The one God, who has spoken in one word, the one son of God, has given one law, one commandment and one way of life that all may follow. As there is one good God so there is one goodness. The good life consists in becoming like God who has made man free to follow his law and regain his likeness. Clement writes: ‘For those who serve one God must ensure that their goods and possessions also exhibit the signs of a life that is one and good, and each individual must be seen to practise, with unwavering faith, other things which conform to this uniform plan and are in harmony with this one disposition’ (paed. 2.3.38. My emphasis).

ONE GOD, ONE LAW

Antithesis of law

Three of the groups hostile to Christianity (Romans, philosophers and Jews) are concerned with law and the Christian lack of it. For Celsus, Christians represented the antithesis of law. They hid in the dark, like criminals, bats, ants, frogs, or indeed worms in a dung heap, as they argued and competed for the place of first sinner (Cels. 4.23). A religion must be visible if it is to be acceptable and the obscurity of Jesus' birth is matched by the secrecy of his followers.