We'll start with the words of Christ first as is fitting:

"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." Matthew 7:21

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
The first they answered." parable of the 2 sons, Matthew 21:28-31

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Luke 13:24

"Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." John 8:51

"Moreover brethren, I declare to you the gospel...by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain." 1 Corin. 15:1-2

"Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 1 Tim. 4:16

"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience." Hebrews 4:11

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." James 2:24, see also Matt. 25:33-35; John 8:31; John 15:10; Acts 24:15-16; Romans 2:6-7


The early Christians thoughts on the role of obedience in salvation:

"He who keeps them [the commandments] will be glorified in the kingdom of God. However, he who chooses other things will destroyed with his works." Barnabas 70-130 AD

"We are justified by our works, and not our words." Clement of Rome 96 AD

"Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, will this be done? It will be done only by the following things: If our understanding is fixed by faith towards God. If we earnestly seek the things that are pleasing and acceptable to Him. If we do the things that are in harmony with His blameless will. And if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity." Clement of Rome, 96 AD

"...that He may both hear you, and perceive by your works that you are indeed the members of His Son." Ignatius, 105 AD

"The tree is made manifest by its fruit. So those who profess themselves to be Christians will be recognized by their conduct...It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not be one." Ignatius 105 AD

"This, then, is our reward if we will confess Him by whom we have been saved. But in what way will confess Him? We confess Him by doing what He says, not transgressing His commandments, and by honoring Him not only with our lips, but with all our heart and all our mind... Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He says, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he that works righteousness." For that reason, brethren, let us confess Him by our works, by loving one another." Second Clement, 150 AD

"Therefore, brethren, by doing the will of the Father, and keeping the flesh holy, and observing the commandments of the Lord, we will obtain eternal life." Second Clement, 150 AD.

"He will bestow on them the blessing which He has promised them, with much glory and joy, if only they will keep the commandments of God, which they received in great faith." Hermas, 150 AD.

"Only those who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God; but as for those who do not keep His commandments, there is no life in them." Hermas, 150 AD.

"Life is the possession of all who keep the commandments of the Lord." Hermas, 150 AD.

"WE...hasten to confess our faith, persuaded and convinced as we are that those who have proved to God by their works that they followed Him, and loved to abide with Him where there is no sin to cause disturbance, can obtain these things." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"If men by their works show themselves worthy of His design, they are deemed worthy of reigning in company with Him, being delivered from corruption and suffering. This is what we received...Those who choose what is pleasing to Him are, on account of their choice, deemed worthy of incorruption and of fellowship with Him." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"Each man goes to everlasting punishment or salvation according to the value of his actions." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"Let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood not to be Christians, even though they profess with the lips the teachings of Christ. For it is not those who make profession, but those who do the works, who will be saved." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"The Son of God has promised again to deliver us and invest us with prepared garments--if we do His commandments. And He has undertaken to provide an eternal kingdom [for us]." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"The matters of our religion lie in works, not in words." Justin Martyr, 160 AD.

"He has set before you all these things, and shows that, if you follow after evil, you will be condemned for your evil deeds. But, if you follow goodness, you will receive from Him abundant good, together with immortal life forever." Melito, 170 AD (see also Deut. 30).


To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek immortality, He will give life everlasting." Theophilus, 180 AD.

"That, then, which man brought upon himself through carelessness and disobedience, God now vouchsafes to him as a gift through His own philanthropy and pity, when men obey Him. For man drew death upon himself by disobeying. So, by obeying the will of God, he who wants to can procure for himself life everlasting. For God has given us a law and holy commandments. And everyone who keeps them can be saved. And, obtaining the resurrection, he can inherit incorruption." Theophilus, 180 AD.

"To believe in Him is to do His will." Irenaeus, 180 AD.

"We will give account to God not only of deeds (as slaves), but even of words and thoughts (as being those who have been truly received the power of liberty). For under liberty, a man is more severely tested as to whether he will reverence, fear and love the Lord...God desires obedience, which renders [worshipers] secure--ratherthan sacrifices and burnt-offerings, which avail men nothing towards righteousness." Irenaeus, 180 AD.

"With respect to obedience and doctrine, we are not all the sons of God. Rather, it is only those who truly believe in Him and do His will. Now, those who do not believe, and do not obey His will, are sons and angels of the devil...Those who do not obey Him, being disinherited by Him, have ceased to be His sons." Irenaeus, 180 AD.

"To obey the Word, whom we call the Instructor [Teacher], is to believe Him, going against Him in nothing." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Now the just will live by faith," which is according to the covenant and the commandments." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"It is the will of God that he who repents of his sins and is obedient to the commandments should be saved." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Salvation is from a change due to obedience; it is not from nature." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"To keep from wrong is the beginning of salvation." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"He who does not believe God is cheated of his own hope. And he does not believe God, who does not do what God has commanded." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"He says, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say?" For "the people who love with their lips, but have their hearts far away from the Lord" are another people. They trust in another god and have willingly sold themselves to another. But those who perform the commandments of the Lord, in every action "testify" by doing what He wishes, and consistently naming the Lord's name. They testify by deed to Him in whom they trust." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Sinners are called enemies of God--enemies, that is, of the commandments that they do not obey. In contrast, those who obey become friends. The one group [of friends] are named so from their fellowship; the others from their estrangement, which is the result of free choice." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"When we hear, "Your faith has saved you," we do not understand Him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever will be saved. For works must also follow. But it was to the Jews alone that He spoke this utterance. Those persons were Jews who kept the Law and lived blamelessly. All they lacked was faith in the Lord. No one, then, can be a believer and at the same time be licentious." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"It is well-pleasing to Him that we should be saved. And salvation is effected through both well-doing and knowledge." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"He who obtains the mastery in these struggles [against fleshly desires], and overthrows the tempter,...wins immortality...The one who has obeyed the directions of the trainer wins the day...We are born to obey the commandments, if we choose to be willing to be saved. Such is the nemesis, through which there is no escaping from God. Man's duty, then, is obedience to God. For He has proclaimed salvation manifested by the commandments." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"God ministers eternal salvation to those who cooperate for the attainment of knowledge and good conduct. Since what the commandments command are in our own power, along with the performance of them, the promise is accomplished." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Such is the reward of knowledge...abstinence from what is evil, activity in doing good, by which salvation is acquired." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Whoever obtains this and distinguishes himself in good works will gain the prize of everlasting life...Others, attaching slight importance to the works that tend to salvation, do not make the necessary preparation for attaining to the objects of their hope." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"Salvation does not depend on external things--whether they are many or few, small or great, illustrious or obscure, esteemed or not esteemed. Rather, it depends on the virtue of the soul--on faith, hope, love, brotherliness, knowledge, meekness, humility, and truth, the reward for which is salvation." Clement of Alexandria, 195 AD.

"That surrounding circle of angels do not cease to say, "Holy, Holy, Holy." In like manner, therefore, we too, are candidates for angelhood--if we succeed in deserving it. So we must begin even here on earth to learn by heart that melody." Tertullian, 198 AD.

"It is for this reason that [the Gnostics] neither regard works as necessary for themselves, nor do they observe any of the calls of duty, eluding even the necessity of martyrdom on any pretense that may suit their pleasure." Tertullian, 198 AD.

"This shows that transgressions are blotted out and that reconciliation is made for sins. But who are the ones who have reconciliation made for their sins--except those who believe on His name and propitiate His countenance by good works?" Hippolytus, 205 AD.

"It is to HIs saints who fear Him--and to them alone--that He reveals Himself. For if anyone seems to be living now in the church and yet does not have the fear of God, his companionship with the saints will avail him nothing. "Your words were heard." See how much they piety of a righteous man avails! For to him alone (as to one worthy) things are revealed that are not yet to be manifested in the world." Hippolytus, 205 AD.

"You will resemble Him--provided you obey His solemn injunctions and become a faithful follower of Him who is good." Hippolytus, 225 AD.

"The apostolic teaching is that the soul,...after its departure from the world, will be recompensed according to its deserts. It is destined to obtain either an inheritance of eternal life and blessedness (if its actions will have procured this for it) or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments--if the guilt of its crimes will have brought it down to this." Origen, 225 AD.

"The Son of God,...taking the fomr of a servant, was made obedient unto death so that He might teach obedience to those who could not obtain salvation other than by obedience." Origen, 225 AD.

"WE might interpret the saying [of Jesus] as follows: "If anyone who has grasped what salvation really is, and wishes to procure the salvation of his own life, let him do this: Bid farewell to this life, deny himself, take up his own cross, follow me, and lose his own life to the world."..If, then, we wish our life to be saved, let us lose it to the world. Let us be as one of those who have been crucified with Christ...so that we gain our end--even the salvation of our lives. For such salvation begins from the time when we lose our life for the sake of the Word...Therefore, let each one lose his own sinning life, that having lost that which is sinful, he may receive that which is saved by right actions." Origen, 245 AD.

"It is those who not only believe, but also enter upon the life that Jesus taught. This life elevates everyone who lives according to the commandments of Jesus. It elevates them to friendship with god and communion with Him." Origen, 248 AD.

"It is the Son alone who leads to God those who are striving to come near to God--by the purity of their thoughts, words, and deeds." Origen, 248 AD.

"Place, occasion, and person are now given to you; but only if you believe...Bring yourself into obedience; go to Christ and place your neck under Him." Commodianus, 240 AD.

"If you wish to live, surrender yourselves to the second law...Turn yourselves to Christ, and you will be co-workers with God." Commodianus, 240 AD.

"I designate you as barren Christians. In the Word of the Lord, the fig tree without fruit was cursed. And immediately it whithered away. You do no works! You prepare no gift for the treasury! And yet you vainly think you will deserve well of the Lord!" Commodianus, 240 AD.

"Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Assuredly, then, whoever believes in God and lives in faith is found righteous and is already blessed in faithful Abraham." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"How can a man say that he believes in Christ, if he does not do what Christ commanded him to do? From where will he attain the reward of faith, if he will not keep the faith of the commandment?...He will make no advancement in his walk toward salvation, for he does not keep the truth of the way of salvation." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"To prophesy, to cast out devils, and to do geat acts upon the earth--these are all certainly a sublime and an admirable thing. However, one does not attain the kingdom of heaven even though he is found in all these things, unless he walks in the observance of the right and just way." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"Depart from me, you workers of iniquity." There is need of righteousness, that one may deserve well of God the Judge. We must obey His teachings and warnings, so that our merits may receive their reward." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"He that is freed owes obedience to his deliverer." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"He who has not been merciful will not be able to deserve the mercy of the Lord." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"When the servant does not do what is commanded, the Lord will do what he threatens..."I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink...And these will go away into everlasting burning." Cyprian, 250 AD; (based off of Matt.25, sheep and the goats parable)

"He follows Christ who stands in His commandments, who walks in the way of His teaching, who follows His footsteps and His ways, who imitates that which Christ both did and taught...To put on the name of Christ, and yet not go in the way of Christ--what else is this but a mockery of the divine name! It is a desertion of the way of salvation. For He Himself teaches and says that the persons who keep His commandments will come into life." Cyprian, 250 AD.

"But if the wicked man will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and will do righteousness, he will live in eternal life and will not die in his wickedness." For the sins that he has committed will be abolished from memory by the good deeds that follow." Treatise against Novation, 255 AD.

"Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Let us then arouse ourselves as much as we can, beloved brethren. Breaking away from the slumber of laziness and security, let us be watchful for the observance of the Lord's commandments." Treatise against Novation, 255 AD.

"To serve God is nothing else than to maintain and preserve justice by good works." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"Labors that are endured and overcome all the way up until death, cannot fail to obtain a reward...And this reward can be nothing else but immortality." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"The spirit [of a man] must earn immortality by works of righteousness." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"He who follows truth and righteousness will enjoy perpetual light, having received the reward of immortality. But he who prefers vices to virtues and falsehood to truth (being enticed by that evil guide) must be carried to the setting of the sun and to darkness... The heavenly way is described as being difficult and hilly. It is also rough with dreadful thorns, entangled with stones jutting out. As a result, everyone must walk with the greatest labor and wearing of the feet, and with great precautions against falling." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"We must be on the watch, must post guards, must undertake military expeditions, must shed our blood to the uttermost. In short, we must patiently submit to all things that are unpleasant and grievous. We should do this all the more readily because God our Commander has appointed for us eternal rewards for our labors...Assuredly, no labor should be refused by us. For by it, that is gained which cannot be lost." Lactantius, 303-314 AD.

"God calls man to life only through virtue and labor. But the other calls us to death by delights and pleasures." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"We worship Him for this end: that we may receive immortality as the reward of our labors. For the worship of God consists of the greatest of labors." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"Those who have known God will be judged. Their deeds--that is, their evil works--wil be compared and weighed against their good ones. So that if those that are good and just are more numerous and more weighty, they will be given to a life of blessedness. But if the evil ones exceed the good ones, they will be condemned to punishment." Lactantius, 304-313 AD.

"Why, then, did God make man frail and mortal?...He did so in order that He might set before man virtue--that is, the endurance of evils and labors by which man might be able to gain the reward of immortality. For man consists of two parts, body and soul...And two lives have been assigned to man. The one is temporal, which is appointed for the body. The other is everlasting, and it belongs to the soul. We receive the first life at our birth. We attain to the latter by striving, so that immortality might not exist to man without any difficulty...For this reason, He ahs given us this present life: that we may either lose that true and eternal life by our vices, or win it by virtue." Lactantius 304-313 AD.

"Many are still perishing--those who have not chosen to devote themselves to works of righteousness. For only those who have received Him..."have obtained power to become the sons of God."" Disputation of Archelaus and Manes, 320 AD.

Notice many of the taboo words (to many self-professing Christians):

-labors
-striving
-works
-deeds
-actions
-obedience/obey
-observe commandments

These are common throughout the writings of the early Christians. They taught by lifestyle and not by doctrine/theology which is commonplace today.

No one wishes to challenge the veracity of these statements?

Sadly, the words and writings of these Holy saints and early Christians were omitted in the writing of the Bible.

ST. BARNABAS, Apostle.
WE read that in the first days of the Church, "the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul; neither did any one say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own." Of this fervent company, one only is singled out by name, Joseph, a rich Levite, from Cyprus. "He having land sold it, and brought the price and laid it at the feet of the apostles." They now gave him a new name, Barnabas, the son of consolation. He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and was soon chosen for an important mission to the rapidly-growing Church of Antioch. Here he perceived the great work which was to be done among the Greeks, so he hastened to fetch St. Paul from his retirement at Tarsus. It was at Antioch that the two Saints were called to the apostolate of the Gentiles, and hence they set out together to Cyprus and the cities of Asia Minor. Their preaching struck men with amazement, and some cried out, "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men," calling Paul Mercury, and Barnabas Jupiter. The Saints travelled together to the Council of Jerusalem, but shortly after this they parted. When Agabus prophesied a great famine, Barnabas, no longer rich, was chosen by the faithful at Antioch as most fit to bear, with St. Paul, their generous offerings to the Church of Jerusalem. The gentle Barnabas, keeping with him John, surnamed Mark, whom St. Paul distrusted, betook himself to Cyprus, where the sacred history leaves him; and here, at a later period, he won his martyr's crown.

Reflection.—St. Barnabas's life is full of suggestions to us who live in days when once more the abundant alms of the faithful are sorely needed by the whole Church, from the Sovereign Pontiff to the poor children in our streets.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894],

ST. CLEMENT OF ROME
ST. CLEMENT is said to have been a convert of noble birth, and to have been consecrated bishop by St. Peter himself. With the words of the apostles still ringing in his ears, he began to rule the Church of God; and thus he was among the first, as he was among the most illustrious, in the long line of those who have held the place and power of Peter. He lived at the same time and in the same city with Domitian, the persecutor of the Church; and besides external foes he had to contend with schism and rebellion from within. The Corinthian Church was torn by intestine strife, and its members set the authority of their clergy at defiance. It was then that St. Clement interfered in the plenitude of his apostolic authority, and sent his famous epistle to the Corinthians. He urged the duties of charity, and above all of submission to the clergy.

He did not speak in vain; peace and order were restored. St. Clement had done his work on earth, and shortly after sealed with his blood the Faith which he had learned from Peter and taught to the nations.

Reflection.—God rewards a simple spirit of submission to the clergy, for the honor done to them is done to Him. Your virtue is unreal, your faith in danger, if you fail in this.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894],

ST. IGNATIUS, Bishop, Martyr.
ST. IGNATIUS, Bishop of Antioch, was the disciple of St. John. When Domitian persecuted the Church, St. Ignatius obtained peace for his own flock by fasting and prayer. But for his part he desired to suffer with Christ, and to prove himself a perfect disciple. In the year 107, Trajan came to Antioch, and forced the Christians to choose between apostasy and death. "Who art thou, poor devil," the emperor said when Ignatius was brought before him, "who settest our commands at naught?" "Call not him 'poor devil,'" Ignatius answered, "who bears God within him." And when the emperor questioned him about his meaning, Ignatius explained that he bore in his heart Christ crucified for his sake. Thereupon the emperor condemned him to be torn to pieces by wild beasts at Rome. St. Ignatius thanked God, Who had so honored him, "binding him in the chains of Paul, His apostle."

He journeyed to Rome, guarded by soldiers, and with no fear except of losing the martyr's crown. He was devoured by lions in the Roman amphitheatre. The wild beasts left nothing of his body, except a few bones, which were reverently treasured at Antioch, until their removal to the Church of St. Clement at Rome, in 637. After the martyr's death, several Christians saw him in vision standing before Christ, and interceding for them.