Letter 1539: The resurrection of the soul deadened by sin happens here, in this life, when it is reformed into life by acts of...

To Leontius Eriboros. The resurrection of a soul deadened by sins is accomplished here, when through the works of righteousness it is reconstituted unto life. And we must understand the deadening of the soul to mean wrongdoing, not the annihilation that ends in non-existence. This is why it was said of the prodigal son, while he was still living, "He was dead and is alive again" [Luke 15:24]. And to the one deadened and buried by vice it was said, "Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you" [Ephesians 5:14]. For upon the one who has shaken off the death of sin through repentance the true light will rise; but the resurrection of the body will be accomplished there [in the world to come], for all alike with respect to immortality, but not for all alike with respect to glory. For the glory will be dispensed to each in proportion to the things done here, as the unerring oracles of Scripture set forth.

Ἡ μὲν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις νενεκρωμένης ψυχῆς ἀνάστασις ἐνταῦθα τελεῖται, ὅταν ταῖς τῆς δικαιοσύνης πράξεσιν εἰς ζωὴν ἀναστοιχειωθῇ. Νέκρωσιν δὲ χρὴ νοεῖν ψυχῆς τὴν κακοπραγίαν, οὐ τὸν εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀφανισμόν. Διὸ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀσώτου παιδὸς ἔτι ζῶντος ἐῤῥέθη· «Νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε.» Καὶ τῷ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας νεκρωθέντι, καὶ ταφέντι ἐῤῥέθη· «Ἔγειραι ὁ καθεύδων, καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.» Τῷ γὰρ τὸν θάνατον τῆς ἁμαρτίας διὰ μετανοίας ἀποσεισαμένῳ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἀνατελεῖ· ἡ δὲ τοῦ σώματος ἐκεῖσε τελεσθήσεται, πάντων μὲν ὁμοίως διὰ τὴν ἀθανασίαν, οὐ πάντων δὲ ὁμοίως διὰ τὴν εὔκλειαν. Ἡ γὰρ δόξα ἀναλόγως τοῖς ἐνταῦθα πεπραγμένοις ἑκάστῳ πρυτανευθήσεται, καθὼς τὰ ἀψευδῆ τῆς Γραφῆς περιέχει λόγια.