Justin Martyr, First Apology 10

We have learned that God does not need material offerings from human beings, since we see that He Himself provides everything. We have been taught, convinced, and believe that He accepts only those who imitate the good qualities that belong to Him — temperance, righteousness, philanthropy, and whatever else is proper to God — qualities that bear no created name.

We have also been taught that in the beginning, being good, He created all things from formless matter for the sake of human beings. We have learned that those who demonstrate their worthiness of His purpose through their works will be deemed worthy of sharing His life, reigning alongside Him, having become immortal and impassible. For just as He brought into existence those who did not exist at the first, we judge that He will in the same way deem worthy of incorruption and communion those who choose the things that please Him.

After all, it was not within our power to come into being at the start; but to follow what is dear to Him, having been chosen, through the rational powers He Himself has gifted us — powers that persuade and lead us to faith — this is ours. Above all people, we believe that no one should be hindered from learning these things, but rather that everyone should be urged toward them.

What human laws could not accomplish, the divine Word would have accomplished, if evil demons had not scattered many false and atheistic accusations, enlisting as their ally the evil and varied desire that exists by nature in each person — a desire that is of no use to us.