First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 6: The Church

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and fear as to a type of God. You will hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. Do not in any way forsake the commandments of the Lord, but keep what you have received, neither adding to them neither taking away from them. In the church you will acknowledge your transgressions, and you will not come near with your prayer from an evil conscience. This is the way of life. I gnatius to the M agnesians 5: Seeing, then, that all things have an end, these two things are simultaneously set before us: death and life. What is more, everyone will go to his own place. For there are two kinds of coin—the one of God, the other of the world—and each of these has its special character stamped upon it. The unbelievers bear the character of this world, but the believers in love bear the character of God the Father through Jesus Christ, whose life is not in us if we are not ready to die into His suffering. Husbands, Wives, Children, and Widows F irst C lement 21 b : Let us hold high those who lead us. Let us honor the elderly among us. Let us train up the young men in the fear of God. Let us direct our wives to that which is good. Let them exhibit a character of the lovely habit of purity. Let them show the sincere temperament of meekness. Let them make it obvious in the way they speak that they follow the command which they have on their tongue. Let them show their love, not by preferring one to another, but by showing equal affection to all who sincerely fear God. Let your children be partakers of true Christian training. Let them learn how important humility is to God—how much the spirit of pure affection can succeed with Him—how excellent and great His fear is,