For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
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Caesarius of Arles
AD 542
Let us not deceive ourselves with a false security, believing that a nonresponsive faith lacking good works can deliver us against the day of judgment.
For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power. The spiritual energy and Christian, and especially Apostolic perfection, in which God reigns, and displays in us and in the Church the effectual working of the Gospel of His grace and Spirit, are not to be found in eloquence, but in the powerful working of the Holy Spirit, viz, in convincing speech, in the power of miracles, in the expulsion of demons, and, as Theophylact and Cajetan say, still more in the sufferings of the Apostle"s life described in vers9-11 , and in conversion of character and in holy living. Song of Solomon , too, say S. Chrysostom and Anselm: For S. John Baptist did no miracle, and yet began to preach the Kingdom of God in the power of a holy life, in the spirit and efficacy of preaching and exhortation. Cf. the parallel expression in Romans 14:17.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. By signs, says he, not by fine speaking, we have prevailed: and that our teaching is divine and really announces the Kingdom of Heaven we give the greater proof, namely, our signs which we work by the power of the Spirit. If those who are now puffed up desire to be some great ones; as soon as I have come, let them show whether they have any such power. And let me not find them sheltering themselves behind a pomp of words: for that kind of art is nothing to us.
“Actions speak louder than words,” says Paul. “If those Corinthians who are now arrogant want to prove something, let them show me when I come whether they can do the same miracles I can do. I do not want to find them hiding behind a wall of words, for that sort of thing means nothing to me.”
