Early Christian Beliefs About Works

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

...t through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works we have accomplished in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all people; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

For the rest, the apostle must (be permitted to) go on with his own statement, wherein he says that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith: Galatians 2:16 faith, however, in the same God to whom belongs the law also.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

...gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. It was so that from then on man might be justified by the liberty of faith, not by servitude to the law, because "the just shall live by his faith," Habakkuk 2:4. Now although the prophet Habakkuk first said this, yet you have the apostle here confirming the prophets, just as Christ did. Therefore, the object of the faith by which the just man shall live will be that same God to whom the law also belongs, by doing which no man is justified. Since, then, the curse in the law and the blessing in faith are equally found, you have both conditions set forth by the Creator: "Behold," says He, "I have set before you a blessing and a curse," Deuteronomy 11:26. You cannot establish a diversity of authors because there happens to be a diversity of things; for the diversity itself is proposed by one and the same author. Why, however, Christ was made a curse for us, Galatians 3:13, is declared by the apostle himself in a way that greatly helps our side, as being the result of the Creator's appointment. But it by no means follows that, because the Creator said long ago, "Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree," Christ belonged to a

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

...arly taught when he says in the Epistle to the Galatians: “So, the one who gives you the Spirit and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Know therefore, that those who are of faith are the children of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, announced beforehand to Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed. So then those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” For these reasons, the apostle declared that this man was not only the prophet of faith but also the father of those who believe in Jesus Christ among the Gentiles, because his faith and ours are the same: he believed in future things as if they were already accomplished, because of the promise of God; and similarly, we also, because of the promise of God, see through faith that inheritance stored up for us in the future kingdom.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

...sus Christ, and hold firm to their confession even unto death, and maintain piety. Moreover, by the works and by the accompanying miracles, it is possible for all to understand that He is the new law, and the new covenant, and the hope of those who from every people wait for the good things of God. For the true spiritual Israel, and descendants of Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham (who was approved of and blessed by God on account of his faith, and called the father of many nations, despite being uncircumcised), are we who have been led to God through this crucified Christ, as shall be demonstrated as we proceed."

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...rwards be revealed, so that the law became our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith; but after that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Do you not hear that we are no longer under that law which came with fear, but under the Word, the master of free choice? Then he added the statement, free from all partiality: "For you are all the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26-28 There are not, then, in the same Word some illuminated people, that is, gnostics, and some natural men. But all who have abandoned the desires of the flesh are equal and spiritual before the Lord. And again he writes in another place: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, and we have all drunk of one cup." 1 Corinthians 12:13 Nor would it be absurd to use the expressions of those who call the remembrance of better things the filtration of the spirit, understanding by filtration t

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...out this husband, who is the Word, formerly desolate of the bridegroom. Now "the just shall live by faith," which is according to the covenant and the commandments, since these, which are two in name and time, given according to the divine arrangement, being one in power, the old and the new, are given through the Son by one God. As the apostle also says in the Epistle to the Romans, "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith," teaching the one salvation which from prophecy to the Gospel is perfected by one and the same Lord. "This charge," he says, "I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that by them you may war the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience; which some, having put away concerning faith, have made shipwreck," 1 Timothy 1:18-19, because by unbelief they defiled the conscience that comes from God. Accordingly, faith may no longer, with reason, be disparaged in an offhand way as simple and common, as something ordinary and available to anyone. For if it were a merely human habit, as the Greeks supposed, it would have been extinguished. But if it grows, and there is no place where it is no

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Hosea 6:6 But even if the stimulus of her repentance proceeded from her faith, she heard her justification by faith through her repentance pronounced in the words, Your faith has saved you, by Him who had declared by Habakkuk, The just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

But after your hardness and impenitent heart you store up unto yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall render to every one according to his works.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

who also will come at the consummation of the world with power and great glory, to judge the quick and the dead, and to recompense to every one according to his works.

Hippolytus, Against Plato Direct teaching

He, in administering the righteous judgment of the Father to all, assigns to each what is righteous according to his works.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Direct teaching

...the day of retribution, when the Lord will reward each person according to their deeds—that is, the judgment. The acceptable year of the Lord is this current time, in which those who believe in Him are called by Him and become acceptable to God—that is, the entire period from His coming until the end of all things, during which He gathers those who are saved as the fruits of His plan of mercy. According to the language of the prophet, the day of retribution follows the acceptable year; and the prophet would be considered false if the Lord preached for only a year if he refers to it. For where is the day of retribution? For the year has passed, and the day of retribution has not yet come; but He still "makes His sun rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and unjust." The righteous suffer persecution, are afflicted, and are killed, while sinners live in abundance, and "drink with the sound of the harp and psaltery, but do not regard the works of the Lord." However, according to the prophet's words, they should be linked, with the day of retribution following the acceptable year. The words say, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of retribut

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness

2. That, then, was called the day of retribution on which the Lord will render to every one according to his works—that is, the judgment.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

For it is said, Behold the Lord, and His reward is before His face, to give to every one according to his works;

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Therefore they who have known God shall be judged, and their deeds, that is, their evil works, shall be compared and weighed against their good ones: so that if those which are good and just are more and weighty, they may be given to a life of blessedness;

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

who will render to every one according to his works: to those who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and immortality, eternal life;

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

But listen to the divine oracles: The works of the Lord are in judgment;

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

In this view it is that he informs us how we must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according as he has done either good or bad.

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

... who repent, when it is written, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works,” Revelation 2:5. This is clearly said to someone who has plainly fallen, and whom the Lord urges to rise again by his works, because it is written, “Alms do deliver from death,” Tobit 4:10. This certainly does not mean from that death which the blood of Christ once destroyed, and from which the saving grace of baptism and of our Redeemer has delivered us, but from that death which afterward creeps in through sins. Also, in another place, time is given for repentance, and the Lord threatens the one who does not repent: “I have,” He says, “many things against you, because you allow your wife Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols; and I gave her time to repent, and she will not repent of her fornication. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds,” Revelation 2:20-22. Certainly the Lord would not urge them to repent unless He promised mercy to those who repent. And in the Gospel He says, “I

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

...se who, by truly repenting, might satisfy God, both as Father and as merciful, by their prayers and works, are misled more deeply to their destruction; and those who might have raised themselves up fall more deeply. For although, in lesser sins, sinners may do penance for a set time, and according to the rules of discipline come to public confession, and by the laying on of the hands of the bishop and clergy receive the right of communion, now, before their time is fulfilled, while persecution is still raging, while the peace of the Church itself is not yet restored, they are admitted to communion, and their name is presented. While the penitence has not yet been completed, confession has not yet been made, and the hands of the bishop and clergy have not yet been laid on them, the Eucharist is given to them, although it is written, "Whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," 1 Corinthians 11:27.

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Direct teaching

...emembering the struggles they endured for God's sake before their fall, and also their later worthy repentance, and that they show that because of their sin they have been, as it were, strangers to their own city. And we will not only have communion with them, but also pray for their reconciliation, along with other fitting things, including the good works they ought to do, for example, fasting, giving to the poor, and penance. By these things, he who is our Advocate makes the Father favorable toward us. Then he uses a passage from Holy Scripture, and it is taken from the first catholic epistle of the holy apostle and evangelist John.

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness

and we will not only communicate with them, but pray also for their reconciliation, together with other things that are convenient, either with the good works which ought to be done by them — fasting, for instance, almsgiving, and penance;

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

For those shall not be forsaken by the aid and assistance of the Lord, who meekly, humbly, and with true penitence have persevered in good works;

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

... past life is of no help to the man who lives badly, because his later wickedness has destroyed his works of righteousness, so also former sins do not stand in the way of the man who has corrected his life, because his later righteousness has wiped away the stain of his former life. For the man who repents of what he has done understands his former error. And for this reason the Greeks speak better and more meaningfully of metanoia, which we may express in Latin as a return to a right understanding. For he returns to a right understanding, and recovers his mind, as it were, from madness, when he is grieved over his error. He rebukes himself for his madness and strengthens his mind for a better way of life. Then he is especially on guard against this very thing, so that he may not be led again into the same snares. In short, even dumb animals, when they have been trapped by deceit, if they somehow get free and escape, become more cautious afterward, and always avoid those things in which they have recognized tricks and snares. In the same way, repentance makes a man cautious and careful to avoid the faults into which he has once fallen through deceit.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...l repent. But all who will not repent have lost their lives. And as many of them as repented became good, and their dwelling place was appointed within the first walls. And some of them even ascended into the tower. You see, then," he said, "that repentance involves life for sinners, but non-repentance, death."

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...y to repent. But if he sins often after this and then repents, that man's repentance will do him no good, for he will scarcely live." And I said, "Sir, as I listen carefully to these commandments, I feel that life has come back to me, for I know that I will be saved if from now on I sin no more." And he said, "You will be saved, you and all who keep these commandments."

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...e who sin. Warn those who have not turned back. Encourage those who stand firm to continue in their goodness. Receive those who repent, for the Lord God has promised with an oath to grant forgiveness to those who repent for the wrong things they have done. For He says through Ezekiel: "Speak to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live. Therefore turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?'" Ezekiel 33:11. Here the word gives hope to sinners, so that if they repent, they will have hope of salvation. Otherwise, out of despair, they might give themselves over to their transgressions. But having hope of salvation, they may be converted, and may pray to God with tears because of their sins, and may repent from their hearts, and so calm His displeasure toward them. Then they will receive pardon from Him, as from a merciful Father.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

... its work. They work hard to keep God's mercy from healing the wounded in His Church. They ruin the repentance of these miserable men by the deceit of their lies, so that it may not satisfy an offended God. Thus, the man who had once been ashamed or afraid to be a Christian may not afterward seek Christ his Lord, and the one who had left the Church may not return to the Church. They make every effort to keep sins from being atoned for by just acts of satisfaction and mourning, and to keep wounds from being washed away by tears. True peace is destroyed by the falsehood of a false peace. The healing bosom of a mother is shut by the interference of a stepmother, so that weeping and groaning may not be heard from the heart and from the lips of the fallen. And beyond this, in the Capitol, where they had sinned before, the fallen are forced with their tongues and lips to speak against the priests, to attack the confessors and virgins with insults and abusive words, and also those righteous men who are most outstanding in the praise of the faith and most glorious in the Church. By these things, it is really not the modesty, humility, and shame of our people that are struck, but their o

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...become useless to their Lord because they have taken on savage habits. Therefore, these people have repentance in their power, unless they are found to have denied from the heart. But if anyone is found to have denied from the heart, I do not know whether he can live. And I say this not about these present days, as if anyone who has denied now may receive repentance, for it is impossible for someone to be saved who now intends to deny his Lord. But for those who denied Him long ago, repentance seems to be possible. If, therefore, anyone intends to repent, let him do so quickly, before the tower is completed. For if not, he will be completely destroyed by the women. And the chipped stones are the deceitful and the slanderers. And the wild beasts that you saw on the ninth mountain are the same. For just as wild beasts destroy and kill a person by their poison, so also the words of such people destroy and ruin a person. Accordingly, these are crippled in their faith because of the deeds they have done in themselves. Yet some repented and were saved. And the rest, who are like this, can be saved if they repent. But if they do not repent, they will perish with those women, whose powe

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...ed at least had their dwelling in the tower. But some of them later fell away. These, then, have no repentance, because on account of their business they blasphemed the Lord and denied Him. Therefore they lost their lives through the wickedness they committed. And many of them doubted. These still have repentance within their power, if they repent quickly, and their home will be in the tower. But if they are slower to repent, they will dwell within the walls. And if they do not repent, they too have lost their lives. And those who handed in their branches with two-thirds withered and one-third green are the people who have denied the Lord in various ways. Many, however, repented, but some of them hesitated and were in doubt. These, then, have repentance within their reach, if they repent quickly and do not remain in their pleasures. But if they continue in their deeds, these too bring death on themselves.

James 2:18 Direct teaching

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James 2:22 Direct teaching

You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

James 2:26 Direct teaching

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:17 Direct teaching

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

Now the commandment works repentance; inasmuch as it deters from what ought not to be done, and enjoins good deeds.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

And in like manner, the Gentiles by faith in Christ prepare for themselves eternal life through good works.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

They did not, however, depart from God, but remained in the faith, although not working the works of faith.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Short Version) Supporting witness

For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Long Version) Supporting witness

For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be.

Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Long Version) Supporting witness

even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith.

Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version) Supporting witness

even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...ct to them. And He praises those meek by choice, not by necessity. For with the Lord there are both rewards and many mansions, corresponding to people's lives. "Whoever shall receive," He says, "a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and whoever shall receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward; and whoever shall receive one of the least of these my disciples, shall not lose his reward," Matthew 10:41-42. And again, He showed the differences of virtue according to merit, and the noble rewards, by the hours unequal in number. In addition, by the equal reward given to each of the laborers, that is, salvation, which is meant by the penny, He showed the equality of justice. And He hinted at the difference of those called by those who worked for unequal lengths of time. Therefore they shall work according to the fitting mansions of which they have been counted worthy as rewards, being fellow workers in the ineffable administration and service. Then Plato says that those who seem called to a holy life are those who, freed and released from those earthly places as from prisons, have reached the pure dwell