111. Присяга

We see that when a person is either elected to the army, or elevated to some honorable position, or assigned to some other task of the sovereign, he takes an oath and promises with an oath to serve the sovereign and society faithfully and righteously, and to act with a clear conscience. This is the power of the oath. Likewise, all Christians, entering the Holy Church, accepting the honor and dignity of the high name of the Christian and enrolling in the army of the Heavenly King, swear to remain there until the end; they swear and promise, having renounced Satan and all his evil deeds, to serve with faith and truth one Christ the Lord Heavenly King, throughout their lives. We see this oath, oath and promise among Christians. Read, every Christian, those words that are spoken before holy baptism. Before performing the sacrament, everyone who is baptized three times proclaims: “I renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his ministry, and all his pride”; and spits on him. He also approaches Christ and says: “I am joined to Christ”; and it says three times. Christian! What do this denial and vows mean, if not an oath and an oath, by which we promise, having renounced Satan, and sins, and our lusts, and pride, and the vanity of this world, to follow in the footsteps of Christ the Lord with faith, humility, love, meekness and patience? This is the power of our vows that we made before holy baptism. People who do not keep their oath to the sovereign and society are grievously sinning. Such people turn out to be unfaithful sons of society and are more harmful to society than even external enemies, and are called by a dishonorable name - traitors. They betray the sovereign and their society and become like a damaged member of the body, which itself rots and damages the entire integrity of the body. So they are considered among the members of society, being rotten members who damage the integrity of the whole society. An evil man cannot be a good boss; and if he is honored, he will do much more harm to society than an obvious villain and external enemy. This has already been learned enough from history, and we see the same thing today. This is how Christians sin very gravely, who in holy baptism swore, swore and promised to serve Christ the Lord, but broke their vows and lied. This includes fornicators, adulterers and all defilers, evil and vindictive, murderers, thieves, predators, robbers, rapists, widows and orphans, oppressors, slanderers, scolders, cunning, seducers, deceitful, crafty, disobedient to parents and authorities, blasphemers, sorcerers and those who call them to themselves, loving the vanity of this world, in pride and pomp. living and others who resist God's word. All such have violated the Christian oath; they did not keep their oaths and vows that were at baptism; they broke the saving union with Christ and separated from Him, and turned again to the service of Satan, whom they denied and spat on; and they betrayed Christ, their Lord and King, to whom they swore allegiance. The Lord says: He who is not with Me is against Me (Matthew 12:30). All such are not with Christ, but against Christ. What fellowship does righteousness have with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? (2 Cor. 6:14–15). Violation of the promises made at baptism leads to this disaster and wretchedness. Those who violate the oath to the sovereign and their society are removed from the ranks of good people, and, according to civil laws, they are executed as liars and oath breakers. Likewise, Christians who violated the oath given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and who lied to Him and turned to wickedness, will be excommunicated from good Christians, like goats from sheep, and will be executed by eternal fire as traitors, more wicked than Muslims and idolaters. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death (Rev. 21:8). Christian! Remember that you also took this oath, and look around, look around, please, in such an important matter, whether you are keeping it. If you don’t keep it, then your baptism has no benefit for you. Christ the Lord, as a lover of mankind, calls upon all those who have turned away from Himself, and expects and promises to show them His mercy. Turn, beloved, to Him with repentance and weeping, and He will accept you. And from now on, do not separate yourself from Him, but always be with Him. He alone is our light and life, hope and consolation, joy, joy and bliss in this and the next century. Apart from Him and without Him, here and there there is only disaster, damnation and sorrow. Turn to Him before time runs out. Behold, now is the favorable time, behold, now is the day of salvation! (2 Cor. 6:2). Heed this too, my soul, and remember that to be with Christ is eternal life; To be without Christ is eternal death. For behold, those who remove themselves from You perish (Ps. 72:27). You might be interested in: