Irenaeus on Free Will and Obedience to God

[ScottAU]

I thought this to be an interesting quote.

Why? Well because today many people believe that in order to yield to God one must first be born again hence an individual gets saved first and then at a later stage obedience becomes manifest.

My opinion is that salvation and obedience are intrinsically connected for there can be no salvation without obedience because salvation is rooted in "abiding in Christ" and it is impossible to abide in Christ and be in rebellion to Christ at the very same time.

In the below quote Irenaeus makes a very clear distiniction between obedience and disobedience and thus clearly implies that they do not mix.

Chapter XXXIX.—Man is endowed with the faculty of distinguishing good and evil; so that, without compulsion, he has the power, by his own will and choice, to perform God’s commandments, by doing which he avoids the evils prepared for the rebellious.
1. Man has received the knowledge of good and evil. It is good to obey God, and to believe in Him, and to keep His commandment, and this is the life of man; as not to obey God is evil, and this is his death. Since God, therefore, gave [to man] such mental power (magnanimitatem) man knew both the good of obedience and the evil of disobedience, that the eye of the mind, receiving experience of both, may with judgment make choice of the better things; and that he may never become indolent or neglectful of God’s command; and learning by experience that it is an evil thing which deprives him of life, that is, disobedience to God, may never attempt it at all, but that, knowing that what preserves his life, namely, obedience to God, is good, he may diligently keep it with all earnestness. Wherefore he has also had a twofold experience, possessing knowledge of both kinds, that with discipline he may make choice of the better things. But how, if he had no knowledge of the contrary, could he have had instruction in that which is good? For there is thus a surer and an undoubted comprehension of matters submitted to us than the mere surmise arising from an opinion regarding them. For just as the tongue receives experience of sweet and bitter by means of tasting, and the eye discriminates between black and white by means of vision, and the ear recognises the distinctions of sounds by hearing; so also does the mind, receiving through the experience of both the knowledge of what is good, become more tenacious of its preservation, by acting in obedience to God: in the first place, casting away, by means of repentance, disobedience, as being something disagreeable and nauseous; and afterwards coming to understand what it really is, that it is contrary to goodness and sweetness, so that the mind may never even attempt to taste disobedience to God. But if any one do shun the knowledge of both these kinds of things, and the twofold perception of knowledge, he unawares divests himself of the character of a human being.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 4.
http://holybooks.lichtenbergpress.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Ante-Nicene-Fathers-Vol-1.pdf

Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp who was a student of John.

 

[KingJ]

Thanks. Good article and spot on!

Just to add further support: Adam and Eve felt naked the moment they sinned. From there they can either hate sin and repent or continue in it and harden their heart. People got to Abrahams bosom by having a heart after God's heart (hating sin). Nobody got their by obeying 100% of the law. Salvation was when Jesus came to fetch them to be with Him in heaven.

So today when we judge ourselves we need to ask 'If we were living in the OT are we going to Hades or Abrahams bosom?' We can't say 'well we are better off... because we simply believe in Jesus we are going to heaven'. God is impartial = Christianity 101. If we would go to Hades OT with our lifestyle, we are going to Hades NT!

 

[ScottAU]

Thanks. Good article and spot on!

Just to add further support: Adam and Eve felt naked the moment they sinned. From there they can either hate sin and repent or continue in it and harden their heart. People got to Abrahams bosom by having a heart after God's heart (hating sin). Nobody got their by obeying 100% of the law. Salvation was when Jesus came to fetch them to be with Him in heaven.

So today when we judge ourselves we need to ask 'If we were living in the OT are we going to Hades or Abrahams bosom?' We can't say 'well we are better off... because we simply believe in Jesus we are going to heaven'. God is impartial = Christianity 101. If we would go to Hades OT with our lifestyle, we are going to Hades NT!

Nice way of putting it.