Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
History and Religion
Divine Justice And The Resurrection

Divine Justice And The Resurrection

Last updated on: September 27, 2026 at 1:09 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

Divine Justice And The Resurrection 2026-09-27T01:09:05-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

George E. Koronaios: Mural depicting St. Callistratus at the Cathedral of Athens / Wikimedia Commons

Belief in the resurrection from the dead developed in the Jewish tradition as a way to defend the belief that God’s divine justice ruled, in some fashion, over the world. The Jews wanted to believe God is just and that God would find a way to reward those who lived and died righteously while suffering greatly during their lives, especially if they died defending their faith. If they didn’t receive their just rewards while they lived, and God didn’t do something afterward, it would call into question all the rewards God promised. Why didn’t the just get them? It isn’t hard to imagine that this would lead some, if not many, to abandon their faith in God. While some might answer such a question by saying doing good is its own reward, that requires a level of self-reflection and philosophical wisdom most do not possess. Thus, the solution offered was the resurrection of the dead, where God’s promises would be fulfilled in an extraordinary way. Not every Jewish believer accepted this conclusion, which is why belief in the resurrection was debated among the Jews in the first century, a debate we find Christians entered. Christianity would not only affirm the resurrection, but Christianity saw it was tied to Jesus, as he would be seen as the “firstborn from the dead.” Christians agreed that the resurrection was connected with divine justice, which is why the Nicene Creed says Jesus will come again “to judge the living and the dead.” Christians affirmed the reality of divine justice, but they also knew it transcended human conceptions of justice, that it will include elements of mercy and grace. What was important, however, is that Christians agreed with many of their Jewish predecessors that the resurrection from the dead would be able to fix and make right what was not right in history, and that people will be rewarded or punished, in part, for what they did in their lives. In other words, they will reap what they sow and that “ he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6b RSV).

From the beginning of Christian history, Christians have taken on the example of Jewish martyrs, like the Maccabees, and honored them as they honored Christians who followed their example. They believed God’s divine justice not only would reward, but in some fashion has already rewarded, those who were killed when they were told to renounce their faith and didn’t. But, the early Christian communities wanted to make it clear, for someone to be honored as a martyr, for someone to truly be recognized as a saint, they had to be killed for the faith, and they had to be someone who didn’t go looking to be killed, causing problems in order to get noticed and executed. They didn’t want those who were suicidal try to force their own martyrdom as a way to justify their suicide. They didn’t want Christians to cause problems in society; they were meant to be good citizens, obeying those laws which did not force them to do something contrary to their faith. They wanted it to be shown that the martyrs were killed solely as a result of their faith.

Among those who were deemed a martyr is St. Callistratus of Carthage, whose death, or entrance to eternal life, is commemorated on September 27. He was a soldier, who would pray at night when he believed he was alone and unobserved. But, on one such evening, another soldier caught him praying and turned him into their superiors. Callistratus was told to he must deny his faith and sacrifice to idols, and if he would not, he the law said he would have to be executed. Accordingly, he said he would not deny his faith; as a result, he was beaten, put into a sack, tossed out to sea, where they thought he would drown, trapped in the sack. Instead, the sack opened up, and some dolphins found him take him back to land. He was once again seized and imprisoned when he was found alive. Surprised at what they saw, some of his fellow-soldiers came to believe God was at work in and with him and accepted the Christian faith; when they proclaimed their new faith, they were imprisoned with Callistratus. While in prison, Callistratus would continue to speak about his faith to those who were willing to listen, leading to even more soldiers, some who were standing guard, come to share his faith and join him in his imprisonment. Some of those converts were tortured; some were bound up, taken to a lake, thrown into it and drowned. Others, including Callistratus himself, were executed and cut into pieces. His courage, and the courage of those who were killed with him, had even more soldiers become Christians. Because of how many of his soldiers were now Christian, their commander was afraid to do anything more; he let those who lived take the remains of Callistratus and those they could find and bury them on a site which would eventually become the site of a church.

It was Callistratus’s willingness to suffer and die for the faith which brought many into the faith; that is, he sowed the seed of faith, and what arose out of his sowing was a great amount of fruit. Similarly we can believe that he and those who followed after him unto death their sowed their own rewards, rewards which allow us to recognize them as holy saints whom God has glorified (a glory which likewise returns back to God, as God is glorified in the saints).

When Paul told us to sow bountifully, we are not, of course, being told we should all die as martyrs.. What Paul was emphatic about is that we should embrace our faith, engaging it out of love. That means, what we do should be done freely, for love requires such freedom to come to its own:

Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God (2 Cor 9:7-11 RSV).

Acting out of the love of God means we will give the gift of ourselves to God. We should follow through and do what God wants us to do, which is to live our lives engaging various acts of charity. We must not misunderstand charity simply as giving money to those in need. If that were the case, the poor, those without money, could never be charitable. What it means is that everyone should do what they can to show their love to others, which includes but is not limited to helping those in need in whatever we they can, which might be something as simple as acknowledging them and showing them respect. The more we embrace the way of love, the more we act out of love, the more we will find ourselves being transformed by it; we will find ourselves acting charitably because it is what we want to do, and not because we are looking for or thinking about rewards. However, for most of us, we are still at the beginning stages of such transformation. We are not always so virtuous or loving. This is why we are encouraged to sow good deeds with the realization they will reap great rewards. What we will find is that rewards will include grace, grace which changes us, so that we will slowly become like God, doing what is good because it is right, because it is what love would have us do, and not because of any selfish motives.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

History and Religion

Previous Post

September 24, 2026

Body, Mind, and Soul: Why Christians Must Value Health

Next Post

September 28, 2026 Rejecting Mammon In The Defense Of Animals And Nature

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"First things first is the easiest way forward. "If someone is bleeding profusely, we must ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Why We Must Embrace Empathy, Sympathy ..."

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Halloween Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Vainglory Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz