2 Clement

Contents

1. 1.1Think of Christ as of God, the judge of all, and do not think lightly of salvation.
2. 1.2Thinking little of Christ is itself a sin; remember what he suffered for us.
3. 1.3What can we give Christ in return for all he has given?
4. 1.4Christ gave light, made us sons, and saved us.
5. 1.5How can we repay him?
6. 1.6Once blind idol-worshipers, we have been given sight.
7. 1.7God saved us out of mercy when we had no hope.
8. 1.8God called us into being from nothing.
9. 2.1Isaiah's barren woman is the church, once childless, now fruitful.
10. 2.2Pray to God sincerely and without growing weary.
11. 2.3The Gentile believers now outnumber those who seemed to have God.
12. 2.4Another scripture: Christ came to call sinners.
13. 2.5The perishing must be saved.
14. 2.6The greatness of saving what is falling.
15. 2.7Christ came to save the perishing, and called us.
16. 3.1To know the Father is not to deny Christ, through whom we know him.
17. 3.2Christ will confess those who confess him.
18. 3.3Our reward is to confess the one who saved us.
19. 3.4We confess Christ by obeying him wholeheartedly.
20. 3.5Isaiah: honoring God with the lips alone.
21. 4.1Calling Christ “Lord” is not enough.
22. 4.2Not all who say “Lord, Lord” will be saved.
23. 4.3Confess Christ by works of love, purity, and generosity.
24. 4.4Fear God, not people.
25. 4.5A saying of the Lord: those who do not obey will be cast out.
26. 5.1We are only sojourners; do God's will and do not fear leaving this world.
27. 5.2The Lord: you will be like lambs among wolves.
28. 5.3Peter asks what if the wolves tear the lambs apart.
29. 5.4Jesus: do not fear those who kill the body, but God who judges.
30. 5.5Life here is short; Christ's promise of rest and eternal life is great.
31. 5.6Live holy lives and do not desire worldly things.
32. 5.7Desire for worldly goods turns us from the right way.
33. 6.1No one can serve God and money.
34. 6.2What profit is the whole world if the soul is lost?
35. 6.3This age and the age to come are enemies.
36. 6.4This age urges vice; the coming age renounces it.
37. 6.5We cannot befriend both ages; renounce this one.
38. 6.6Hate what perishes here; love the imperishable goods to come.
39. 6.7Doing Christ's will brings rest; disobedience, eternal punishment.
40. 6.8Ezekiel: even Noah, Job, and Daniel cannot save their children.
41. 6.9If even the righteous cannot save others, we must keep our baptism pure.
42. 7.1Like athletes, let us compete for the crown.
43. 7.2Compete so that all may be crowned.
44. 7.3Run the imperishable race; at least come near the crown.
45. 7.4Cheaters in the games are flogged and thrown out.
46. 7.5What will happen to one who cheats in the contest for eternal life?
47. 7.6Those who break the seal of baptism face unending punishment.
48. 8.1Repent while on earth.
49. 8.2Like clay before firing, we can still be reshaped: repent now.
50. 8.3After death there is no more repentance.
51. 8.4Do God's will, keep the flesh pure, and receive eternal life.
52. 8.5The gospel: faithful in little, faithful in much.
53. 8.6Keep the flesh pure and the seal of baptism unstained.
54. 9.1The flesh will be judged and will rise.
55. 9.2We were saved in the flesh.
56. 9.3Guard the flesh as God's temple.
57. 9.4Called in the flesh, we will come to judgment in the flesh.
58. 9.5Christ became flesh; so we will be rewarded in the flesh.
59. 9.6Love one another, to enter God's kingdom together.
60. 9.7Give yourselves to God the healer while there is time.
61. 9.8The repayment God wants is sincere repentance.
62. 9.9God knows our hearts.
63. 9.10Praise God from the heart, not only the lips.
64. 9.11Christ's brothers are those who do the Father's will.
65. 10.1Pursue virtue and flee vice and ungodliness.
66. 10.2Doing good brings peace.
67. 10.3Those who prefer present pleasure cannot find peace.
68. 10.4Present pleasure brings torment; the promise brings delight.
69. 10.5False teachers and their hearers will face double judgment.
70. 11.1Serve God with a pure heart and trust his promise.
71. 11.2The prophetic word warns the doubters who say the promises never come.
72. 11.3The vine ripens in stages; so do God's promises.
73. 11.4After affliction, God's people will receive good things.
74. 11.5Do not doubt; hope and endure for the reward.
75. 11.6God is faithful to reward each one's works.
76. 11.7The righteous will receive promises beyond imagining.
77. 12.1Wait for God's kingdom hour by hour, for the day is unknown.
78. 12.2A saying of the Lord: the kingdom comes when the two are one.
79. 12.3“Two are one” means truthfulness and oneness of soul.
80. 12.4“Outside as inside”: let the soul show itself in good works.
81. 12.5“Neither male nor female”: brothers and sisters without lustful thoughts.
82. 12.6Doing these things brings the Father's kingdom.
83. 13.1Repent, and live so that outsiders do not blaspheme God's name.
84. 13.2God's name is blasphemed when his people do not obey.
85. 13.3Outsiders admire God's words but scoff when they see our deeds.
86. 13.4Outsiders laugh when Christians fail to love even their friends.
87. 14.1Doing God's will places us in the first, spiritual church, created before the sun and moon.
88. 14.2The church, Christ's body and bride, existed from the beginning.
89. 14.3Keep the flesh pure, the copy, to share in the Spirit, the original.
90. 14.4To abuse the flesh is to abuse the church, and to lose the Spirit.
91. 14.5The flesh joined to the Spirit will share in indescribable life.
92. 15.1Following this counsel on self-control saves both hearer and preacher.
93. 15.2Speaking and hearing in faith and love is our return to God.
94. 15.3God promises: while you are still speaking, I am here.
95. 15.4God is readier to give than we are to ask.
96. 15.5Do not miss such good things; the same words bring joy or condemnation.
97. 16.1While there is time, turn back to God who receives us.
98. 16.2Master evil desires, and share in the mercy of Jesus.
99. 16.3The day of judgment is coming like a furnace; every deed will be revealed.
100. 16.4Almsgiving, fasting, prayer, and love: almsgiving lightens sin.
101. 17.1If we must win pagans, how much more must we not lose believers.
102. 17.2Help the weak and admonish one another so that all are saved.
103. 17.3Remember the teaching at home, and gather more often to grow in obedience.
104. 17.4The Lord will come to gather all nations and redeem each by his works.
105. 17.5Unbelievers will see Christ's glory and lament; their punishment has no end.
106. 17.6The day of judgment will expose those who perverted Christ's commandments.
107. 17.7The righteous will glorify God when they see the fate of those who denied Jesus.
108. 18.1Be among the thankful servants of God, not the ungodly.
109. 18.2The preacher confesses he is a sinner still striving for righteousness.
110. 19.1The preacher reads an appeal after the scripture reading: repent with the whole heart.
111. 19.2Accept correction; doubt and desire blind us to our sins.
112. 19.3The obedient may suffer briefly but will reap the fruit of the resurrection.
113. 19.4The godly who suffer now will live again and rejoice forever.
114. 20.1Do not be troubled that the wicked prosper and God's servants suffer.
115. 20.2This life is training; the crown comes in the life to come.
116. 20.3The righteous wait for their reward.
117. 20.4If reward were immediate, religion would become a business.
118. 20.5Closing doxology to the invisible God who sent the Savior.