RPG Adults
METHODIUS
LORD’S DAY, DECEMBER 27
2 Peter 2
2 Timothy 2:14-18
“…shun profane and vain babblings:
for they will increase
unto more ungodliness.”
METHODIUS
Methodius of Olympus (died in AD 311) was a church bishop, ecclesiastical writer and martyr. He was the Bishop of Olympus in Lycia during the late third and early fourth centuries AD. The place of his martyrdom is uncertain. Jerome provided the earliest accounts of him, reporting him as Bishop of Olympus.
Methodius received a comprehensive education with a strong influence from Plato’s philosophy. As a theologian and prolific author, he wrote several books. He became of special importance in the history of theological literature, in that he combated various views of Origen’s. He was indebted to Alexandrian allegorism. However, Methodius remained faithful to the Asiatic tradition (literal and historical) of Irenaeus (who had gone to France from Asia Minor) and his realism. Methodius castigated Origen’s ideas on the pre-existence of souls, the flesh as the spirit’s prison, and the spiritual nature of the resurrected body. He was known to be the acutest among the critics of Origen.
In his “The Treatise on Free Will,” he aimed to prove in the form of a dialogue that the free will of man is responsible for evil. The bad cannot be thought of as originating in God, neither is it uncreated matter, nor eternal like God. In the discussion, Methodius rejected Origen’s idea of an indefinite succession of worlds. It seems that the treatise is directed against the dualistic system of the Valentinians and other Gnostics.
In our present generation, we are plagued with false teachers and doctrines. Thus, we need to be vigilant and watchful. The children of God must not be lazy and slack, but industrious and prolific in writing and teaching against the falsehoods of the day. We must not be like dumb dogs who just watch and wag our tails even when robbers and thieves enter the house to plunder and to take the spoil. We need to bark at, and to bite if possible, those who creep in and destroy the pure and perfect doctrines of God. Let us be awake and active, for Jesus may come at any time, and sooner than we ever think.
THOUGHT: Am I actively pointing out the error from the truth?
PRAYER: Father, may Thou keep me alert so that I will be able to note the enemy’s deception coming my way.