Holy Spirit.
Those who have partaken of the grace of the Spirit undoubtedly know that this is the pledge of our inheritance.
Such was Paul, who here already tasted beforehand what is there, that is, in heaven. He strove and desired to leave this present world.
He sighed because, having transferred his whole mind there, he already looked with other eyes.
You do not justify faith by works. By this you exclude yourself from the words of the promises.
If we all partook of the Spirit as we ought to partake, we would behold heaven and our future state there.
The pledge of what? “Of the redemption of the possession.” Perfect deliverance will be accomplished in the future life.
Now we live in the midst of the world, and much that is human enters into us. We also associate with the impious.
But when there will be neither sins nor human passions, and when we shall no longer be mingled with all, the impious together with the saints, then perfect deliverance will come.
For now only the pledge has been given. Yet even now we must withdraw from earthly things, because our homeland is not on earth.
Even now we must be free from what is here, because we are still sojourners.
“To the praise of His glory.” He repeats this constantly. Why? In order to persuade his hearers completely.
If He had redeemed us for our own sake, as the Apostle seems to say, then our redemption would not yet be certain.
But if He did this for His own sake, that is, to show His goodness, then this is already a foundation, or a guarantee.
It assures us that what was promised will happen exactly as promised.
We see that similar expressions often occur among the Israelites: “Deal with me for Thy name’s sake” (Ps 109:21).
In another place God Himself says, “For My own sake I do this” (Isa 48:11). And Moses cries out, “Do this for Thy name’s sake,” if not for any other reason.
Thus he most effectively persuades and encourages his hearers. He teaches them that God, for the sake of His own goodness, will fulfill everything He promises.
Yet let us not give ourselves over to carelessness because of this. Certainly He does everything for His own sake.
Nevertheless, He also requires corresponding actions from us.
If He says, “I will glorify those who glorify Me, and those who dishonor Me shall be put to shame” (1 Sam 2:30), then we must understand that something is required from our side.
The praise of His glory lies in saving enemies. Yet after these enemies have become friends, they must remain friends.
If they return again to their former state of enmity, then everything will be useless and vain for them.
There is no other laver of regeneration, nor a second bringing in. There remains “a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire ready to consume the adversaries” (Heb 10:27).
This is precisely what awaits us, if we, who were always at enmity with Him, have been deemed worthy of forgiveness.
It awaits us if, even after this, we do not cease from enmity, but continue to surrender to desires and become worse than before.
It awaits us if we remain blind even after the coming of the Sun of righteousness.
Do you wish to receive the ray that enlightens your eyes? Make them pure, sound, and keen-sighted.
He has shown you the true light. But if you flee the light and rush toward darkness, what justification will you find? What forgiveness?
Truly, none at all, because this will reveal in you an inexpressible hatred.
If, before knowing God, you had been at enmity with Him, then you would still have some excuse.
But now you have tasted His favor and divine sweetness. If you leave them and return to your vomit, you reveal nothing but signs of great hatred and contempt.
“That is not true,” you will say. “Nature compels me to sin. I love Christ, but nature places me under necessity.”
If you truly sinned by compulsion and against your will, there would still be indulgence for you.
But if you fall through negligence, then there can be none.
Let us examine this very point. What is the cause of sins, necessity and compulsion, or laziness and complete carelessness?
It is said, for example, “You shall not kill.” What necessity, what violence compels one to do this?
On the contrary, to kill, one must use violence against oneself. Who among us would decide, without violence to himself, to thrust a sword into his neighbor’s throat and stain his hand with blood?
No one. Do you not see that, on the contrary, much compulsion and violence against oneself are needed to commit this sin?
God has placed in our nature a power that moves us to love others. “Every living thing loves its like, and every man loves his neighbor” (Sir 13:19).
See how nature itself has given seeds for virtue. Vices are contrary to nature.
Therefore, if they rule over us more strongly, this itself is a sign of great laziness on our part.
And what of fornication? What necessity draws one to it? Of course, some will say, the tyranny of desire.
How so, tell me? Is it not possible to have one’s own wife and thus destroy this tyranny?
“But some passionate love,” someone says, “has seized me for my neighbor’s wife.” This still is not necessity, because love is not a matter of necessity.
No one loves by necessity, but by his own choice and good will.
Intercourse may perhaps be a necessity, but loving this woman or that one is not a matter of necessity.
Adultery is not the result of a drive toward intercourse. It is the result of vainglory, sensual irritation, and excessive pleasure-loving.
Tell me, what is more reasonable: to have one’s own wife, the partner in bearing children, or to seek some unknown woman?
Do you not know that habit begets friendship? Therefore fornication is not a work of nature.
I do not accuse desire. Desire was given to us for marriage and childbearing, not for debauchery and corruption.
Civil laws also, as is known, treat involuntary crimes with leniency.
But there is not one sin, properly speaking, that proceeds from necessity. They all depend on a corrupted will.
God did not create nature so that it had to sin by necessity. If this were so, there would be no punishment.
We do not even bring accusation concerning what is truly done by necessity and compulsion. God will not demand an account for this, because He is loving and good.
What then? Is theft not a matter of necessity? “Yes,” they say. “Poverty compels one to it.”
No. Poverty rather compels one to work, not to steal. Thus poverty produces the opposite.
Theft comes from laziness. Poverty usually produces not laziness, but love of labor. Therefore theft is the result of negligence.
Mark this. Besides, tell me, which is harder and more unpleasant?
Is it to spend nights without sleep, break through walls, wander in darkness, be constantly troubled, prepare for murder, tremble, and die from fear?
Or is it to devote oneself daily to labor, and together with sufficiency enjoy security?
Certainly the latter is easier. Since it is easier, most people choose it rather than the former.
Do you see that virtue accords with nature, and vice is contrary to it, as sickness and health are contrary to each other?
Again, what necessity, for example, compels one to lie and swear? There is no necessity, no compulsion. We do this by our own will.
“They do not believe us,” you will say. They do not believe us because we wish it so.
We ought to acquire trust more by our conduct than by oaths.
Tell me, why do we not believe some people even when they swear, while we consider others trustworthy without an oath?
This means that there is no necessity in oaths. “I believe such a man’s words without oaths,” you say, “but I do not believe you, despite your oaths.”
Therefore oaths are superfluous and testify more to distrust than to trust.
One who is inclined to oaths cannot be said to honor his own nobility. Whoever uses an oath in absolutely every case never has urgent need of it.
But whoever never resorts to an oath can derive benefit from it. Perhaps an oath is needed to persuade others? Not at all.
We see that those who do not swear enjoy greater trust.
Again, is there any necessity to insult others? “Certainly,” you will say. “An inner heat is stirred, inflamed, and gives the soul no rest.”
No, man. Insult does not come from inner heat, but from faintheartedness.
If insult came from heartfelt heat, then all people would insult one another, and would do so continually.
We have heat, or zeal, in the heart not in order to insult our neighbors, but to turn sinners back.
It is given so that we may rise up after falling, and so that we may not be lazy.
Inner heat has been placed in us like a goad, so that we may gnash our teeth against the devil and rush against him.
It was not given so that we should rise up against one another.
We have a weapon, but it is in order to wage war against ourselves and to use it in battle against the enemy.
Are you prone to anger? Be so toward your sins. Beat your soul, scourge your conscience, be a strict judge and a terrible punisher of your own sins.
This is the benefit of anger. For this God placed it in us.
Again, is covetousness the result of necessity? No. What need, what force, tell me, compels one to plunder?
“Poverty compels me,” you will say, “and fear of lacking necessities.” But precisely for this reason you must not be covetous.
Wealth of this kind is not secure. You do the same as someone who, when asked why he lays the foundation of a house on sand, answers, “To shelter myself from cold and rain.”
Yet precisely for this reason he ought not to build the house on sand, because rain, storms, and wind will soon destroy it.
Therefore, if you wish to become rich, do not be covetous. If you wish to leave wealth to your children, acquire honest wealth, if such wealth exists.
Such wealth is firm and secure. The other quickly perishes and is destroyed.
Tell me, you wish to become rich, and for this reason take what belongs to others? But this is not wealth.
Rich is the man who uses his own possessions. The one in whose hands another’s property lies is not rich.
Otherwise, sellers of silk garments and those who temporarily take others’ clothing would be considered richer and more abundant than everyone.
Yet, although the goods are in their hands, we do not call them rich. Why? Because they possess what belongs to others.
Even if the garments belong to them, still the money they are worth is not theirs. And if the money is theirs, even this does not yet constitute their wealth.
Therefore, if what is borrowed does not make one rich, since it can soon be demanded back, how can one become rich through covetousness?
If you desire to become rich at any cost, since this is not a matter of necessity, what especially would you wish to enjoy?
Would it not be a longer life? But such people, plunderers, are mostly short-lived.
They often receive premature death as punishment for rapacity and covetousness. Thus they not only fail to enjoy wealth, but depart to receive Gehenna.
Often they also perish by illnesses that come either from pleasure-loving, or from labors, or from excessive cares.
At this point I would like to know why people take so much care over wealth.
God has appointed measure and limits to nature, so that we have no necessity to seek riches.