§ 1.
And he hath indicated the works too themselves, which he calleth carnal, what they are: foreseeing the cavils of the unbelieving, and himself expounding himself,1 that no question might be left to such as dispute of him unfaithfully: for thus he speaks in the Epistle to the Galatians,2 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are, Adulteries, fornications, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcrafts, hatreds, contentions, jealousies, angers, emulations, animosities, irritations, dissensions, heresies, envyings, drunkennesses, revellings, and such like: of which I foretell you, as I have also foretold, that they who do such things shall not possess the Kingdom of God: more clearly setting forth to his hearers the meaning of, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” For they who do so, truly walking after the flesh, cannot live unto God.
And on the other hand he hath brought in the spiritual doings which give life to the man,3 i.e.,4 the ingraffing of the Spirit, thus speaking, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, fidelity, meekness, continence, chastity: against these there is no law. As therefore he who hath gone on to the better, and hath wrought the fruit of the Spirit, is by all means saved through the Communion of the Spirit:5 so also he who shall have remained in the aforesaid works of the flesh, being truly esteemed Carnal, because he receiveth not the Spirit of God, shall not be able to possess the Kingdom of Heaven. Even as the Apostle himself again testifieth,6 saying to the Corinthians, Know ye not that the unjust shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, saith he: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor those who defile themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And these things, saith he, ye indeed were; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. He most clearly sheweth by what things man perisheth, if he go on living after the flesh; and by what on the other hand he is saved. And the things which save,7 he saith, are the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God.
§ 2.
As therefore in this place he hath enumerated those deeds of the flesh which are without the Spirit, which bring death: in agreement with these previous sayings of his, he hath finally exclaimed at the end of the Epistle, As we have borne the image of him who is of the clay,8 let us also bear the Image of Him Who is from Heaven. For this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot possess the Kingdom of God. Now this which he saith, “As we have borne the image of him who is of the clay,” is like that other saying, “And these things ye indeed were, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” When did we then bear the image of him who is of the clay? Of course, when the aforesaid works of the flesh were wrought in us. And when on the other hand the image of the heavenly? Of course, when he saith, Ye were washed, believing in the Name of the Lord, and receiving His Spirit. But we were washed, not from the substance of our body, nor from the image of the first mould, but from our old conversation in vanity. In the same members, then, wherein we were perishing, doing what is of corruption, in the very same are we quickened, doing what is of the Spirit.