Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo 12th Tract on John: Die II infra octavam Pentecostes

 Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo 12th Tract on John: Die II infra octavam Pentecostes 

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John

John 3:16-21

At that time, Jesus said unto Nicodemus: God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And so on.

The Physician comes that, as often as in him lies, he may heal the sick man. He is his own destroyer, who will not keep the commandments of the Physician. Into the world came the Saviour. Why is He called the Saviour of the world, but because He came "into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved"? If he wills not to be saved through Him, you will be condemned of yourself. And why do I say I that you will be condemned? Because it is written: "He that believes in Him is not condemned." What then can you hope that He will say of "him that does not believe" but that He will be condemned.  And indeed He says further: "He that believes not is condemned already." He is condemned already, though the condemnation be not yet openly pronounced.

He is condemned already, for "the Lord knows them that are His." He knows them for whom is laid up the crown, and likewise them that are reserved unto the fire. His eye sees in the field of the world the distinction of the wheat and of the straw, of the good corn and of the tares. "He that believes not is condemned already." And why? "Because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." "Because their deeds were evil”, but, my brethren, is there one man of whom God finds that his works are good? No, not one. God finds all works to be (in themselves) bad. How then do we hear that some there be who do truth, and come to the light? For these words come quickly: "But he that does truth, comes to the light."

But the Lord says [of such as these, who are condemned already, because they believe not in Him]: "They loved darkness rather than light." And here He makes the great point [of difference between such, and them that do the truth.] There are many who have loved their sins; there are many who have confessed their sins and he that confesses and denounces his sin, is working already with God. God denounces your sins, and if you denounce them likewise, then you join yourself with God in His act. The man and the sinner are two different things. God made the man, and the man made the sinner. Put away your work, and God will save His. You must hate your own work and love God's work. When your own works begin to displease you, then is it that thou begin to do well, because you denounce your own evil works. The first thing to do, if you would do good works, is to acknowledge your evil ones.