“He is our peace, for he has made both one.” Since we think of Christ as our peace, we may call ourselves true Christians only if our lives express Christ by our own peace. Since we possess Christ who is peace, we must put an end to this enmity and live as we believe he lived. Now peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end that civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become peace. By this peace we demonstrate that the name of Christ, which we bear, is authentic and appropriate. If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of his name. For the quality of holiness is shown not by what we say but by what we do in life.

–Gregory of Nyssa, Treatise on Christian Perfection 46.259-62