Free Grace Theology In The Early Church (Updated)

There are those who claim that the concept of Free Grace is entirely novel, lacking any historical precedence. While our beliefs should be grounded in scripture, this article aims to address any doubts regarding the presence of Free Grace throughout history for those who struggle with it, and to provide an interesting research topic for those who are already strong in the faith.

Ante-Nicene

Within the earliest early church writings, we have general references to justification by faith alone from multiple Christian writers, such as Polycarp (2nd century), Clement of Rome (1st century), Mathetes (2nd century) and the more unknown Odes of Solomon (1st century). The following quotes seem to imply some kind of understanding of faith alone:

Clement of Rome

All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Letter to the Corinthians)

In whom was it possible for us, the lawless and ungodly, to be justified, except in the Son of God alone? O sweet exchange, O the incomprehensible work of God, O the unexpected blessings, that the sinfulness of many should be hidden in one righteous man, while the righteousness of one should justify many sinners ( Epistle to Diognetus/Mathetes)

 In whom, though now you see Him not, you believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;  into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that by grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ. (Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians)

However, many of these early Christians are very ambigious, as these letters were not written as theological treatises. For example, although Polycarp mentions salvation by faith without works, he later exhorts his audience to do good works to reign with Christ. May Polycarp have distinguished reigning from salvation? Maybe, but we cannot be certain. However, the late 1st century to early 2nd century writing "Odes of Solomon", likely written by an Essene convert to Christianity seems to make some statements that more strongly may imply eternal security. Consider these following quotes:

Ode 4:13 For that which You gave, You gave freely, so that no longer will You draw back and take them again. 

Ode 5:3 Freely did I receive Your grace, may I live by it.

Ode 4:3 The ancient one shall not be perverted by those which are inferior to it. You have given Your heart, O Lord, to Your believers.

Ode 29:5-6 And I humbled my enemies, and He justified me by His grace. For I believed in the Lord's Messiah, and considered that He is the Lord.

Ode 17:2 And I was justified by my Lord, for my salvation is incorruptible.

Ode 25: 12 And I was justified by His kindness, and His rest is for ever and ever. Hallelujah. 

In addition to affirming that salvation is by grace, not of works, the writing seems to affirm the finality of salvation by describing it as "incorruptible" and by his statement that "no longer will You draw back and take them again".  The Odes may be the earliest possible writing that may be understood as teaching eternal security outside the New Testament.

 Additionally, what deserves a brief mention is Tertullian's understanding of the Greek term "metanoia" (repentance). Although Tertullian clearly did not teach Free Grace soteriology, as he was clearly involved in a works justification system, he affirmed the view that "repentance" refers to a change of mind, not to turning from sins, as he writes:

Now in Greek the word for repentance (metanoia) is formed, not from the confession of a sin, but from a change of mind, which in God we have shown to be regulated by the occurrence of  varying circumstances (Against Marcion, book 2, chapter 24)

We see the usage of the Greek term "metanoia" (repentance) in the earliest Christian writings as a reference to a change of mind multiple times. The following examples show the usage of the term in reference to a change of mind, not turning from sin:

Martyrdom of Polycarp (2nd century):

“The Proconsul said unto him, ‘I have wild beasts ready; to those I will cast thee, unless thou repent [metanoēsēis].’ He answered, ‘Call for them, then: for we Christians are fixed in our minds, not to change [i.e. not to repent] from good to evil. But it will be good for me to be changed from my grievous (sufferings) to their just reward. The Proconsul added, ‘Seeing thou despises the wild beasts, I will cause thee to be devoured with fire, unless thou shalt repent [metanoēsēis].’ Polycarp answered, ‘Thou threatenest me with fire, which burns for an hour, and in a little while is extinguished: for thou knowest not the fire of the future judgment, and of that eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt.”

Clement of Alexandria (2nd century):

“The devil is responsible for his actions. He was capable of changing his mind [metanoēsai] or of committing the theft. It is he who bears responsibility for the theft, not the Lord who did not prevent him.” (Stromateis, (John Ferguson translation)

Lactantius (3rd century) 

“For he who repents of that which he has done, understands his former error; and on this account the Greeks better and more significantly speak of ‘metanoia,’ which we may speak of in Latin as a return to a right understanding.” (Divine Institutes, (William Fletcher translation):)

Lactantius is especially powerful, as he testifies to the usage of the term as a synonym for belief, not as a turning from sins, contrition or such.  

Post-Nicene 

Within the post-Nicene era, we have more explicit mentions of Free Grace soteriology. Augustine, for instance, vehemently debated against the notion of carnal Christians attaining salvation solely through faith, yet he acknowledged their acceptance within the broader Christian community. He highlighted this stance in his writings, including his treatise "On Faith and Works" and "The City of God". We find quotes in Augustine such as:

But, say they, the catholic Christians have Christ for a foundation, and they have not fallen away from union with Him, no matter how depraved a life they have built on this foundation, as wood, hay, stubble; and accordingly the well-directed faith by which Christ is their foundation will suffice to deliver them some time from the continuance of that fire, though it be with loss, since those things they have built on it shall be burned.ire, though it be with loss, since those things they have built on it shall be burned. (1 Corinthians 3:15) - City of God, book 21

(The Latin term "catholicus" translated as "catholic" does not refer to the Roman Catholic church, but was a designation given by early Christians to those not deemed outside the body of Christ)

Augustine even mentions people who explicitly affirmed that even those who leave the faith will be saved:

  “But let us now reply to those who promise deliverance from eternal fire, not to the devil and his angels (as neither do they of whom we have been speaking), nor even to all men whatever, but only to those who have been washed by the baptism of Christ, and have become partakers of His body and blood, no matter how they have lived, no matter what heresy or impiety they have fallen into" 

(The terms for baptism and becoming partakers of His body and blood may be understood as references to being born again instead of the sacraments (1 Corinthians 12:13,John 6:35)

He repeated the same point again in His book "On Faith and Works":

"But the reason why our opponents think that the one person may be admitted, but not the other, is this: they think that these persons are saved, although by fire, if they believe in Christ.... They are saved, so they think, even though they do not correct their evil ways"

In his book "Early Christian Doctrines," the scholar John Norman Davidson Kelly, who does not align with Free Grace theology, discusses Jerome's views on salvation. Kelly notes that Jerome makes a distinction, suggesting that while those who have rejected God will face eternal torment, those who have placed their trust in Christ, even if they have sinned and strayed, will ultimately find salvation:

Jerome

"Jerome develops the same distinction, stating that, while the Devil and the impious who have denied God will be tortured without remission, those who have trusted in Christ, even if they have sinned and fallen away, will eventually be saved. Much the same teaching appears in Ambrose, developed in greater detail."  ( John Norman Davidson Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, second edition (Harper & Row publishers, 1960)

 Kelly appears to be referencing Jerome's statement: "He who with all his spirit has placed his faith in Christ, even if he dies in sin, shall by his faith live forever." (Epistola CXIX, Ad Minervium et Alexandrum Monachos, §7, PL 22:973). 

Individuals teaching salvation by faith alone were additionally still mentioned by Caesarius of Arles (470-542ad), who wrote the following:

For many say: I believe; and they think that faith alone without good works is sufficient. (Sermon 186)

Jovinian

Among the early Christian thinkers, Jovinian, who lived until 405, possibly hinted at an understanding of eternal security, although his surviving writings are incomplete. Church historian Philip Schaff suggested that Jovinian might have leaned towards the Calvinistic doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, albeit without explicitly attributing it to God's unchanging counsel. However, Jovinian's statements, such as "Those who are once born again with full faith by (spiritual) baptism cannot be overcome by the devil," do not necessarily align with the Calvinistic notion that all justified individuals will persevere in faith until the end. Instead, they may simply assert that once justified, an individual cannot lose their standing before God, without directly addressing the question of ongoing faithfulness. Jovinian’s surviving writings are too fragmented to draw definitive conclusions, but it's plausible that he held an early understanding of eternal security. Nevertheless, despite Jovinian's possible understanding of eternal security, he was known to have rejected the concept of eternal rewards (which was one reason why Jerome criticized him), and thus may align more closely with "Hyper-Grace" theology.

Around the 4th to 5th centuries, Pseudo-Chrysostom expressed perspectives reminiscent of Free Grace theology. In his commentary on Matthew, he suggests that certain individuals who enter the kingdom may be excluded from "reigning" with Christ. Pseudo-Chrysostom's stance thus implies the possibility of disobedient individuals attaining salvation:

But seeing that to break the least commandments and not to keep them are 

one and the same, why does He say above of him that breaks the 

commandments, that he shall be the least in the kingdom of heaven, and here 

of him who keeps them not, that he shall not enter into the kingdom of 

heaven? … For a man to be in the kingdom is not to reign with Christ, but 

only to be numbered among Christ’s people; what He says then of him that 

breaks the commandments is, that he shall indeed be reckoned among

Christians, yet the least of them. But he who enters into the kingdom, 

becomes partaker of His kingdom with Christ. Therefore, he who does not 

enter into the kingdom of heaven, shall not indeed have a part of Christ’s 

glory, yet shall he be in the kingdom of heaven

During Bede's lifetime (672-735), he would have encountered proponents of the Free Grace perspective, as evident in his commentary on the Epistle of James, where he rebukes those advocating for Free Grace theology:

"Although the apostle Paul preached that we are justified by faith without works, those who understand by this that it does not matter whether they live evil lives or do wicked and terrible things, as long as they believe in Christ, because salvation is through faith, have made a great mistake. James here expounds how Paul's words ought to be understood. This is why he uses the example of Abraham, whom Paul also used as an example of faith, to show that the patriarch also performed good works in the light of his faith. It is therefore wrong to interpret Paul in such a way as to suggest that it did not matter whether Abraham put his faith into practice or not. What Paul meant was that no one obtains the gift of justification on the basis of merit derived from works performed beforehand, because the gift of justification comes only from faith." (Concerning the Epistle of St. James)

Bede's use of the phrase "those who understand by this" clearly indicates his recognition of this doctrine being taught in his time. Bede disapproves of this belief, highlighting its existence alongside his disapproval. Notably, the individuals Bede criticized do not align with the classical Reformed or Lutheran perspective of faith alone, as he mentioned the belief that immoral conduct has no bearing on salvation, indicating the presence of individuals arguing for the salvation of even the morally compromised Christian. 

Despite almost all the previous mentions being from western Christianity (as it seems Free Grace was primarily a western doctrine), some eastern writers such as Chrysostom (347 – 407) addresses objections likely raised by early proponents of a Free Grace ideology in several instances, as evidenced in his commentary on John. For instance:

"He that believeth on the Son, is not judged." He that "believeth," not he that is over-curious: he that "believeth," not the busybody. But what if his life be unclean, and his deeds evil? It is of such as these especially that Paul declares, that they are not true believers at all"

"Is it then enough, says one, to believe in the Son, that one may have eternal life? By no means."

Chrysostom's responses suggest a rebuttal to arguments advocating for salvation based solely on faith, drawing from the Gospel of John. This indicates his awareness of such arguments circulating, implying the existence of Free Grace theology. 

Conclusion

These facts show the early existence of Free Grace ideas on topics such as apostasy, eternal security and repentance. Although scripture is our final authority, and church history should not determine our beliefs authoritatively, this demonstrates the fact that Free Grace is not a new idea. While the accounts of Free Grace theology mainly come from hostile sources, this is likely due to the fact that as time progressed, Augustinian influence (which rejected the concept) caused their writings to stop being copied, as zealous Augustinian scribes would prefer not to spend long time copying treatises which are contrary to their ideas.

(AI was used to refine the language used in this article, however the substance of the text is all human made)