144. Междоусобная брань

We see and hear that there is internecine warfare in the world. It happens when residents of one Fatherland or one city rebel against each other. This is how Christians make internecine warfare, when some rebel against others and offend them. Christians have a close union with each other; they are connected by a greater union than the inhabitants of one Fatherland or one city. They have one faith; They confess the One God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and call upon Him, and pray to Him, and sing to Him; They listen to the one Word of God, they are baptized with one Baptism; they enter into one church to pray; they partake of the same Mysteries of the Saints; called to one eternal life; from the one Christ they are called Christians, and so on. Do you see, Christian, how Christians are connected to each other? Truly more than fellow citizens and brothers in the flesh. But when some rebel against others, then they start internecine warfare. 1) Thieves, predators, robbers and others like them, who somehow steal from Christians their property, that is, either money, or clothing, or bread, or a house, or land, or livestock, or fishing, or a grove, or something else. 2) Merchants who, when selling goods, deceive their Christians and ask for more for the goods than they are worth. 3) Gentlemen who burden their Christian peasants with either taxes, or hard work, or inhumanly torment, or call them abusive names. 4) Judges, corrupted by bribes, who do not want to satisfy Christians who are offended and suffering evil without bribes. 5) False slanderers and scolders who somehow abuse and slander Christians. 6) Cunning, crafty, deceivers who somehow and in some way deceive Christians, and dig a ditch for them. 7) Finally, everyone who in any way causes offense and bitterness to Christians. All these and the above-described Christians rebel against Christians and wage war against them. It is written about the first Christians: But the multitude of those who believed had one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). And Christ the Lord demands this from Christians: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, let you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34–35). It was never like that, Christian! No, don’t look for that now. For the love of many has failed; lawlessness has increased; sin is increasing day by day; Resentment and bitterness increase more and more. Against whom? Against Christians. From whom? From Christians! Brethren have risen against brethren, and a man’s enemies are his own household (Matthew 10:36). Complaints and crying are heard everywhere; the air is very noisy, filled with mournful voices. There the widow complains and cries: that strong man took away my land, or grove, and so on. A poor and wretched man groans: where can I live? such and such a rapist drove me from the earth and destroyed my house. In another place, a peasant sobs: I work for my master so many days a week; When will I work for my house and my household? Others are sick in the same way: all my work is eaten up by one master or mistress; What should I eat with my family? Almost everyone complains in agreement: in such a place and in such a place we do not find satisfaction for our grievances; where should we go and where should we seek satisfaction? No one can be judged without money. Others are sad and regretful: such a merchant deceived me in this and that product. And the other one says to him: where is it not? in which city? Wherever you go and whatever you want to buy, beware of deception everywhere, because everywhere they ask for more than the goods are worth, and this is confirmed by invoking the name of God, and everyone is already accustomed to it, and so on. Here are the Christians of this century! Oh, how far have such Christians departed from the first ones, who had one heart and one soul! And from this it is clear that their Christianity is false. Previously, Christians helped each other, but now they persecute and embitter each other; and from this it is clear that the coming of the Lord is near, and unexpectedly the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10). O blinded and poor Christians! Who taught you to live like this? Which prophet, which apostle and teacher? Doesn’t everyone teach us to live in the fear of God, and to love each other, and to help each other, to have harmony and peace among ourselves? Look around and you will see that your deeds are from an evil spirit. He hates love, harmony and peace, like the spirit of enmity and malice; and therefore he tries in every possible way to eradicate love and sow enmity, and thus teaches Christians to do resentment and bitterness. God-fearing soul! Endure whatever false Christians and hypocrites do to you. He who endures to the end will be saved. Be faithful until death, the Lord tells you, and I will give you the crown of life (Matt. 24:13; Rev. 2:10). The inhabitants of one Fatherland, as members of a single society, should help and protect each other, and unanimously arm themselves against external enemies. But if they do not do this, they give themselves up to everyone’s ridicule, their enemies to trample upon, and their Fatherland to ruin. For the Fatherland is not ruined by anything more than by internecine and internal warfare. Thus, when Christians rebel against Christians and harm them, they give themselves up to ridicule of the devil and his idolatrous servants. The devil, the Christian enemy, rejoices over such Christians. All Christians should unanimously stand and strive against this enemy, and help each other, and encourage each other against him, and so fight against him alone, as the Lord requires (See Eph. 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:9). But when Christians rebel against Christians, it is no longer against the devil, but with the devil they arm themselves against Christians, and they help him, and do whatever pleases him. This is truly so, although such poor Christians do not notice it. For whoever does whose will he pleases and serves. ABOUT! What a poor state Christianity has come to: they are biting and devouring each other! In former times, Christians took care of and protected each other from idolaters; Nowadays Christians rebel against Christians, and are careful of each other, since it is impossible to trust anyone. For everyone flatters and deceives, deceives and deceives: there is honey on the tongue, but in the heart he carries the gall of sorrow; He welcomes with his lips, but is at enmity with his heart; before your eyes he caresses and says pleasant things, but, walking away, he reviles and scolds. Everyone seeks this and learns in his heart how to take possession of someone else’s property. Oh, cruel time! Oh, how the devil’s cunning became possible, how sin intensified, how love disappeared! What can a God-fearing Christian soul expect in such a cruel time other than bitterness and persecution? The Israelites, when they thought of leaving Egypt, then endured the gravest anger from the tormentor Pharaoh. Thus, when holy and pious souls become scarce in this world, the devil very cruelly arms himself against them and embitters them, either himself or through his servants; and the closer the end of the world is, the greater and more severe the suffering that follows the pious. The devil first of all rebels against those who stand and struggle against him; but he neglects those who obey his will. He uses all his strength to embitter this small flock (Luke 12:32). The Israelites, leaving Egypt, although Pharaoh embittered them, nevertheless came out with silver and gold, according to what is written: And he brought them out with silver and gold (Ps. 104:37); So Christians, although they suffer a lot from the devil and his servants in the end, nevertheless come from the world with a priceless treasure of eternal bliss. Be patient and strengthen your heart, pious soul! Everything worldly in the world will remain: you will leave here with eternal and heavenly treasure. Therefore, brethren, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and for its sake endures for a long time until he receives the early and late rain. Be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is drawing near. Do not complain, brothers, against each other, lest you be condemned: behold, the Judge stands at the door (James 5:7–9). You might be interested in: