Irenaeus — Against Heresies 4.37.4

Irenaeus · Against Heresies · c. 180

God gave the good, as the apostle also testifies in the same letter. Those who work it will receive glory and honor, because they worked the good when they were also able not to work it.

Those who do not work it will receive God’s just judgment, because they did not work the good when they were able to work it. The showing is not that some are good by nature and others evil, but that the good lies in human choice.

Latin

Dedit ergo Deus bonum, quemadmodum et Apostolus testificatur in eadem epistola, et qui operantur quidem illud, gloriam et honorem percipient, quoniam operati sunt bonum cum possint non operari illud; hi autem qui illud non operantur, judicium justum excipient Dei, quoniam non sunt operati bonum cum possint operari illud. Ostensio quod non natura quidam boni sint, quidam vero mali, sed quod in hominis electione sit bonum.

← Universal Call and Human Refusal