Learning about God and man from Irenaeus of Lyons

If...thou wilt not believe in Him, and wilt flee from His hands, the cause of imperfection shall be in thee who didst not obey, but not in Him who called [thee].  For He commissioned [messengers] to call people to the marriage, but they who did not obey Him deprived themselves of the royal supper.  The skill of God, therefore, is not defective, for He has power of the stones to raise up children to Abraham; but the man who does not obtain it is the cause to himself of his own imperfection.  Nor, [in like manner], does the light fail because of those who have blinded themselves; but while it remains the same as ever, those who are [thus] blinded are involved in darkness through their own fault. The light does never enslave any one by necessity; nor, again, does God exercise compulsion upon any one unwilling to accept the exercise of His skill.  Those persons, therefore, who have apostatized from the light given by the Father, and transgressed the law of liberty, have done so through their own fault, since they have been created free agents, and possessed of power over themselves. - Irenaeus of Lyons

Why post this quote?  I offer four reasons: (1) Irenaeus was a bishop. Bishops succeeded the Apostles and were defenders of the faith; responsible for its preservation within the Church.  (2) Irenaeus is a Church Father.  The Church Fathers were influential teachers of the early church. Many of them were bishops such as Irenaeus.  (3) The Apostles lived during the first century; Irenaeus during the second century.  This means he lived much closer to the time period of the Apostles than you, me, the Reformers, or Medieval Scholastics.  (4) When he was young, Irenaeus heard Polycarp at Smyrna.  Some even believe that he was a disciple of Polycarp.  What's significant about that?  Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John.  (5) Irenaeus wrote Against Heresies, a five-volume work defending the catholic faith against Gnosticism.  The above quote is taken from Book IV, chapter 39.  

Let's make some observations about the quote. 

First, notice what is stated about God.  

"The skill of God...is not defective, for He has power of the stones to raise up children to Abraham."  

God is powerful.  He has power of the stones.

Does he use that power to compel people to believe?  No.

"The light does never enslave any one by necessity; nor, again, does God exercise compulsion upon any one unwilling to accept the exercise of His skill."  

Secondly, notice what is stated about man.  

"Those persons, therefore, who have apostatized from the light given by the Father, and transgressed the law of liberty, have done so through their own fault, since they have been created free agents, and possessed of power over themselves."

Man is a free agent, possessed of power over himself.

Whose to blame if people do not believe in God?  

"If, however, thou wilt not believe in Him, and wilt flee from His hands, the cause of imperfection shall be in thee who didst not obey, but not in Him who call [thee]."

"those who are [thus] blinded are involved in darkness through their own fault." 

What do I learn about God and man from Irenaeus?  

(1) God is powerful, but he intentionally limits his power.  He does not force anyone to accept his invitation to the royal supper.  He invites all without compulsion.   

(2) God created man as a free agent and God continues to deal with man as such.  People who reject God, therefore, deprive themselves of the royal feast.