I just recently did a casual re-reading of 1 Clement, an early Christian document dating to the end of the first century. Here are some interesting passages (see this previous post refuting the claim 1 Clement preached Sola Fide)
And in another place He speaks thus: Wash you, and become clean; put away the wickedness of your souls from before mine eyes; cease from your evil ways, and learn to do well; seek our judgment, deliver the oppressed judge the fatherless, and see that justice is done to toe widow and come, and let us reason together. He declares, Though your sins be like crimson, N will make them white as snow; though they be like scarlet, I will whiten them like wool. And if ye be willing and obey Me, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse, and will not hearken unto Me, the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord that spoken these things. Desiring, therefore, that all His beloved should be partakers of repentance He has, by His almighty will, established these declarations. (8:4-5)
In this text, Clement teaches uses the term λυω, the verb which means "to wash/bathe." Elsewhere in early Christian literature in Greek, it is used of washing/bathing in water, not a metaphorical washing:
After a certain time I saw here bathing (λυω) in the river Tiber, and I gave her my hand, and led her out of the river. So, seeing her beauty, I reasoned in my heart, saying, "Happy were I, if I had such an one to wife both in beauty and in character." I merely reflected on this and nothing more. (Shepherd of Hermas 1:2)
For Clement (we don't know who authored the text, but I will just go with the traditional attribution for this post), partaking of repentance and a remission of sin is tied into this "washing," obviously a reference to baptism being salvific. This pericope should be compared with 1 Clement 18:3, 7:
Wash me still more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me . . . Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
The verb "to wash" in the Greek original is πλυνω. When one surveys Koine Greek literature contemporary with 1 Clement, this refers to (1) a literal washing of water and (2) immersion, not mere sprinkling. Notice the use of the verb in Luke 5:2:
And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing (πλυνω) their nets.
For Clement, baptism was (1) salvific, and (2) a plausible case can be made he viewed baptism to be done by immersion (there is no hint at baptism by any other method; further, there is nothing even hinting at infant baptism)
On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved. For when spies were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to Jericho, the king of the country ascertained that they were come to spy out their land, and sent men to seize them, in order that, when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab receiving them, concealed them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived and said There came men unto thee who are to spy out our land; bring them forth, for so the king commands, she answered them, The two men whom ye seek came unto me, but quickly departed again and are gone, thus not discovering the spies to them. Then she said to the men, I know assuredly that the Lord your God hath given you this city, for the fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. When therefore ye shall have taken it, keep ye me and the house of my father in safety. And they said to her, It will be as thou hast spoken to us. As soon, therefore, as thou knowest that we are at hand, though shalt gather all thy family under thy roof and they shall be preserved, but all that are found outside of thy dwelling shall perish. Moreover, they have her a sign to this effect, that she should hang forth from her house a scarlet thread. And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God. Ye see, beloved, that there was no only faith, but prophecy, in this woman. (12:1-8)
Clement hearkens to the story in the book of Judges where Rahab the harlot saves the Israelite spies, something the epistle of James discusses in Jas 2, tying the meritorious good works of Rahab to her justification (see this post). For Clement, Rahab’s actions were not a mere demonstration of salvation but were salvific themselves.
In v. 1, the Greek reads that it was on account of the faith and hospitality of Rahab she was saved:
Δια ποστιν και φιλοξενιαν εσωθη (“though faith and hospitality she was saved”)
That the context is about salvation proper, and not a demonstration/vindication of a previous justification (per the historical Protestant interpretation of Jas 2 and Rahab) is further strengthened in v.7 which speaks of the then-future shed blood of Christ and it being tied into redemption (διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου λύτρωσις ["redemption through the blood of the Lord"])
Let us therefore brethren be of humble, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and foolishness, and angry feelings; and let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking Him, and doing judgement and righteousness), but especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching us meekness and long-suffering. For thus He spoke: Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; s ye do, so shall it be done unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with that measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measured to kindness be shown to you; with that measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measured to you. But this precept and by these rules let us stablish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words. For the holy word saith, On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembleth at My words? (13:1-4)
The above pericope teaches salvation through faith and works, not faith alone (or "faith alone, but a faith that is not alone"-type double talk).
Who is fit to be found in it, except such as God as vouchsafed to render so? Let us pray, therefore, and implore of His mercy, that we may live blameless in love, free from all human partialities from one above another (50:2)
Here, Clement is urging the recipients of his letter (the church in Corinth) to be found "worthy" of God; this is within the context of salvation, evidenced by the context:
Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony. By love have all the elect of God been made perfect; without love nothing is well-pleasing to God. In love has the Lord taken to Himself. On account of the love he bore us, Jesus Christ, our Lord gave his Blood for us by the will of God; His flesh for our flesh; and His soul for our souls. Ye see, beloved, how great a wonderful a thing is love, and that there is no declaring its perfection. (49:5-6, 50:1)
The verb καταξιοω (to be considered/regarded worthy) is never used in the sense of a legal fiction (being merely declared to be "x" when in reality, such is not the case). Let us examine how it is used in other early Greek patristic texts:
Ye see, brethren, that the greater knowledge (πλειονος κατηξιωθημεν γνωσεως) that has been vouchsafed to us, the greater also is the danger to which we are exposed. (1 Clement 41:4)
If Jesus Christ shall graciously permit me through your prayers, and if it be His will, I shall, in a second little work which I will write to you, make further manifest to you the nature of the dispensation of which I have begun to treat, with respect to the new man, Jesus Christ, in His faith and in His love, in His suffering and in His resurrection. (Ignatius to the Ephesians 20:1)--the phrase "graciously permit" in the Ante-Nicene Fathers translation is Εαν με καταξιωση; Lake Kirsopp in his translation of this passage correctly renders it as "count me worthy."
For as one who has been thought worthy of the most honorable of all names (καταξιωθεὶς γὰρ ὀνόματος θεοπρεπεστάτου), in those bonds which I bear about, I commend the Churches, in which I pray for a union both of the flesh and the spirit of Jesus Christ, the constant source of our life, and of faith and love, to which nothing is to be preferred, but especially of Jesus and the Father, in whom, if we endure all the assaults of the prince of this world, and escape them, we shall enjoy God. (Ignatius to the Magnesians 1:2)
I entreat you in love to hear me, that I may not by having written, be a testimony against you. And do ye also pray for me, who have need of your love, along with the mercy of God, that I may be worthy (καταξιωθηναι) of the lot which I am destined, and that I may not be found reprobate. (Ignatius to the Trallians 12:3)
Pray, then, do not seek to confer any greater favor upon me that I be sacrificed to God while the altar is still prepared; that, being gathered together in love, ye may sing praise to the Father, through Christ Jesus, that God has deemed me the bishop of Syria, worthy (κατηξιωσεν) to be sent for from the east unto the west. It is good to set from the world unto God, that I may rise again to Him. (Ignatius to the Romans 2:2)
Blessed is he in Jesus Christ, who shall be deemed worthy (καταξιωθησεται) of such a ministry; and ye shall too be glorified. And if ye are willing, it is not beyond your power to do this, for the sake of God; as also the nearest Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters and deacons. (Ignatius to the Philadelphians 10:2)
Your prayer has reached to the Church which is at Antioch in Syria. Coming from the place bound with chains, most acceptable to God, I salute all; I who am not worthy to be styled from thence, inasmuch as I am in the least of them. Nevertheless, according to the will of God, I have been thought worthy (κατηξιωθην) of this honor, nor that I have any sense of having deserved it, but by the grace of God, which I wish may be perfectly given to me, that through your prayers I may attain to God. (Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 11:1)
It is fitting, O Polycarp, most blessed in God, to assemble a very solemn council, and to elect one whom you greatly love, to know to be a man of activity, who may be designated [alt. "to be fit"; καταξιωσαι] to messenger of God; and to bestow on him this honor that he may go into Syrian, and glorify your ever active love to the praise of Christ. (Ignatius to Polycarp 7:2)
I salute all by name, and in particular the wife of Epitropus, with all her house and children. I salute Attalus, my beloved. I salute him who shall be deemed worthy (καταξιουσθαι) to go from you into Syria. Grace shall be with him for ever, and with Polycarp that sends him. (Ignatius to Polycarp, 8:2)
In all these instances, καταξιοω always refers to the intrinsic reality of the person/object being considered worthy; never in a sense of legal fiction or imputation, per historical Reformed views of justification.
To our rulers and governors on the earth--to them Thou, Lord, gavest the power of the kingdom by Thy glorious and ineffable might, to the end that we may know the glory and honor given to them by Thee and be subject to them, in nought resisting Thy will; to them, Lord, give health, peace, concord, stability, that they may exercise the authority given to them without offense. For thou, O heavenly Lord and King eternal, givest to the sons of men glory and honor and power over the things that are on the earth; do Thou, Lord, direct their counsel according to that which is good and well-pleasing in thy sight that, devoutly in peace and meekness exercising the power given them by thee, they may find thee propitious. O though, who hast power to these things and more abundant good with us, we praise thee through the High Priest and guardian of our souls Jesus Christ, through him be glory and majesty to thee both now and from generation to generation and for evermore. Amen. (61:1-3)
In the above text, Clement addresses the person of the Father, calling him "Lord." and presents all praise, even praise given to Jesus, as ultimately going to the person of the Father. Even after his exaltation (cf. Phil 2:9), Christ continues to be subordinate to the Father (cf. 1 Cor 15:22-28).
It is interesting to note that these various doctrines and practices are those Latter-day Saints accept as valid and part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; many Churches within the broad Christian spectrum only accepts perhaps some of these and some reject all of them.
