Freedom or Responsibility
God created human beings to have free will. He honoured them with reasoning and wisdom and placed before their eyes the choice between life and death. If by their free choice they walk the way of life, they can live forever. But if by choosing evil they tread the road to death, they will be punished in eternity.
The features of our human nature that we cannot alter deserve neither praise nor blame. No one was ever accused in court of being white or black skinned, or tall rather than short, because we have no choice in these matters. It is to what we can freely choose that punishment and praise belong.
In either case there is need, on the one hand, of our choice and our will, and on the other hand, of God’s co-operation and help. If one of these is missing, the other is useless.
So far as God is concerned, he never violates our liberty. Our free will is never over-ridden or crushed. Furthermore, we have received from God commandments which can make us to be like him, by helping us to lead sinless lives and become like angels among our fellow human beings. [cf. Deut. 30:19]
Niceta Stethatus The Spiritual Paradise, 2 (SC8, pp.61ff).
When We Speak of Truth and when Truth Speaks for Itself
The Greek culture that preceded the proclamation of the Gospel was not given by God to people as the only thing to think about. He gave it as the rain falls on fertile ground.
Only in this way does the grain grow. True, weeds grow at the same time, but these either wither or are pulled out. We can see the application of the Lord’s parable here.
When I speak of Greek culture, I am referring to all the good things that have been said by the various schools of thought.
However, it is one thing to speak about the truth and quite another to see the Truth who teaches us himself. One thing is the copy and the other is the original. The former is given by study, the latter by faith.
Clement of Alexandria Miscellaneous Studies, 7, I (SC30, P.73)
~ Thomas Spidlik, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain, A Patristic Breviary: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
