Chapter X.--Beware of Judaizing.
Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. Therefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to the principles of Christianity. [695] For whosoever is called by any other name besides this, is not of God. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the sour leaven, and be ye changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ. Be ye salted in Him, lest any one among you should be corrupted, since by your savour ye shall be convicted. It is absurd to profess [696] Christ Jesus, and to Judaize. For Christianity did not embrace [697] Judaism, but Judaism Christianity, that so every tongue which believeth might be gathered together to God.
Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. For "if Thou, Lord, shalt mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" [698] Let us therefore prove ourselves worthy of that name which we have received. For whosoever is called by any other name besides this, he is not of God; for he has not received the prophecy which speaks thus concerning us: "The people shall be called by a new name, which the Lord shall name them, and shall be a holy people." [699] This was first fulfilled in Syria; for "the disciples were called Christians at Antioch," [700] when Paul and Peter were laying the foundations of the Church. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the corrupt leaven, [701] and be ye changed into the new leaven of grace. Abide in Christ, that the stranger [702] may not have dominion over you. It is absurd to speak of Jesus Christ with the tongue, and to cherish in the mind a Judaism which has now come to an end. For where there is Christianity there cannot be Judaism. For Christ is one, in whom every nation that believes, and every tongue that confesses, is gathered unto God. And those that were of a stony heart have become the children of Abraham, the friend of God; [703] and in his seed all those have been blessed [704] who were ordained to eternal life [705] in Christ.
[695] Literally, "according to Christianity."
[696] Some read, "to name."
[697] Literally, "believe into," merge into.
[698] Ps. cxxx. 3.
[699] Isa. lxii. 2, 12.
[700] Acts xi. 26.
[701] 1 Cor. v. 7.
[702] Or, "enemy."
[703] Matt. iii. 9; Isa. xli. 8; Jas. ii. 23. Some read, "children of God, friends of Abraham."
[704] Gen. xxviii. 14.
[705] Acts xiii. 48.
Chapter XI.--I write these things to warn you.
These things [I address to you], my beloved, not that I know any of you to be in such a state; [706] but, as less than any of you, I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that ye attain to full assurance in regard to the birth, and passion, and resurrection which took place in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate, being truly and certainly accomplished by Jesus Christ, who is our hope, [707] from which may no one of you ever be turned aside.
These things [I address to you], my beloved, not that I know any of you to be in such a state; [708] but, as less than any of you, I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that you may rather attain to a full assurance in Christ, who was begotten by the Father before all ages, but was afterwards born of the Virgin Mary without any intercourse with man. He also lived a holy life, and healed every kind of sickness and disease among the people, and wrought signs and wonders for the benefit of men; and to those who had fallen into the error of polytheism He made known the one and only true God, His Father, and underwent the passion, and endured the cross at the hands of the Christ-killing Jews, under Pontius Pilate the governor and Herod the king. He also died, and rose again, and ascended into the heavens to Him that sent Him, and is sat down at His right hand, and shall come at the end of the world, with His Father's glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to render to every one according to his works. [709] He who knows these things with a full assurance, and believes them, is happy; even as ye are now the lovers of God and of Christ, in the full assurance of our hope, from which may no one of us [710] ever be turned aside!
[706] i.e., addicted to the error of Judaizing.
[707] 1 Tim. i. 1.
[708] i.e., addicted to the error of Judaizing.
[709] 2 Tim. iv. 1; Rom. ii. 6.
[710] Some read, "of you."