Letter 7015: Gregory to George, Presbyter, and to Theodore, deacon, of the Church of Constantinople. Mindful of your goodness and charity, I greatly blame myself, that I gave you leave to return so soon: but, since I saw you pressing me importunately once and again for leave to go, I considered that it might be a serious matter for your Love to tarry with us...

Gregory to George, Presbyter, and Theodore, Deacon, of the Church of Constantinople. Mindful of your goodness and charity, I blame myself greatly for having given you leave to return so soon. But since I saw you pressing me repeatedly and urgently for permission to go, I considered that it might cause your Love real difficulty to remain with us any longer. After I learned, however, that you had been delayed so long on your journey by the winter season, I confess I was sorry to have let you go so soon — for if your Love was unable to proceed as intended, it would have been better for you to have lingered with me than away from me. Moreover, after your departure I learned from my most beloved son the deacons that your Love had said that our Almighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when he descended into hell, saved all who acknowledged him there as God and delivered them from their deserved punishment. On this matter I wish your Charity to think very differently. For when he descended into hell, he delivered through his grace only those who both believed that he would come and had kept his commandments in their lives. For it is clear that after the Lord's incarnation, no one can be saved — even among those who hold the faith — who does not have the life of faith. As it is written: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions" (Titus 1:16). And John says: "Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar" (1 John 2:4). James, the Lord's brother, also writes: "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20). If then believers today cannot be saved without good works, while the unbelieving and reprobate were saved without good action by our Lord's descent into hell, then those who never witnessed the Lord's incarnation would have fared better than those born after the mystery of his incarnation. But how foolish it is to say or think this, the Lord himself testifies to his disciples: "Many kings and prophets longed to see what you see and did not see it" (Matthew 13:17; Luke 10:24). But so as not to detain your Love with arguments of my own, consider what Philaster says about this heresy in the book he wrote on heresies. His words are these: "They are heretics who say that the Lord descended into hell and announced himself after death to all who were already there, so that in acknowledging him there they might be saved — since this contradicts the prophet David where he says, 'In hell, who will acknowledge you?' (Psalm 6:5), and the Apostle: 'All who have sinned outside the law will also perish outside the law' (Romans 2:12)." With these words the blessed Augustine also agrees in the book he wrote on heresies. Considering all these things, therefore, hold to nothing but what the true faith teaches through the Catholic Church: namely, that the Lord in descending into hell rescued from that imprisonment only those whom while living in the body he had preserved through his grace in faith and good conduct. For when he says in the Gospel, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32), he means all who are elect — for no one can be drawn to God after death who has separated himself from God through an evil life. May Almighty God keep you under his protection, so that wherever you are, you may feel in soul and body the help of his grace.

Book VII, Letter 15 To George, Presbyter. Gregory to George, Presbyter, and to Theodore, deacon, of the Church of Constantinople. Mindful of your goodness and charity, I greatly blame myself, that I gave you leave to return so soon: but, since I saw you pressing me importunately once and again for leave to go, I considered that it might be a serious matter for your Love to tarry with us longer. But, after I had learned that you had lingered so long on your journey owing to the winter season, I confess that I was sorry that you had been sent away so soon. For, if your Love was unable to accomplish your intended journey, it had been better that you had lingered with me than away from me. Moreover, after your departure I learned from information given me by my most beloved sons the deacons that your Love had said that our Almighty Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when He descended into hell, saved all who there acknowledged Him as God, and delivered them from the pains due to them. With regard to this subject I desire that your Charity should think very differently. For, when He descended into hell, He delivered through His grace those only who both believed that He should come and observed His precepts in their lives. For it is evident that after the incarnation of the Lord no one can be saved, even of those who hold His faith, who have not the life of faith; since it is written, They acknowledge that they know God, but in deeds they deny Him Titus 1:16. And John says, He that says that he knows Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar 1 John 2:4. James also, the brother of the Lord, writes saying, Faith without works is dead James 2:20. If, then, believers now are not saved without good works, while the unbelieving and reprobate without good action were saved by our Lord descending into hell, then the lot of those who never saw the incarnation of the Lord was better than that of these who have been born after the mystery of His incarnation. But what fatuity it argues to say or think this the Lord Himself testifies to His disciples, when He says, Many kings and prophets have desired to see the things which you see, and have not seen them Matthew 13:17; Luke 10:24. But, that I may not detain your Love with argument of my own, learn what Philaster, in the book which he wrote about heresies, says about this heresy. His words are these; They are heretics who say that the Lord descended into hell, and announced himself after death to all who were already there, so that in acknowledging Him there they might be saved; seeing that this is contrary to the prophet David where he says, But in hell who shall acknowledge you Psalm 6:6? And to the Apostle; As many as have sinned without law shall perish without law Romans 2:12. And with his words the blessed Augustine also agrees in the book which he wrote about heresies. Considering, therefore, all these things, hold nothing but what the true faith teaches through the Catholic Church: namely, that the Lord in descending into hell rescued from infernal durance those only whom while living in the flesh He preserved through His grace in faith and good conduct. For in that which He says in the Gospel, When I shall be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself John 12:32, He means all that are elect. For one could not be drawn to God after death who had separated himself from God by evil living. May Almighty God keep you under His protection, that, wherever you are, you may feel in soul and body the aid of His grace. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360207015.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.