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The First Apology

Justin Martyr

Chapter 10

About this work

Justin addresses Roman rulers on behalf of Christians, challenging accusations against them while explaining Christian ethics, worship, baptism, Eucharist, prophecy, and belief in Christ in his own day.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: c. AD 150–155
Origin: Rome
Genre: Apology

Chapter X.—How God is to be served.

But we have received by tradition that God does not

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need

the

material

offerings

which

men

can

give

,

seeing

,

indeed

,

that

He

Himself

is

the

provider

of

all

things

.

And

we

have

been

taught

,

and

are

convinced

,

and

do

believe

,

that

He

accepts

those

only

who

imitate

the

excellences

which

reside

in

Him

,

temperance

,

and

justice

,

and

philanthropy

,

and

as

many

virtues

as

are

peculiar

to

a

God

who

is

called

by

no

proper

name

.

And

we

have

been

taught

that

He

in

the

beginning

did

of

His

goodness

,

for

man’s

sake

,

create

all

things

out

of

unformed

matter

;

and

if

men

by

their

works

show

themselves

worthy

of

this

His

design

,

they

are

deemed

worthy

,

and

so

we

have

received

—

of

reigning

in

company

with

Him

,

being

delivered

from

corruption

and

suffering

.

For

as

in

the

beginning

He

created

us

when

we

were

not

,

so

do

we

consider

that

,

in

like

manner

,

those

who

choose

what

is

pleasing

to

Him

are

,

on

account

of

their

choice

,

deemed

worthy

of

incorruption

and

of

fellowship

with

Him

.

For

the

coming

into

being

at

first

was

not

in

our

own

power

;

and

in

order

that

we

may

follow

those

things

which

please

Him

,

choosing

them

by

means

of

the

rational

faculties

He

has

Himself

endowed

us

with

,

He

both

persuades

us

and

leads

us

to

faith

.

And

we

think

it

for

the

advantage

of

all

men

that

they

are

not

restrained

from

learning

these

things

,

but

are

even

urged

thereto

.

For

the

restraint

which

human

laws

could

not

effect

,

the

Word

,

inasmuch

as

He

is

divine

,

would

have

effected

,

had

not

the

wicked

demons

,

taking

as

their

ally

the

lust

of

wickedness

which

is

in

every

man

,

and

which

draws

variously

to

all

manner

of

vice

,

scattered

many

false

and

profane

accusations

,

none

of

which

attach

to

us

.