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Lent: Day 12 - Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chaps. 1-11

...which he has heard Christians look for. “You suppose, without making any inquiry, that we speak of a human kingdom” but goes on to explain that it is not so with Christians, since their minds are fixed elsewhere. This ends the first eleven chapters of this massive apologetic work. Come back tomorrow for the next installment!...

Lent Day 23: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 21-30

...hen a man has received through the Spirit the gift of discerning spirits, he may have power to recognise their (the demons) characteristics”, Anthony says, so that we may be like the Apostles who were “not ignorant of [Satan’s] devices” (2 Cor 2:11). Whenever I am weak, then I am strong Anthony continues with his teaching on demons and their deceptions, but stresses time and again that though they make much noise, or bring terrible visions, they are powerless and weak – “demons like these, who have no power, try to terrify at least by their displays”; they are like “actors on the stage changing their shape and frightening children with tumultuo...

Lent Day 27: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 61-70

...the Lord has wiped out the sins from his birth” but that only since the time he became a monk can they accuse him; they failed and Anthony was allowed to pass. Suddenly Anthony found himself back in his body as before and was astonished at “against what mighty opponents our wrestling is” and recalled what Paul taught in his epistles about our battles being against the “ruler of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). So he taught all the more passionately about the need to put on the whole armour of God (Eph 6:13) and for living right before God so that the enemy may not have anything evil to day against us (Titus 2:8). Anthony's vision on the passing of...

Lent Day 31: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XX

...also to chase away all the invisible powers of the evil one”. Next, being led to the baptismal pool as Christ was carried from the cross to the tomb, they make their declaration of faith and are baptised three times in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three times in the water as Christ was three days in the grave. Though we don't really die, nor get buried, nor get resurrected in that moment physically, “our imitation was in a figure, and our salvation in reality”. Like many other early church writers, Cyril views baptism as a way in which our sins are washed away, probably due to passages like Acts 2:38 (“...so that your sins may be forg...

My Upcoming Book -- OUT NOW

...40 Days with the Fathers: Available to order now! 40 Days with the Father: a daily reading plan by Luke J. Wilson   The time has finally arrived: my new book is now available to order!I'm so excited to share this with you after many months of work, research and editing. I hope that you enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it! Order your copy now from my new website: fortydays.co.uk to get it at a reduced rate. If you order today then it should arrive just in time for Christmas!If you do enjoy it, don't forget to leave a review on Good Reads or on Amazon.Keep in touch and re...

Lent Day 32: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXI

...He that has ears to hear let him hear”. “Then on the nostrils…” – this was to symbolise what Paul wrote in 2 Cor 2:15, “we are the aroma of Christ”. “Afterwards on your breast…” – this was to be the “breastplate of righteousness” (Eph 6:14; 1 Thess 5:8) so we are able to stand against the “wiles of the devil” (Eph 6:11). Then after this was done, and having been “counted worthy” to receive this anointing, they are then “called Christians” living up to the name through their new birth. Cyril goes on to explain how this type of anointing was prefigured in the Old Testament through Moses “bathing [Aaron] in water, he...