{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050226.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050226.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050226.htm","text":"Chapter 50 [XXIX.]\u2014Righteousness is the Gift of God.\nLet no man therefore boast of that which he seems to possess, as if he had not received it; 972 nor let him think that he has received it merely because the external letter of the law has been either exhibited to him to read, or sounded in his ear for him to hear. For \u201cif righteousness is by the law, then Christ has died in vain.\u201d 973 Seeing, however, that if He has not died in vain, He has ascended up on high, and has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men, 974 it follows that whosoever has, has from this source. But whosoever denies that he has from Him, either has not, or is in great danger of being deprived of what he has. 975 \u201cFor it is one God which justifies the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith;\u201d 976 in which clauses there is no real difference in the sense, as if the phrase \u201cby faith\u201d meant one thing, and \u201cthrough faith\u201d another, but only a variety of expression. For in one passage, when speaking of the Gentiles,\u2014that is, of the uncircumcision,\u2014he says, \u201cThe Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen by faith;\u201d 977 and again, in another, when speaking of the circumcision, to which he himself belonged, he says, \u201cWe who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Jesus Christ.\u201d 978 Observe, he says that both the uncircumcision are justified by p. 105 faith, and the circumcision through faith, if, indeed, the circumcision keep the righteousness of faith. For the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith, 979 \u2014by obtaining it of God, not by assuming it of themselves. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works 980 \u2014in other words, working it out as it were by themselves, not believing that it is God who works within them. \u201cFor it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His own good pleasure.\u201d 981 And hereby \u201cthey stumbled at the stumbling-stone.\u201d 982 For what he said, \u201cnot by faith, but as it were by works,\u201d 983 he most clearly explained in the following words: \u201cThey, being ignorant of God\u2019s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.\u201d 984 Then are we still in doubt what are those works of the law by which a man is not justified, if he believes them to be his own works, as it were, without the help and gift of God, which is \u201cby the faith of Jesus Christ?\u201d And do we suppose that they are circumcision and the other like ordinances, because some such things in other passages are read concerning these sacramental rites too? In this place, however, it is certainly not circumcision which they wanted to establish as their own righteousness, because God established this by prescribing it Himself. Nor is it possible for us to understand this statement, of those works concerning which the Lord says to them, \u201cYe reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition;\u201d 985 because, as the apostle says, Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.\u201d 986 He did not say, Which followed after their own traditions, framing them and relying on them. This then is the sole distinction, that the very precept, \u201cThou shalt not covet,\u201d 987 and God\u2019s other good and holy commandments, they attributed to themselves; whereas, that man may keep them, God must work in him through faith in Jesus Christ, who is \u201cthe end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.\u201d 988 That is to say, every one who is incorporated into Him and made a member of His body, is able, by His giving the increase within, to work righteousness. It is of such a man\u2019s works that Christ Himself has said, \u201cWithout me ye can do nothing.\u201d 989\nGal. 2:15, 16. [The discussion turns on the difference in the Latin prepositions ex and per, representing the Greek \u1f10\u03ba and \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1.\u2014W.]\n105:979 105:980 105:981 105:982 105:983 105:984 105:985 105:986 105:987 105:988 105:989","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise on the...","type":"page"}