Asher Sisneros

The First Apology of Justin Martyr became a Christian classic. It was a famous defense of Christian morality that refuted nearly every Roman criticism. The book even elaborated on the parallels between Christianity and Greek Hellenism, proving how illogical the Christian persecutions were. Justin Martyr was a daring Christian who stood against the tyrannical Roman emperors. He wrote The First Apology to Emperor Antoninus Pius. It was a call for the Emperor to purge the discrimination and persecution of Christians. Eventually, Emperor Marcus Aurelius murdered Justin as a Christian martyr, giving him the widely accepted name Justin Martyr. While The First Apology of Justin Martyr became a staple in the church, it was also partially at odds with the teachings of the Apostle Paul in Romans. While Justin contributed immensely to the church, he and Paul disagreed on God’s sovereignty in electing believers. They disagreed over predestination. 

Justin condemns the doctrine of predestination in chapter forty-three. He believed predestination undermined the basis for punishment since the person being predestined to either be good or evil could not possibly act contrary to God’s command. He argued that under that belief, people are not punished for their evil actions, but based on God’s whims. Since God is described as just and merciful in the Bible, Justin believed it was absurd to believe that God elected some to salvation and others to eternal condemnation. He thought it was absurd for God to appoint some as good and others as bad.

“We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments and chastisements and good rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power … But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards.”

Justin Martyr, First Apology of Justin Martyr, chapter 43

Paul disagreed with Justin. He thought God was sovereign over everything and possessed the power to move hearts like He did when he hardened the Pharaoh’s heart. In addition to arguing God possessed the power, he said God used that power. All men were born into sin through Adam, and they all deserved death. Paul stated plainly in Romans nine that it was God’s divine right to show mercy to anyone He wished, and it was inappropriate for the clay to question the potter.

“As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’¹ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.’ Therefore He has mercy on whom He will, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?’ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”

Apostle Paul, Romans 9:13-21

To be clear, Justin Martyr believed God was sovereign. He was a faithful Christian who died a horrendous death for his faith. Paul did the same thing. While it is impossible to truly judge the hearts of men—only God knows who is saved—both men were most likely saved. No one disputes that. Both were Christians, but they disagreed on the extent of God’s sovereignty. Justin thought God was the sovereign King, but he did not believe God elected some to salvation and others to hell. In fact, Justin did not think God shaped events in history to conform to His heavenly plan. He did not believe in predestination. The Apostle Paul took the more “radical” stance that God is sovereign over everything, ordaining some people to choose salvation and others to reject it. It seems like a harsh belief. Justin certainly thought it was. But Paul was an apostle, and he disagreed. As he stated in Romans nine, who is the clay to speak back to the potter? The wage of sin is death. Adam and his descendants deserved nothing but torment in hell. If justice demands death, how is it harsh for God to give some mercy?

In conclusion, Justin Martyr and the Apostle Paul disagreed over predestination. Justin thought it was unjust for God to punish people when they acted according to His will. Paul believed it was merciful for God to give salvation to some when all deserved eternal death before they were born as inheritors of Adam’s sin.

1. Exodus 33:19 ↩︎