Against Heresies: Book IV

If some people had been made naturally bad and others good, the good ones wouldn't deserve praise for being good, because they were created that way; nor would the bad ones be blamed, as that is how they were originally made. But since all people share the same nature and are capable of both holding onto and doing what is good, and, on the other hand, also have the ability to turn away from it and not do it, some people justly receive praise from others under good laws (and even more from God) and earn well-deserved recognition for choosing good and persevering in it. Meanwhile, others are blamed and receive just condemnation for rejecting what is fair and good. Therefore, the prophets urged people to do what is good, act justly, and work righteousness, as I have extensively shown, because it is within our power to do so, and because through excessive negligence we might forget and thus need the good counsel that the good God has given us through the prophets.

For this reason the Lord also said, "Let your light shine before people, so they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven." And, "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with overeating, drunkenness, and the worries of this life." And, "Keep your waist belted and your lamps burning, and be like people waiting for their Lord to return from a wedding, so when He comes and knocks, they can open the door for Him immediately. Blessed is the servant whom his Lord finds doing so when He arrives." And again, "The servant who knows his Lord's will and does not do it will be punished with many blows." And, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" And again, "But if the servant says in his heart, 'The Lord is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat, drink, and get drunk, his Lord will come on a day when he does not expect Him, and will cut him in two and assign him a place with the hypocrites." All these passages demonstrate the independent will of man and, at the same time, the counsel which God gives to him, urging us to submit to Him and trying to turn us away from the sin of unbelief against Him, without, however, forcing us in any way.

No doubt, if anyone is unwilling to follow the Gospel itself, they have the power to reject it, but it is not wise. For humans have the power to disobey God and to lose what is good, but such behavior brings significant harm and trouble. This is why Paul says, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial," referring to human freedom, where "all things are lawful," since God does not impose compulsion on them. By saying "not beneficial," he points out that we "should not use our freedom as a cover for evil," as this is not beneficial. He also says, "Speak truthfully to your neighbor." And, "Let no corrupt talk come from your mouth, neither obscenity, nor foolish talk, nor coarse jokes, which are not proper, but rather thanksgiving." And, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; live honestly as children of the light, not in partying and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in anger and jealousy. And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been sanctified in the name of our Lord." If it were not within our power to do or not do these things, why would the apostle, and even more so the Lord Himself, advise us to do some things and avoid others? But because humans have free will from the beginning, and God has free will, in whose likeness humans were created, advice is always given to them to hold on to the good, which is achieved through obedience to God.

And not merely in works, but also in faith, God has preserved the will of man as free and under his own control, saying, "According to your faith, let it be unto you;" thus showing that there is a faith especially belonging to man, since he has an opinion uniquely his own. And again, "All things are possible to him who believes;" and, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done to you." Now, all such expressions demonstrate that man is in his own power with respect to faith. And for this reason, "he who believes in Him has eternal life, while he who does not believe the Son does not have eternal life, but the wrath of God shall remain upon him." In the same manner, therefore, the Lord, both showing His own goodness and indicating that man has free will and his own power, said to Jerusalem, "How often have I wished to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! Therefore your house shall be left to you desolate."

Those who argue against these conclusions present the Lord as lacking power, as if He were unable to achieve what He intended, or as being unaware that they were naturally "material," as these people describe, and unable to accept His immortality. They claim, "He should not have created angels capable of transgression, nor humans who quickly became ungrateful toward Him; for they were created as rational beings, with the ability to examine and judge, and not as irrational beings or creatures of mere animal nature, which cannot act of their own will but are led by necessity and compulsion toward what is good, with one mindset and one instinct, working mechanically in one way, unable to be anything other than what they were created to be." According to this idea, good would not be meaningful to them, nor would a relationship with God be valuable, nor would the good be highly sought after since it would appear without their own effort, care, or study, but would be implanted in them naturally without their involvement.

As a result, their goodness would not matter because they would be good by nature rather than choice, acquiring good spontaneously, not by decision; and for this reason, they wouldn't understand that good is admirable, nor would they find joy in it. For how can those who are unaware of good appreciate it? Or what recognition is there for those who have not strived for it? And what reward is it for those who have not pursued it, like those victorious in competition?

For this reason, the Lord stated that the kingdom of heaven belongs to "the violent," and He says, "The violent take it by force," meaning those who are vigilant and strive earnestly to seize it at once. Similarly, Paul the Apostle tells the Corinthians, "Don't you know that those who run in a race all indeed run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things: they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one.

I run in this way, not without aim; I fight, not like someone beating the air; but I discipline my body and bring it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should become disqualified." This skilled wrestler, therefore, encourages us in the struggle for immortality, so that we may be crowned and value the crown, which is achieved through our effort and doesn't come to us on its own. The harder we strive, the more valuable it becomes; and the more valuable it is, the more we should cherish it.

Things that are attained through much careful effort are valued more highly than those that come easily. Since this power has been given to us, the Lord has taught and the apostle has instructed us to love God more, so that we may attain this prize for ourselves through our efforts. Otherwise, without doubt, this good would be irrational, not being the result of effort.

Moreover, the faculty of sight wouldn't seem so desirable unless we understood the loss of being without it.

Health, too, is more valued when we have experienced illness; light by contrasting it with darkness; and life with death. Similarly, the heavenly kingdom is honorable to those who have known the earthly one. As it is more honorable, we value it more; and if we value it more, we will be more glorious in the presence of God. The Lord has endured all these things on our behalf so that, having been instructed through them all, we may be wise in the future, and having been taught to love God rationally, we may continue in His perfect love.

God has shown patience in response to human apostasy, while people have been taught through it, as the prophet says, "Your own apostasy will heal you." God thus planned everything in advance to perfect humanity, to build up individuals, and to reveal His plans, so that goodness may be apparent, righteousness perfected, and the Church shaped in the image of His Son, with humanity eventually reaching maturity and becoming ready to see and understand God.