§280Creation is the foundation of "all God's saving plans," the "beginning of the history of salvation"117 that culminates in Christ. Conversely, the mystery of Christ casts conclusive light on the mystery of creation and reveals the end for which "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth": from the beginning, God envisaged the glory of the new creation in Christ.118

§1721God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to come to paradise. Beatitude makes us "partakers of the divine nature" and of eternal life.21 With beatitude, man enters into the glory of Christ22 and into the joy of the Trinitarian life.

§2572As a final stage in the purification of his faith, Abraham, "who had received the promises,"13 is asked to sacrifice the son God had given him. Abraham's faith does not weaken (“God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering."), for he "considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead."14 and so the father of believers is conformed to the likeness of the Fat…

2. Then He says what is even greater than this, lifting up your mind; And no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, but the Son. Which seems indeed to the ignorant unconnected with what went before, but has full accordance therewith. As thus: having said, All things are delivered unto me of my Father, He adds, And what marvel, so He speaks, if I be…

Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210214.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…

1. At all times indeed, but especially then when I reflect upon the achievements of the saints, it comes over me to feel despondency concerning my own condition, because we have not even in dreams experienced the things among which those men spent their whole lives, not paying the penalty of sins, but always doing rightly and yet always afflicted. For consider, I beseech you, E…

Chapter 18.—How Far Christians Ought to Be from Boasting, If They Have Done Anything for the Love of the Eternal Country, When the Romans Did Such Great Things for Human Glory and a Terrestrial City. What great thing, therefore, is it for that 99 eternal and celestial city to despise all the charms of this world, however pleasant, if for the sake of this terrestrial city Brutus…

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. This is the pinnacle of the epistle. Calvin shows the golden chain of salvation: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, glorification. The Spirit of adoption enables believers to cry Abba, Father. All things work together for good to them that love God. If God be for us, who can be against…

17. 'Wherefore, children, let us not faint nor deem that the time is long, or that we are doing something great, for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward Romans 8:18 . Nor let us think, as we look at the world, that we have renounced anything of much consequence, for the whole earth is very small com…

Can a man merit anything from God? Without grace, can anyone merit eternal life? May anyone with grace merit eternal life condignly? Is it chiefly through the instrumentality of charity that grace is the principle of merit? May a man merit the first grace for himself? May he merit it for someone else? Can anyone merit restoration after sin? Can he merit for himself an increase …

1. Soter, bishop of the church of Rome, died after an episcopate of eight years, and was succeeded by Eleutherus, the twelfth from the apostles. In the seventeenth year of the Emperor Antoninus Verus, the persecution of our people was rekindled more fiercely in certain districts on account of an insurrection of the masses in the cities; and judging by the number in a single nat…