Minicius Felix was a pagan living in the latter part of the first century. Prior to converting to Christianity he was an avid enemy of the faith, much like Saul of Tarsus who later became Paul the Apostle.
Here you can read his thoughts about the Christian sect prior to receiving Christ as Lord:
Before Conversion
"The Christians, they form a rabble of profane conspiracy, they despise temples as if they were tombs, they despise the titles and the purple robe of the high government office, though they are hardly able to cloth themselves in their own nakedness.
Just like a rank growth of weeds the abominable haunts where this impious confederacy meet are multiplying all over the world. Root and branch like a weed, it should be exterminated. Because they love one another before they even know one another, they practise a cult of lust calling one another brother and sister indiscriminately."
A few years later, having been won over by the intense faith of the martyrs, and being humbled by their radical love for the poor, and one another, Felix surrendered his life to Jesus and wrote this:
After Conversion to Christ
"That we should be considered poor is no disgrace to us, but an honor. A life of luxury weakens the spirit. Frugality makes it strong. And yet, how can anyone be considered poor who does not feel any want, who does not covet what belongs to others, who is rich in God's eyes? Much more should he be considered poor who always craves for more while he already has much.
"Let me tell you what I think. No one can be as poor as he was at birth...Just as a man traveling on the road is the better off the lighter his bundle, so too, he who makes himself light by poverty, who does not need to pant under the burden of wealth, is happiest on his journey through life. If we regarded wealth as useful then we would ask God for it. He surely could give us a share of it, for everything belongs to Him, but we would rather despise wealth than have it in our hands."
--I wish Felix was alive today. I would gladly support his radio and television ministry if he were bold enough to preach such truths to America. We need this truth to be spoken over us.
"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." - Ezekiel 16:48-50
Thanks for sharing this (I found you through a link at "my church journey"), I'm not sure which is more powerful, what Felix says before his conversion or after. I hope that such awful things can be said about me like: he despises the temple and the purple robes, he loves people before he knows them, and he calls them brother and sister indiscriminately. great quotes!
ReplyDelete-Dan
I have had most of my possessions striped away recently, at first I was in shock, but as it all began to settle in I began to realize that God was preparing me to travel light and fast. So lets see what you have in store Father.
ReplyDeleteEdwin
If there's any source material that confirms these quotes are before and after a Marcus Minucius Felix conversion, I'd love to be pointed to them. That's how Shane Claiborne states it in his Jesus for President book, but my understanding is this is Marcus Minucius Felix recording a dialog between pagan Caecilius Natalis and Christian Octavius Januarius in his work Octavius. (Don't mean to nitpick; its just that if people know of a source I don't know about for this i'd love to check it out. Also, doesn't change the meaning or spirit of the dialog).
ReplyDeleteI found this myself in an excellent book by Eberhardt Arnold called "Early Christians".
ReplyDelete