Ante-Nicene Christianity

Whatever came first is true. Truth is from the beginning.

Judgment of God

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. Acts 10:42

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor.5:10

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

The Lord will judge the world without respect of persons. Each will receive as he has done: if he is righteous, his righteousness will precede him; if he is wicked, the reward of wickedness is before him. Barnabas (A.D. 70-130) ch.4

…(Jesus) by preparing a new people for Himself, might show, while He dwelt on earth, that He, when He has raised mankind, will also judge them. Barnabas (A.D. 70-130) ch.5

Remember the day of judgment, night and day. You shall seek out every day the faces of the saints, either by word examining them, and going to exhort them, and meditating how to save a soul by the word, or by your hands you shall labor for the redemption of your sins. Barnabas (A.D. 70-130) ch.19

And be you taught of God, inquiring diligently what the Lord asks from you; and do it that you may be safe in the day of judgment.Barnabas (A.D. 70-130) ch. 21

Look you, brethren, lest His benefits, which are many, turn unto judgment to all of us, if we walk not worthily of Him, and do those things which are good and well-pleasing in His sight with concord.Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch.21

Since therefore all things are seen and heard, let us fear Him, and forsake the abominable lusts of evil works, that we may be shielded by His mercy from the coming judgments. Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch.28

Brethren, we ought so to think of Jesus Christ, as of God, as of the Judge of quick and dead. Second Clement (A.D. 100) ch.1

If then we entreat the Lord that He would forgive us, we also ought to forgive: for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and we must all stand at the judgment-seat of Christ, and each man must give an account of himself. Let us therefore so serve Him with fear and all reverence. Polycarp (A.D. 69-156) ch.6

But again the proconsul said to him, “I will cause you to be consumed by fire, seeing you despise the wild beasts, if you will not repent.” But Polycarp said, “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why do you wait? Bring forth what you will.” Martyrdom of Polycarp (A.D. 156) ch.11

For with what reason should we believe of a crucified man that He is the first-born of the unbegotten God, and Himself will pass judgment on the whole human race, unless we had found testimonies concerning Him published before He came and was born as man, and unless we saw that things had happened accordingly. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.180

The God, therefore, who does benevolently cause His sun to rise upon all, and sends rain upon the just and unjust, shall judge those who, enjoying His equally distributed kindness, have led lives not corresponding to the dignity of His bounty; but who have spent their days in wantonness and luxury, in opposition to His benevolence, and have, moreover, even blasphemed Him who has conferred so great benefits upon them. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 459

The Maker presides over the things which He Himself has made, inspecting all things whatsoever which exist, or come into existence, Judge of both deeds and purposes. Athenagorus (A.D. 137) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.159

Forgiveness of past sins, then, God gives; but of future, each one gives to himself. And this is to repent, to condemn the past deeds, and beg oblivion of them from the Father, who only of all is able to undo what is done, by mercy proceeding from Him, and to blot out former sins by the dew of the Spirit. “For by the state in which I find you will I judge,” Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.602

If, however, He speaks of His own coming, why does He compare it with the days of Noah and of Lot, which were dark and terrible…Why does He bid us “remember Lot’s wife,” who despised the Creator’s command, and was punished for her contempt, if He does not come with judgment to avenge the infraction of His precepts? Tertullian (A.D. 198) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.3 pg.409

Because God once decreed from the beginning what shall be even to the end. Finally, as He Himself is the Judge appointed by the Father, on account of His assumption of humanity, wishing to show that men shall be judged by the word that He had declared, He says: “Think you that I will judge you at the last day? Nay, but the word,” says He, “which I have spoken unto you, that shall judge you in the last day.” Victorinus (A.D. 304-313) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.7 pg. 345

For He is present with those who sin, for their condemnation, and He condemns the man who does not prefer Him to everything else. Hence we find it written: “The word which I have spoken unto you, the same shall judge you.” That is as if He should say: “I, the Word, who am always lifting up my voice in you, I, myself, will judge you, and no refuge or excuse will then be left you.” Origen (A.D. 248) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.9 pg.332

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