Origen on the insufficiency of human nature and the need for revelation

-
"[...]human nature is not sufficient in any way to seek for God and to find Him in His pure nature, unless it is helped by the God who is object of the search. And He is found by those who, after doing what they can, admit that they need Him, and shows Himself to those to whom He judges it right to appear, so far is it is possible for God to be known to man and for the human soul which is still in the body to know God." (Con. Cel. VII,42)

Populære opslag fra denne blog

"[...]man was brought into the world last after the creation, not being rejected to the last as worthless, but as one whom it behoved to be king over his subjects at his very birth."

-
"[...] man was brought into the world last after the creation, not being rejected to the last as worthless, but as one whom it behoved to be king over his subjects at his very birth. And as a good host does not bring his guest to his house before the preparation of his feast, but, when he has made all due preparation, and decked with their proper adornments his house, his couches, his table, brings his guest home when things suitable for his refreshment are in readiness,—in the same manner the rich and munificent Entertainer of our nature, when He had decked the habitation with beauties of every kind, and prepared this great and varied banquet, then introduced man, assigning to him as his task not the acquiring of what was not there, but the enjoyment of the things which were there; and for this reason He gives him as foundations the instincts of a twofold organization, blending the Divine with the earthy, that by means of both he may be naturally and properly dispos...
Read more »

"[...]we ought narrowly to scrutinize our Father's characteristics, that by fashioning and framing ourselves to the likeness of our Father[...]"

-
"[...]after the grace bestowed we are called His children. And therefore we ought narrowly to scrutinize our Father's characteristics, that by fashioning and framing ourselves to the likeness of our Father, we may appear true children of Him Who calls us to the adoption according to grace." (On the Baptism of Christ, NPNF, pp. 523-524)
Read more »

Origen on the epistemology of righteousness

-
”[...]if we want to know what righteousness is, it is essential for us to know what unrighteous is; and when we have arrived at a complete knowledge of unrighteousness, on that basis we shall recognize what righteousness is as well; for when it becomes clear what is unjust, as a consequence, what is just will become visible as well. And because righteousness is in God, whose nature is inaccessible to human perception, but unrighteousness dwells in us men, in fact in all rational creatures, from our unrighteousness, which is known to us, the righteousness of God, which is, as it were, inaccessible and incomprehensible to us, is recognized and confirmed and produced as if from the opposition of opposites.” (In Rom. 3.1.7)
Read more »