Слово 10

(1) God did not create man weak in the beginning, so that he would sin through weakness, as he now sins. – (2) One is the sin of Adam, and another is the other sins that we sin today. – (3) What has been given to us by Christ, and what is sin? – (4) For this reason God became man, that He might abolish the works of the devil. 1. Having considered the sin that Adam committed when he was in the glory and pleasure of paradise, no one will find that it was done out of necessity or weakness, or for any blessed reason, but only because of the contempt of the commandment of God, because of the ingratitude and apostasy of Adam, which he showed in relation to God, his Creator. However, God has given him a place for repentance, so that forgiveness may be found, for the following two reasons: first, because he did not think up evil on his own, but was seduced and misled by the advice of the devil; second, because he was clothed in flesh, for Adam, as a creature, was a substitute for food, but could not fall into complete apostasy from God, like the devil and the demons who followed him, who did not have flesh. The greater the hope of pardon left to man now that he is beset by a certain natural infirmity, which human nature acquired after the fall and because of which he sins. But this cannot justify his sins, but should only encourage him to, with a feeling of gratitude to God for giving a place for forgiveness, quickly resort to Him and ask Him for forgiveness and strength - forgiveness of what he sinned, because although he sinned due to human weakness, he had to resist sin to the point of death; strength, so that, having received strength from God, by the grace of Christ, not to sin, but to do only good deeds, pleasing to God. 2. None of us has ever sinned and can sin as Adam sinned, because there was and is no one equal to him in everything, who, that is, like him, was poor, carefree, free from all natural needs. For look at the punishment inflicted on Adam and his family for breaking the commandment in paradise - hunger, thirst, coldness during winter, chills during summer; hence the need for food, drink, clothing and shelter, for which labor, toil and sweat for a lifetime. What will happen next? Impatience due to all demonstrated needs and resistance to God's determination. For every person born into real life, not knowing that all such temporary punishments are imposed on the entire human race for the crime of our forefather Adam, does not accept them with gratitude, but boldly grumbles because of them and, wanting to find peace from his needs, covets, seeks to acquire more than he needs, steals what belongs to others, and is untruthful. And these are the essence of our sins, that is, that we do not patiently endure God’s temporary punishments and do not give thanks for them, but, puffing ourselves up as if we were enemies of God, we somehow go against the divine definition, which says: in the sweat of your brow, bear your bread; We strain all our strength to find peace, but we don’t find it, because there is no way for us to escape from our toil and sweat and this overwhelming need, no matter what we do. Therefore, happy is he who endures these temporary punishments with gratitude, confessing that he was righteously condemned to them for his ancestral sin. Yes, he will rest from his labors. For because of these punishments, the all-good God granted death to people, so that those who endured them might rest for a while with thanksgiving, and then be resurrected and glorified on the day of judgment, through the new Adam, the sinless Jesus Christ and God, who was delivered up for our transgressions and arose for our justification (Rom. 4:25). 3. God, having come into the world and becoming a man, brought the following two great benefits to people: he united the divine nature with human nature, so that man became god, and the Holy Trinity mysteriously dwelt into this man, who became god by grace. The one who has been granted such great gifts, how can he sin after this, as John the Theologian and Evangelist says: everyone who is born of God does not commit sin... and cannot sin, for he is born of God (1 John 3:9)? What is sin? Evil thoughts, words and deeds. So, one who has truly been honored with the blessings of Divine incarnation cannot allow anything like this in himself, can never allow it, and if he allows it even a little once, he will cease to be such. He who sometimes thinks good and sometimes evil, who speaks sometimes good and sometimes evil, who sometimes does good and sometimes bad deeds, is like a man who sometimes goes to the church of God, and sometimes to an idol’s church, sometimes he worships God, and sometimes he worships demons. Can the one in whom God dwells be like that? Therefore, a Christian must always think, speak, and do one good thing, for, as the Lord says: a house divided into itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25). But we must always remember that it is impossible for us to always have good thoughts (from which words and deeds similar to them are usually born) if Christ the Lord does not first dwell in our minds, for which we must strive as much as we have, that is, so that Christ the Lord may dwell in our minds. 4. John the Theologian says: For this reason the Son of God has appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The works of the devil are every sin - envy, lies, deceit, hatred, enmity, rancor, slander, anger, rage, pride, vanity, unmercifulness, covetousness, theft, untruth, evil lust, contentiousness, quarrelsomeness, arrogance, mockery, oaths, forgetfulness of God, inhumanity and all other evils. So, to those who are called Christians and do such works of the devil, what is the use of the fact that they are called Christians, when the appearance of the Son of God did not destroy these works of the devil in them? If anyone says that some of these explain the Divine Scriptures, theologize, preach Orthodox dogmas, let him know that this is not the work of Christ. John the Theologian does not say: for this reason the Son of God has appeared, let some theologize and let some become Orthodox, but let him destroy the works of the devil. Regarding these, I will say that first it is necessary to cleanse the vessel from all filth and then put myrrh into it, so that otherwise the ointment itself does not become defiled and instead of incense, a stench does not emanate from it. The Son of God and God the Word did not become man in order to only believe in the Holy Trinity, glorify It and theologize about It, but in order to destroy the works of the devil. In whomever of those who have accepted the faith of Christ will the works of the devil be destroyed, the secrets of theology and Orthodox dogmas can be entrusted to him. Those in whom such matters have not been destroyed, and who find themselves entangled in them to the dishonor and blasphemy of God, those in essence are still on the same line with the pagans, who are forbidden and forbidden to even enter the temple of the Lord and pray to God in it, and not only read the Divine Scriptures and explain them, as it is written: To the sinner God said: How many things have you spoken of My justifications, and have you accepted the covenant? My lips with yours? But you hated punishment, and you rejected My words back (Ps. 49:16-17). He who does not take to heart the laws of God hates the punishment and correction inspired by the words of the Lord, and closes his ears so as not to hear the word of God, which proclaims about future judgment and reward for sinners, or about the unquenchable fire of Gehenna and other torments of hell, or about eternal condemnation, from which none of those who have once been subjected to it can escape. He who does not try with all his might to have the commandments of God always before his eyes and to observe them, but, despising them, prefers what is contrary to them and puts them into practice, he turns back the words of God. Let me explain this with the following example. When God clearly commands: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is drawing near (Matt. 4:17), and also: strive to enter through the strait gate (Luke 13:24), and the one who hears this not only does not want to repent and force himself to go through the strait gate, but spends all the days of his life in great negligence, adding others to his previous sins every hour, and his body rests. and comforts more than is necessary, and even more than is decent - which serves as a sign of a wide and spacious path leading to destruction, and not a narrow and regrettable one leading to the eternal belly, then isn’t it obvious that such a person turns back, that is, despises the words of God, and creates his own desires, or, better said, the desires of the devil? Yes, and Saint David thus depicts turning back the words of God: if you saw the thief, you flowed with him, and with the adulterer, you considered your participation. Your lips multiply malice, and your tongue weaves more than flattery. Thou didst slander thy brother, and thou didst cause offense to thy mother's son. Thou hast done this, and kept silent, thou hast abhorred iniquity, for I will be like thee: I will reprove thee, and bring thy sins before thee. Understand this, you who forget God, lest he snatch away, and never deliver (Ps. 49:18-22). Do you see how such a one has forgotten God and is worthy to accept greater punishment than the atheists who do not know God at all? For having come to know God, as the Apostle says, he does not glorify Him as God, but rather reviles Him, doing the works of the devil. Why is there an enemy of God, although he seems to be the most faithful teacher of divine dogmas and Orthodox theology. However, it is also impossible for such a person to correctly proclaim divine dogmas and theologize. For how is it possible for a mind that is darkened by a defiled conscience to think right and purely? Only one who has freed himself from the works of the devil and always keeps God in mind can faithfully proclaim the mysteries of God, as if he is no longer bound by the works of the devil, from which we might all be freed and gain the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen. You might be interested in: