ACC ~ Acts 16 v15

GOD WANTS THE WILLING. CHRYSOSTOM: Notice again the absence of pride. She was a woman, and she was lowly and a manual laborer. Note, however, that the woman was a lover of wisdom. The first evidence of this is her testimony that God called her. See how the writer of the story was not ashamed to report the habits of life. … And as for us, let us not be ashamed of these students or of any student of these things. Peter stays with the tanner, and Paul with the dealer in purple and a foreign one for that matter. Where is their pride? Therefore let us pray to God that he may open our heart. In fact God opens those hearts that want to be opened, as he can see those that are hardened. The opening is God’s part, being attentive hers: this is something that is, in fact, both human and divine. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.13.

GOD VIOLATES THE FREEDOM OF NONE. AMMONIUS: Observe that instruction came first, and then, after the disciples heard the word, baptism followed. But if someone dares to say, “Behold! God saves only those whom he wants to save, he has compassion on and opens only the hearts of those he wants,” as if he were seeking to assign to God the reason why we are either saved or not saved, so that he can say that God is responsible—if he says, “Look, see how he opened the heart of Lydia,” we must reply to him, “Search the Scripture,”for he who does not search does not find what he requires. How do we say that what is said about Cornelius is by the grace of God? We answer that God opens the door to those who live a righteous life but err about faith because of the error transmitted to them by their fathers. And so Lydia too worshiped God but did not know the way in which she had to be saved, which God revealed to her through the true teaching. Therefore the text says “she was a worshiper of God.” On the other hand, if God does not open the heart of someone, he does not open it because that person is impious and receives his words in vain. For even if someone should establish the word of God through manifest proofs, just as the apostles did through signs and wonders, while he, still desiring to be a slave to his passions and wickedness, rejects the word, he is responsible for himself. In fact, God never aids someone in evil, but because of his love of goodness he joins anyone in approving what is noble. But as for what is evil, he allows each to walk in his desires: each may live for whatever he wishes. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.14.