Seek by Meekness
Seeking by meekness is essential for dealing with difficult situations and attaining immortality and eternal life.
Ignatius of Antioch emphasizes the importance of dealing with visible and invisible evils with meekness and wisdom, urging believers to pray for revelation of hidden sins and shortcomings. He compares the need for prayer to a ship needing wind for guidance and a vessel seeking a safe haven in a storm, highlighting the necessity of prayer for believers to reach God. He encourages believers to be disciplined and focused on the ultimate prize of immortality and eternal life, reminding them to be both gentle and wise in their approach to challenges.
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If thou lovest the good disciples, no thanks are due to thee on that account; but rather seek by meekness to subdue the more troublesome. Every kind of wound is not healed with the same plaster. Mitigate violent attacks [of disease] by gentle applications. Be in all things "wise as a serpent, and harmless as a dove." For this purpose thou art composed of both flesh and spirit, that thou mayest deal tenderly with those [evils] that present themselves visibly before thee. And as respects those that are not seen, pray that [God] would reveal them unto thee, in order that thou mayest be wanting in nothing, but mayest abound in every gift.
The times call for thee, as pilots do for the winds, and as one tossed with tempest seeks for the haven, so that both thou [and those under thy care] may attain to God. Be sober as an athlete of God: the prize set before thee is immortality and eternal life, of which thou art also persuaded. In all things may my soul be for thing, and my bonds also, which thou hast loved.
If thou lovest the good disciples, no thanks are due to thee on that account; but rather seek by meekness to subdue the more troublesome. Every kind of wound is not healed with the same plaster. Mitigate violent attacks [of disease] by gentle applications.
Be in all things "wise as a serpent, and harmless always as a dove." For this purpose thou art composed of both soul and body, art both fleshly and spiritual, that thou mayest correct those [evils] that present themselves visibly before thee; and as respects those that are not seen, mayest pray that these should be revealed to thee, so that thou mayest be wanting in nothing, but mayest abound in every gift. The times call upon thee to pray. For as the wind aids the pilot of a ship, and as havens are advantageous for safety to a tempest-tossed vessel, so is also prayer to thee, in order that thou mayest attain to God. Be sober as an athlete of God, whose will is immortality and eternal life; of which thou art also persuaded.
In all things may my soul be for thine, and my bonds also, which thou hast loved.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Meekness
- The Dual Nature of Humanity
- The Role of Prayer
- The Call to Soberness
- We must be sober and vigilant as athletes of God
- Our goal is immortality and eternal life
Key Quotes
“Be in all things 'wise as a serpent, and harmless as a dove.'” — Ignatius of Antioch
“For this purpose thou art composed of both flesh and spirit, that thou mayest deal tenderly with those [evils] that present themselves visibly before thee.” — Ignatius of Antioch
“Be sober as an athlete of God: the prize set before thee is immortality and eternal life, of which thou art also persuaded.” — Ignatius of Antioch
Application Points
- We must approach difficult situations with gentleness and wisdom, rather than violence or aggression.
- Prayer is essential for guidance, protection, and abundance in every gift.
- We must be sober and vigilant as athletes of God, seeking to attain immortality and eternal life.