Surprising things I’ve learned from the Fathers

Last year I suggested a friend and I read The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus. It took a little longer than I had planned, but we both read it. When I asked for his impression and thoughts, he said, “Well, it’s good - it’s the gospel.” I was a little disappointed, he didn’t have the same response I had. But, at that time I was unable to express how it had affected me.

Nevertheless, I continued to read the Fathers: Tertullian, Augustine, Athanasius. Slowly, something became clear to me – there is a difference between what the Fathers preached and what is often preached today. And, to tell the truth, there is a difference between what is preached today and what was preached two or three generations ago. The Gospel has been changed.

That is a stupendous statement! To explore this would require a book and I only have a short blog, so obviously I can’t go into great detail. Let me just offer three contrasts.

1) Richer Salvation
In our day, salvation is basically having your sins forgiven and going to heaven when you die (sometimes called ‘having eternal life’). Salvation in the Fathers is much richer. Of course there is forgiveness of sins, but they stress deliverance from death; the life of God in the soul; the knowledge of God; eternal life is unhindered contemplation of God, knowing as you are known; and then there is the resurrection of the body. The resurrection of the body, of the flesh, gets a major emphasis. We believe all this today, we simply don’t spend much time on it.

2) Robust Conversion
In the early church (and even 50 to 100 years ago), conversion was stressed – turning from sin and turning to Christ with all your heart. Today, conversion is hardly mentioned. What is required if you are an unbeliever and wish to become a Christian today? Raise your hand: “With heads bowed and eyes closed, raise your hand if you would like to receive Jesus…I see that hand.” In the early church it was a matter of turning away from the life you were living and turning with all your heart to Jesus, to follow him. And this is really because of the third thing…

3) Different Gospel
As I wrote earlier, the gospel has been changed. As a result, we are hearing a different gospel preached than that which was preached in the days of the Fathers. And this is what I was hoping my friend would see when we read The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching. So what is the difference?

The Fathers preached Jesus the Savior
We preach salvation through Jesus

You may ask, What’s the difference? Just this, when you preach Jesus the Savior, your message will be about Him: He is the Christ, he fulfilled the prophecies, he is the Son of God. Turn to him! Believe in him! Follow him! He will forgive you, give you life, raise you from the dead!

When you preach salvation you are preaching a thing to be received: Who needs it? Why do they need it? What has God done so we can have it? How can you receive it? It’s all about me and salvation. “If you want it, raise your hand…I see that hand. You’re in!”


That’s the impact the Father’s are having on me. They teach me. They challenge me. They enlarge me. They enrich my spiritual life.