Let these few words from us, lover of Christ, be offered to you as an elementary introduction and outline of the faith according to Christ and of His divine manifestation to us. Taking them as a starting point, if you read the writings of Scripture and sincerely apply your mind to them, you will learn from them more fully and clearly the precise account of what has been said.
For those Scriptures were spoken and written from God through men who spoke of God. We, having learned from divinely inspired teachers who studied them and who also became martyrs for Christ’s divinity, now pass what we learned on to your love of learning.
You will also learn of His second appearance to us, glorious and truly divine, when He comes no longer in humiliation but in His own glory, no longer in lowliness but in His own majesty, no longer to suffer but now to give everyone the fruit of His own Cross—that is, resurrection and incorruption. He will no longer be judged, but will judge everyone according to the things each has done through the body, whether good or evil. Then the kingdom of heaven is laid up for the good, but eternal fire and outer darkness for those who have done evil.
For the Lord Himself also says, “I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven in the glory of the Father.”
And so there is also a word of salvation that prepares us for that day and says, “Be ready and watch, because the hour you do not know is coming.” For according to blessed Paul, “We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive according to the things he has done through the body, whether good or evil.”