THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Here stands the people of God, being consumed. Indeed, there is no one who does good, not one. We respond in accordance with the principle stated above. This people, who are being consumed, who endure the wickedness of others, who sigh and suffer amidst those who commit evil, are now transformed from children of men into children of God; for this reason, they are under attack. For you have frustrated the schemes of the destitute, for the Lord is his assurance. Frequently, it is precisely what is looked down upon in them—their identity as God's people—that incites the desire to devour them. "I will steal and plunder; if he is a Christian, what can he do to me?" But what follows? I will entice you and bring you to face the truth.
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You shall not now perceive your need to be displeased with yourself; rather, you shall learn to mourn. For God cannot but reveal the wicked their transgressions. If He does not reveal it, who else will say, “What benefit is pride to us, and what does boasting in wealth yield?” (Prem. 5:8) For they will come to know what they do not yet understand. Will not all acknowledge this? Why, then, did He add bread to sustenance? It is as if, in their very essence, they consume My people. With all else we partake in varying measures—this fruit, that vegetable, this meat—but bread is a constant. So what is it then? To consume My people for the sake of bread? They devour continually, without reprieve. They do not call upon God. He comforts those who groan and primarily through encouragement, so that, in emulating the wicked who often seem to thrive, they may not take delight in sinful deeds. For you are safeguarded by what has been promised to you: their hope is immediate, yours is everlasting; theirs is fleeting, while yours is assured; theirs is deceptive, yours is genuine. For they have not invoked the Lord. Do such individuals not beseech God daily? They do not turn to God. If I may say this with divine assistance, God desires to be worshipped freely, and to be loved freely, with a pure love—not for the sake of what He may provide, but for the gift of Himself. Therefore, anyone who calls upon God solely to enrich themselves does not truly call upon Him; for they summon one who is to bring them to Himself. . . Now, your pockets may be full, yet your conscience remains hollow: God does not fill the pockets but nourishes the heart. What value is there in possessing riches externally if you are weighed down by internal need? Thus, those who seek the Lord for worldly satisfaction, for material gain, and for temporal joy do not genuinely call upon Him.