Against Heresies: Book V

BUT WE NOW RECEIVE A CERTAIN PORTION OF HIS SPIRIT: moving toward perfection, and preparing us for incorruption, gradually becoming accustomed to receive and bear God; which the apostle also calls "an earnest," meaning a part of the honor promised to us by God, when he says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, "In whom you also, having heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, believed and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." This earnest, dwelling in us, makes us spiritual even now, and the mortal is overcome by immortality. "For you," he says, "are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." This does not happen by casting away the flesh, but by imparting the Spirit.

For those to whom he was writing were not without flesh, but they were those who had received the Spirit of God, "by which we cry, Abba, Father." If, therefore, at present, having the earnest, we cry, "Abba, Father," what will it be like when, upon rising again, we see Him face to face; when all our members will break out into a continuous hymn of triumph, glorifying Him who raised them from the dead, and gave the gift of eternal life? If the earnest, bringing man into itself, already causes him to cry, "Abba, Father," what will the complete grace of the Spirit achieve, which will be given to men by God? It will make us like Him, and fulfill the will of the Father; for it will make man after the image and likeness of God.

THOSE PEOPLE: then, who have the earnest of the Spirit and are not enslaved by the lusts of the flesh, but are guided by the Spirit and walk in all things according to reason, the apostle rightfully calls "spiritual," because the Spirit of God dwells in them. Now, spiritual people will not be incorporeal spirits, but the union of flesh and spirit, receiving the Spirit of God, forms the spiritual person. However, those who reject the Spirit's guidance and are slaves to fleshly lusts, living lives contrary to reason, and who recklessly pursue their own desires without seeking the Divine Spirit, live like swine and dogs. These people, the apostle rightly calls "carnal," because they think only of carnal things.

FOR THIS REASON: the prophets also compare them to irrational animals because of the irrationality of their behavior, saying, “They have become like horses raging for females, each one neighing after his neighbor's wife.” And again, “Man, when he was in honor, was made like unto cattle.” This indicates that, due to his own fault, he is likened to cattle by emulating their irrational life. Similarly, we also commonly refer to men of this kind as cattle and irrational beasts.

THE LAW HAS FIGURATIVELY PREDICTED ALL THESE: describing humans through various animals: whatever, it says in Scripture, has a split hoof and ruminates is declared clean; but whatever lacks one or both of these qualities is regarded as unclean. So, who are the clean? Those who advance by faith steadily towards the Father and the Son, signified by the steadiness of those that divide the hoof; they meditate day and night on the words of God to be adorned with good works, signifying the ruminants.

The unclean, however, are those that neither divide the hoof nor ruminate; that is, those who have neither faith in God nor meditate on His words: this is the abomination of the Gentiles. As for those animals that chew the cud but do not have a split hoof and are themselves unclean, they figuratively represent the Jews, who certainly have the words of God but lack steadfast faith in the Father and the Son; therefore, they are an unstable generation.

Animals with a single, un-split hoof slip easily, but those with a split hoof are more sure-footed, as the cleft hooves support each other. Similarly, those who have a split hoof but do not ruminate are unclean: this indicates all heretics and those who neither meditate on the words of God nor are adorned with righteousness; to whom also the Lord says, "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things I say?" Such people claim belief in the Father and the Son but do not properly meditate on God’s words nor engage in righteous works; instead, they lead lives like swine and dogs, indulging in filthiness, gluttony, and recklessness.

Justly, then, the apostle calls all such people "carnal" and "animal," referring to those who, due to their own unbelief and indulgence, do not receive the Divine Spirit, expelling the life-giving Word as they foolishly follow their own desires. The prophets also referred to them as beasts of burden and wild beasts; custom has also viewed them as cattle and irrational creatures; and the law has declared them unclean.