Thesis: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ Reveals the Fundamental Nature of Reality

High Level Summary

This thesis aims at the following:

• Traces the logical consequences of affirming Jesus as fully human yet without sin
• Seeks to understand the metaphysical makeup of reality through the lens of the incarnation - both regarding humanity and God
• Seeks alignment with early church teachings that emphasized theosis or divinization
• Challenging the limited application of the core doctrine of the incarnation in Christian theology and practice

The objective of this thesis is to build a biblical world view through the lens of the incarnation of Jesus Christ for those who genuinely hunger and thirst for righteousness. The primary goal will be to prove that consistent Godly, loving and righteous living is not only a possibility in this life but can be walked in perpetually. This should be normative as the 1st and 2nd century church taught, not an exceptional feat reserved for elite saints. Jesus instructed us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. May this liberate and bless those who do seek first His righteousness with a sincere heart before Him.

John 15:3-11 ESV
[3] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. [9] As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. [11] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

To abide in Christ is to walk in love, which is to walk free from sin, obeying everything Christ taught us. Love is to sin what light is to darkness - mutually exclusive states. A person can't walk in love and sin simultaneously. By God's grace through the Holy Spirit, we can abide in Christ, in love and in light. This indeed is evidence of genuine love for Jesus.

1 John 1 ESV
[5] This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

John 14:21-24 ESV
[21] Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” [22] Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” [23] Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. [24] Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

In this work, the terms 'walking in love' and 'righteousness,' are to be understood as interchangeable. Likewise the terms, 'lovelessness' and 'sin' are to be understood as interchangeable. This is because love (goodwill) is the essence of God's law and is true righteousness, while lovelessness is at the core of all sin, which is the absence of love towards God and/or man.

This thesis will challenge the expectation that sin needs to be a normal, frequent occurrence in the lives of Christians that can't be ceased before physical death. I do not deny the possibility of sin, nor the mercy available if one stumbles but possibility doesn't imply inevitability. The verses discussing the possibility of sin are often twisted to imply the inevitability of sin. This simply was never the apostle's intention. To speak of sin as inevitable post conversion is to admit to the slavery of sin and deny the liberty from sin the gospel clearly proclaims.

The Logic of the Incarnation

• Jesus is acknowledged rightly as being of identical Divine nature with the Father and as being of identical human with us, yet without committing any sin.
• His full humanity proves loving righteous living is compatible with our present existence in this life when we are united with God.
• We do this through the indwelling Holy Spirit who by nature is also God, by grace mirroring the person of Jesus not merely through imitation but participation in God's Spirit and His works.

Against Apoloarianism

• Apolinarians asserted Jesus was merely the divine mind of the son in a sensible human body and soul. Denying Jesus a human mind identical to our own. Yet it overlooks how this diminishes the genuine human experience of Jesus and minimizes the reality of HIs temptation, for scripture asserts "God can't be tempted". Christs full human nature is essential to actually be tempted as we are and overcome as He did.
• Against this:
  • Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV
    [17] Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
  • Gregory of Nazianzius said "For that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved. If only half Adam fell, then that which Christ assumes and saves may be half also; but if the whole of his nature fell, it must be united to the whole nature of Him that was begotten, and so be saved as a whole...Keep then the whole man, and mingle Godhead therewith, that you may benefit me in my completeness." Gregory of Nazianzus (329AD - 397AD), Epistle 101 to Cledonius the Priest Against Apollinarius

Key Implications

• Human nature is not intrinsically sinful, sin is not a taint in human nature. Rather, the slavery of sin mankind experiences arises from their personal separation from God from birth which can be remediated in this life through coming to Jesus in repentant faith.
• Human nature is weak and desires this world, something Jesus actually partook of (identical to us) and overcame and holds out the promise of liberty from sin for those who trust in Him, receive His Spirit. Through grace by Gods Spirit indwelling them they participate in the Divine Nature (Romans 8, 2 Peter 1), for "where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom"(2 Corinthians 3:17).
• Those who assert sin is a component of human nature and inevitable are forced to adopt an Apollinarian Christology even if semantically denying Apollinarianism. They can't logically hold to an orthodox biblical Jesus who "is like us in every way, yet without committing sin" without affording the same genuine freedom from sin to Christians in this life through the Spirit, by abiding in Christ. Which Jesus clearly promised (John 8:34-36), as did the prophets (Ezekiel 36:26-27) as did the apostles (1 John 3-5, Romans 6, 1 Peter 4).

Against Nestorianism

• Nestorianism classically is the position that Jesus truly assumed a full human nature, body, soul, mind - in all things identical to us. Because they thought the soul of a person IS their person, they thought Jesus was 2 persons in each respective nature, one divine person, one human person working together in one physical body.
• This denies the unity of the person of Jesus, and results in only the human person dying for us on the cross, not God. For God cannot die, nor suffer - so the divine person of Jesus didn't do either according to them. Yet scripture does not speak of Jesus Christ as two persons but one Son, one person.
• Against this it is said according to Isaiah, God alone saves us, of whom Jesus truly was. Two natures in one person - Jesus Christ.
• Isaiah 43:11-15 ESV
  [11] I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. [12] I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. [13] Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?” [14] Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. [15] I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

Key Implications

• Personhood transcends ones nature. That is to say the "who" someone is goes beyond merely "what" they are. As Jesus was 1 "who" in 2 "whats" (Divine and Human)
• That the soul is not equivalent to a humans "person". We are not a soul, we have a soul, which is a component of our human nature something even Christ assumed. Nor are we merely our mind. Again, Christ assumed a human mind at His incarnation. Who we are is something greater than the sum of our parts, the "who" we are is indeed what makes us made in Gods image. Who is 3 persons in one nature. When in Genesis 1 God says let us make man in our image. Personhood is what is being referred to.
• A rejection of this principle and truth results in the view of cults, Jesus is looked upon as only a created being (man - Ebionism; or angel/demigod - Arianism) but not sharing a nature with the Father. Alternatively Jesus is viewed as only God merely pretending to be human but not actually human (Docetism, gnosticism). It results in the rejection of the Trinity.
• "But this is what leads the heretics astray: that they look upon nature and person as the same thing" - John of Damascus (ie people look upon the "what" and the "who" as the same thing)

Against Monophysitism / Eutichianism

• Monophysitism teaches that Jesus has only one nature, being a brand new nature which was a blend of the the divine nature and human nature. Leaving Jesus as not fully God nor fully man but a third new nature.
• Eutichianism taught Jesus divine nature was so consuming His humanity was absorbed into His Divinity likes drop into an ocean.
• Both perspectives present a Jesus who isnt an example for us, not being truly human, not being tempted as we are, nor experiencing suffering and life as we do. He also can't represent the Father to us (in the Monophysitism view).
• Scripture and the chalcedonian creed present Jesus as fully human and divine with his natures "acknowledged in Two Natures unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the difference of the Natures being in no way removed because of the Union, but rather the properties of each Nature being preserved, and (both) concurring into One Person..."

Key Implications

• The distinct but united natures in Christ present us with God's plan for the reformation of sinful humans, showing what effect on human nature the divine nature brings when united with man. For Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), ie identical in humanity to us, taking to himself what we are in our current state to reform it and make it into the image and likeness of God.
• It proves yet again personhood transcends nature. The who someone is, transcends what someone is.
• Having two natures in one person of Jesus proves agency (decision making) resides within the person not nature. Nature puts forth strong desires but the decisive course of action a person takes resides within their person (which is why there will be a judgement of all angels and men).
• This further underscores Christ role as an example for believers who through the indwelling Spirit participate in the Divine Nature and by grace can live identically to how Jesus lived during His earthly life. Perpetually walking in love and abiding in God.

Against Monotheletism/ Monoenergism

• Monotheletism is the teaching that Jesus only had one will.
• Monoenergism is the teaching that Jesus had only one way of acting.
• Both were rejected at the 7th ecumenical council as extensions of the aforementioned Monophysitism or Eutychian errors of Christ only having one singular nature.
• Using chalcedonian logic, Maximus the confessor rightly stated that Jesus has 2 wills and 2 energies(ways of acting) according to His 2 natures. That is to say he has 2 sources of desire, one from His divine will and one from His human will, experienced by His one person. It is also to say Jesus had two resulting ways of acting depending on each will. (eg human action: eating when hungry, sleeping; divine action: forgiving sin, commanding the weather and it obeys)
• Distinctions of these wills and ways of acting, do not imply opposition or contradiction. Rather in the person of Jesus we see how a perfect synergy of divine and human natures, wills and ways of action work out perfectly. At times His human nature was indeed denied and brought into subjection to the Father but natural human activities were undertaken by Jesus for 30 or so years before His public ministry. So normal was His life, the locals he grew up with Him rejected him.

Key Implications

• The affirmation of 2 wills in Jesus, cements agency in personhood not in ones nature, denying a fatalistic approach to life, underscoring moral responsibility of both men and angels before God, whom Christ Himself will judge in righteousness.
• Again looks at Christ we see a perfect model of how we as Christians can be forged into His image. Not through a forsaking or putting off of our humanity (for Christ was truly human) but through the addition of the Holy Spirit to us by whom we partake in the divine nature - through whom we bring forth love and righteousness, not a righteousness or love of our own, but one that depends on trust in God who works in and through us. Like an iron sword placed in fire, the sword does not become the fire but takes on properties of the fire, glowing bright red and emanating heat, so too we Christians who abide in Christs love and His Spirit burn with fervour His love and righteousness pouring through us.
• As we have genuine agency in our personhood we are called by scripture to yield to the Holy Spirit rather than living after our natural Human desires which all other non Christians pursue, which lead to sin and death. This isn't automatic, God doesn't "possess" and force us to obey. He empowers and asks us to obey. There is a genuine warning for Christians to not live according to the flesh and in sin. Romans 8:12-14 ESV "[12] So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. [13] For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
• Christ through His transcendent love became what we are to bring us to be what He is Himself. We become by His grace and Spirit what He is by nature.
  This is the path of salvation offered in Christ Jesus, reconciliation to God and power to become like Him in this life. True liberty from sin, genuine love and perpetual righteousness.

Authors Note

The below sections are slightly modified excerpts from the thesis and are provided here for those who may not be able to read the full work. These sections I believe are key components covered in more detail throughout the work. If you plan on reading the full thesis you can skip the below and proceed to the table of contents.

Key Scriptural Interpretations

Below are common scriptures used to argue for the inevitability of sin in Christians lives post conversion. I seek to address these in context and go into further detail for the more frequent passages in the thesis itself.

1 John 1:8

1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: John was addressing proto-gnostic heretics coming into the church saying they had never sinned even once in their entire lives, being sinlessly perfect like Jesus. John was not talking about genuine christians here - he later says of genuine christians change their lives, obey all Jesus taught and that they no longer go on sinning.
• In depth explanation in the thesis citing early Christian writings.

Romans 7:19

Romans 7:19
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: Paul was not speaking of His Christian life in this chapter. Rather His life lived as a Pharisee, trying to please God under the law by His own power, before coming to Jesus and receiving power to obey by the Holy Spirit. Pauls expectations of freedom from sin is evidently portrayed in Romans 6 and 8, explaining clearly how through Christ by the Spirit we are freed to do what we could not do merely under the law, weakened by the flesh(Human nature apart from God) - live lives of consist loving obedience to Jesus. To preach or teach Romans 7 as the Christian life does violence to Paul's entire argument stretching from Romans 6 to 8 of freedom from the fleshy way of life and sin, through the indwelling Spirit of God after coming to Jesus in repentant faith (Romans 5).
• In depth explanation in the thesis with early church citations.

Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: Paul is simply stating before coming to Jesus all people have indeed committed some sin, which means they are in a state of guilt before God and fall short of His glory. This is an identical to John's statement above in 1 John 1:8. Paul is not talking about perpetual sin otherwise He contradicts himself in the preceding and later chapters (Romans 2, 6 and 8) of the same letter.

Phillipians 3:12-14

Phillipians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: When Paul says he has not yet become "perfect" he is referring to the physical perfection of a resurrection body and perfection of knowledge, rather than not sinning. This view is supported by the surrounding context, particularly the preceding verse where Paul refers to the resurrection of the dead and later verses 17-21, where Paul presents himself as a moral example to be imitated, while also emphasizing the future transformation of believers' bodies to be like Christ's glorious body. Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria cite this passage as proof the apostles grew in knowledge and Paul was humbly stating He did not yet know everything. Clement of Alexandria (198AD) notably still says of Paul "And yet he reckons himself perfect, because he has been emancipated from his former life, and strives after the better life, not as perfect in knowledge, but as aspiring after perfection. Wherefore also he adds, “As many of us as are perfect, are thus minded,” (Phil. 3:15.) manifestly describing perfection as the renunciation of sin, and regeneration into the faith of the only perfect One, and forgetting our former sins." A fuller quotation will be provided in the thesis.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: The building made of various building materials in this passage is not referring to a persons lifes deeds as is often taught, but rather the building clearly represents the physical church constituted of people. Paul and Apollos are represented as the builders, Jesus as the foundation. Paul is saying if on judgment day, the people ministers bring into the church are found to be chaff (living in sin and hypocrisy), these false Christians will be burned up like wood hay and stubble, if a ministers work remains being gold and silver tried by fire (people are found in Christ obeying Him with sincerity of heart), the minister will be rewarded. This passage is clearly about people being saved or lost at the judgement. Those saved as though through fire are ministers who may have personally lived with integrity but through lack of knowledge or cowardice did not teach and warn people to truly repent (put away sin), trust in Jesus and be saved. These ministers will see their congregation lost at the final judgement who lived in hypocrisy and at the judgement they personally will receive no reward because their lifes work merely built "stubble"on the house of God. Given the rare preaching of true repentance (forsaking sin) and warning of the dangers of sin and hypocrisy (as people expect to sin and are taught it inevitable), I expect these numbers of 21st century ministers at the judgement to be high, many may themselves be lost shown to be ravenous wolves whom we can know by their lives fruit as Jesus warned. Now this principle applies not only to ministers but all Christians in their teaching and encouraging of others in the faith and building up the house of God. So build up those around you well.
  • This building metaphor is employed also by Peter speaking of individual people as bricks of the building:

    1 Peter 2:4-5 ESV
    [4] As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, [5] you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:7

2 Corinthians 12:7
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: Paul is simply sharing his struggle with a physical disease (the thorn in his His flesh) and how he has sought God for physical healing but God told Paul "no, my grace is sufficient for you". This passage has nothing to do with sin but is an encouragement for those who suffer chronic disease the Lord has refused to heal. From this we know that the Lord uses our suffering to humble us and keep us dependant on Him, just like Paul.
  • Galatians 4:13-15 ESV
    [13] You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, [14] and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. [15] What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
  • In the passage talking of His thorn in his side he does not mention sin as something he is content with living in so he doesn't become conceited, he says weakness (ie weak physical body prone to disease and sickness):

    2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV
    [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 3:2

James 3:2
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: James is talking of the difficulty (but not impossibility) of being self controlled with the tounge and how easy it is to misspeak. He clearly states those who are self controlled by the Spirit with their tounge, are also self controlled in their deeds and are "perfect" or "complete". This is because the tounge is harder to control than the rest of the body. James is not asserting the impossibility of living righteously nor the inevitability of sin. In chapter 1 James says of those who don't bridle their tounge that their religion is useless. The apostles don't contradict themselves in the same letter.

  James 1:26 ESV
  [26] If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

Psalm 51:5

Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: This is simply stating the biblical truth man is born separated from God, in darkness and a slave of sin. It is a psalm of David confessing His willful murder and adultery. Many other psalms talk of men walking in righteousness. David is describing the old covenant experience echoed by Paul as He recounts his days as a Pharisee seeking to please God by himself under the law in Romans 7 "wanting to do good but finding himself at times doing evil", something Christians once born again under the new covenant are delivered from by the promised indwelling Holy Spirit per Romans 8. This verse does not negate the possibility of consistent righteous living under the new covenant.

Ecclesiastes 7:20

Ecclesiastes 7:20
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: This is simply declaring all men have sinned (as Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8 state above). It is not a statement of perpetual sinning. Jesus was fully man and did not sin ever. Christians who are in Christ and abide in Him stop sinning (keep loving) as the apostle John says in 1 John 3:6 and 1 John 5:18. Old covenant truths should not be applied to new covenant truths.

  Hebrews 8:6-7
  "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second."

• Here are the better promises under the new covenant brought in by Christ, promising power for love and righteousness.

  Ezekiel 36:26-27
  "26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

• This New Covenant reality is further emphasized by Paul:

  Romans 8:2-4
  "2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Proverbs 20:9

Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: This passage declares the biblical truth man can not make atonement for His own sin, nor can He truly morally renovate himself apart from God. The new covenant promised that God would renovate man and cause us to walk in His ways through the empowerment of His Spirit. Not through force, but if we yield our will up to Him in dependant faith through prayer, He would operate and work in and through us. This passage does not teach perpetual sin, as 2 verses prior discusses righteous men: "The righteous who walks in his integrity blessed are his children after him!"(Proverbs 20:7) This passage underscores the atonement of Christ on the cross for our forgiveness of sin and the Spirit renovating a believer into a saint in Christs likeness, for we could do neither from our own resources.

Isaiah 64:6

Isaiah 64:6
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

• Contextual Interpretation Summary: This passage, while often applied to Christians in modern theology, was not used in this context in the New Testament or early church. The application of this verse is often used to argue against the possibility of righteous living in this life against the apostle John "Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous."(1 John 3:7). This appears to be a later development arising during the Reformation, however this application may not fully account for the original context of the passage. Isaiah 64:6 is more accurately understood as a lament over Jewish unfaithfulness and hypocrisy. The preceding verse (Isaiah 64:5) provides important context: "You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?" This context suggests that the passage acknowledges God's recognition of those who work righteousness while lamenting the long-standing sin of the people.

Historical Support from the Early 2nd Century Church Teachings

I will conclude with a 10 point summary of the last 14 chapters of "A Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching" by Irenaeus (180 AD) highlighting the truths brought forward in this thesis, showing they are not novel or new but something once held and taught by the early church lost through compromise over the centuries.

1. On God's promise to enable practical love and obedience through His Spirit:

"For our hearts being withdrawn and taken away from the stony worship by means of faith behold God, and become sons of Abraham, who was justified by faith. And therefore God says by Ezekiel the prophet: And I will give them another heart, and a new spirit will I give them: and I will withdraw and take away the stony heart from their flesh, and I will give them another heart of flesh: so that they shall walk in my precepts, and shall keep my ordinances and do them. And they shall be to me for a people, and I will be to them for a God." (Chp 93)

2. On salvation through invoking Christ's name:

"By the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ, crucified under Pontius Pilate, there is a separation and division among mankind; and wheresoever any of those who believe on Him shall invoke and call upon Him and do His will, He is near and present, fulfilling the requests of those who with pure hearts call upon Him. Whereby receiving salvation, we continually give thanks to God, who by His great, inscrutable and unsearchable wisdom delivered us, and proclaimed the salvation from heaven—to wit, the visible coming of our Lord, that is, His living as man to which we by ourselves could not attain: for the things which are impossible with men are possible with God..." (Chp 97)

3. On salvation walking in practical righteousness:

"...our faith in Him was well-founded, and the tradition of the preaching (is) true: that is to say, the testimony of the apostles, who being sent forth by the Lord preached in all the world the Son of God, who came to suffer, and endured to the destruction of death and the quickening of the flesh: that by the putting away of the enmity towards God, which is unrighteousness, we should obtain peace with Him, doing that which is pleasing to Him." (Chp 86)

4. On the simplicity of faith and love:

"And that not by the much speaking of the law, but by the brevity of faith and love, men were to be saved, Isaiah says thus: A word brief and short in righteousness: for a short word will God make in the whole world." (Chp 87)

5. On the new covenant and living under the new law of Christ, not under the law of Moses:

"That He would not send back the redeemed to the legislation of Moses—for the law was fulfilled in Christ—but would have them live in newness by the Word, through faith in the Son of God and love, Isaiah declared, saying: Remember not the former things, nor bring to mind the things that were in the beginning. Behold I make new (things), which shall now spring up, and ye shall know (them). And I will make in the wilderness a way, and in the waterless place streams, to give drink to my chosen race, and to my people whom I have purchased to declare my virtues. Now a wilderness and a waterless place was at first the calling of the Gentiles: for the Word had not passed through them, nor given them the Holy Spirit to drink; who fashioned the new way of godliness and righteousness, and made copious streams to spring forth, disseminating over the earth the Holy Spirit; even as it had been promised through the prophets, that in the end of the days He should pour out the Spirit upon the face of the earth." (Chp 89)

6. On the mingling of God with man to make us into His true image:

"Now by Jacob and Israel he means the Son of God, who received power from the Father over our life, and after having received this brought it down to us who were far off from Him, when He appeared on earth and was conversant with men, mingling and mixing the Spirit of God the Father with the creature formed by God, that man might be after the image and likeness of God." (Chp 97)

7. On love fulfilling the law:

"Love is the fulfilling of the law: for he who loves God has fulfilled the law. Moreover the Lord, when He was asked which is the first commandment, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments, He says, all the hangeth and the prophets. So then by our faith in Him He has made our love to God and our neighbour to grow, making us godly and righteous and good. And therefore a short word has God made on the earth in the world." (Chp 87)

8. On the absence of sin in those who love God:

"...Since, then, by this calling life has been given (us), and God has summed up again for Himself in us the faith of Abraham, we ought not to turn back any more—I mean, to the first legislation. For we have received the Lord of the Law, the Son of God; and by faith in Him we learn to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Now the love of God is far from all sin, and love to the neighbour worketh no ill to the neighbour. (Cf. Rom 13:10)" (Chp 95)

9. On how Christ's teachings exceed the law of Moses in righteousness:

"Wherefore also we need not the Law as a tutor. Behold, with the Father we speak, and in His presence we stand, being children in malice, and grown strong in all righteousness and soberness. For no longer shall the Law say, Do not commit adultery, to him who has no desire at all for another's wife; and Thou shalt not kill, to him who has put away from himself all anger and enmity; (and) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's field or ox or ass, to those who have no care at all for earthly things, but store up the heavenly fruits: nor An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, to him who counts no man his enemy, but all men his neighbors, and therefore cannot stretch out his hand at all for vengeance. It will not require tithes of him who consecrates all his possessions to God, leaving father and mother and all his kindred, and following the Word of God..." (Chp 96)

10. On the perpetual practical righteousness of those abiding in Christ:

"...And there will be no command to remain idle for one day of rest, to him who perpetually keeps sabbath, that is to say, who in the temple of God, which is man's body, does service to God, and in every hour works righteousness." (Chp 96)

Additional quotes supporting point 10:

"And His forerunner was John the Baptist, who prepared and made ready the people beforehand for the reception of the Word of life; declaring that He was the Christ, on whom the Spirit of God rested, mingling with His flesh. His disciples, the witnesses of all His good deeds, and of His teachings and His sufferings and death and resurrection, and of His ascension into heaven after His bodily resurrection—these were the apostles, who after (receiving) the power of the Holy Spirit were sent forth by Him into all the world, and wrought the calling of the Gentiles, showing to mankind the way of life, to turn them from idols and fornication and covetousness, cleansing their souls and bodies by the baptism of water and of the Holy Spirit; which Holy Spirit they had received of the Lord, and they distributed and imparted It to them that believed; and thus they ordered and established the Churches. By faith and love and hope they established that which was foretold by the prophets, the calling of the Gentiles, according to the mercy of God which was extended to them; bringing it to light through the ministration of their service, and admitting them to the promise of the fathers: to wit, that to those who thus believed in and loved the Lord, and continued in holiness and righteousness and patient endurance, the God of all had promised to grant eternal life by the resurrection of the dead; through Him who died and rose again, Jesus Christ, to whom He has delivered over the kingdom of all existing things, and, the rule of quick and dead, and also the judgment. And they counselled them by the word of truth to keep their flesh undefiled unto the resurrection and their soul unstained." (Chp 41)

"For such is the state of those who have believed, since in them continually abides the Holy Spirit, who was given by Him in baptism, and is retained by the receiver, if he walks in truth and holiness and righteousness and patient endurance. For this soul has a resurrection in them that believe, the body receiving the soul again, and along with it, by the power of the Holy Spirit, being raised up and entering into the kingdom of God..." (Chp 42)