First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 4: The Defense of the Faith

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and weak as being indeed like a temple made with hands. For it was full of idolatry and was a home to demons since we did such things as were opposed to God. However, pay attention, a temple will be built in the name of the Lord in order that the temple of the Lord may be built in glory. How? Learn! Having received the forgiveness of sins and placing our trust in the name of the Lord, we have become new creatures formed again from the beginning. As a result, God truly dwells in us in our dwelling. How? His word of faith, the calling of His promise, the wisdom of the statutes, the commands of the doctrine, He Himself prophesying in us, He Himself dwelling in us. He has opened the door of the temple to us who were enslaved by death. The door is the mouth by which repentance is given to us so that He introduces us into the incorruptible temple. He then, who wishes to be saved, looks not to a person, but to the One who dwells in him and speaks to him, amazed at never having either heard such words uttered with his mouth, nor having ever desired to hear them. This is the spiritual temple built for the Lord. Act According to Speech I gnatius to the E phesians 15: It is better to be silent and exist than to speak and not exist. It is good to teach if he who speaks also acts. There is then one Teacher who spoke and it was done, while even those things which He did in silence are worthy of the Father. He who possesses the word of Jesus is truly able to hear even His very silence so that he may be complete and may both act as he speaks and be known by his silence. C hristian T estimony