But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Read Chapter 3
Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
These ignorant men are drunk, not with wine but with their own wickedness. They make a profession of priesthood and glory in their threats. Do not believe them. When we are tried, let us humble ourselves, not being made captive by them…. So we, when we are tried by these things, must not become separated from the love of God.
Make progress, make progress in welldoing, for, according to the apostle, there are certain people who go from bad to worse. If you are progressing, you are advancing. Progress in welldoing, progress in good faith, progress in good deeds. Keep singing. Keep advancing. Do not wander. Do not return. Do not remain stationary.
These spirits, therefore, are lurking under the statues and consecrated images: these inspire the breasts of their prophets with their afflatus, animate the fibres of the entrails, direct the flights of birds, rule the lots, give efficiency to oracles, are always mixing up falsehood with truth, for they are both deceived and they deceive;
Let none of these things, he says, disturb you, if they are in prosperity, and thou in trials. Such is the nature of the case. From my own instance you may learn that it is impossible for man, in his warfare with the wicked, not to be exposed to tribulation. One cannot be in combat and live luxuriously, one cannot be wrestling and feasting. Let none therefore of those who are contending seek for ease or joyous living. Again, the present state is contest, warfare, tribulation, straits, and trials, and the very scene of conflicts. The season for rest is not now, this is the time for toil and labor. No one who has just stripped and anointed himself thinks of ease. If you think of ease, why did you strip, or prepare to fight? But do I not maintain the fight? you say. What, when you do not conquer your desires, nor resist the evil bias of nature?
Do not allow yourself to be distressed, he says, if some people prosper, while you are in the midst of suffering. Such is the nature of the case. From my own instance you may learn that it is impossible for man, in his warfare with the wicked, not to be exposed to tribulation. One cannot be in combat and live luxuriously. One cannot be wrestling and feasting.
