Basil of Caesarea

In his own words on Romans

• Romans 1:20

  You will find that the world was not devised at random or to no purpose, but to contribute to some useful end and to the great advantage of all beings. It is truly a training place for rational souls and a school for attaining the knowledge of God. Through visible and perceptible objects it provides guidance to the mind for the contemplation of the invisible.

  HOMILY ONE, CREATION OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH 1.6

• Romans 1:20

  In all things visible, clear reminders of the Benefactor grip us. We shall not give any opportunity for sins, nor shall we leave any place in our hearts for the enemy, if we have God as a dweller in us by our constant remembrance of him.

  HEXAMERON 3.10

• Romans 1:32

  Perverted human tradition is the source of great evil for us, in that some sins are denounced while others are viewed with indifference. Crimes like homicide and adultery are the object of a violent but feigned indignation while others, like anger, reviling, drunkenness or avarice, are not considered deserving of even a simple admonition.

  ON THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

• Romans 2:23

  If we prefer a life of pleasure to the life of obedience to the commandments, how can we expect a life of blessedness, fellowship with the saints and the delights of the angelic company in the presence of Christ? Such expectations are truly the fantasies of a foolish mind.

  THE LONG RULES, PREFACE

• Romans 5:3

  For those who are well prepared, tribulations are like certain foods and exercises for athletes which lead the contestant on to the inheritance of glory. When we are reviled, we bless; maligned, we entreat; ill-treated, we give thanks; afflicted, we glory in our afflictions.

  HOMILY 16

• Romans 5:10

  There are many passages of this sort, which set forth with clarity and splendor the great, ineffable benevolence of God in freely pardoning our sins and granting us the means and the power of performing righteous acts for the glory of God and his Christ, in the hope of receiving eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  CONCERNING BAPTISM 1.2

• Romans 6:6

  By these words we are taught that he who is baptized in Christ is baptized in his death and is not only buried with Christ and planted together with him but is first of all crucified with him. Thus we are instructed that, as he who is crucified is separated from the living, so also he who has been crucified with Christ in the likeness of his death is completely set apart from those who live according to the old man.

  CONCERNING BAPTISM 1.2

• Romans 6:7

  He is set free, he is delivered, he is cleansed of all sin, and not sin in word and deed only but also of all irrational movements of the mind.

  CONCERNING BAPTISM 1.2

• Romans 6:13

  This injunction would be successfully carried out, I believe, if we were willing always to keep the same disposition of mind as we had at the time of danger. For surely we realized to some degree the vanity of life, as well as the unreliability and instability of human affairs, which change so easily. And in all likelihood we felt contrition for our past faults and promised that for the future, if we were saved we would serve God with watchful exactitude.

  LETTER 26

• Romans 7:9

  When the commandment, i.e., the power of the discernment of the good, came, the mind did not prevail over the baser thoughts but permitted its reason to be enslaved by the passions. Then sin revived but the mind died, suffering death because of its transgressions.

  EXEGETIC HOMILIES 10.5

• Romans 8:37

  He conquers who does not yield to those who lead on by force, but he is more than conqueror who voluntarily invites sorrows for a demonstration of his endurance.

  HOMILIES 22

• Romans 11:21

  Judgment will be in accordance with grace, and the Judge will make examination of how you have used the graces bestowed upon you.

  HOMILY 20

• Romans 12:3

  Paul clearly allots to each one the form of ministry which is right for him and forbids him to encroach on another's territory when he says this.

  CONCERNING BAPTISM 2.8

• Romans 12:6

  No one has the capacity to receive all spiritual gifts, but the grace of the Spirit is given proportionately to the faith of each one.

  THE LONG RULES 7

• Romans 13:1

  The ruler is saved not through much power but through divine grace.

  EXEGETIC HOMILIES 15.9

• Romans 13:2

  True and perfect obedience of subjects to their superior is shown not only by their refraining from every untoward action in accordance with his advice but also by their not doing even what is approved without his consent.

  AN ASCETICAL DISCOURSE

• Romans 13:3

  It is right to submit to higher authority whenever a command of God is not violated thereby.

  THE MORALS 79.1

• Romans 14:15

  The Christian must serve everyone who is upset with him in every way, at least insofar as he can.

  THE MORALS 5.3

• Romans 14:23

  If "all that is not of faith is sin, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God," then everything outside holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin.

  THE MORALS 80.22