ACC ~ John 8 v47

THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND OBEY ARE TRULY “OF GOD”

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: “He who is of God hears the word of God.” He says that those who believe are “of God,” namely, those who obey his decrees, because they take their example of piety from him and, coming into possession of virtue, they are called children of God. He does not say that they have been born of God as far as their nature is concerned. None of them exist as some portion of his nature, which after all cannot be divided or separated. Only by his own will and good pleasure does he grant them to be of God. He interprets the previous text by what follows, for he says to the unbelieving, “Therefore you did not hear, because you are not of God.” Just as he said that the unbelievers were alienated from God not because of their nature—for they too were from him—but because of their choice, so in the same way he also says that those who hear him are of God because of the willingness of their faith and the virtue of their resolution. When he speaks of those who hear him, he does not mean those who hear him merely with the ears that perceive words, but rather those who obey the words that he spoke. FRAGMENTS ON JOHN 66. [1]

[1] JKGK 82-83.

HEAR WITH THE EARS OF YOUR HEART

GREGORY THE GREAT: Let each one of you then consider within himself if this voice of God prevails in the ears of his heart. Then he will recognize whether he is now of God. There are some who do not choose to hear God’s commands even with their bodily ears. There are others who do this but do not embrace them with their heart’s desire. There are still others who receive God’s words readily, yes, and are touched, even to tears. But afterwards they go back to their sins again and therefore cannot be said to hear the word of God, because they neglect to practice it. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 16. [1]

[1] CS 123:114**.