Tractates on the Gospel of John

⁸ Since, then, every one that commits sin is the servant of sin, listen to what is our hope of liberty. “And the servant,” He says, “abides not in the house for ever.” The church is the house, the servant is the sinner. Many sinners enter the church. Accordingly He has not said, “The servant” is not in the house, but “abides not in the house for ever.” If, then, there shall be no servant there, who will be there? For “when” as the Scripture speaks, “the righteous king sits on the throne, who will boast of having a clean heart?

Or who will boast that he is pure from his sin?” He has greatly alarmed us, my brethren, by saying, “The servant abides not in the house for ever.” But He further adds, “But the Son abides ever.” Will Christ, then, be alone in His house? Will no people remain at His side? Whose head will He be, if there shall be no body? Or is the Son all this, both the head and the body? For it is not without cause that He has inspired both terror and hope: terror, in order that we should not love sin; and hope, that we should not be distrustful of the remission of sin.

“Every one,” He says, “that commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abides not in the house for ever.” What hope, then, have we, who are not without sin? Listen to your hope: “The Son abides for ever. If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, then shall you be free indeed.” Our hope is this, brethren, to be made free by the free One; and that, in setting us free, He may make us His servants. For we were the servants of lust; but being set free, we are made the servants of love.

This also the apostle says: “For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Let not then the Christian say, I am free; I have been called unto liberty: I was a slave, but have been redeemed, and by my very redemption have been made free, I shall do what I please: no one may balk me of my will, if I am free. But if you commit sin with such a will, you are the servant of sin. Do not then abuse your liberty for freedom in sinning, but use it for the purpose of sinning not.

For only if your will is pious, will it be free. You will be free, if you are a servant still—free from sin, the servant of righteous ness: as the apostle says, “When you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Let us be striving after the latter, and be doing the other.