Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which
cause divisions
and offences contrary to the
doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,
but their own belly;
and by good words and fair,
speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
(innocent).
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.
I am glad therefore
on your behalf: but yet I
would have you wise unto that which is good,
and
simple concerning evil. And the God of peace
shall bruise Satan under your feet
shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Amen
Romans 16:17-20
The
previous blogs were all about Polycarp a student of the apostle John. Now, I
turn our attention to Ignatius (30 A.D.-107 A.D.) This particular volume contains works by St. Clement,
Mathetes, St. Polycarp, St. Ignatius, Barnabas, St. Papias, St. Justin Martyr,
and St. Irenaeus. These writings were heavily influential on the early Church,
and for good reason, as they are inspirational and encouraging.
Ignatius
was the apostolic father closest in thought to the New Testament writers. He
wrote seven letters while en route under armed guard to Rome to suffer
martyrdom in 107 A.D. These letters were to the Churches in cities through
which he passed, Philadelphia and Smyrna, and to Churches that sent delegations
to visit him during this final journey, namely, Ephesus, Tralles, and Magnesia.
Ignatius did send a letter to Rome asking that they not prevent in delivering
him to martyrdom. These letters reveal a strong commitment to Jesus Christ and
to the physical facts of His birth, death, and resurrection. While there is
some controversy as to the two known letters, the longer and shorter because of
possible interpolations they are still informative for us today and must be consider
as to their content and how that affects us, and our faith.
We have
some Church leaders who are preaching a different form of Christianity, as did
the early Church. Ignatius opposed the Ebionite heresy, which demanded the
keeping of the Jewish regulations as the way of salvation. Ignatius also
attacked the Docetism, which held that Christ only appeared to have real birth,
death, and resurrection. It was Ignatius that outside the New Testament writers
to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. Ignatius also emphasized the fact that
the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord. Ignatius spoke of the fact
that Jesus suffering on the cross was real and that it was the physical
resurrection of Jesus Christ that made it possible for him to face martyrdom.
I must ask
you and myself: Are we ready to by a martyr for Jesus Christ? Are you willing
to attack those teachings that are still prevalent in our Churches today,
Docetism, and even that the old Jewish Law is to be kept if one is to hold fast
to the truth? You and I may not be facing the wild animals of the coliseum but
we are facing wild cultural enemies to our faith and desiring to put an end to
Christianity.
I have become
acquainted with your name, much-beloved in God, which ye have acquired by the habit
of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Being the followers (Literally, “imitators;” comp. Eph. v. 1.) of God, and stirring up
(Comp. in the Greek, 2 Tim. i. 6.)
yourselves by the blood of God, ye have perfectly accomplished the work
which was beseeming to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for
the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to
fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the
disciple of Him “who gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, (Eph. v. 2. [ye hastened to see me This
is wanting in the Greek. ].) I received, therefore,
(Literally, “since therefore,”) without any apodosis. your whole
multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love,
and your bishop in the flesh, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that
you would all seek to be like him. And blessed be He who has granted unto you,
being worthy, to obtain such an excellent bishop.
I have become acquainted with your
greatly-desired name in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of
righteousness, according to the faith and love in Christ Jesus our Saviour.
Being the followers (Literally, “imitators;” comp. Eph. v. 1.) of the love of God towards man, and stirring up (Comp. in the Greek, 2 Tim. i.) yourselves by the blood of Christ, you
have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you. For, on
hearing that I came bound from Syria for the sake of Christ, our common hope,
trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome,
that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple of Him “who gave Himself
for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, (Eph. v. 2.) [ye
hastened to see me (This is wanting in the Greek. ].)
I have therefore received your whole multitude in the name of God, through
Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, (Or, “unspeakably
beloved.”) and who is your bishop, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to
love, and that you would all seek to be like him. Blessed be God, who has
granted unto you, who are yourselves so excellent, to obtain such an excellent
bishop.
As to my fellow-servant Burrhus,
your deacon in regard to God and blessed in all things,
(Or, “our most blessed deacon in all things pertaining to God.”) I beg
that he may continue longer, both for your honour and that of your bishop. And
Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom I have received as the
manifestation (Literally, “pattern.”) of your love,
hath in all things refreshed (Comp. 1 Cor. xvi. 18,) etc. me,
as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall also refresh
(Comp. 1 Cor. xvi.
18,) etc. him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and
Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom, I have, as to love, beheld all of you.
May I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it. It is therefore
befitting that you should in every way glorify Jesus Christ, who hath glorified
you, that by a unanimous obedience “ye may be perfectly joined together in the
same mind, and in the same judgment, and may all speak the same thing concerning
the same thing, (1 Cor. i. 10.) and that, being subject to the bishop and the
presbytery, ye may in all respects be sanctified.
As to our fellow-servant Burrhus,
your deacon in regard to God and blessed in all things, I pray that he may
continue blameless for the honour of the Church, and of your most blessed
bishop. Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom we have received as the
manifestation (Literally, “pattern.”) of your love
to us, hath in all things refreshed (Comp. 1 Cor. xvi. 18,) etc. me, and “hath not been ashamed of my chain, (Comp. 2 Tim. i. 16.)
as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will also refresh (Comp. 1 Cor. xvi.
18), etc. him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and
Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom I have, as to love, beheld all of you. May
I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it. It is therefore
befitting that you should in every way glorify Jesus Christ, who hath glorified
you, that by a unanimous obedience “ye may be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment, and may all speak the same thing concerning
the same thing,” (1 Cor. i. 10.) and
that, being subject to the bishop and the presbytery, ye may in all respects be
sanctified.
Once
again we are reminded as to who we are in Jesus Christ and how we are to live
as Authentic Christians. Life was difficult for those early Christians and life
is difficult for us today. This is especially true if we are living a
Scriptural Christian life. Did not Jesus us admonish us to deny ourselves? Yes!
So why would not do what Jesus commanded? Who, or what, holds the highest
priority in your life.
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:
And He said,
Thus shalt thou say unto the
Children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And God said moreover
unto Moses,
Thus shalt Thou say unto the children of Israel,
The LORD God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham,
The God of Isaac, And the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is My name forever, and this
is My
memorial unto all generations.
Exodus 3:14-15
Remember: you are a child of God: this promise is for you
also
No comments:
Post a Comment