In this epistle we once more have the common theme in Ignatius of church unity and the authority of the bishop. For Ignatius, "If any man follows him that makes a schism of the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God"
Whilst Ignatius does not expect any schismatics to be reading this epistle, there apparently was enough of a problem in the Philadelphian church for some to suspect that his plea for unity and submission to the bishop had come at the latter's request. Hence, he is at great pains to emphasise that it came from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
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