First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 8: Warnings Against Division and the Demonic

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Conflict is Evil F irst C lement 46–47: Therefore, friends, it is right that we should follow such examples since it is written, “Hold on to the holy, for those who hold on to them will be made holy.” 1 And again, in another place, it says, “With the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous” (Ps 18:25–26). Let us hold on, therefore, to the innocent and righteous, since these are the elect of God. Why are there discord and uproars and divisions and schisms and wars among you? Have we not one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ and raise up trouble against our own body? Have we reached such a height of madness as to forget that “we are members one of another” (Eph 4:25)? Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ how He said: Woe to that person! It would be better for him that he had never been born than to cast a stumbling block before one of My elect. Yes, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cast a stumbling block before one of My little ones. ( Luke 17:1–3 ) Your schism has subverted many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continues.

1 Source unknown.