bearing blog: A new series of posts: The early Christians.

This is the first post in a series on the writings of the early Christians, sometimes called the Church Fathers. I've long regretted that I have not read very many of them, with the exception of Augustine. Here's to hoping that writing about them encourages me to read more of their works, which are available online from many sources.

Today I'm looking at Clement of Rome. His First Epistle to the Corinthians is one of the earliest authenticated documents produced by early Christians. In fact, some considered it canonical --- that is, some thought it should be included in the New Testament. Clement died around 97 AD, less than seventy years after the Crucifixion.

Among other topics in the First Epistle, Clement addresses the importance of faith and good works. Clement and his contemporaries maintain that we are justified not by our own works, but by faith; at the same time he seems to say that our works, too, somehow justify us. Take a look:

Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all those things which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil-speaking, all abominable and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, seeking after change, all abominable lusts, detestable adultery, and execrable pride... Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words.

...For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Jacob, through reason of his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and served him...

...All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men....

So there you go: "being justified by our works, and not our words;" and at the same time, "we... are not justified by... works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which...God has justified all men."

If nothing else we can conclude from this that the early Christians had a subtle understanding of the effectiveness of faith and of works in our justification! This is certainly more complicated than "faith" vs. "works" as it is sometimes presented.

What shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease from the practice of love? God forbid that any such course should be followed by us! But rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work. For the Creator and Lord of all Himself rejoices in His works....Having therefore such an example, let us without delay accede to His will, and let us work the work of righteousness with our whole strength.

Clement says that we will be judged according to our works:

The good servant receives the bread of his labour with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things. And thus He forewarns us: "Behold, the Lord [cometh], and His reward is before His face, to render to every man according to his work."

Clement sets forth all these as conditions for salvation: seeking God's will, doing God's will, and following the way of truth.

...But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed by faith rewards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those who take pleasure in those who do them.

And yet Clement gives credit for our good works, as well as for our faith, to Christ alone.

By Him we look up to the heights of heaven. By Him we behold, as in a glass, His immaculate and most excellent visage. By Him are the eyes of our hearts opened. By Him our foolish and darkened understanding blossoms up anew towards His marvellous light. By Him the Lord has willed that we should taste of immortal knowledge...

How is this problem to be understood? The "justification by faith alone" vs. "justification by faith AND works" debate has been a stumbling block for many Christians as they try to understand each other. I think there are two ways to think about faith and works that reconcile the apparent contradictions.

The first is to use the Latin word for faith: fides. From this root we got the English word fidelity, whose synonym is faithfulness. But neither fidelity nor faithfulness is about what we might call "faith alone." It has to do with constancy in behavior as well as thought. It has to do with obedience to an inner rule. Faithfulness encompasses "faith" and "works," even if it is "faithfulness alone."

Another is to consider that we cannot take credit for the fact that we believe (have faith). No justification-by-faith Christian would deny that he believes only because of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so his justification is ultimately a free gift of God who willed it that he should believe. Well, if we cannot claim our faith as our own, we certainly cannot claim our works as our own: we can do good works, and avoid bad ones, in the same way, only because of the Spirit which moves us.

All I'm saying is, the two are parallel. If God's grace can give us faith, and our cooperation in believing is necessary for our justification, then it is equally possible that God's grace gives us good works, and our cooperation in doing them is necessary, too.

Anyway, it's nice to know that the writings about faith and works, never simple now, were not really any more simple in the first century A.D.