--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If some should accuse us as if we held…" description: "\"If some should accuse us as if we held that people born before the time of Christ were not accountable to God for their actions, we shall anticipate an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/justin-martyr-22055_action_if-some-should-accuse-us-as-if-we-held-t_2896347.jpg" --- # If some should accuse us as if we held that people born… ![“If some should accuse us as if we held that people born before the time of Christ were not accountable to God for their actions, we shall anticipate and answer such a difficulty. We have been taught that Christ is the first-begotten of God, and we have declared him to be the Logos of which all…” quote by Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/justin-martyr-22055_action_if-some-should-accuse-us-as-if-we-held-t_2896347.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/justin-martyr-22055_action_if-some-should-accuse-us-as-if-we-held-t_2896347.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/justin-martyr-22055_action_if-some-should-accuse-us-as-if-we-held-t_2896347.jpg) > “If some should accuse us as if we held that people born before the time of Christ were not accountable to God for their actions, we shall anticipate and answer such a difficulty. We have been taught that Christ is the first-begotten of God, and we have declared him to be the Logos of which all mankind partakes. Those, therefore, who lived according to reason (logos) were really Christians, even though they were thought to be atheists, such as, among the Greeks, Socrates, Heraclitus and others like them.” [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that pre‑Christians who lived rationally were true Christians, despite being labeled atheists. **In simple terms:** Reasonable Greeks were Christians in spirit. Key Takeaway Recognize virtue beyond labels. Themes theology philosophy history religion Mood thoughtful analytical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - Academic study - interfaith dialogue - teaching philosophy Key Concepts Logos natural law inclusivity Questions to Reflect On - How do we define true belief? - Can rationality be a measure of faith? A Different Perspective Labeling can oversimplify complex beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Logos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logos/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Christ Not Begotten of Holy Ghost... Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fielding-smith/christ-not-begotten-of-holy-ghost-christ-was-begotten-of-god-he-was/) [Joseph Fielding Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fielding-smith/) > [If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-character-of-the-present-sects/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [It is sufficiently evident from many circumstances, that the doctrine of the divinity of Christ did not establish itself without much opposition, especially from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-priestley/it-is-sufficiently-evident-from-many-circumstances-that-the-doctrine/) [Joseph Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-priestley/) > [“With each new rumor, each new accusation, the way Christians thought about Jews became more and more distorted. Jews were increasingly seen as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/with-each-new-rumor-each-new-accusation-the-way-christians-thought/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“A corollary of this has been that Christians have thought that they should only create art with a Pollyanna quality to it: paintings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-turner/a-corollary-of-this-has-been-that-christians-have-thought-that-they/) [Steve Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-turner/) > [“the first and only begotten of God which was before every creature and creation visible and invisible, the commander-in-chief of the rational and immortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eusebius-of-caesarea/the-first-and-only-begotten-of-god-which-was-before-every-creature/) [Eusebius of Caesarea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eusebius-of-caesarea/) > [“It may seem a hard matter, to love our neighbours who have so much of what is evil about them, and whose faults so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/it-may-seem-a-hard-matter-to-love-our-neighbours-who-have-so-much-of/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [ “Is what we profess in the Creed true, then?—“I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God … \[who\] by the Holy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/is-what-we-profess-in-the-creed-true-then-i-believe-in-one-lord-jesus/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Cowards never won heaven. Do not claim that you are begotten of God and you have His royal blood running in your veins unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/cowards-never-won-heaven-do-not-claim-that-you-are-begotten-of-god/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [The continuing, direct operation of the Holy Ghost on those who are called to be God's children implies, in fact, a broadening process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-continuing-direct-operation-of-the-holy-ghost-on-those-who-are/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Christ was Begotten by an immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/christ-was-begotten-by-an-immortal-father-in-the-same-way-that-mortal/) [Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/) > [Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/jesus-christ-was-not-begotten-by-the-holy-ghost/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [The Church is the Body of Christ begotten, unified, and indwelt by the Spirit, but forgetting the Spirit, men wrangle over limbs, functions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/the-church-is-the-body-of-christ-begotten-unified-and-indwelt-by-the/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [Each team always has that one power player, even Carmelo. Those are the guys who would represent the logo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/each-team-always-has-that-one-power-player-even-carmelo-those-are-the/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) ## More by Justin Martyr > [... it is better to believe even what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving like the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/it-is-better-to-believe-even-what-is-impossible-to-our-own-nature-and/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [Now bring what we have into common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/now-bring-what-we-have-into-common-stock-and-communicate-to-everyone/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [When we say that Jesus Christ was produced without sexual union, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended to heaven, we propound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/when-we-say-that-jesus-christ-was-produced-without-sexual-union-was/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [By examining the tongue of the patient, physicians find out the diseases of the body, and philosophers the diseases of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/by-examining-the-tongue-of-the-patient-physicians-find-out-the/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [And if we even affirm that He was born of a virgin, accept this in common with what you accept of Perseus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/and-if-we-even-affirm-that-he-was-born-of-a-virgin-accept-this-in/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [The world suffers nothing from Christians but hates them because they reject its pleasures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/the-world-suffers-nothing-from-christians-but-hates-them-because-they/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [“And when we say also that the Word, who is the first-birth of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/and-when-we-say-also-that-the-word-who-is-the-first-birth-of-god-was/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [If you are eagerly looking for salvation, and if you believe in God, you may ... become acquainted with the Christ of God, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/if-you-are-eagerly-looking-for-salvation-and-if-you-believe-in-god/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [“Plain singing is not childish, but only the singing with lifeless organs, with dancing, and cymbals, &c. Whence the use of such instruments, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/plain-singing-is-not-childish-but-only-the-singing-with-lifeless/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [We ourselves were well conversant with war, murder and everything evil, but all of us throughout the whole wide earth have traded in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/we-ourselves-were-well-conversant-with-war-murder-and-everything-evil/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/we-used-to-hate-and-destroy-one-another-and-refused-to-associate-with/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [God called Abraham and commanded him to go out from the country where he was living. With this call God has roused us all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/god-called-abraham-and-commanded-him-to-go-out-from-the-country-where/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [No one who is rightly minded turns from true belief to false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/no-one-who-is-rightly-minded-turns-from-true-belief-to-false/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/but-i-and-others-who-are-right-minded-christians-on-all-points-are/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [Let it be understood that those who are not found living as He taught are not Christian- even though they profess with the lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/let-it-be-understood-that-those-who-are-not-found-living-as-he-taught/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) [Explore all 28 Justin Martyr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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