2.3

I beg you, beloved in the Lord, understand what is written, because these are God’s commandments. It is a great thing for us to turn our minds to the form Jesus assumed for us, because He became like us in every way except sin. We too ought to free ourselves through His coming: may His foolishness make us wise, His poverty make us rich, His weakness make us strong, and may He Himself become the resurrection of all, destroying the one who has the power of death. Then, at Jesus’ coming, we will cease to have needs according to the flesh. For Jesus works with us in good service until we destroy every evil. Then Jesus will also say to us, “I will no longer call you servants, but brothers.” When, therefore, God called them in this way so that they might receive the Spirit of adoption, the Holy Spirit taught them to worship the Father as they ought.

And for me too, most wretched as I am, joined to Jesus, this time into which we have come has become joy and mourning and weeping. For many of our race have put on the garments of godliness but denied its power. Therefore I rejoice over those who have prepared themselves to be set free through the coming of Jesus; but I mourn over those who call on the name of Jesus and carry out the desires of heart and flesh. I also weep for those who, looking at the length of the time, became fainthearted, stripped themselves of the garment of godliness, and became like beasts.

Let such people recognize the saying, “I will no longer call you servants, but friends and brothers, because everything the Father made known to Me I have made known to you.” Acknowledging in their minds that they had come to know themselves according to their intellectual substance, they cried out, “Even if we once knew You according to the flesh, now we no longer know You in that way.” Receiving the Spirit of adoption, they cried, “We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” “Now, O God, we know what You have given us, and we know that we are sons and will be heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ.”

Let this word be clear to you: unless a person prepares his own amendment and strives with all his strength, the Savior’s coming will become judgment for him. For to some it is an aroma of death leading to death, and to others an aroma of life leading to life, because He is set for the fall and resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against. Therefore I beg you not to neglect your own salvation. Let each of you rend his heart and not his garments, lest, clothed in an unjust appearance, we prepare judgment for ourselves. For the time is already drawing near when the works of each of you will be tested. As for the details of this word, there were other things to write to you, but it is written, “Give an opportunity to the wise, and he will become wiser.” I greet you all in the Lord, from the least to the greatest. May the God of peace keep you all, beloved.