Chapter 39—The Beginning of Faith is God’s Gift.

Finally, also, in what follows this testimony, the apostle gives thanks to God on behalf of those who have believed;—not, certainly, because the gospel has been declared to them, but because they have believed. For he says, “In whom also after ye had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also, after I had heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and with reference to all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you.”125    Eph. i. 13 ff. Their faith was new and recent on the preaching of the gospel to them, which faith when he hears of, the apostle gives thanks to God on their behalf. If he were to give thanks to man for that which he might either think or know that man had not given, it would be called a flattery or a mockery, rather than a giving of thanks. “Do not err, for God is not mocked;”126    Gal. vi. 7. for His gift is also the beginning of faith, unless the apostolic giving of thanks be rightly judged to be either mistaken or fallacious. What then? Does that not appear as the beginning of the faith of the Thessalonians, for which, nevertheless, the same apostle gives thanks to God when he says, “For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because when ye had received from us the word of the hearing of God, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh in you and which ye believed”?127    1 Thess. ii. 13. What is that for which he here gives thanks to God? Assuredly it is a vain and idle thing if He to whom he gives thanks did not Himself do the thing. But, since this is not a vain and idle thing, certainly God, to whom he gave thanks concerning this work, Himself did it; that when they had received the word of the hearing of God, they received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God. God, therefore, worketh in the hearts of men with that calling according to His purpose, of which we have spoken a great deal, that they should not hear the gospel in vain, but when they heard it, should be converted and believe, receiving it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God.

39. Denique et in hujus testimonii consequentibus, Deo gratias agit Apostolus pro his qui crediderunt, non utique quoniam eis annuntiatum est Evangelium, sed quoniam crediderunt. Ait enim: In quo et vos audientes verbum veritatis Evangelium salutis vestrae, in quo credentes signati estis Spiritu promissionis sancto, qui est pignus haereditatis nostrae, in redemptionem acquisitionis, in laudem gloriae ipsius: propter hoc et ego audita fide vestra in Christo Jesu et in omnes sanctos, non cesso gratias agere pro vobis (Ephes. I, 13-16). Nova erat et recens eorum fides praedicato sibi Evangelio, qua fide audita, gratias Deo pro eis agit Apostolus. Si homini gratias ageret pro eo quod illum vel putaret non praestitisse vel nosset, adulatio vel irrisio verius quam gratiarum actio diceretur. Nolite errare; Deus non irridetur (Galat. VI, 7): donum enim ejus est etiam incipiens fides, ne Apostoli falsa vel fallax gratiarum actio merito judicetur. Quid illud? nonne initium fidei apparet Thessalonicensium, de quo tamen idem apostolus Deo gratias agit, dicens, Propterea et nos gratias agimus Deo sine intermissione, quoniam cum percepissetis a nobis verbum auditus Dei, excepistis non ut verbum hominum, sed sicut est vere verbum Dei, quod operatur in vobis, cui credidistis (I Thess. II, 13)? Quid est quod hinc Deo gratias agit? Nempe vanum est atque inane, si cui gratias agit, hoc ipse non fecit . Sed quia hoc vanum et inane non est, profecto Deus cui de hoc opere gratias agit, ipse fecit, ut cum percepissent ab Apostolo verbum auditus Dei, exciperent illud non ut verbum hominum, sed sicut est vere, verbum Dei. Deus igitur operatur in cordibus hominum, vocatione illa secundum propositum suum, de qua multum locuti sumus, ut non inaniter audiant Evangelium, sed eo audito convertantur et credant, excipientes non ut verbum hominum, sed sicut est vere verbum Dei.