Глава VII

Words of the Apostle Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 16. Well, let us consider the merits of the Apostle Paul themselves, for which, according to him, the righteous Judge should award him a crown, and we will find out whether these are his merits in themselves, that is, whether he acquired them for himself, or whether they are gifts of God. This is what he says: I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith 91 . And first of all, all these good deeds would not have happened at all if good thoughts had not preceded them. Now look what he says about these very thoughts. This is what he said when he wrote to the Corinthians: Not because we ourselves are able to think anything from ourselves, as if from ourselves, but our ability is from God 92 . Now we will analyze everything separately: “I,” says the apostle, “have fought the good fight.” I ask: what kind of strength did he strive for, the one that he had from himself, or the one that was given from above? But it cannot be that such a great Teacher did not know the law of God, who says in Deuteronomy: Let no one say in his heart: “My strength and the might of my hand have created this great strength for me,” but let you remember the Lord your God, for He gives you strength to create strength 93 . And what good is a good deed if victory does not follow? And who gives the victory, if not He about whom the apostle himself says: Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 94? He speaks of the same thing in another place, when he recalls the testimony from the psalm: For for Your sake they kill us all day long, counting us as sheep doomed to the slaughter 95 , and then continues: But in all this we are victorious by the power of Him who loved us 96 - therefore, not by our own strength, but by the power of Him Who loved us. Further, [the apostle] says: He completed the course, but this is said by the one who said in another place: So, [this depends] not on the one who wishes and not on the one who tries, but on God who has mercy 97 . This saying can in no way be turned so as to say: “[It depends] not on a merciful God, but on a willing and diligent man”: for anyone who dares to say such a thing will clearly show that he contradicts the apostle. 17. Finally, [the apostle] says: I have kept the faith, but he says this who in another place said: I have received mercy [from the Lord] to be a believer 98 . After all, he does not say: “I received mercy because I became a believer,” but: In order to be a believer. Thus he shows that it is impossible to have faith itself except from a merciful God, since it is also a gift of God. This he teaches quite clearly, saying: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves, but the gift of God 99 . After all, they could say: “We received grace because we believed,” as if attributing faith to themselves and grace to God. That is why the apostle, having said: Through faith, adds: and this is not from you, but the gift of God. Further, so that they would not say that they were awarded such a gift because of their works, he immediately continues: Not because of works, lest anyone become arrogant 100 . [So he says] not because he denies good works (after all, he teaches that God will reward everyone according to his deeds 101), but because works flow from faith, and not faith from works, so from Him we have works of righteousness, from Whom is faith itself, about which it is said: The just shall live by faith 102. Faith acting in love 18. However, people who do not understand what was said by the same apostle: We believe that a person is justified by faith, without the works of the law, 103 considered that the apostle was saying that faith will be enough for a person, even if he lives badly and has no good works. It is impossible for the chosen vessel to think so, 104 because he, having said in a certain place: For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has power, immediately adds: but faith working through love 105. This is the faith that distinguishes the faithful of God from unclean demons: for they, according to the word of the Apostle James, believe and tremble 106, but do not do good. Therefore, they do not have the faith by which the righteous lives, that is, faith that works through love, so that the Lord rewards her with eternal life, in accordance with her deeds. But since our good deeds themselves come from God, from Whom both faith and love, then the same teacher of the pagans even calls eternal life itself grace. De gratia et libero arbitrio (CPL 352). Translation based on the publication: Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Latina. Accurante J.-P. Migne. Paris, 1845. T. 44, Col. 881–912. Deuteronomy 8:17–18 (according to LXX). To the Synod. Transl.: And lest you say in your heart: “My strength and the strength of my hand have obtained this wealth for me.” but that you remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to acquire wealth. Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Hebrews 10:38. THOSE. Apostle Paul, cf.: Acts 9:15.