Статья 1: О Евангелии и вере

A Christian comes from faith; faith begins from the Gospel, as will be said below. Therefore, in discussing Christianity, it is necessary, first of all, to briefly offer a discussion about the Gospel and faith. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; for He has anointed Me, sent Me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberation to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind,” and so on (Is. 61:1; Luke 4:18). § 277. Gospel is a Greek word, and means favorable and joyful news, that is, it preaches Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save sinners, as in consolation to sinners the Apostle of Christ wrote: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). And Christ Himself declared about Himself: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). So, what message could be more pleasant for us sinners than to hear the preached remission of sins for free, instead of the wrath of God - the mercy of God, instead of the curse - the blessing of God, instead of condemnation - justification, instead of hell - the open kingdom of heaven, and with the Great, Holy and Eternal God - eternal reconciliation and communion (see Rom 5; 1 John 1: 3, 7, 9). Truly there could be no message more desirable for sinners. Health is not so desirable for the sick, for the hungry - bread, for the thirsty - cold water, for prisoners - freedom, for captives - release, for the blind and those sitting in darkness - light, as for sinners who were subject to God's eternal wrath and rejection - remission of sins and justification. This means the Gospel, Christians! The Gospel brings us this good news! Take comfort in this, O soul, with sorrow for your sins and the fear of God’s judgment, for God, in the richness of His goodness, has opened the doors of mercy and eternal bliss to all sinners who repent and believe in the name of His Only Begotten Son. What the Gospel is is best understood by comparing the law with the Gospel. It is true that there is only one Creator of the law and the Gospel—God. And just as the law is given to everyone, and obliges everyone to perfect obedience, so the Gospel is commanded to preach to everyone, as it is written: “Preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). And Christ, the revelation of Whom is contained in the Gospel, preached to all creation, calls everyone to Himself: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And just as the law was given for this purpose, so that a person who fulfilled it perfectly could be justified and saved: “whoever does it (what is written in the law) will live by it” (Lev. 18:5; Gal. 3:12), so the purpose of the Gospel is to justify believers, and so on. However, the difference between the law and the gospel is the following: 1) The law, that is, the written one, was given by Moses (for it was written on the hearts of our first parents, Adam and Eve), the Gospel - by Christ, as the holy evangelist wrote: “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). 2) The law gives commandments about what we must do and what we must not do. The Gospel preaches the remission of sins, the grace of God and the merits of Christ. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 3) The law teaches what to do and what to turn away from, but does not provide help for action. The Gospel promises the grace of the Holy Spirit, by whom the law is written and acted on the hearts of believers (see Jer. 31:33). 4) The law shows sin, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). The law convicts, accuses, frightens the sinner, the wrath of God proclaims him (see Rom. 4:15), strikes him with an oath and condemns him (see Gal. 3:10), but does not take away sin. The Gospel covers sin, heals sinful weakness, encourages and comforts those who fear God’s wrath, and promises grace and eternal life to believers. 5) The law is for fearless, faulty, careless, wicked people, whom it must frighten, crush and lead to repentance. “Already the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). The Gospel is preached to those who are afraid, embarrassed, with the fear of God and sorrow for their sins, to those who are contrite, hungry for God’s mercy and consolation. Therefore, Christ says: “I have sent Me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18), and so on. It follows that preachers of God’s Word must act carefully in their teaching, that is, preach the law and proclaim the wrath of God to those who live fearlessly, and to those people whom they see broken and wounded by the fear of God, as well as the dying and repentant, offer the Gospel, the mercy of God, and hence consolation, so that the fearless are not led to greater fearlessness, and the sad and embarrassed by the fear of God are not led to destruction. despair, but take more care that the fearless come into fear and feeling, while the contrite feel living consolation in their hearts and are confirmed in faith. § 278. The Holy Gospel is “a mystery hidden from eternity in God,” according to the apostolic teaching (see Eph. 3:9; Rom. 14:24–25; 1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 1:26; 1 Pet. 1:20), and has been preached since the beginning of the world. For to the first man, Adam, God revealed His merciful favor about him, his descendants and the human race, which was expressed through the words spoken by God to the serpent: “He will erase your head,” (“He” means Christ - the blessed Seed), according to the general understanding of the Holy Fathers and church teachers (see Gen. 3:15). This merciful promise of God, like a warm ray of sun through the clouds and like a light to those sitting in darkness, shone to our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and. Jacob and others and warmed their hearts with faith and hope for Christ coming into the world - the Sun of Truth (see Gen. 12 and so on; Gen. 49 and so on). Therefore, Christ said to the Jews: “Abraham your father rejoiced to see My day,” that is, in the flesh, “and he saw,” that is, by faith, “and he rejoiced” (John 8:56). And what about Abraham, of course, is also about the other forefathers and fathers who lived and were saved in the Old Testament, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles: “By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved, just as they were,” that is, our fathers (Acts 15:11). The light of this grace of God was revealed to the prophets and was preached by them. Moses clearly preached to the children of Israel: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; listen to Him” (Deut. 18:15). This is also what the holy First Martyr Stephen cites (see Acts 7:37). The other holy prophets preached about the same thing, who accordingly foretold and variously depicted the coming, the birth from the Virgin according to the flesh, life on earth, suffering, death, burial, the Resurrection and the glorious ascension into heaven of the Savior of the world, Christ, as it is written at length in their holy books. That is why Christ addressed the two disciples: “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe everything that the prophets have foretold! Is this not how Christ had to suffer and enter into His glory? And beginning with Moses, from among all the prophets he explained to them what was said about Him in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:25–27). And in the same chapter he says: “For everything that was written about Me, in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). From this it is correct to conclude that the Holy Gospel was also preached in the Old Testament. For everything that in that Testament promised remission of sins, our reconciliation with God and the grace of rebirth refers to Christ and the Gospel. And those sacrifices themselves, as foreshadowing Christ who sacrificed himself for the salvation of the world, mean the Gospel. For the sacrifices themselves did not cleanse the sins of men, but Christ, foreshadowed by those sacrifices, cleansed them. “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” says the apostle (Heb. 10:4). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, the same forever.” The Lamb (Jesus Christ) was slain in sacrifices “from the foundation of the world” (by power and action, not by the deed itself) (Heb. 13:8; Rev. 13:8). “When the fullness of the time had come” (Gal.4:4), the Messiah Christ, preached from the beginning of the world and expected by the whole world as rain upon a thirsty earth, appeared, “the radiance of glory and the image of the person of the Father” (Heb.1:3), and, like the sun, with His appearance he enlightened and warmed all under heaven. This great “Messenger and Holy Hierarch of our confession” (Heb. 3:1), and “angel of great counsel” (Is. 9:6) announced to us all the goodness, mercy and love of God towards us, and calls on all sinners: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Calls to Himself all those who labor and are burdened: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened,” and promises rest for souls: “and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29). He opened the doors of God’s mercy and paradise to fornicators, tax collectors, robbers and other sinners who come to Him with repentance and faith, closed by sin, and the publicans, adulterers, and repentant thieves receive it through the grace of Christ (see Matt. 21:31; Luke 23:43). He commanded His apostles to bring this wealth of God’s goodness to the whole world: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). promoting and strengthening the word with subsequent signs” (Mark 16:20). They all preach the gospel to us: “we preach Christ crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24), and they pray to us, as Christ’s messengers, to be reconciled with God: “So, in the name of Christ we ask: be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:20-21). § 279. You see, beloved Christian, what the Gospel is. Namely, it is a sermon about Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. To whom is it preached? Not those sinners who rejoice in the honor, glory and wealth of this world, not those who are consoled by the various joys of this world, who rejoice brightly all days, who are accompanied day by day with faces and timbrels; not those who have fun with their favorites on their lawless bed; not those who are consoled by a lawless victory, by the insult of their neighbor; not those who enjoy the lawless and nasty profit obtained through deceit and cunning from extortion, theft and violence; not other lawless people like them. They are told of the wrath of God that will come upon them if they do not turn. “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). They are told: “Repent”; It says: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, correct your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, weep and howl; Let your laughter turn into crying, and your joy into sadness. Humble yourselves before the Lord,” and so on (James 4:8–10). And when they do this, then this God’s grace and consolation appears to them as a sweet meal after fasting and blessed labors. So, to whom is the Gospel preached? Christ answers: “I have sent Me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18). This is to whom the gospel consolation is preached. The poor, that is, those who recognize their spiritual poverty and seek the riches of God’s goodness, mercy and love for mankind, those who, not finding any truth in themselves before God, but even seeing every kind of damnation, hunger and thirst for the truth of God about Christ Jesus, and so humble themselves before Him. Contrite hearts, that is, those who have a heart wounded by sorrow for sins, like an arrow. The gospel is preached to them, they are told: “Believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). All the riches of God's love for mankind are revealed to them. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). § 280. The law, although it was given in order to justify man, as stated above, could not justify man, not from itself, but from human weakness. For no one could fulfill it perfectly, as it is written: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and so with his justification he retreated from us. With justification, I say, for as for the fulfillment of the law, even now Christians must fulfill it, must obey it, conduct their lives according to its rule and teaching. Otherwise, those who do not want to live by its rule cannot avoid the curse and condemnation declared in the law. And if the law with justification has departed from us, “for by the works of the law no flesh will be justified” (Gal. 2:16), since they could not fulfill it, thereby he refers us to the Gospel and, as the weak, entrusts us to Christ preached in the Gospel, who freely, without the works of the law, justifies and saves those who believe in Him (Rom. 3:24-28). In this sense, it seems, the apostle wrote: “The law was our guide to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). For besides the fact that he teaches us what to do and what not to do, and so tries to lead us away from sins, he, as if taking us by the hand, leads us, faulty and weak, to Christ, for what he teaches us, we do not do, and so he convicts us and condemns us, and does not justify, frightens us, and does not console us, our weakness shows us, and does not take away, and thereby, as it were, convinces us to look for another means through which we could to get rid of our wretchedness. In such a tightness of conscience, we are convinced to resort to God’s merciful promise in Christ Jesus, to His holy Gospel and Christ, about whom the Gospel revelation preaches, who justifies those who did not make the law, but freely justifies and delivers those who believe in Him, as He Himself says: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36), so that even though you are unable to be justified by the law, “to be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). For Christ took upon Himself the condemnation of the law, to which we, as sinners and transgressors of the law, were subject, and gives us the blessing. “He Himself bore our sins in His Body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24), so that we might present His righteousness through faith, as the apostle wrote: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). More details about this will be offered below. From the above it follows: 1) The Gospel from the beginning of the world was the same as that which is now preached. 2) The same faith was from the beginning of the world, which is now preached, for the fathers of the Old Testament believed in the coming Christ, and we believe in the one who came. 3) They had the same image of justification and salvation as we have, that is, faith in Christ. For in the eternal counsel of God it was laid down that a person who has sinned cannot be saved except through Christ, by faith in Him. And what was decreed then is now done, and whoever is saved is saved by faith. For the Gospel is “a mystery hidden in God from eternity” (Eph. 3:9), as said before. 4) Just as a Christian comes from faith, so faith begins from the Gospel. Without the Gospel there can be no faith. We must believe God’s merciful promise, which relates to the Gospel, if we want to receive faith in our hearts. 5) In order to receive faith in the heart from the Gospel, one must feel in the heart the power, conviction, condemnation and fear of God’s judgment from the law. This requires the preaching of God's law. 6) From this we can see how we need to study in the Word of God, that is, in the law and the Gospel, since “from the law sin is known” and the wrath of God against sin is felt (see Rom 3:20), and from the Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit, consolation and living faith are instilled in the heart. 7) The Gospel does not bring any benefit to those who are faulty, unrepentant and do not stop sinning, since the gospel is only preached to those who fear God and His righteous Judgment and are wounded by fear and sorrow for their sins. They need and are offered comfort from the Gospel. They are told: “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36). To them Christ, preached in the Gospel, is the Comforter and the Physician, just as He Himself says: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12). “The just shall live by faith” (Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17; Gal.3:11; Heb.10:38). “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). § 281. Faith is something that we do not see or do not comprehend with our minds, but we believe that it is so. Thus, we do not see God (although from the creation of the world we know Him, but this knowledge, as imperfect, is accomplished by faith, and so we know more from faith than from reason), but we believe that there is God, there is One. We do not comprehend with our minds how God is one in nature, but three in persons, but we believe, instructed by the Word of God. We do not see Christ, the Son of God, eternal life, the kingdom of heaven, but we believe in them. We do not comprehend with our minds the resurrection of the dead in the most holy Eucharist of the Body and Blood of Christ, but faith confirms us in this. In these and other mysteries of God, reason must follow faith, and not faith to reason, that is, their knowledge does not depend on reason, but on faith, and we do not believe because we know, but because we know that we believe. So, their knowledge is not the fruit of our reason, but of faith, which is established on the solid foundation of God’s holy Word, the truth and omnipotence of God. This is proposed for the purpose of not testing with the mind what requires faith alone, but “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). For the most famous sign of unbelief is to ask about the mysteries of God: how can this be? Therefore, Saint John Chrysostom teaches: “Where there is faith, there is no need for testing. Where is it not appropriate to test, what is the need for testing? The test of faith is ruinous. For he who tries will not find.” (Conversation 1 on the first Epistle to Timothy). For if we comprehended with our minds, then we would not need faith. Faith is needed where our mind does not comprehend. But this faith, that is, knowledge only by faith of the holy mysteries and Orthodox dogmas, is not enough for salvation, as will be discussed below. § 282. The beginning of the evangelical saving faith. It was said above that the actual work of the law is to expose, show weakness, and to frighten and condemn lawbreakers with the wrath of God. The work of the Gospel is to heal weakness, to show Christ the Doctor, to console, to take away fear and to promise the grace of Christ. Therefore, it is necessary for the gospel faith to be conceived in the heart. From the law you need to know your weakness, the wrath of God, the curse, judgment and condemnation that follows sinners, feel it in your heart. And so faith in the heart, with this fear, as if by fire, purified and prepared, begins from the Holy Spirit. For this faith is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the holy Forerunner, preparing the way for Christ, the Son of God, who was to come out with His Gospel, began his preaching from the law, with which he exposed the sins of men, and frightened their hearts with the judgment of God. “Already the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). That is why the people asked him: “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10, 12, 14). So in the Acts of the Apostles it is written that the people, after the sermon of the Apostle Peter, in which he proved that the crucified Jesus is the Messiah Christ promised by the Father, and added: “Know surely, all the house of Israel, that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36), - having heard it, they were touched in their hearts and said to Peter and the others to the apostles: “What shall we do, men and brethren” (Acts 2:37)? They recognized their sin, felt the wrath of God from this, and so they asked for advice: “What should we do, men and brethren? So those who gladly received his word, as it is written there, were baptized” (Acts 2:41). Thus, the law prepares the way to the Gospel and leads to Christ, Who in the Gospel is revealed as the Doctor of the weak, the Comforter of the sad, the Savior of sinners, the Hope of those who despair of themselves and their strengths. It follows that saving gospel faith is nothing more than a comforting perception of the Gospel, made in the heart by the Holy Spirit, or it is heartfelt hope and undoubted hope in the grace of God, freely promised for Christ’s sake, that is, hope for the remission of sins and eternal life. Therefore, someone who begins to believe can be likened to a weak person who, seeing his incurable illness, desires and seeks a skillful doctor. So the sinner, seeing through the law his sinful weakness, from which he cannot free himself with his own strength, desires and seeks a doctor who could free him from that weakness. Such a Doctor is revealed to him in the Gospel - this is Christ, to Whom he resorts, seeks healing from Him, and is mercifully healed. He is also likened to a captive who is looking for a deliverer. So a sinner, captivated by the devil, from whom he cannot get rid of with his cunning and reason, seeks and desires a deliverer, and such a Deliverer appears to him in the Gospel - Christ, Who Himself says: “If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free” (John 8:36) - and recognizing Him as his Deliverer, he is freed from the yoke of the devil. Again, he is likened to someone running away from fear and looking for a safe place and protection. So a sinner, wanting to escape from the fear of God’s Judgment, condemnation and hell, seeks protection and a safe place, but does not find it, because it is impossible to hide anywhere from God’s Judgment. Such a place of refuge is revealed to him in the Gospel - Christ, by faith in Whom he is safely hidden from the judgment of God and the wrath coming upon the whole universe. Again, he is likened to a little boy who stands naked before his mother and asks for clothing. So a sinner, deprived of the clothing of righteousness and salvation, stands and seeks cover for his nakedness, but cannot find it. Such clothing, the clothing of justification, is revealed and shown to him in the Gospel. This is the truth of Christ, which he receives freely through faith, and his nakedness and shame are covered. Christ, the Son of God, appears to us in the Gospel as a Physician, for he heals our infirmities. He appears to us as the Deliverer and Redeemer, for with His Blood He redeems and delivers us, who believe in Him, from the devil, sin, hell and other disasters. He appears to us as a city and a place of refuge and an Advocate, for by running to Him with faith, we are saved from the wrath of God, and “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ” (1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:34). Christ appears to us in the Gospel as our justification, for we hide behind His truth and justify ourselves, so as not to appear naked and dirty before the most holy Face of God, which will be discussed more clearly below. Therefore, Christ Himself says about Himself: “The Heavenly Father has sent Me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberation to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are tormented” (Luke 4:18). From this you can see: 1) That no one can be justified before God and saved without Christ and apart from Christ, but only through faith in Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,” says the apostle (Acts 4:12). For no one can get rid of the devil, sin, the legal curse and hell without Christ, and all this is contained in the short word of Christ: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). So, we must resort to Him with faith, as to a city of refuge, if we want to escape from the wrath of God, as to a doctor, if we want to be healed from the wounds of sin. We must ask him with faith, so that he will deliver us from captivity and the yoke of the devil. It is fitting to lift up our eyes to Him, so that He may cover our nakedness and shame with the robe of His righteousness, so that we do not appear naked and defiled by sins before the purest eyes of His Heavenly Father. 2) There can be no true repentance without knowledge, feeling and recognition of one’s weakness, sin, poverty and damnation, and everything from the law and the legal curse is known and felt. Therefore, anyone who wants to truly repent must delve into the law and put his conscience before the law, and consider how the law exposes, wounds and oppresses him. In such cramped conditions, that is, feeling the legal curse and wrath of God against the sins committed, by faith resort to Christ and seek merciful deliverance from the wrath of God and the execution that follows wrath. 3) There cannot be true evangelical faith without knowledge, feeling and recognition of one’s poverty and wretchedness. For in order to feel the consolation of the Gospel, one must first have fear and sadness, which comes from the knowledge of one’s poverty and wretchedness. For consolation is the consolation of the sad, not the cheerful. And where living consolation is felt through the word of the Gospel, there faith has its place. For the faith of the Gospel cannot be without consolation, as will be said below. 4) Just as the preaching of the holy law of God is necessary so that the fearless will come to fear, wake up and have saving sorrow, so the preaching of the Gospel is necessary so that hearts, crushed by the fear of God’s wrath, will accept faith and feel living consolation within themselves. This is the necessary duty of the shepherds of Christ's flock. 5) From this it is clear why those who are arrogant with their imaginary truth do not need the Gospel and do not accept it, because they do not recognize and do not recognize their weakness and damnation. On the contrary, for obvious sinners it is more convenient, because they see their poverty and damnation. Therefore it is written that “all the publicans and sinners drew near to Him (Christ) to listen to Him.” On the contrary, “the scribes and Pharisees, arrogant with their supposed holiness, grumbled against Christ, saying: He receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2). For whoever does not see and recognize his own weakness does not seek a doctor, but only the sick, who are sick at heart, look for him, have a heart wounded by the arrow of sin and sorrow. For “those who are not healthy have need of physician, but sick,” says Christ (Matthew 9:12). 6) Holy gospel faith has its place in the heart. Just as sin, fear and sadness occupy and crush the heart, so the grace of Christ, which takes away sin, fear and sadness, and brings hope and consolation, dwells in the heart through faith. Therefore, everyone should try to have faith in the heart, and not just in the mind and on the tongue. This faith is more conveniently known from its properties and actions, which will be explained in the next paragraph. § 283. Properties and effects of saving faith. 1) This faith attracts and appropriates all the good deeds of God, shown to the whole world by God. She teaches the believer to say from the heart: “I believe in One God the Father, who created everyone and me from nothing, brought me from nothingness into being, gave me soul and body, life and breath, sought me out through His Only Begotten Son, who sinned and perished, and opened the closed doors of the heavenly kingdom to me. I believe in my one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who sought me out when I was lost, saved me from sins, damnation, death, hell and the devil, delivered me not with silver, not gold, not at any other price, but with His honest Blood, His innocent death and suffering, and me, removed and rejected from the Face of God, appropriated and brought to His kingdom, in which His faithful, justified by His Blood, are found and look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. I believe in the Holy Spirit of the Life-Giving Lord, Who through the washing of restoration revived me and renewed me “to serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of my life” (Luke 1:75); Who spiritually revives me, enlightens me, guides me on the right path and the path of salvation, gives me grace-filled movements in my heart and helps me in my struggle against sin and the devil, leads me away from sin and teaches me to walk worthy of the title of Christian, and so on. And these great and lofty mercies are given to me by the Humane-loving God, whom I believe and worship in Three Persons, not according to my merits, but as a gift, according to His only unparalleled goodness and love for mankind.” Therefore, everyone who has true faith in his heart must hold to this with the holy Apostle Paul and confess: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). The Son of God loved the whole world and gave Himself for the whole world. But Saint Paul appropriates this lofty love and good deed to himself through faith. This can be seen in other places of Holy Scripture, and in church songs and many poems one can see when one sings and reads with attention, how a faithful soul appropriates this great work of God’s love for mankind. Saint John of Damascus sings to Christ: “Thou hast saved all mankind” (Tone 2, hymn 4). And further: “Come to me, looking for me who is lost” (Ibid.). And again: “You are my strength, Lord! You are my strength,” and so on (Tone 8, song 4). Thus, the faithful soul appropriates to itself the blessings of God and the merits of Christ, which the Human-loving God has shown and continues to show to all creation. From here, ardent love for God, thanksgiving, glorification of His holy name consistently arises in the heart of the believer, and thus faith, according to its will, does good deeds. 2) Saving faith, that which one believes, he fearlessly confesses where it is due and necessary, as the apostle teaches: “With the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). Therefore, Saint David says about himself: “I believed, and therefore I spoke” (Ps. 116:1). And the apostle: “And we believe, therefore we speak” (2 Cor. 4:13). From here arises a fearless witness to the truth before the enemies of the truth. Hence zeal for God’s sake, especially where the glory of His name demands it. Hence it happens that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12), for the world does not love the truth that God’s faithful servants bear witness to. From here so many thousands of martyrs and confessors shone forth, who not only with their lips, but also with the outpouring of their blood, testified to the truth before the enemies of God. Hence Christ says: “Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division; for from now on five in one house will be divided, three against two, and two against three: the father will be against the son, and the son against the father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Luke 12:51-53). Hence it happens that an ungodly husband hates his pious wife and an ungodly wife hates her pious husband, an ungodly father hates his pious son and daughter, an ungodly mother-in-law hates his pious daughter-in-law, a wicked brother his pious brother and a wicked sister hates his pious sister, a wicked neighbor hates a pious neighbor and every wicked man hates, persecutes and offends the pious, because the pious bears witness to the truth in word and deed, and denounces untruth and lies, which the wicked do not like. 3) This faith has boldness and trust in God’s mercy, love for mankind and help, since it highly honors God’s gracious promises of mercy, help and deliverance to all who believe in Him and call upon Him by faith. She undoubtedly believes the One who promised: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). And again: “Call Me in the day of your trouble, and I will deliver you” (Ps. 49:15). Therefore, faith is called “the substance of things hoped for,” according to the teaching of the apostle (Heb. 11:1). For he sees the invisible as visible and the future as present, just as it is written about Saint Abraham, the father of the faithful: “I was fully confident that God was able to fulfill what he had promised” (Rom. 4:21). And Christ says to the paralytic: “Be of good cheer, child, your sins are forgiven you” (Matthew 9:2). Thus, by the mercy of God, every faithful person is encouraged by the faith that lives in his heart. Be bold, for God is merciful and will therefore have mercy on you. He is True, and therefore He will fulfill His promise, He will hear you calling on Him. He is Omnipotent, and therefore He can deliver you. Hence it happens that the faithful, with ardent boldness of love, calls God his God: “O God, my God, I cry to You in the morning” * (Ps. 62:2). “My God, my mercy” (Ps. 59:18); with my strength, affirmation, refuge: “I will love You, O Lord, my Strength! The Lord is my strength and my refuge, my Deliverer, my God, my Helper, and I trust in Him; My protector and the horn of my salvation” (Ps. 17:2-3). Such boldness of faith is also depicted in Psalm 90: “He who lives by the help of the Most High,” and so on. So is St. John of Damascus, rejoicing and playing in spirit, sings in his songs to God: “You are my strength, Lord! You are my strength! You are my God! You are my joy! – and so on (Song 4, tone 8). From here, joy and spiritual joy arise in the hearts of the faithful, so that they show themselves not only ready to suffer for God, but also accept it with joy, as it is written about the apostles: “And they went out from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41). This joy grows exceedingly and transforms their hearts into spiritual play and exclamation, when they look with faith at the future glory prepared for those who endure sorrow and love God, and remember the comforting word of Christ: “Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). 4) Faith cleanses the heart of the believer from everything that belongs to the world, that is, from addiction to honor, glory, wealth, sensuality and from all sinful customs. For unequal with unequal, for example, fire and water do not combine. Thus, faith - a gift from heaven - does not combine with the earthly and perishable, but always strives for heaven and takes the believer’s heart to where it came from, seeks the invisible and eternal, and therefore regards everything that belongs to this world as vanity or delusion. Therefore, the faithful are commanded: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). Hence, sighs and mournful voices arise among the faithful: “Woe is me, that my life in exile is long” (Ps. 119:5). Holy desires arise: “O God, my God, I cry to You in the morning: my soul has thirsted for You,” and so on (Ps. 62:2). “As a deer longs for springs of water, so does my soul long for You, O God,” and so on (Ps. 41:2). “How desirable are Your dwellings, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs with all its might for the courts of the Lord,” and so on (Ps. 84:2-3). For faithful, true Christians are strangers and strangers in this world. Therefore, their Fatherland, their house, wealth, honor, glory, inheritance and all blessings are not in this world, but in heaven, where their Father is, to whom they sigh and pray: “Our Father, who is in heaven!” and so on. And just as a person who has been away from his home and Fatherland always thinks about his home and parents, and strives for them with his heart and desire, so the faithful servants of God, while in this world and in the living body, depart from the Lord “for they walk by faith and not by sight,” and therefore they sigh, “desiring to be clothed with their heavenly dwelling” (2 Cor. 5:2, 7). 5) This faith distracts the believer from hope in creation, “in princes, the sons of men” (see Ps. 146:3), in honor, wealth, one’s strength, one’s piety, in oneself, and from everything that is apart from God, but teaches one to hope in God alone, to rest in Him alone, to seek and hope from Him alone for mercy, protection, deliverance and salvation. For hope is inseparable from faith, but always abides with faith. Therefore, just as faith sees God alone, so it draws hope with it and ties it to God alone, and teaches the believer to hope in Him alone. Carnal people, that is, living according to the flesh and for this world, rely on their honor, wealth, strength and cunning, and therefore in their needs and various cases they resort to them, and ask for protection and help from them. But God’s faithful servant is not like that: leaving all this hope as vain, to God alone, like a little child to its mother, it runs and cleaves, and asks Him for everything with hope, holding tightly to God’s merciful promise: “Call Me in the day of your trouble, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me” (Ps. 49:15); and again: “Will a woman forget her suckling child, so as not to have compassion on the son of her womb? But even if she forgot, I will not forget you” (Is. 49:15), and remember His other merciful promises. Therefore, the holy word of God pleases only those who trust in God, as we read in many places of Holy Scripture. On the contrary, it calls everyone away from hope in man and other creatures: “Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation” (Ps. 145:3), and in other places, and strikes with a curse those who place their hope in man: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes the flesh his support, and whose heart has departed from the Lord” (Jer. 17:5). For whoever hopes in someone believes in him. And therefore, whoever trusts in a person, believes in a person as in an idol, and thus departs from God in his heart, as the prophet says, although he confesses and worships Him with his lips. Such a person sins against the commandment of God: “I am the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:2), and thus commits spiritual idolatry. 6) Faith frees the believer from sin, death, damnation, hell, the devil and other disasters and makes him spiritually free. Spiritually, I say, for physically he can be enslaved, he can be a slave to man, he can be in captivity, in chains, in prison, bound and shackled, for there are many such among the faithful. Such were the holy martyrs and others who suffered for the sake of truth. And now there are people under the yoke of the wicked, and godly servants serving their masters. But all of them are spiritually free. For no one can enslave, captivate, bind, imprison, or kill the spirit. For “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17). And this freedom is meant by Christ’s promise: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). 7) Faith renews a person, makes him disposed towards goodness, filled with love, merciful, patient, meek and loving other Christian virtues. For faith is the Divine seed from which Christians are spiritually born, and therefore bear such fruit as the seed. For “a good tree cannot bear bad fruit,” says Christ (Matthew 7:18). As is the seed, so is its fruit. For the evil seed of the serpent, which he sowed on the heart of our forefather, has evil fruits: hatred, malice, enmity and other sins. And the seed of Christ, which is holy faith, has good fruits: love, mercy, meekness, goodness, goodness, self-control, etc. (see Gal. 5:22). Therefore the apostle says: “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has power, but faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Therefore, the holy apostles everywhere in their epistles exhort to the knowledge of the fruits of faith, that is, to good deeds. 8) This faith brings joy and gladness to the heart of the believer. This joy is not about food and drink, not about honor, not about wealth, not about gold, silver, or anything else about which the sons of this age rejoice, for this is a carnal joy. But this is spiritual joy - joy in the Lord Savior, in His goodness and love for mankind, consolation and peace of conscience, as the apostle teaches: “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” and so on (Rom. 5:1). For the Holy Gospel is joyful news, and faith is the heartfelt acceptance of the Gospel, therefore those who receive it will certainly experience spiritual joy in their hearts, just as it is written about the prison guard mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles: “He rejoiced with all his household because he believed in God” (Acts 16:34). Therefore, this joy, like sweet spiritual food, is offered to the faithful in many places of Holy Scripture, as one who reads the Psalms, the Gospel and the Apostolic Epistles can notice. 9) This faith softens suffering and sorrow. For the faithful know that through sorrow and suffering they become like Christ, the Son of God, who suffered innocently for all: “If they suffer with Him, they will also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17). Although they are deprived of honor, wealth, glory, and good name, they gain incomparably greater wealth, honor, and glory in Christ, their Savior. They are insulted, but they find greater consolation in Christ their Lord. They curse them, but they find and have blessing in Christ Jesus, in whom they believe, and the curse of the wicked turns into a blessing for them, as the prophet says: “They will curse, but You will bless” (Ps. 109:28). Therefore, the holy apostle says: “Not only this, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that from tribulation comes patience, and from endurance comes experience, from experience does hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:3-5). (See point 3 of this paragraph). 10) This faith has the true fear of God, by which the believer turns away from all sin, all disorderly addiction. He uses everything that is allowed, for example, food, drink and other blessings of this world, not for the sake of satisfying voluptuousness, but for the sake of need, for the sake of strengthening his weak flesh, so that he can do things corresponding to his rank. Therefore, the apostle writes to believers: “If you call Him Father, who impartially judges everyone according to their works, then spend the time of your pilgrimage with fear,” and further (1 Pet. 1:17). And St. Paul writes: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). What is meant here is not the fear that is not involved in love. Even the most wicked are aware of such fear in their conscience; it threatens them with eternal torment. Even demons have it, for “they believe and tremble,” according to the word of the holy Apostle (see James 2:19). But here we mean fear coupled with love. And although the faithful are often struck by the fear of God’s judgment, condemnation and hell, which especially happens in great spiritual temptation, they overcome that fear with the power of faith and prayer and, like gold in a furnace, in this fire temptation becomes purest. 11) This faith values ​​Christ’s saving vision, birth, life on earth, suffering, death and Resurrection dearly and highly as the only means by which we are eternally saved. She, looking with reverence at the crucified Christ, thinks: Who and what is He who suffered so much for His lowly servant, and what this suffering gained for him! That is why the believer is aroused to mutual love and heartfelt gratitude and tries in every possible way to fulfill this. But when he sees that he cannot do this, “What will I render to the Lord for everything that He has given me?” (Ps. 116:3), - falls before Him with humility and love, heartily confessing his shortcomings, and brings one heartfelt desire of thanksgiving, zeal and love, which is possible in this age, to his Highest Benefactor. This arouses in the faithful the desire to endure for the name of the Lord Jesus whatever the will of God desires. Therefore, the holy apostles almost everywhere in their epistles present this high grace to our spiritual eyes: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although He was rich, for your sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9 and in other places) - and thus excite the faithful to thanksgiving. 12) This faith struggles against sin (about which see paragraph 13). And faith has such a property that sometimes it clearly appears and lifts the heart of the believer to heights, and sometimes it is so hidden that it is as if it did not exist, which is why the believer becomes sad, sad, afraid of God’s Judgment, condemnation, Gehenna, and so on. But, remembering God’s merciful promises and gospel consolations, he again becomes encouraged, strengthened, and perceives his hope and boldness. This can be noticed in the Psalm and other saints mentioned both throughout Holy Scripture and in Church History. 13) Faith mysteriously unites the soul of the faithful with Christ, like a bride with a groom, as the prophet says on behalf of the Lord: “I will betroth you to myself in faith, and you will know the Lord” (Hos. 2:20). And the apostle says the corresponding words: “He has betrothed you (he says to the faithful) to one husband, that he may present you to Christ as a pure virgin” (2 Cor. 11:2). Therefore, Christ cleanses such a faithful soul from sin and all filth and makes it holy, takes away spiritual disasters from it: curse, condemnation, death and all spiritual troubles - and instead gives His spiritual benefits: blessing, deliverance and eternal life, as the Apostle teaches about this: “Christ has become for us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” ( 1 Cor. 1:30); like a certain woman, having torn off her torn rags and washed her from the stench, He clothes her in the pure scarlet robe of His righteousness, so that before the eyes of Him and His Heavenly Father she appears pure, and, like the King’s daughter, “dressed and adorned” (Ps. 44:10) with spiritual ornaments. Therefore, the holy prophet, rejoicing in spirit about this, exclaims, saying: “Let my soul rejoice in the Lord, for He has clothed me with the robe of salvation and has clothed me with the robe of gladness; like a bridegroom he put a crown on me and adorned me like a bride” (Isaiah 61:10). From the above you see, Christian: 1) That the whole essence of Christian blessedness consists in faith. For whoever has true living faith has God’s blessing, the truth of Christ, holiness, deliverance, spiritual freedom, eternal life and bliss. 2) From here, understand, man, how great is the wealth of God’s goodness, that he so loved and exalted the rejected and accursed man in the Son, that the more a person was dishonored in himself, the more in Christ, the Son of God, according to God’s love for mankind, he was exalted. 3) From here, learn with your heart and lips to thank God, who, the poor, accursed, cursed, rejected, condemned in yourself, gives by faith in His Son, instead of your sin, truth, instead of an oath, blessing, instead of damnation, bliss, instead of death, eternal life, instead of hell and gehenna, the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom, and opens treasures of all eternal blessings. The mind does not comprehend this Divine mercy and favor towards us! O poor and damned sinners! What great mercy and love of God we have been granted freely, without any merit of ours! Who can worthily thank God for this love of God? “That we will render unto the Lord for all that He has given us” (see Ps. 116:3). 4) From here, know the power of true and living faith in Christ, which attracts all good and spiritual gifts to itself and receives from God. 5) When we have been delivered from such a calamity by the grace of God and raised to such bliss, how should we guard ourselves from all sin, because of which every calamity comes, so as not to fall into calamity again, and how diligently to serve God, Who has shown such mercy to us sinners! 6) How we must try to preserve the garment of justification given at Baptism, so that we may not lose it again, to our great misfortune! “Blessed is he who watches and keeps his clothes, lest he walk naked, and lest they see his shame,” says Christ (Rev. 16:15). 7) For those who did not keep these God-given vestments, only one hope remains to recover them - sincere repentance (about which see in the article of the first book of the first, part of the second). § 284. The holy faith is subject to many different temptations. 1) The flesh tempts her with passions and lusts, when a faithful heart moves towards every disorderly thought and lust (see James 1:14). Christians, as Christ's servants, must crucify “the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). 2) The temptations of this world, that is, corrupt and contrary teachings to the Word of God, an example of a corrupt life, try to extinguish its spark. This includes the flattery of wealth, honor, fame and sweets. 3) Satan and his servants are trying to eradicate it and, like a spark that has begun, extinguish it with a flood of troubles, misfortunes, persecutions and many sorrows. Against all this calamity, a faithful heart needs to strive and keep your faith with patience. 4) There is no greater and graver temptation for faith than when a spiritual attack comes upon a faithful heart: embarrassment, fear and horror of the Judgment of God, despair, fear of Gehenna and hell; when the cruel stress and torment of conscience is forced to be felt by the faithful soul; when thoughts, like waves, rise up and strike the faithful heart with despair: “he has no salvation in his God” (Ps. 3:3). For what could be more difficult for a soul seeking salvation than when the enemy, through despair, wants to take away eternal salvation from it? These are the “fiery arrows of the evil one,” thrown at the faithful soul by God’s permission for our benefit. According to the apostolic teaching, they should be quenched with the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16). § 285. Holy faith strengthens and grows: 1) By diligently reading or listening to the Word of God. For just as “faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17), so it is strengthened and grown by attention and constant teaching from the same Word of God. For, according to the teaching of the wise Paul, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). That is why “Christ appointed some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13). Therefore, he who is “in the law of the Lord is blessed.” one learns day and night” (Ps. 1:2), for from this teaching one promises such beautiful fruits as from a tree planted by the waters and nourished by the moisture of those waters. “And he (who learns the law of the Lord) will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not fall away; and whatever he does will prosper” (Ps. 1:3). 2) Faith is strengthened and grows by reflecting on God’s wonderful deeds, filled with His merciful promises. God promised the righteous Noah that he would save him and his family from the global flood - and saved him (see Gen. 6–8). He promised Abraham that he would bring his seed out of Egypt, in which they had to endure heavy slavery, and bring him into the land of Canaanite - and he did this, as we read in the books of Moses and the Psalms: “He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant, and brought His people out in joy, His chosen ones in joy, and gave them the regions of the Gentiles, and they inherited what they had acquired from the labor of the nations” ( Ps.104:42–44). He promised to free the children of Israel from the captivity of Babylon - and freed them, as it is written in the books of the Old Testament. He promised to send the Savior to the world - and fulfilled this, and believers are saved in His name. He promised to hear those who call on Him by faith - and he listens, as we read in many places of Holy Scripture. He heard them, and He will also hear us when we call upon Him by faith. For God does not look at personalities, but at faith and the heart of man (see 1 Samuel 16:7). He is ready to give His grace and mercy to everyone when He sees a heart that can comfortably accept His grace. And if we do not receive what we want and ask for, it is our fault, not His. From the past we also conclude about the future. In the fulfilled prophecies and merciful promises of God, we undoubtedly see confirmation of those that have not yet been fulfilled, but in due time must be fulfilled. He promised the resurrection of the dead and His faithful servants to glorify and give the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom - this will certainly happen. And this is also true and known, as if it were already in reality. For God, as the True One, cannot lie, as the Almighty, he will do whatever he wants, and just as it was convenient for Him to create the world out of nothing, it was so convenient for Him to collect the scattered ashes of our bodies and clothe and glorify them with immortality; as the Good One, He wants to bestow bliss on His rational creatures; as the Righteous One, He will certainly reward His faithful servants who labored in faith. Thus, faith receives reinforcement from reasoning about the wonderful works of God and His properties, revealed in His holy Word, and the faithful heart from there draws living consolation for itself, just as the holy Apostle wrote: “Everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through patience and consolation from the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). 3) Faith is strengthened and grows through fervent and frequent prayer, as Christ teaches: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). For faith, as a gift of God, is preserved and increased by God’s help, since without Him we can do nothing, as Christ says: “without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Therefore, the apostles prayed to Christ: “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). So it is fitting for us to pray and knock on the doors of His mercy: “Lord, increase our faith”; or even with the father of the demon-possessed youth, pray with tears: “Lord, help our unbelief” (see Mark 9:24). For faith contains all Christian blessedness, as was said above and we will see below. 4) Holy faith is strengthened and multiplied by communion of the most holy Mysteries of Christ. For “he who is united to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord,” says Saint Paul (1 Cor. 6:17); and Christ says: “Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56); and “whoever abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). For just as human flesh is strengthened and grows by natural food, so the faith of Christ, conceived in the human heart, is strengthened and grown by the mysterious food of the most holy Body and Blood of Christ. For the Body and Blood of Christ are life-giving, and therefore whoever partakes of them worthily is spiritually revived and healed of spiritual infirmities. 5) Faith is preserved by withdrawing from conversations and dealings with the evil and corrupt. For “bad associations corrupt good morals,” says the apostle (1 Cor. 15:33), which is why he commands us to separate from such: “We command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to separate yourself from every brother who walks disorderly, and not according to the tradition which was received from us” (2 Thess. 3:6). The more faith grows, the greater its fruits, just as a fruitful tree, the more it grows and spreads its branches, the more fruit it bears. § 286. From the above, one can notice undoubted signs of unbelief: 1) A depraved and fearless life, contrary to the law of God. Such morals are mentioned in many places in Holy Scripture (in Ps. 5:7, 15–16, 9:26–32, 11:3–5, 35:2–5, 36:12, 14, 21, 32, 35, 49:16–21, 51:3–6, 58:2–4, 8, 13, 63:4–7, 72:6, 7, 11, 93:5–7, and in others: Rom. 1:21–32, 1 Cor. 6:9–10, Gal. 5:19–21, Eph. 3:5, 8, 1 Tim. 1:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:2-7, Rev. 21:8, 22). 2) Addiction to temporary and worldly things, that is, to honor, wealth, gold, silver, fame, luxury and others. For “friendship with the world is enmity against God. So whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). All this cannot be combined with faith, for faith turns away from all this and seeks only God, loves and cleaves to Him. Therefore, the apostle calls us away from such love: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world: if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Therefore, we read in the parable about those invited to the Great Supper that everyone began to refuse. The first said to the slave sent to call: “I bought land, and I need to go see it. Please forgive me." Another said: “I have bought five pairs of oxen and am going to test them. Please forgive me." The third said: “I am married and therefore cannot come” (Luke 14:18–20). The Great Supper is a great and incomprehensible pleasure in the heavenly kingdom. To this supper, God, the Heavenly King, calls everyone through His servants, prophets, apostles and preachers of His Word. But those who are addicted to the vanity of this world are all denied together, although not with their lips, but with their hearts. For “where their treasure is, there is their heart also,” according to the word of Christ (Matthew 6:21). This includes the following teaching of Christ: “No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or you will be zealous for one and neglectful of the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Whoever serves mammon and not God, without a doubt, does not have faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6), therefore, it is impossible to serve. For serving and pleasing God are one and the same thing. This includes Christ's word: “How can you believe when you receive glory from one another, but do not seek the glory that comes from the one God” (John 5:44)? And again: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul” (Matthew 16:26)? For faith cleanses the heart from the love of this world. Consequently, in whose heart there is the love of this world, there is no faith. 3) Hypocrisy is also a sign of unbelief. For a hypocrite only shows his piety on the outside, but not on the inside. Hypocrisy is the pretense of piety and holiness. Holy faith has its place not in appearance, but in the heart, and on the outside it shows itself on occasion through confession and other fruits. The hypocrite pleases people, and not God, seeks glory and praise from people, and not from God, which is contrary to faith, according to what was said: “How can you believe when you receive glory from each other, but do not seek the glory that is from the One God?” So, the hypocrite has no faith. 4) Contempt and abandonment of Christian virtues is a sign of unbelief. For as a tree is known by its fruit, so faith is known by good works (Luke 6:44; James 2:18). Every good tree bears good fruit, and every evil tree bears evil fruit. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). Consequently, where there are no fruits of faith, that is, good deeds, there is no faith itself. For faith cannot be empty and fruitless. 5) Relying on oneself, on one’s piety, on honor, wealth, one’s strength, on princes and other creatures proves heartfelt unbelief. For hope in God is inseparable from faith, and true faith tries to be free from hope in everything except God, and is established in God alone. (See the first chapter of the book about hope.) 6) Disdain and abandonment of listening or reading God's Word. For man, being forgetful, blind and weak in himself, requires frequent reminders of faith and its fruits, requires reproof, punishment, correction, consolation in necessary cases, encouragement, excitement - everything that is drawn from the Word of God. For “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Hearing or reading Holy Scripture with meditation is like oil, which, when poured, does not allow the faith burning in the heart to fade away. Consequently, just as a lamp without oil, so the lamp of faith without teaching in the Word of God goes out. 7) Abandoning prayer is proof of lost faith. For man, while he lives in this world, is subject to every calamity and temptation of the flesh, the devil, evil spirits and evil people, and, as a weak person, he cannot resist this calamity on his own, without the help of God, which is sought through prayer. For prayer is a Christian weapon against the devil and other enemies. Therefore, the one who left the weapon should leave the fight and submit to the enemy. Why are we commanded to pray earnestly and often, even unceasingly (Luke 18:1-7; Rom 12:12; 1 Thess 5:17; Eph 6:18). 8) A clear sign of unbelief is despair in the mercy of God, which manifests itself either in a very depraved life - about such it is written: “having reached the point of insensibility, they gave themselves over to debauchery so that they commit all uncleanness with gluttony” (Eph. 4:19), - or in immeasurable sadness, which often leads to suicide, as happened with Judas the traitor, who “went and hanged himself” ( Matthew 27:5), and with the fratricide Cain, who, after the murder of his brother Abel and God’s reproof, said to the Lord God: “My punishment is more than can be endured” (Gen. 4:13). However, whoever repents for sins and suffers immeasurable sadness, but tries to overcome and overcome it with hope in God’s mercy, as happens in a great spiritual temptation—the struggling faith has not yet faded, although it is very weak. § 287. If anyone were to say that true faith is the right content and the confession of right dogmas, he would be telling the truth. For the faithful certainly need Orthodox content and confession of dogmas. But this knowledge and confession alone does not make a person a faithful and true Christian. The content and confession of Orthodox dogmas always lies in true faith in Christ, but true faith in Christ does not always lie in Orthodox confession. For one thing is knowledge and confession of faith, and another thing is faith in Christ, as can be seen from what is written above. Knowledge of right-wing dogmas is present in the mind, and is often fruitless, arrogant and arrogant. Hence it happens that many who have knowledge of dogmas actually live lawlessly. Many preach the faith, teach, instruct others and show the way to salvation, but they themselves do not follow this path, like pillars placed on the path, which from city to city show the way to those walking, but they themselves stand motionless. Therefore, this knowledge, confession and teaching does not benefit them. True faith in Christ is in the heart, as stated above, and it is fruitful, humble, patient, full of love, merciful, humane, compassionate; she hungers and thirsts for righteousness (see Matthew 5:6) and so on; she moves away from worldly lusts and cleaves to God alone, always striving and seeking for the heavenly and eternal; He strives against all sin and constantly seeks and asks God for help. Hence, the holy apostles in their epistles encourage believers to show the fruits of faith, that is, good deeds: “Show in your faith virtue, in virtue prudence, in prudence self-control, in self-control patience, in patience godliness, in godliness brotherly kindness, in brotherly love love” (2 Peter 1:5-7), - and in other places, they excite to exploits against the devil and sin: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him with firm faith” (1 Peter 5:8–9). Therefore, the Holy Fathers, preaching the Christian faith, teach. St. Augustine says: “Faith with love is the faith of a Christian, without love is the faith of a demon” (in book 10 on love). For “demons believe and tremble,” teaches the apostle (James 2:19). Saint Ambrose teaches: “Faith is the root of all virtues” (In the book of Cain and Abel). Saint John Chrysostom says: “Faith is the mother of all good things” (Discourse 3 on the Epistle to the Romans). So, it is correct to conclude that a living faith is one to which the morals of the believer correspond. On the contrary, dead faith is in one in whom there is no fruit of faith, who does not serve God, but serves sin, who did not die for all and risen Christ, as the apostle demands: “Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them” (2 Cor. 5:15), but lives for themselves and their own whims. “For just as the body,” the apostle teaches, “is dead without the spirit, so faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Note also, Christian, that the apostles preach the open kingdom of heaven to the faithful in Christ, this is what our Fathers teach, and the whole Church maintains this. Consequently, if only the knowledge and confession of Orthodox dogmas were unfeigned and true faith, then fornicators, predators, and other lawless people would enter the kingdom of heaven without restraint, for many of them know and profess Orthodox dogmas. But to all such, the Word of God closes the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. “Or do you not know,” says the apostle, “that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor fools, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). And “outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices iniquity” (Rev. 22:15). For although they confess God, they deny Him in deeds, as the apostle says: “They know God, but in deeds they deny Him, being vile and disobedient and incapable of any good work” (Titus 1:16). If you confess, Christian, the One God, that’s good. But do you believe in God with your heart, as the Apostle teaches: “With the heart they believe unto righteousness, and with their lips they confess unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10)? For without heartfelt faith, oral confession is nothing more than hypocrisy. An oral confession can be a sign of faith, but the sign can be false if the life of the confessor contradicts the faith. Oral confession follows from faith, as from a thought conceived in the mind - a word, according to what was said: “I believed, and therefore I spoke” (Ps. 116:1). But true faith is not always proven by oral confession, just as the word does not always resemble the thought. For it often happens that people do not say what they have in their hearts, and those who confess God do not think and do what is in their hearts, what the confession of faith teaches. They confess God with their lips, but in their hearts and deeds they reject Him. They preach God with their lips, but in their hearts they say: “There is no God” (Ps. 13:1). You call God Father, Lord, King, Protector and Helper, as in the Lord’s Prayer, psalms and other songs the faithful pray and sing to Him - well - this is a sign of faith. He is the faithful - Father, Lord, King, Protector and Helper. But look, are you trying to show obedience to Him as the Father and have morals similar to Him? For the son is like the father. Do you serve Him as your Lord? Do you not serve mammon and other idols? Doesn't sin reign over you when you call Him your King? Do you not seek protection and help from the sons of men and other creatures? Hear what God says through the prophet about oral confession, but not something that comes from the heart, and about something with which the heart does not agree: “This people draws near to Me with their lips, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8; Isaiah 29:13). You say: “I believe in Christ, the Son of God,” - good. But do you accept His holy Gospel with your heart? Do you follow His teaching as written in the Gospel? Aren't you ashamed of His humility, poverty, and patience? Are you carrying your cross, which He offers to all the faithful: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24)? Listen to what He says about those who do not bear their cross: “And whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38), and about those who are ashamed of Him and His saints: “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the saints.” Angels" (Mark 8:38). And about those who truly believe in Christ it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a cornerstone, chosen and precious; and he who believes in Him will not be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6; Isa.28:16; Rom. 9:33). And the Apocalypse says: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). From this we can conclude that it is not the faithful servant of Christ who confesses Christ with his lips, but the one who believes in Christ with his heart and is not ashamed of Him and His words, follows His humility, poverty, patience and meekness, as He Himself teaches us: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29) - and bears his cross, and remains faithful until death. You say: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,” - good. But see if you are not resisting the Holy Spirit with hardness of heart and unrepentant life, as Saint Stephen denounces the Jews: “You stiff-necked! People with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). You say: “I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church,” - good. But look: are you a true member of the holy Church? She is holy, by the Blood of Christ, the Son of God, sanctified and sanctified (Eph. 5:26-27), “serving her God in holiness and righteousness before Him” (Luke 1:75). Do you keep the holiness that was given to you by faith in Baptism (1 Cor. 6:11)? If you lost it through negligence, do you seek it by repentance, a change of life and by faith? Do you “avoid all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, fulfilling holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1)? If this is not the case, then you are not a holy member of the Church. The Church is “holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27), therefore, it is fitting for its members to be holy and blameless. You say: “For the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come,” this is good. a sign of hope. But look, don’t you have morals that show that there is no resurrection of the dead? Don't you live like animals and cattle, who do only what they want and imagine their feelings, at the death of which the spirit disappears? Are you doing things that close the door to eternal life? “Do not be deceived,” says the apostle, “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor fools, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21). Such deeds are also evidenced in other places in Scripture. Whoever sincerely believes in Christ and looks forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century, he is guarded from such deeds, as the apostle wrote: “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3), since nothing filthy and unclean will enter into eternal life (see Rev. 21:27). “And without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices iniquity” (Rev. 22:15). § 288. Although from what has been described above it can be learned that holy faith is the root and source of good deeds, yet in this paragraph, for the sake of the simplest people, it will be presented how good deeds come from faith, like fruits on a tree from the root. In Holy Scripture, a faithful person is likened to a tree: “he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which will bear its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall off, and will prosper in everything that he does” (Ps. 1:3; Matt. 7:17–18). The root of the tree deepens in the earth, and faith lies in the love of mankind and the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. The root holds up the whole tree, but faith holds up the faithful heart. From the root a tree begins and grows, and from faith a Christian begins and grows, for without faith there cannot be a Christian, just as there cannot be a tree without a root. The more the root of a tree grows, the larger the tree becomes, so the more faith grows, the more successful the faithful one is. As a tree has branches, leaves and fruit, so does a faithful man have deeds, words and thoughts. The more the tree rises upward, the more it grows, and so does the faithful, the more he grows in faith and its fruits, the more he strives and rises towards the heavenly and eternal. The more a tree is burdened with fruits, the more its branches descend downwards, and the faithful, the more he is adorned with the fruits of faith, the more he humbles himself. For the more one is enlightened, the more he sees in himself weaknesses, shortcomings and damnation. The tree receives the fruits it receives from its roots and serves them as food for everyone. Likewise, a faithful heart, whatever mercy and grace it receives from God by faith, bestows upon everyone. He can be merciful, generous, a peacemaker, he wants and seeks salvation for everyone through prayer, advice and timely reproof. The more a tree is cleansed, the better and greater fruits it bears, and so the faithful, the more he is punished, suffers persecution and suffers, the greater and sweeter the fruits of virtues he brings (see John 15:2). A tree is shaken by storms and winds, so a faithful heart is tempted by the flesh, the world and the devil. The root of a tree, planted in the ground, strengthens it so that it does not fall from storms and winds, and faith, established in God’s love for mankind, supports and strengthens the faithful so that he is not overcome by temptations. When the roots of a tree begin to deteriorate, the tree begins to dry out and the fruits become scarce, so when faith begins to deteriorate, the faithful become impoverished in their deeds. When the root of a tree rots, the tree withers, and when faith in the faithful becomes completely impoverished, the faithful person becomes corrupted. Faith becomes impoverished and disappears from inattention, laziness and abandonment of the means by which it is strengthened. So, faith is the source of all good deeds. Faith represents future goods as if they were present, and unseen things as seen. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen,” as described by the Apostle Paul (Heb. 11:1), from which hope is born. Faith shows God as a Father who loves mankind, the Father of compassion and all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). From this comes love for God, and from love for God comes love for one’s neighbor. Faith teaches that God sends the cross to His faithful not out of anger, but out of love, for “whom He loves, He punishes” (Heb. 12:6), and thereby comforts them in suffering and teaches them patience. When faith shows human weakness, it teaches that a person cannot bear temptation on his own, and thus convinces him to seek help from God, Who can do all things and has promised help to those who are tempted (see Matt. 19:26; 1 Cor. 10:13; Heb. 2:18). From here sighing and prayer arise in the faithful. Faith presents to the faithful the greatness and omnipotence of God, and its own wretchedness and meanness. This results in humility and humiliation of oneself in the faithful. Faith exhorts the faithful to walk and navigate carefully in this charming world, so as not to become stained with its filth and thus not lose God’s mercy and not fall under His righteous wrath. From this will follow the fear of God, which takes a person away from all evil. So, true faith is the root of all good deeds. You will see this even more clearly in the following discussions. The Psalms are given in the translation by P.A. Yungerova. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: