Since it is likely that, being men, they would sin every day, St. Paul consoles his hearers by saying ‘renew yourselves’ from day to day. This is what we do with houses: we keep constantly repairing them as they wear old. You should do the same thing to yourself. Have you sinned today? Have you made your soul old? Do not despair, do not despond, but renew your soul by repentance, and tears, and Confession, and by doing good things. And never cease doing this.

After the death of Meletius John separated himself from the followers of Meletius without joining Paulinus the rival of Meletius for the bishopric of Antioch but after the death of Paulinus he was ordained a presbyter (that is a priest) in 386 by Evagrius the successor of Paulinus. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were meant to be serving—without any payout. There was also an earthquake the night of his arrest which Eudoxia took for a sign of God's anger prompting her to ask Arcadius for John's reinstatement.

The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. John Chrysostom (c. John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher theologian and liturgist.