Cyprian on the Need for Christians to Confess Current Sins in 250CE

For we must perceive and confess that the so disordered ruin arising from that affliction, which has in a great measure laid waste, and is even still laying waste our flock, has visited us according to our sins, in that we do not keep the way of the Lord, nor observe the heavenly commandments given to us for our salvation. Our Lord did the will of His Father, and we do not do the will of our Lord; eager about our estate and our gain, seeking to satisfy our pride, yielding ourselves wholly to emulation and to strife, careless of simplicity and faith, renouncing the world in words only and not in deeds, every one of us pleasing himself and displeasing all others—therefore we are smitten as we deserve, since it is written: “And that servant, which knows his master’s will, and has not obeyed his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” ...

But if for us and for our sins He both labored and watched and prayed, how much more ought we to be instant in prayers; and, first of all, to pray and to entreat the Lord Himself, and then through Him, to make satisfaction to God the Father! We have an advocate and an intercessor for our sins, Jesus Christ the Lord and our God, if only we repent of our sins past, and confess and acknowledge our sins whereby we now offend the Lord, and for the time to come engage to walk in His ways, and to fear His commandments. The Father corrects and protects us if we still stand fast in the faith both in afflictions and perplexities, that is to say, cling closely to His Christ; as it is written, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” None of these things can separate believers, nothing can tear away those who are clinging to His body and blood. ...

Let each one, acknowledging his own sins, even now put off the conversation of the old man. “For no man who looks back as he puts his hand to the plow is fit for the kingdom of God.” And, finally, Lot’s wife, who, when she was delivered looked back in defiance of the commandment, lost the benefit of her escape. Let us look not to things which are behind, where the devil calls us back, but to things which are before, where Christ calls us. Let us lift up our eyes to heaven, lest the earth with its delights and enticements deceives us. Let each one of us pray to God not for himself only, but for all the brethren, even as the Lord has taught us to pray, when He bids to each one, not private prayer, but enjoined them, when they prayed, to pray for all in common prayer and concordant supplication. If the Lord will behold us humble and peaceable; if He will see us joined one with another; if He will see us fearful concerning His anger; if corrected and amended by the present tribulation, He will maintain us safe from the disturbances of the enemy. Discipline has preceded; pardon also shall follow.

Justin Martyr on Prophecy and Evangelism in 160CE

For the prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time. And hence you ought to understand that [the gifts] formerly among your nation have been transferred to us. And just as there were false prophets contemporaneous with your holy prophets, so are there now many false teachers amongst us, of whom our Lord forewarned us to beware; so that in no respect are we deficient, since we know that He foreknew all that would happen to us after His resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven.

For He said we would be put to death, and hated for His name’s sake; and that many false prophets and false Christs would appear in His name, and deceive many: and so has it come about. For many have taught godless, blasphemous, and unholy doctrines, forging them in His name; have taught, too, and even yet are teaching, those things which proceed from the unclean spirit of the devil, and which were put into their hearts.

Therefore we are most anxious that you be persuaded not to be misled by such persons, since we know that every one who can speak the truth, and yet speaks it not, shall be judged by God, as God testified by Ezekiel, when He said, “I have made you a watchman to the house of Judah. If the sinner sins, and you do not warn him, he himself shall die in his sin; but his blood will I require at you hand. But if you warn him, you will be innocent.” And on this account we are, through fear, very earnest in desiring to witness [with men] according to the Scriptures, but not from love of money, or of glory, or of pleasure. For no man can convict us of any of these [vices].

Second Clement on Obedience in 150CE

This, then is our reward if we will confess Him by whom we have been saved. But in what way will we confess Him? We confess Him by doing what He says, not transgressing His commandments, and by honoring Him not only with our lips, but with all our heart and all our mind. …

Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He says, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he that works righteousness.” For that reason, brethren, let us confess Him by our works, loving one another. …

So let us also, while we are in this world, repent with our whole heart of the evil deeds we have done in the flesh, that we may be saved by the Lord, while we have yet an opportunity of repentance. For after we have gone out of the world, no further power of confessing or repenting will there belong to us. Wherefore, brethren, by doing the will of the Father, and keeping the flesh holy, and observing the commandments of the Lord, we shall obtain eternal life.

Justin Martyr on Baptism in 160CE

So that you will fully understand everything there is to know about us, I want to describe the manner in which we dedicate ourselves to God when we have been made new through Christ.  First, those persons who are convinced that what we teach is true, and who promise that they can live accordingly, are instructed to implore God with prayer and fasting for the forgiveness of all past sins.  We pray and fast with them. 

Then we take them to a place where there is water, and they are spiritually reborn in the same manner in which we ourselves were reborn.  Then they are washed with the water in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.  For Christ said, “Unless you are born again, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Of course, it is obvious that it’s impossible for a person who has already been born to re-enter his mother’s womb.  Rather, Isaiah the prophet explained how those who have sinned, but are repentant, can escape their sins: “‘Wash and be clean.  Put all evil away from your souls.  Learn to do what is right.  Help the fatherless and plead for the widow.  And come and let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘And though your sins may be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool. Though they may be crimson, I will make them white as snow.’”

The apostles taught us the reason for this ceremony, as follows.  We have no say in our original birth.  It results from the union of our parents.  And often we grow up ignorant of the truth, being raised in bad habits and being taught wicked things. 

However, we do not have to remain the children of necessity and ignorance.  We can become the children of choice and knowledge through a second birth.  In order for a person to obtain the forgiveness of his past sins in the water, there is pronounced over him – the one choosing to be born again and who has repented of sins – the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe. … And the person … is washed also in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Spirit.