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Concerning Faith

St Basil the Great, tr. Lowther Clarke, 1925

Chapter 1

When, by the grace of God, I learned the command of your piety—a command worthy of your love in Christ towards God— in which you sought from us a written confession of our godly faith, at first I shrunk from complying, so conscious was I of my inadequate powers and my weakness. But when I remembered the apostle’s words: ‘Forbearing one another in love,”² and again: “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the heart confession is made unto salvation,”³ I decided that to refuse your request and to be silent about the saving confession was a course fraught with danger, and I had confidence through Christ towards God, as it is written: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; who also made—the apostles then, and now also, and that too, for your sakes—us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit.”⁴ You yourselves also know full well that it is the function of a faithful minister, whatever things his good master has entrusted to his charge, for the benefit of his fellow-servants, to preserve these for their use without adulteration or tricks of the trade. So that I too owe it to the common interest, to put before you according to God’s good pleasure whatever I have learned from the inspired Scriptures. For if the Lord Himself, in Whom the Father was well pleased, ‘in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden,”⁵ Who having received all authority and all judgment from the Father says: “He hath given me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak”; and again: “the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak”⁶; and the Holy Ghost speaks not from Himself, but whatever things He hears from Him, those He speaks⁷ —how much more is it at once both pious and safe for us to think and do this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?

As long as I was obliged to contend against the heresies which arose from time to time, I thought it fitting, following the example of my predecessors, when confronted by the different impieties sown by the devil, to use controversial language and oppose, or rather, refute the blasphemies that were introduced. My language varied on different occasions as the need of the patients constrained me; frequently consisting of terms not found in Scripture, yet all the same not alien from the godly sense of Scripture; just as the apostle frequently did not shrink from using heathen⁸ phrases to attain his object. But on this occasion I think it befits the object common to you and us to fulfil the command of your love in Christ in the simplicity of the sound faith, saying what I have been taught from the inspired Scripture. I will avoid those titles and words, which are not actually found in divine Scripture⁹—though they preserve the implied Scriptural meaning—and whatever words in addition to the novelty of their language also bring us a new sense, and cannot be found to have been used by the saints, these I shall shun completely as novel and alien to the godly faith. Now faith is an unhesitating acceptance of what is heard,¹⁰ with full conviction of the truth of what is proclaimed by the grace of God, such as Abraham showed, of whom it is testified: “He wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that whatever he has promised, he is able also to perform.”¹¹ But if “the Lord is faithful in all his words¹² and ‘all his commandments are faithful, stablished for ever and ever, done in truth and uprightness,”¹³ it is a manifest lapse from faith and incurs the charge of arrogance, if one disregards anything of what is written or introduces anything not written; for our Lord Jesus Christ said: ‘My sheep hear my voice,”¹⁴ and before that He had said: And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.”¹⁵ And the apostle, taking an example from human life, sternly forbids adding or subtracting anything in the inspired Scriptures, when he says: ‘“Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.”’¹⁶

So we have decided to avoid always and especially now every word and thought foreign to the teaching of the Lord, since the object set before both us and you, as I said before, is very different from those discussions by which on one or other occasion we have been led to write or speak in various ways.¹⁷ For then our endeavour was the refutation of heresy and the frustrating of the plots of the devil: but now our purpose is simply the confession and manifestation of the sound faith. Therefore the same method of speaking is not fitting for us on this occasion. For as no man would carry the same weapons going to war and going farming (for the weapons of those who work for their own livelihood in security are quite different from the suits of armour of those who are arrayed for war), so the man who exhorts with sound teaching would not speak in the same way as he who refutes the gainsayers. For one form of speech is suitable for refutation, and another form for exhortation. The simplicity of those who confess their religion in peace is one thing, the violent efforts of those who make a stand against “the oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called”¹⁸ are something quite different. So that we should in this way arrange our words with judgment and always use appropriate language whether we are engaged in controversy or in constructive work, now resisting manfully those who try to destroy the faith by devilish arts, now expounding it in simple and homely fashion to those who wish to be edified in the faith, and doing nothing else than what the apostle said:¹⁹ to know how ye ought to answer each one.”²⁰

But before we come to the actual confession of faith, this also deserves to be noted, that the nature of the majesty and glory of God, being inexpressible in word and incomprehensible by mind, cannot be explained or understood by one phrase or thought, but requires a number of those in current use. Inspired Scripture with difficulty taught the pure in heart ‘as in a mirror, darkly.” For to see face to face and to know perfectly is promised in the age to come to those worthy of receiving it. But now, even though it be a Paul or Peter, one sees truly what one sees, and is not deceived, nor the victim of a phantasy, yet one sees in a mirror and darkly, and receiving now with gratitude that which is in part one waits with joy for that which is perfect in the future.

The apostle Paul assures us of this, composing a discourse in some such terms as these²¹: “When I was a child, just learning the rudiments of the beginning of God’s oracles, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child, but now that I have become a man and am pressing on to reach the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, I have put away childish things. And such progress and improvement did I make in comprehension of the divine Scriptures that the knowledge²² which is concerned with the Jewish worship seems like the movements of a child’s mind, but the knowledge which comes through the Gospel is fitting for a man in every respect grown up. Similarly that which now seems perfect in knowledge, if it is compared with the knowledge which shall be revealed in the age to come to the worthy, is so slight and obscure that it falls more short of the clarity of the age to come than ‘seeing through a glass and darkly ’ falls short of ‘face to face.”” This is confirmed also by the blessed Peter and John and the rest of the disciples of the Lord, who with all their constant progress and improvement in the present life yet themselves also assert just as much the surpassing excellence of the knowledge reserved for the age to come. B For after they had appeared worthy of being chosen by the Lord, of living with Him, of being sent out by Him, of receiving spiritual gifts; after they had been told: “unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven’²³—after such knowledge, such revelation of secrets hidden from the rest, yet at the last, at the very hour of the Lord’s passion, they were told: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.”

From these and such-like considerations we learn that the inspired Scripture is greatly conscious of the unlimited character of knowledge, and the unattainability of the divine mysteries at the present time by human nature, since to each man as he progresses more is always being added, and yet he ever falls short of worthy achievement, until that which is perfect comes, when that which is in part shall be done away. Therefore neither is one name sufficient to declare all the glories of God, nor without danger is a single name accepted as a complete description. For if a man says “God,” that does not necessarily connote Father, and in Father the idea of Maker is absent. Again, in these titles is lacking goodness, wisdom, power, and the other qualities found in Holy Scripture. Again, if we apply the word Father to God wholly according to our use of the term, we are impious. For it denotes passions²⁴ and sexual powers and ignorance and weakness, and things of this sort. Similarly with “Maker.” For with us the notion involves time, material, instruments, assistance, from all of which godly thoughts about God must be pure, so far as is possible for the human mind. For, as I said, though all minds were united in investigating the mystery, and all tongues agreed in proclaiming it, never could one attain a worthy appreciation of it. This thought is given us clearly by Solomon, wisest of men, when he says: “I said, I will be wise: but it was removed from me far beyond where it was.”²⁵ Not that it really fled, but because its unattainability is manifested most of all to those to whom by the grace of God knowledge has most abundantly come. So the inspired Scripture of necessity uses several names and words for a partial setting forth, and that darkly, of the divine glory. But we have neither power nor leisure to recount everything said in every place by the inspired Scriptures concerning Father, Son and Holy Ghost, since your demands are so pressing. But when we have quoted a few out of the whole number, we think these will prove satisfactory to your conscience, as both showing our views to be based on Seripture and convincing you yourselves of their truth, and others who want to learn of us. For as many arguments prove to us one pious doctrine,²⁶ so a fair-minded man, I think, will recognise from a few instances the piety of all our views.²⁷

We believe therefore²⁸ and confess²⁹ one only true and good B God³⁰ and Father almighty, of Whom are all things, the God and Father of our Lord and God Jesus Christ:

And His one only-begotten Son, our Lord and God³¹ Jesus Christ, only true, through Whom all things were made³² both visible and invisible; and in Whom all things consist.³³ Who was in the beginning with God and was God³⁴; and afterwards according to the Scriptures “was seen on earth and lived with men”³⁵; Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself and through birth from a Virgin took the form of a servant and was found in fashion as a man and fulfilled all things written with reference to Him and concerning Him, according to the commandment of the Father, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross,³⁶ and on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures,³⁷ and was seen by His holy disciples and the rest, as it is written. And He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; Whence He cometh³⁸ at the end of this world to raise all men,³⁹ and to render to each man according to his conduct. When the just shall be taken up to life eternal and the Kingdom of heaven, and the sinners shall be condemned to eternal punishment,⁴⁰ where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.⁴¹ D And one only Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, in Whom we were sealed unto the day of redemption⁴²: the Spirit of truth,⁴³ the Spirit of adoption, in Whom we cry Abba, Father. Who divideth and worketh the gifts that come of God, to each for his good, as He wills.⁴⁴ Who teacheth all things and bringeth all things to remembrance, as many as He heareth from the Son.⁴⁵” Who is good and Who leadeth into all truth⁴⁶ and stablisheth all that believe both in sure knowledge and accurate confession, and godly service, and spiritual and true worship of God the Father,⁴⁷ and of His only-begotten Son our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and of Himself. Each name explaining to us clearly the characteristic quality⁴⁸ of the One named, and in the case of each of those named certain special characteristics⁴⁹ being with all reverence observed, the Father in the characteristics of Fatherhood, the Son in the characteristics of Sonship, and the Holy Spirit in His own characteristics; neither the Holy Spirit speaking of Himself, nor the Son doing anything of Himself; the Father sending the Son, and the Son the Holy Spirit.

So we believe, and so we baptize⁵⁰ into a Trinity of one Substance,⁵¹ according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who said: “Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you.”⁵²

If we keep this faith, we show love towards Him and are counted worthy to abide in Him, as it is written: ‘He that loveth me not,” saith the Lord, ‘keepeth not my word.”⁵³ And again: “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.”⁵⁴

I marvel exceedingly that when our Lord Jesus Christ Himself says: “Rejoice not, that the demons are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven⁵⁵ and again: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”⁵⁶ On which account the apostle, showing the necessity of love in all things, testifies⁵⁷: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” And a little later: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away,” and the rest. To which he adds:⁵⁸ But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three, and the greatest of these is love.”

Since these and such-like things are thus ordained both by the Lord and the apostles, I marvel, I say, how men show such energy and excitement over things which are being done away and brought to nought, but concerning abiding things and especially love, the greatest of all, which characterises the Christian, not only do they take no heed, but they actually oppose those who are keen and, fighting against them, fulfil what is written: “They enter not in themselves and those that are entering in they hinder.” Wherefore I beseech and implore you to cease from curious investigation and unbecoming strife about words, and to be content with what has been said by the Saints and the Lord Himself, and to have thoughts worthy of the heavenly calling, and to live worthily of the Gospel of Christ, in hope of eternal life and the heavenly Kingdom prepared for all that keep the commandments of the God and Father, which are according to the Gospel of the blessed God Jesus Christ our Lord, in the Holy Spirit and in truth.

We are reminded by your piety⁵⁹ that we should treat this subject before concluding and make our own sentiments clear both to you and through you to the brethren in Christ, to convince both you and them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9A So we thought it necessary and incumbent upon us so to do, that no one’s mind should be disturbed by the variance of our words, should they differ from those which were spoken on different occasions but were always dictated by our need of replying to objections brought by men antagonistic to the truth. And again, that no one be shaken by the opposition of those who wish to ascribe to us strange doctrines, or often falsely attribute their own errors to our views in order to steal away the simple-minded.

Of such you also must beware, since they are aliens from the evangelic and apostolic faith and love, and remember the apostle’s words: “Though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any Gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.”⁶⁰ In order that, keeping that other word: “Beware of false prophets’⁶¹ and: Withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us,”⁶² we may walk according to the rule of the Saints, as it were “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ our Lord being the chief corner stone, in whom each building fitly framed together increaseth into a holy temple in the Lord.”⁶³ And the God of peace sanctify you wholly: and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it,”⁶⁴ if you keep His commandments by the grace of Christ in the Holy Spirit.

We think that in the foregoing we have said enough for the present about the sound faith. Let us now strive to fulfil in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ our promise concerning the Morals. D As many things as we find in the New Testament in scattered passages forbidden or approved, these according to our ability we have endeavoured to collect into summarised rules for the easy comprehension of such as desire them.⁶⁵ We have appended to each rule also the number of the Scriptural passages⁶⁶ contained in it, whether from the Gospel, or the Apostle, or the Acts, in order that he who reads the rule and sees the first number close by it, or maybe the second number, may then take up the actual Scripture and, having sought out the paragraph designated by the number already given, may there find the testimony by which the rule has been framed.

My first wish was to append to the Rules the passages of the Old Testament which harmonise with each of the New Testament passages. But since the need was so urgent, and the brethren in Christ now more eagerly demanded from us our long-standing promise, I remembered the words: ‘Give an occasion to the wise, and he will be yet wiser.”⁶⁷ So that it is possible, for him who wishes, to use the sufficient opportunity of what he has got, and to take up the Old Testament and learn for himself the harmony of all inspired Scripture, especially as for the faithful who are convinced of the truth of the Lord’s words one saying is enough. For the same reason also I considered it sufficient, as regards the New Testament, to adduce not all passages, but a few out of many.

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