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| Chapter LXII
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Chapter
LXII.
In the next place, throwing a slur3622
upon the exhortations spoken and written to
those who have led wicked lives, and which invite them to repentance
and reformation of heart, he asserts that we say “that it was to
sinners that God has been sent.” Now this statement of his
is much the same as if he were to find fault with certain persons for
saying that on account of the sick who were living in a city, a
physician had been sent them by a very benevolent monarch.3623
| 3623 [The reproaches
of the scoffer are very instructive as to the real nature of the
primitive dealing with sinners and with sin.] | God the Word was sent, indeed, as a
physician to sinners,
but as a teacher of divine mysteries to those who are already pure and
who sin no more. But Celsus, unable to see this
distinction,—for he had no desire to be animated with a love of
truth,—remarks, “Why was he not sent to those who were
without sin? What evil is it not to have committed
sin?” To which we reply, that if by those “who were
without sin” he means those who sin no more, then our Saviour
Jesus was sent even to such, but not as a physician. While if by
those “who were without sin” he means such as have never at
any time sinned,—for he made no distinction in his
statement,—we reply that it is impossible for a man thus to be
without sin. And this we say, excepting, of course, the man
understood to be in Christ Jesus,3624
| 3624 ὑπεξαιρομένου
τοῦ κατὰ τὸν
᾽Ιησοῦν
νοουμένου
ἀνθρώπου. | who “did
no sin.” It is with a malicious intent, indeed, that Celsus
says of us that we assert that “God will receive the
unrighteousness man if he humble himself on account of his wickedness,
but that He will not receive the righteous man, although he look up to
Him, (adorned) with virtue from the beginning.” Now we
assert that it is impossible for a man to look up to God (adorned) with
virtue from the beginning. For wickedness must necessarily first
exist in men. As Paul also says, “When the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died.”3625
Moreover, we do not teach regarding
the unrighteous man, that it is sufficient for him to humble himself on
account of his wickedness in order to his being accepted by God, but
that God will accept him if, after passing condemnation upon himself
for his past conduct, he walk humbly on account of it, and in a
becoming manner for the time to come.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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