Epistle to Diognetus

If you also desire to possess this faith, you too shall first receive the knowledge of the Father. For God has loved mankind, for whose sake He made the world, to whom He made subject all the things in it, to whom He gave reason and understanding, to whom alone He granted the privilege of looking upwards to Himself, whom He formed in His own image, to whom He sent His only-begotten Son, to whom He has promised a kingdom in heaven and will give it to those who have loved Him.

And when you have attained this knowledge, with what joy do you think you will be filled? Or, how will you love Him who has first so loved you? And if you love Him, you will be an imitator of His kindness. Do not be surprised that a person may become an imitator of God. He can, if he is willing. For happiness is not found by ruling over his neighbors, or by seeking to hold supremacy over those who are weaker, or by being rich and showing violence towards those who are inferior; nor can anyone by these things become an imitator of God.

These things do not at all constitute His majesty. On the contrary, he who takes upon himself the burden of his neighbor; he who, in whatever respect he may be superior, is ready to benefit another who is deficient; he who, whatever things he has received from God, by sharing these with the needy, becomes a god to those who receive his benefits: he is an imitator of God. Then you shall see, while still on earth, that God in the heavens rules over the universe; then you shall begin to speak the mysteries of God; then you shall both love and admire those who suffer punishment because they will not deny God; then you shall condemn the deceit and error of the world when you shall know what it is to truly live in heaven, when you shall despise what is here considered to be death, when you shall fear what is truly death, which is reserved for those who shall be condemned to the eternal fire, which shall afflict those to the end who are committed to it.

Then you shall admire those who, for righteousness’ sake, endure the fire that is but for a moment and count them happy when you shall know the nature of that fire.