To Novatian

While I was meditating and thinking about what to do about those poor brothers who have been wounded by the devil and are enduring punishment for a long time, an enemy appeared to me. The heretic Novatian, who is the adversary of his own father's love, came to me. He not only ignored the wounded man, like the priest and Levite in the Gospel, but he also cruelly takes away the wounded man's hope for salvation, denies the mercy of his father, and rejects the repentance of his brother. It's amazing how bitter, harsh, and perverse some things can be. However, it's easier to notice someone else's flaws than our own. But we shouldn't be moved or disturbed by the crazy heretic Novatian. Even though he is guilty of dissent and schism, and separated from the Church, he still accuses us with sacrilegious boldness, despite being unclean and defiled himself. Although it's written in the Bible that dogs should remain outside, and the apostle taught that we should shun these dogs, Novatian continues to bark like a wolf in the dark, seeking to harm the sheep who have strayed from the Shepherd. He claims that he and his followers are gold, but we know that they are like the gold that was designated for the first sins of the people of Israel. The gold and silver vessels that were taken from the Egyptians remain in the Lord's power, that is, in Christ's Church. Novatian and his followers could have been precious vessels in this house, but now they are like chaff and straw. Why should you be proud of worthless things? You will lose more than you gain. Why do you think you are rich, when in reality you are becoming poorer? In the book of Revelation, the Lord rebukes you with righteous reproaches: 'You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.' Anyone who abandons the Church of Christ and follows the leaders of schisms and dissension, whom John calls antichrists, the Evangelist likens to chaff, and the Lord Christ characterizes as thieves and robbers, possesses the riches of poverty. These are the deserters of the faith, transgressors of God's Church, and those who strive against God's ordinance. The Holy Spirit rightly rebukes them through the prophet, saying, 'You have plotted evil, but it will not succeed. You have planned rebellion, but it will not take place.' What can the few and unhappy followers of Novatian say in response to these things? They have no reverence for God or man, and they seek after the episcopate without any law of ordination. In contrast, we renounce the episcopate in its own Sees and in those of the throne delivered to it by God. The Novatians, among whom the heavenly Scriptures are read but not understood, have closed their ears and darkened their hearts, admitting no light from spiritual and saving warnings. As Isaiah says, 'The servants of God are blinded.' They are rightfully blinded, because the desire of schismatics is not in the law. The law points out to us the one and only Church, which is represented by the ark fashioned by the providence of God under Noah before the deluge. In that ark, not only clean animals but also unclean animals were shut up, and it alone was saved with those who were in it, whereas other things not found therein perished in the deluge. Two birds were released from that ark: a raven and a dove. The raven represents impure men, those who would be in perpetual darkness through the world's broad road, and apostates who would arise, feeding on unclean things and not turning to the Church. The raven was sent forth and did not return. Anyone who resembles this bird, the impure spirit, will not be able to return to the Church, even if they wish it, because the Lord will forbid them, as He commanded Moses to cast out everything leprous and impure outside the camp. The dove that returned represents the man who does not delay because he would have no rest for his feet. Noah received it into the ark, and when it was sent forth again on the seventh day, it returned, bearing an olive leaf in its mouth. My dear brothers and sisters, as I carefully consider these things, not according to human wisdom but as permitted by the heavenly Lord, I must say that the dove symbolizes a double meaning. First and foremost, it represents the Spirit and the sacrament of baptism that is celebrated in the Church for the salvation of humanity. This has been the case since the beginning of divine administration. Additionally, when the dove was sent out three times from the ark and flew over the water, it represented the sacraments of our Church. This is why Jesus Christ instructed Peter and His disciples to go and preach the Gospel to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The same Trinity that figuratively operated through the dove during Noah's time now operates spiritually through the disciples in the Church. Now, let's consider the second aspect of the dove sent out from the ark during the time of the flood. During this period, the abysses broke forth and the cataracts of heaven opened up on the earth due to the wickedness that people practiced daily before the Lord. As Moses said, 'And the Lord God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... And God said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air.' It was during this tumultuous time that the dove was sent out from the ark. As we have mentioned earlier, the ark represents the Church, which was battered by the turbulent waters during Noah's time. That flood was a symbol of the persecution that has recently spread throughout the entire world. The rushing waters, which met and grew on all sides, represent the peoples who rose up to destroy the Church, as described in the Apocalypse: 'The waters which thou sawest are peoples, and nations, and kingdoms.' The dove, which could not find a place to rest its feet, represents those who fell away from divine teachings, either due to ignorance or audacity. The Lord warned of the destruction that would come upon those who heard His words but did not act upon them, likening them to a foolish man who built his house on sand. The dove is also used as a symbol of the lapsed in the words of the prophet, who rebuked the city as a dove, saying, 'The dove hearkens not to the voice,' meaning that the city, which represents the character of the lapsed, did not receive teachings and did not trust in the Lord. Furthermore, as we mentioned earlier, the fact that the dove couldn't find a place to rest her feet symbolizes those who deny the truth. These people have been wounded by the venom of the shining serpent and have turned towards their downfall. They can no longer step on the asp, basilisk, dragon, or lion. However, the Lord gave his disciples the power to tread on all the power of the enemy and to not be harmed by serpents and scorpions. Therefore, those who have fallen and been wounded by evil spirits can find salvation by dragging themselves to safety and healing their wounds with spiritual remedies. After a few days, the dove is released from the ark once again. This time, the dove not only demonstrates her firm footsteps but also her peace and victory through the olive leaves she carries in her mouth. This dual release shows us two types of persecution: the first in which the fallen are defeated and the second in which the fallen become victorious. It is certain that those who were wounded in the first struggle (the Decian persecution) were able to persevere in the second encounter. They courageously defied the edicts of the world's rulers and, like the good Shepherd, gave up their lives, shed their blood, and did not shy away from the barbarity of the raging tyrant. Look at how magnificent and beloved by the Lord are the people that these schismatics dare to call 'wood, hay, stubble.' They even refuse to allow those who are equally guilty of falling away to repent. They base this judgment on the Lord's statement: 'Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.' It is truly saddening to see them opposing the Lord's teachings. The Novatian offspring, following the example of his father the devil, is attempting to enforce the things that Christ will do during His judgment, when the scripture declares, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' says the Lord. We will respond to their misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the Lord's words. When He says, 'Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven,' He is referring to a future time when He will judge the secrets of men. This will be the time when we all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and many will say, 'Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons, and done many wonderful works in Your name?' However, they will hear the Lord say, 'Depart from me, all of you who have done iniquity. I never knew you.' At that time, the Lord will fulfill His statement and deny them. Whom will the Lord primarily deny, if not all of you heretics, schismatics, and those who are strangers to His name? You were once Christians, but now you are no longer Christians, having changed your initial faith by a subsequent betrayal in the calling of your name. You should answer your own argument. Read and teach: who did our Lord deny among those who had failed or denied Him while He was still with them? He even asked the other disciples who had remained with Him, 'Do you also want to leave?' When Peter, whom He had previously foretold would deny Him, denied Him, the Lord did not deny him but instead sustained him. Later, when Peter bitterly lamented his denial, the Lord Himself comforted him. Novatian, what kind of foolishness is it to only focus on what leads to the destruction of salvation and ignore what leads to mercy? The scripture clearly calls out to those who err, saying, 'Repent and turn to your hearts.' The prophet also urges, 'Turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate.' We have heard that the Lord is very compassionate. Let us listen to what the Holy Spirit, through David, says: 'If his children abandon my law and do not follow my commands, if they dishonor my righteousness and do not keep my precepts, I will punish them for their sins, but I will not completely abandon them.' Similar words were spoken by the Lord through Ezekiel: 'Son of man, the house of Israel has defiled its own land with its sins. Their impurity is like that of a woman during her menstrual period in my sight. I have poured out my anger on them and scattered them among the nations, judging them according to their sins. I did not destroy them completely because of my holy name, which they dishonored among the nations.' He also says, 'Therefore, tell the people of Israel, 'This is what the Lord says: I will not spare you, O house of Israel, but I will spare you for the sake of my holy name, which you have dishonored among the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord when I am honored through you.'' The Lord also said: 'Tell the people of Israel, why do you say that you are dying in your sins and cannot be saved? Say to them, as surely as I live, declares the Lord, I do not want sinners to die. I want them to turn away from their evil ways and live. So turn away from your evil ways. Why do you want to die, O house of Israel?' Similarly, Isaiah the prophet said, 'I will not be angry with you forever, nor will I always punish you.' Jeremiah the prophet prayed to the Lord on behalf of the sinful people, saying, 'Correct us, Lord, but please be fair. Do not be so angry with us that you destroy us.' Isaiah added to this and said, 'I punished him for his sins, but it was only a light affliction. I turned away from him, and he went away sad. But I have seen his ways, and I will heal him. I will guide him and restore him.' This shows that those who repent, pray, and work hard can be restored, because they will otherwise perish and turn away from Christ. This is also demonstrated in the Gospel, which tells the story of a woman who was known to be a sinner. She went to the house of a Pharisee where the Lord had been invited along with His disciples. She brought a container of ointment, stood at the Lord's feet, and washed them with her tears. She then dried them with her hair and kissed them. The Pharisee was displeased and said, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.' The Lord, who forgives sins and welcomes the repentant, responded by saying, 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' Simon replied, 'Teacher, say it.' The Lord then told a parable about a creditor who had two debtors, one who owed 500 pence and the other 50. When they both couldn't pay, the creditor forgave both of them. The Lord then asked Simon, 'Which of them will love him more?' Simon answered, 'The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.' And the Lord said, 'You have judged rightly.' He then turned to the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.' See how the Lord generously forgives the debt of both debtors. See how He forgives sins. See how the woman who was a sinner repents, weeps, prays, and receives forgiveness for her sins! Novatian, you should feel ashamed of yourself. Stop using your impious arguments to deceive the innocent and stop scaring them with your twisted reasoning. We read and admire the divine judgement of the Lord, where He says that He will deny those who deny Him. But does this apply to the repentant? Why should I spend so much time proving specific cases of God's mercy? God's mercy is not denied to the Ninevites, even though they were strangers and not under the law of the Lord, when they pleaded for it after the prophecy of the destruction of their city. God's mercy was not denied to Pharaoh either, who was resisting with sacrilegious boldness, when he was struck with plagues from heaven and turned to Moses, asking him to pray to the Lord for him because he had sinned. At once, God's anger was suspended from him. Yet you, Novatian, judge and declare that those who have fallen away have no hope for peace and mercy. You do not listen to the apostle's rebuke when he says, 'Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.' Therefore, the Holy Spirit rebukes you through the voices of the fallen, saying, 'Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. I will endure the Lord's wrath, for I have sinned against him. But then he will take up my case and defend me. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with confusion.' I urge you, have you not read the following sayings: 'Don't boast or speak arrogantly, for the Lord lifts up the poor and raises the beggar from the ash heap to sit among princes'? 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble'? 'Whoever exalts himself will be humbled'? 'God destroys the remembrance of the proud and does not forsake the memory of the lowly'? 'The way you judge others will be the way you will be judged'? 'If someone hates his brother, he is in darkness, walks in darkness, and doesn't know where he is going because darkness has blinded his eyes'? So, I cannot understand why Novatian has become so wicked and lost in the madness of discord, always finding fault with his fellow members of the Church of Christ. He should have mourned their sins as if they were his own, shouldered his brethren's burdens as the apostle exhorted, and encouraged those struggling in their faith with heavenly counsel. But now, since he started following the heresy of Cain, which only takes pleasure in destroying, he doesn't even spare himself. If he had read that 'the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked shall not make him stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness,' he would have repented long ago. He always opposes penitents and works more readily to destroy what is built and standing, than to build up what has fallen. He has even made many of our most wretched brethren heathens again with his false arguments, by saying that the repentance of those who have fallen away is useless and cannot save them. Yet, the Scriptures clearly proclaim, 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.' And in writing to the seven churches, rebuking each one for its sins, it said, 'Repent!' To whom but those whom He had redeemed with the great price of His blood? You wicked and impious heretic Novatian! Even though you knew of the many terrible sins committed in the Church in the past, and were once an apostate in God's family, you claimed that these sins could be forgotten if one followed a righteous path. This belief is in line with the Scripture, which says that if a wicked person turns from their sins and does what is right, they will live forever and not die in their wickedness. Their sins will be forgotten because of the good deeds that follow. But now you are reconsidering whether the fallen, who have been stripped bare by the devil's violence, should be helped. This is similar to what the apostle said: 'I do not praise you for coming together not for the better, but for the worse.' When there are rivalries and dissensions among you, are you not being worldly and following human desires? It is not surprising that Novatian would now practice such harsh and wicked things against the lapsed, as we have seen similar examples in the past. Saul, a once good man, was overcome by envy and tried to harm David. Even Judas, who was chosen among the apostles and was once faithful in God's house, ultimately betrayed God. The Lord had predicted that many would come disguised as sheep, but they would actually be ravenous wolves. These wolves would conspire with treacherous intent to harm the flock of Christ. This is written in Zechariah, 'I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the lost, who will devour the flesh of the fat ones, and tear their hoofs in pieces.' Similarly, in Ezekiel, the Lord rebukes shepherds who are like robbers and butchers. He asks them, 'Why do you drink the milk, and eat the curds, but leave nothing for the sheep? You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.' Because of this, the Lord says that he will come against these shepherds and hold them accountable for what they have done. He will take away their power and drive them away from his sheep. They will no longer be able to harm or devour his sheep. The Lord will seek out his scattered sheep and bring them back to safety. He will heal the wounded, strengthen the weak, and care for his flock with fairness and justice. Who is speaking these words? It is the one who left behind the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that had strayed from the flock, as David wrote, 'I have gone astray like a lost sheep,' whom Christ finds and carries back on His shoulder, rejoicing and calling on His friends and servants to celebrate with Him, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!' Jesus continues, 'I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.' But for those who refuse to turn from their wickedness, they should heed the words of the Lord Himself as recorded in the Gospel. Some people came to Jesus and told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus responded, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.' Let's wake up, dear brothers and sisters, and shake off our laziness and complacency. Let's stay alert and obey the Lord's commands with all our hearts. Let's search for what we have lost so that we may find it. Remember, as the scripture says, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' Let's purify our souls with spiritual cleanliness, so that every hidden place in our hearts may be enlightened by the Gospel's light. Let's acknowledge our sins and turn away from them, because the death of sinners is evil and there is no repentance in hell. Let's keep in mind the day of judgment and the fact that God does not show favoritism. As Deuteronomy says, 'You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike.' Ezekiel also said, 'All souls are mine; the soul that sins shall die.' We must therefore revere God, hold fast to Him, and make a worthy confession to Him. He has the power to send both our soul and body to the Gehenna of fire. As written, 'Behold, He is coming with thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly done, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.'⁠a Daniel also spoke of these things. He said, 'I saw a throne, and the Ancient of days was sitting on it. His clothing was white like snow, and his hair was like white wool. The throne was like a flame of fire, and its wheels were burning fire. A river of fire flowed out from him, and thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. He sat down for judgment, and the books were opened.' John also spoke clearly about the day of judgment and the end of the world. He said, 'When the sixth seal was opened, there was a great earthquake. The sun became black like haircloth, and the whole moon became like blood. The stars fell to the earth like unripe figs shaken from a tree by a strong wind. The sky rolled up like a scroll, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. The kings of the earth, the great men, the commanders, the rich and powerful, and all the slaves and free people hid themselves in caves and among the rocks. They said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?'' In the same book of Revelation, John saw a vision of a great throne with someone sitting on it in white clothes. The heavens and the earth fled from his face, and they could not be found. John saw the dead, both small and great, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Another book was also opened, the Book of Life, and everyone was judged according to what they had done. Furthermore, the apostle gives us good advice and exhorts us, saying, 'Do not let anyone deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them.' So, let us praise God with all our faith and confess our sins fully. The powers of heaven, all the angels, and Christ Himself rejoice over our repentance. Christ, in His mercy, encourages us, burdened with sins and overwhelmed with wrongdoing, to turn away from wickedness and return to righteousness, saying, 'Turn away from your impieties, and your sins will not be punished. Cast away all the sins you have committed against me and make a new heart and a new spirit. Why do you deliver yourselves over to death, O house of Israel? For I do not desire the death of sinners. I am the one who blots out your crimes and will not remember them. But you must confess and be judged; tell me your wickednesses first, so that you may be justified.' While the path of mercy is open, let us approach God with full atonement and humility so that we may be exalted. Let us heed the divine exhortation to escape the day of the Lord and His anger. As He says, 'Look, my son, at the nations of men, and see who has hoped in the Lord and been confounded, or who has obeyed His commandments and been forsaken, or who has called upon Him and been despised. For the Lord is loving and merciful, and forgives the sins of those who seek Him in truth during times of tribulation.' Therefore, He says, 'First tell your sins, so that you may be justified.' Let us have in our hands a prayer full of confession.