Thanks to God for Your Faith
Ignatius of Antioch praises the believers for their strong and unwavering faith in Christ, highlighting the significance of Christ's divinity, passion, and resurrection.
Ignatius of Antioch praises the faith and wisdom of the believers, commending their unshakable faith in Jesus Christ, likening them to being nailed to the cross with Him, both in body and spirit, and rooted in love through His sacrifice. He affirms their conviction in Jesus as the Son of God, emphasizing His divine nature as the Word made flesh, descended from David and born of the Virgin Mary, living a sinless life and crucified for humanity's redemption. Ignatius highlights the significance of Christ's resurrection, uniting believers from all backgrounds into one body, the Church.
Text
I Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by Him has given you such wisdom. For I have observed that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith, as if ye were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ, being fully persuaded, in very truth, with respect to our Lord Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, "the first-born of every creature,"
God the Word, the only-begotten Son, and was of the seed of David according to the flesh, by the Virgin Mary; was baptized by John, that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him; that He lived a life of holiness without sin, and was truly, under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch, nailed [to the cross] for us in His flesh.
From whom we also derive our being, from His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up a standard for the ages, through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful [followers], whether among Jews or Gentiles, in the one body of His Church.
Sermon Outline
- I. Glorifying God for Wisdom
- A. Recognizing God's gift of wisdom
- B. Appreciating the impact of faith
- II. The Nature of Faith
- A. Established in love through Christ's blood
- B. Fully persuaded of Christ's divinity
- III. The Person of Christ
- A. The Son of God, the first-born of every creature
- B. Born of the Virgin Mary, of the seed of David
- IV. The Purpose of Christ's Passion
- A. To fulfill all righteousness
- B. To set up a standard for the ages
Key Quotes
“For I have observed that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith, as if ye were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ” — Ignatius of Antioch
“He was the Son of God, the first-born of every creature” — Ignatius of Antioch
“From whom we also derive our being, from His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up a standard for the ages, through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful [followers]” — Ignatius of Antioch
Application Points
- Believers should strive to develop an immoveable faith in Christ, established through His love and sacrifice.
- Christ's passion and resurrection demonstrate His commitment to fulfilling all righteousness and setting up a standard for the ages.
- Faith in Christ's divinity is essential for a deep understanding of His role as the Son of God and the first-born of every creature.