Justin Martyr (c. 100-165), mentor to Tatian, was born in Samaria and studied “in the schools of the philosophers [Socrates and Plato],”¹ but was impressed with the lack of fear of death among Christians, so much so that he became a Christian. He is known as one of the first Christian apologists (i.e., defenders of the faith). He was martyred by Marcus Aurelius in 165 for his Christian beliefs. He writes the following for this Saturday Devotion.

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But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is known beforehand, this too we explain. We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed.

And again, unless the human race have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions, of whatever kind they be. But that it is by free choice they both walk uprightly and stumble [neither being necessitated by divine fiat], we thus demonstrate. We see the same man making a transition to opposite things.

Now, if it had been fated that he were to be either good or bad, he could never have been capable of both the opposites, nor of so many transitions. But not even would some be good and others bad, since we thus make fate the cause of evil, and exhibit her as acting in opposition to herself; or that which has been already stated would seem to be true, that neither virtue nor vice is anything, but that things are only reckoned good or evil by opinion; which, as the true word shows, is the greatest impiety and wickedness.

But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds, which cannot act by choice, did God make man: for neither would he be worthy of reward or praise did he not of himself choose the good, but were created for this end; nor, if he were evil, would he be worthy of punishment, not being evil of himself, but being about to be nothing else than what he was made.²

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¹ Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers, eds. Christopher D. Hudson, J. Alan Sharrer, and Lindsay Vanker (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2000), 376.

² Justin Martyr, The First Apology of Justin, in Ante-Nicene Father Volume 1: The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2004), 177.

Filed under: DETERMINISM, FREE WILL, SATURDAY DEVOTION Tagged: DETERMINISM, FATE, HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, JUSTIN MARTYR, SATURDAY DEVOTION, SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, TATIAN, THEOLOGICAL FATALISM

© 2011, Matt. All rights reserved.

Justin Martyr (c. 100-165), mentor to Tatian, was born in Samaria and studied “in the schools of the philosophers [Socrates and Plato],”¹ but was impressed with the lack of fear of death among Christians, so much so that he became a Christian. He is known as one of the first Christian apologists (i.e., defenders of the faith). He was martyred by Marcus Aurelius in 165 for his Christian beliefs. He writes the following for this Saturday Devotion.

__________

But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is known beforehand, this too we explain. We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed.

And again, unless the human race have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions, of whatever kind they be. But that it is by free choice they both walk uprightly and stumble [neither being necessitated by divine fiat], we thus demonstrate. We see the same man making a transition to opposite things.

Now, if it had been fated that he were to be either good or bad, he could never have been capable of both the opposites, nor of so many transitions. But not even would some be good and others bad, since we thus make fate the cause of evil, and exhibit her as acting in opposition to herself; or that which has been already stated would seem to be true, that neither virtue nor vice is anything, but that things are only reckoned good or evil by opinion; which, as the true word shows, is the greatest impiety and wickedness.

But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds, which cannot act by choice, did God make man: for neither would he be worthy of reward or praise did he not of himself choose the good, but were created for this end; nor, if he were evil, would he be worthy of punishment, not being evil of himself, but being about to be nothing else than what he was made.²

__________

¹ Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers, eds. Christopher D. Hudson, J. Alan Sharrer, and Lindsay Vanker (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2000), 376.

² Justin Martyr, The First Apology of Justin, in Ante-Nicene Father Volume 1: The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2004), 177.

Filed under: DETERMINISM, FREE WILL, SATURDAY DEVOTION Tagged: DETERMINISM, FATE, HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, JUSTIN MARTYR, SATURDAY DEVOTION, SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, TATIAN, THEOLOGICAL FATALISM

© 2011, Matt. All rights reserved.