Epistle to Diognetus
Chapter 6: The Relationship of Christians to the World
To sum up everything in one word—what the soul is in the body, that Christians are in the world. The soul is spread throughout all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians live in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is protected by the visible body, and Christians are known to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul and wars against it, though it suffers no harm, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates Christians, though it is not harmed, because they reject pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and loves the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as if in a prison, and yet they are the preservers of the world. The immortal soul lives in a mortal body; and Christians dwell as travelers in corruptible bodies, looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when poorly provided with food and drink, becomes better; similarly, the Christians, though subjected to punishment day by day, increase more in number. God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it would be unlawful for them to leave.