Be on Your Guard Against the Snares of the Devil
Ignatius of Antioch urges believers to be on their guard against the devil's snares and to imitate Christ's love and sufferings by clothing themselves with meekness and forgiving others.
Ignatius of Antioch urges the believers to be vigilant against the snares of the wicked one, providing them with admonitions to protect themselves from unruly men. He encourages them to imitate Christ's meekness, sufferings, and love, emphasizing Christ's sacrificial act of cleansing and granting life through His blood. Ignatius stresses the importance of forgiveness and unity among believers to prevent the blasphemy of God's name among the Gentiles.
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Now I write these things unto you, not that I know there are any such persons among you; nay, indeed I hope that God will never permit any such report to reach my ears, He "who spared not His Son for the sake of His holy Church." But foreseeing the snares of the wicked one, I arm you beforehand by my admonitions, as my beloved and faithful children in Christ, furnishing you with the means of protection against the deadly disease of unruly men, by which do ye flee from the disease [referred to] by the good-will of Christ our Lord.
Do ye therefore, clothing yourselves with meekness, become the imitators of His sufferings, and of His love, wherewith He loved us when He gave Himself a ransom for us, that He might cleanse us by His blood from our old ungodliness, and bestow life on us when we were almost on the point of perishing through the depravity that was in us.
Let no one of you, therefore, cherish any grudge against his neighbour. For says our Lord, "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you." Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest "by means of a few foolish men the word and doctrine [of Christ.] be blasphemed." For says the prophet, as in the person of God, "Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles."
Sermon Outline
- Be on Your Guard Against the Snares of the Devil
- Imitating Christ's Love and Sufferings
- Avoiding Occasion for Blasphemy
- The Devil's Snares
- Protection Against the Devil's Snares
- The Example of Christ's Love
- The Importance of Forgiveness
- The Consequences of Blasphemy
Key Quotes
“''He who spared not His Son for the sake of His holy Church.''” — Ignatius of Antioch
“''Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you.''” — Ignatius of Antioch
“''Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.''” — Ignatius of Antioch
Application Points
- We should strive to imitate Christ's love and sufferings by being meek and forgiving others.
- We should avoid causing others to blaspheme God's name by our actions and words.
- We should be on our guard against the devil's snares and seek protection through meekness and forgiveness.