THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony" (Heb 11:1-2).
See what expression he uses: "evidence," he says, "of things not seen." The word "evidence" is used of things entirely manifest. Thus faith, he says, is the contemplation of what is not apparent.
It leads to the same full conviction concerning the unseen as concerning the visible. As it is impossible not to believe what is visible, so there can be no faith when one is not fully convinced of the unseen, just as of the visible.
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The objects of hope appear not to have reality, but faith gives them reality. Or rather, it does not give them reality; this itself is their reality. For example, the resurrection has not yet happened and does not yet exist in actuality.
Yet hope makes it real in our soul. This is what "the substance of things hoped for" means.
Therefore, if faith is conviction concerning things unseen, how do you wish to see them, so that you may fall away from faith and righteousness? For "the righteous shall live by faith." If you wish to see them, you are no longer believers.
You labored, he says, you struggled, and I say this too. But endure. This is what faith is. Do not seek everything here. This was said to the Hebrews, but the exhortation also concerns many gathered here.
How and in what way? It concerns the fainthearted and impatient. When they see that the wicked prosper in their affairs, while they themselves suffer misfortune, they become despondent and grieve.
They desire punishment and vengeance for those men, or they expect rewards for their own labors. "Yet a very little while, and He who is coming will come and will not delay," Paul said then.
Let us also say this to the fainthearted. Punishment will surely be. It will surely come. The resurrection and everything connected with it are already at the doors.
How, you ask, is this clear? I do not speak from the prophets, because my word is not only to Christians. Even if the man were a pagan, I would boldly address him too. I would offer proofs to him also and instruct him.
How? Listen. Christ foretold many things. If these had not come to pass, you might also disbelieve the rest. But if all these things have come to pass, why do you doubt the remaining ones?
It was harder to believe while nothing had yet come to pass than to disbelieve when everything has come to pass. But I will explain my thought better by an example.
Christ foretold that Jerusalem would be taken and suffer a destruction such as had never been. He foretold that it would no longer be restored, and the prediction was justified by the event (see Lk 19:44).
He foretold that there would be great tribulation (Mt 24:21), and it came to pass. He foretold that the preaching would spread like a sown mustard seed.
We see that every day it spreads more and more throughout the inhabited world. He foretold that those who left father, or mother, or brothers, or sisters, would have fathers and mothers. We see this fulfilled in deed (Mt 19:29).
He foretold, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). That is, no one will overcome you. We see that this has been fulfilled in deed.
He foretold, "I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18). He said this though it would be persecuted, and that no one would destroy the preaching.
Events bear witness to the fulfillment of this prediction also. Such predictions were then very unbelievable. Why? Because they all consisted in words, and no proofs of what was said had yet been presented.
Now, however, all this is so much more worthy of faith. He foretold that "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come" (Mt 24:14).
Behold, we have already reached the consummation. The greater part of the inhabited world has already been filled with the gospel, and after this the consummation is at hand.
Let us be afraid, beloved! Tell me, does this consummation trouble you? It is indeed near, but the limit of each man's life and his end are much nearer.
"The days of our years," says the Psalmist, "are seventy years, and if by reason of strength, eighty years" (Ps 89:10). The day of judgment is near. Let us fear at least this.
"A man cannot redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him" (Ps 48:8). In many things we shall repent then, but "among the dead no one remembers You" (Ps 6:6).
Therefore David says, "Let us come before His face with thanksgiving" (Ps 94:2), that is, before His coming. Here, everything we do has force. There, it no longer does.
Tell me, if someone placed us for a short time in a burning furnace, would we not use every means for our deliverance? Would we not do so even if it required spending our property or giving ourselves into slavery?
How many people, having fallen into severe illnesses, would gladly agree to give everything to be freed from them, if only the choice were given them. If here a brief illness torments us so, what shall we do there, when repentance brings no profit?
How many vices we are now filled with, and we do not perceive it. We bite one another, we devour one another, insulting, accusing, slandering, and envying the glory of our neighbors.
See what a grievous evil this is. When someone wishes to destroy the good opinion held of his neighbor, he says, "So-and-so told me this about him. Forgive me, Lord, do not condemn me. I am only reporting a rumor."
Why then do you speak, if you yourself do not believe it? Why do you repeat it? Why, by spreading the rumor, do you make it seem probable? Why do you pass on a story when it is untrue?
You yourself do not believe it, and you ask God not to condemn you? Then do not speak, but be silent, and free yourself from every fear.
I do not know where this sickness entered people. We have become talkative. Nothing is kept in our soul. Listen to a wise man who exhorts and says: "Have you heard a word? Let it die with you. Be brave; it will not burst you" (Sir 19:10).
And again: when a fool has heard a word, he labors "like a woman in travail with a child" (Sir 19:11). We are ready for accusations and quick to condemn.
If we had done no other evil, this alone would be enough to destroy us, cast us into Gehenna, and bring upon us thousands of calamities. To know this more precisely, hear the prophet who says, "You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your mother's son" (Ps 49:20).
But it was not I, you say, but another. No, it was you. If you had not spoken, another would not have heard. And even if he had heard, you would not have been the author of the sin.
The faults of our neighbors must be kept silent and covered. But under the pretext of goodwill, you expose them for display. If you do not become an accuser, you become a reporter, a chatterer, and a fool.
What horror! Together with him you shame yourself, and you do not perceive it. See how many evils arise from this. You anger God, grieve your neighbor, and make yourself liable to punishment.
Have you not heard what Paul says about widows? "Besides, they learn to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, speaking what they ought not" (1 Tim 5:13).
Thus, even if you believed what was said about your brother, you should not repeat it. How much more when you do not believe it.
You always care for yourself, fearing that you may be condemned by God. Then fear also lest you be condemned for talkativeness.
Here you cannot say, "God will not condemn me for talkativeness," because this deed is talkativeness. Why do you spread the rumor? Why do you multiply the evil? It can destroy us.
Therefore Christ says, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mt 7:1). But we think nothing of this, and the example of the Pharisee does not instruct us.
He spoke the truth: "God, I thank You that I am not like other men, extortioners, wrongdoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector" (Lk 18:11). He said this when no one heard him, and yet he was condemned.
If he was condemned though he spoke the truth and no one heard him, what torment will those undergo who everywhere proclaim what is false, and what they themselves are not sure of, like talkative women?
What will they not suffer? Let us set a door and a guard upon our mouth. Countless evils have arisen from talkativeness. Households have been thrown into disorder, bonds of friendship broken, and thousands of other calamities committed.
Do not strive, O man, to learn what concerns your neighbor. But you are talkative. You have this weakness? Speak rather to God about your own affairs. This will not be a fault, but a gain.
Speak of your affairs to friends, to true and truthful friends in whom you trust, so that they may pray for your sins. If you speak of others' affairs, you will receive no profit and no gain, but will also be harmed.
But if you confess your deeds before the Master, you will receive a great reward. "I said," says the Psalmist, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and "You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Ps 31:5).
Do you wish to condemn? Condemn yourself. No one will accuse you if you condemn yourself. But He will accuse you if you do not condemn yourself.
He will accuse you if you do not reprove yourself. He will accuse you if you do not grieve over yourself. Do you see someone growing angry, becoming irritated, or doing something else unreasonable?
At once think about your own deeds. Then you will not condemn him too severely, and you will free yourself from the burden of sins.
If we measure our life in this way, if we order it in this way, and if we condemn ourselves, then we shall certainly not fall into many sins. Rather, we shall do much good, become meek and moderate, and receive all the good things promised to those who love God.
May we all be counted worthy of these by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.