He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
“Now we also confess that God exists, but that He is one, the Creator, and Maker, and Fashioner of this universe; and we know that all things are arranged by His Providence, but by Him alone. And we have learned a holy law; but we have as lawgiver Him who is really God, who teaches us to act righteously, and to be pious, and to do good.
And concerning piety He says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I am the LORD thy God.”
And of doing good He said: “Honor thy father and thy mother; that it may be well with thee, and that thy days may be long in the land which I the LORD God give thee.”
Again, concerning righteousness: “Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, nor his land, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his beast of burden, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”
Theophilus of Antioch (c.120-c.190) in Book Three, Chapter Nine.
If we think we should pursue a life of righteousness, piety, and generosity, notice the counsel today from Theophilus of Antioch remembering his context.
Antioch is the city where about 100 years before he wrote this treatise that disciples were first called Christians. So this thinking reflects the heart of the early church.
Theophilus lifted up the importance of honoring God as Creator and Sustainer and then demonstrating faith through righteousness, piety, and generosity aligned with the Ten Commandments.
I feel like we miss the mark in many areas in modern times. We put things ahead of God in our lives, dishonor our parents, and covet what our neighbor’s have.
All this leaves us discontent and may explain why there is a lack of righteousness, piety, and generosity in the church. Today Theophilus would give us this advice.
Don’t desire (or covet) the gifts of God that others may have but make God your first and only desire. Any other path will mess up your relationship to Him and to people.