John 13:35
We should remember what name Christ calls His people, by what title He gives to His flock. He calls them sheep, that their Christian innocence might be like that of sheep. He calls them lambs, that their simplicity of mind might imitate the simple nature of lambs. Why does the wolf lurk under the appearance of sheep? Why does he who falsely claims to be a Christian dishonor the flock of Christ?
To put on the name of Christ and not to walk in the way of Christ is a mockery of the Divine name and a desertion of the way of salvation. Christ teaches that one who keeps His commandments will receive life, and one who hears and does His words is wise. Moreover, he who both does and teaches that which has been well and usefully preached will be advantageous to the preacher. One is called the greatest in the kingdom of heaven if what he says he does.
But what did the Lord most often instill into His disciples? What more among His saving commands and heavenly principles did He charge to guard and observe than to love one another with the love He had for the disciples? And how can people keep the peace or the love of the Lord when they can't be peaceable or loving because they are jealous?
—Cyprian
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
We should remember what name Christ calls His people, by what title He gives to His flock. He calls them sheep, that their Christian innocence might be like that of sheep. He calls them lambs, that their simplicity of mind might imitate the simple nature of lambs. Why does the wolf lurk under the appearance of sheep? Why does he who falsely claims to be a Christian dishonor the flock of Christ?
To put on the name of Christ and not to walk in the way of Christ is a mockery of the Divine name and a desertion of the way of salvation. Christ teaches that one who keeps His commandments will receive life, and one who hears and does His words is wise. Moreover, he who both does and teaches that which has been well and usefully preached will be advantageous to the preacher. One is called the greatest in the kingdom of heaven if what he says he does.
But what did the Lord most often instill into His disciples? What more among His saving commands and heavenly principles did He charge to guard and observe than to love one another with the love He had for the disciples? And how can people keep the peace or the love of the Lord when they can't be peaceable or loving because they are jealous?
—Cyprian
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment