|
THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 2, NUMBER 12, APRIL 21, 2002 THEN AND NOW
From the early part of the second century a beautiful little apology for
Christianity has come down to us. It
is not certain who wrote it, but it appears clear that it was written during a
time of persecution. It is called
the “Epistola ad Diognetum” of the “Epistle to Diognetus”.
It gives us a wonderful description of the condition and conduct of the
Christians of that time. I thought
that you would find it interesting. “Epistle to Diognetus”
“The Christians are not distinguished from other men by country, by
language, nor by civil institutions. For
they neither dwell in cities by themselves, nor use a peculiar tongue, nor lead
a singular mode of life. They dwell
in the Grecian or barbarian cities, as the case may be; they follow the usage of
the country in dress, food, and the other affairs of life.
Yet they present a wonderful and confessedly paradoxical conduct.
They dwell in their own native lands, but as strangers.
They take part in all things, as citizens; and they suffer all things, as
foreigners. Every foreign country is
a fatherland to them, and every native land is a foreign.
They marry, like all others; they have children; but they do not cast
away their offspring. They have the
table in common, but not wives. They
are in the flesh, but do not live after the flesh.
They live upon the earth, but are citizens of heaven.
They obey the existing laws, and excel the laws by their lives.
They love all, and are persecuted by all.
They are unknown, and yet they are condemned.
They are killed and are made alive. They
are poor and make many rich. They
lack all things, and in all things abound. They
are reproached, and glory in their reproaches.
They are calumniated, and are justified.
They are cursed, and they bless. They
receive scorn, and they give honor. They
do good, and are punished as evil-doers. When
punished, they rejoice as being made alive.
By the Jews they are attacked as aliens, and by the Greeks persecuted;
and the cause of the enmity their enemies cannot tell.
In short, what the soul is in the body, the Christians are in the world.
The soul is diffused through all the members of the body, and the
Christians are spread through the cities of the world.
The soul dwells in the body, but it is not of the body; so the Christians
dwell in the world, but are not of the world.
The soul, invisible, keeps watch in the visible body; so also the
Christians are seen to live in the world, but their piety is invisible.
The flesh hates and wars against the soul, suffering no wrong from it,
but because it resists fleshly pleasures; and the world hates the Christians
with no reason, but that they resist the its pleasures.
The soul loves the flesh and its members, by which it is hated; so the
Christians love their haters. The
soul is enclosed in the body, but holds the body together; so the Christians are
detained in the world as in a prison; but they contain the world.
Immortal, the soul dwells in the mortal body; so the Christians dwell in
the corruptible, but look for incorruption in heaven.
The soul is the better for restriction in food and drink; and the
Christians increase, though daily punished.
This lot God has assigned to the Christians in the world; and it cannot
be taken from them.” What a beautiful description of our early brothers and sisters in Christ who were the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the city of God set on a hill! Oh, that the same would be written of us.
ON GIVING
The best thing to give…. To your enemy is forgiveness; To an opponent, tolerance; To a friend, your heart; To your child, a good example; To a father, deference; To your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; To yourself, respect; To all men, charity.” Lord Balfour
|