Against Heresies: Book IV

AS I HAVE HEARD FROM A CERTAIN ELDER: who heard it from those who had seen the apostles, and from those who were their disciples, the punishment declared in Scripture was sufficient for the ancients regarding what they did without the Spirit’s guidance. Since God shows no favoritism, He inflicted a proper punishment on deeds displeasing to Him. For example, when David suffered persecution from Saul for righteousness’ sake and fled from King Saul without seeking revenge, he sang about the coming of Christ and instructed the nations in wisdom, doing everything under the Spirit’s guidance and pleasing God. But when his lust led him to take Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, Scripture said about him, “Now, the thing which David had done appeared wicked in the eyes of the Lord.” Nathan the prophet was sent to him to point out his crime so that, by condemning himself, he might receive mercy and forgiveness from Christ:

“And [Nathan] said to him, There were two men in one city; one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe-lamb, which he cherished; it grew up with him and his children, ate from his food, drank from his cup, and was like a daughter to him. A traveler came to the rich man, but rather than taking from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s ewe-lamb and prepared it for his guest. David's anger burned against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die, and he must restore the lamb fourfold because he had no pity.” Nathan then said to him, “You are the man who did this.” Nathan then proceeded, reproaching David and recounting God’s blessings to him, showing how much his conduct displeased the Lord. These actions were not pleasing to God, and great wrath was hanging over his house. David, upon hearing this, was struck with remorse and exclaimed, “I have sinned against the Lord,” and he sang a penitential psalm, hoping for the coming of the Lord to wash and cleanse him from sin.

Similarly, with Solomon, while he judged uprightly, declared the wisdom of God, built the temple as a symbol of truth, showcased the glories of God, announced impending peace for the nations, prefigured Christ’s kingdom, spoke three thousand parables about the Lord’s coming, and five thousand songs praising God, explaining God's wisdom in creation regarding every tree, herb, bird, animal, and fish, he asked, “Will God whom the heavens cannot contain really dwell with men on earth?” He pleased God and amazed everyone; all the kings of the earth sought to meet him to hear the wisdom God gave him. The queen of the south also came from the ends of the earth to learn of his wisdom. The Lord referred to her as one who would rise in judgment with the nations of those who hear His words but do not believe in Him, condemning them because she accepted the wisdom from the servant of God while they rejected the wisdom directly from the Son of God. Solomon was a servant, but Christ is indeed the Son of God and Lord of Solomon. While Solomon served God blamelessly, he was glorified, but when he took wives from all nations and allowed them to set up idols in Israel, the Scripture said: “And King Solomon was a lover of women, and he took foreign women; and when Solomon was old, his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God. The foreign women turned his heart to strange gods. Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight, not following the Lord like David his father. The Lord was angry with Solomon, for his heart was not perfect with the Lord, unlike David’s heart.” Scripture has sufficiently reproved him, as the elder noted, so that no one may boast before the Lord.

FOR THIS REASON: the Lord also descended into the regions below the earth, preaching His arrival there too, and announcing the forgiveness of sins received by those who believe in Him. All who hoped in Him believed in Him—those who proclaimed His coming and submitted to His plans, the righteous, the prophets, and the patriarchs. To them, He forgave sins just as He does for us, and we should not hold these sins against them if we do not want to disrespect the grace of God.

Just as these men did not hold against us (the Gentiles) our wrongdoings committed before Christ was revealed among us, it is not right for us to judge those who sinned before Christ's arrival. For "all men fall short of the glory of God" and are not justified by themselves but by the coming of the Lord—those who sincerely look toward His light. Their actions were recorded for our instruction, so we might understand, first, that our God and theirs is one, and that sins are not pleasing to Him, even when committed by famous individuals; and second, that we should avoid wickedness.

For if those men of ancient times, who were ahead of us in gifts bestowed upon them, and for whom the Son of God had not yet suffered, were disgraced when they sinned and indulged in lusts of the flesh, what will happen to the people of today who have disregarded the Lord's coming and become slaves to their own desires? Truly, the death of the Lord became a means of healing and forgiveness of sins for the former, but Christ will not die again for those who commit sins now, for death will no longer have power over Him.

Instead, the Son will come in the glory of the Father, demanding from His stewards and managers the resources He entrusted to them, with interest; and from those to whom He gave much, He will demand much.

Therefore, as that elder observed, we should not be arrogant or harsh towards those of earlier times, but should fear ourselves, in case, after gaining knowledge of Christ, if we do things that displease God, we find no further forgiveness of sins and are shut out from His kingdom.

This is why Paul said, “For if [God] did not spare the natural branches, be careful lest He also not spare you, who, when you were a wild olive tree, were grafted into the richness of the olive tree and became a partaker in its richness.”

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF THE COMMON PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED IN A SIMILAR MANNER: not for the sake of those who transgressed then, but as a means of instruction for us, so that we understand that it is one and the same God against whom these people sinned, and against whom certain individuals now transgress among those who profess to have believed in Him. This, as the presbyter states, has been declared most plainly by Paul in the Epistle to the Corinthians, when he says, "Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all were baptized into Moses in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

But God was not pleased with many of them, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. These things happened as examples for us, so that we should not desire evil things, as they did; neither should you be idolaters, as some of them were, as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play.' Let us not commit fornication, as some of them did, resulting in twenty-three thousand falling in one day.

Nor let us test Christ, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. Neither should you complain, as some of them complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. All these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our warning, on whom the end of the ages has come.

Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

SINCE IT IS BEYOND ALL DOUBT AND CONTRADICTION: the apostle shows that there is one and the same God, who both judged these former things and examines those of the present time, explaining why these things have been written down. All these men are shown to be unlearned and presumptuous, even lacking common sense, who claim, because of the transgressions and disobedience of many people in ancient times, that there was one God for those people, who was the maker of the world and existed in a state of degeneracy, but that there was another Father declared by Christ, and that this Being is conceived in the mind of each of them.

They fail to understand that, just as God showed Himself not well pleased with those who sinned in the past, so also now, "many are called, but few are chosen." Just as the unrighteous, idolaters, and fornicators perished then, so it is now: for both the Lord declares that such people are sent into eternal fire, and the apostle says, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." He said these things not to those who are outside but to us, so that we should not be cast out of the kingdom of God by doing such things.

He goes on to say, "And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Just as those who led wicked lives and led others astray were condemned and cast out then, so even now, the offending eye is removed, and the foot and hand, lest the rest of the body perish likewise. We have the instruction: "If any man called a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, do not eat with such a person." The apostle also says, "Let no one deceive you with empty words; because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of mistrust.

Do not partake with them." Just as then the condemnation of sinners extended to others who approved of them and joined their company, it is also now the case that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump." As the wrath of God descended upon the unrighteous then, the apostle also says: "For the wrath of God shall be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." Just as, in those times, God's vengeance came upon the Egyptians who subjected Israel to unjust punishment, it is similar now, as the Lord truly declares, "And shall not God avenge His own elect, who cry to Him day and night? I tell you, He will avenge them speedily." The apostle also says similarly in the Epistle to the Thessalonians: "Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you; and to you who are troubled, rest with us at the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven with His mighty angels, in a flame of fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all who have believed in Him."