23. Признаки истинной духовной ревности в отличие от ревности душевной

Last time I undertook to summarize the results and did not finish it, and this was mainly what was required. This end is: yes, you know that the zeal we were talking about - active, living, burning, tireless zeal - is a sign that our spirit has been restored in its strength and rights through reunification with God by grace and the action of the Holy Spirit. We have our own outbursts of jealousy, but once it flares up, it goes out. Jealousy, always burning, constant and tireless, occurs only when our spirit is blessed by the Holy Spirit. So, when you have such jealousy, it means that your spirit has been restored and - just don’t extinguish it - it will take into its hands both soul and body, all the needs of your nature and all your everyday and civil relationships - and will direct everything towards one thing: pleasing God and salvation. Answer whether there is or not. I believe that it is very difficult for you to answer this, and not just because of modesty. I am coming to your aid. Don't mix jealousy with jealousy. Spiritual zeal is completely exhausted to please God and the salvation of the soul, it is filled with the fear of God and constantly maintains attention to God, taking every possible care not to allow anything in thoughts, feelings, words, or deeds that would not be pleasing to God, as her conscience tells her, which she keeps pure, like a mirror, she guards her heart from any attachment to anything other than God and Divine things, and with his hopes he moves to another world, cutting off all earthly hopes. She does not shy away from what is needed for temporary life, but everything related to this is an accessory for her, and the matter is one thing: pleasing God and salvation. Do you see how? Please discuss this thoroughly and test yourself on this. Also, take into account that there is both mental jealousy and strong jealousy. But it is all focused on arranging a temporary life. Who is jealous of science without sleeping; who is talking about artistry, running around the whole world; who spare no effort in industry and trade; who is talking about something else - everyday or civil. All this would be nothing, but the trouble is that when any of these jealousies capture the attention and strength of a person, it extinguishes spiritual jealousy. Spiritual jealousy in its best manifestations, which are indicated, is cold towards the spiritual and discourages any desire to do what satisfies spiritual jealousy. And there is nothing to say about other jealousies, how disgusting they are spiritually. For there is also vain jealousy (about clothes and the like) and there is evil jealousy - vicious and sinful, aimed at satisfying passions. These latter do not only cool spiritual jealousy, but are completely hostile to it and, just as they suppress it in themselves if it somehow stirs in the conscience, they drive it out and persecute it in others. That's how much jealousy there is! If you please take a closer look, do you have any of them? Spiritual jealousy does not drive away spiritual jealousy (scientific, artistic, worldly, civic), but only moderates it and streamlines it, directing it to its own types, not allowing it to be jealous about anything that is disgusting to itself. She drives away only the vain and passionate and does not allow them to appear in the circle of life of a person whom she herself has taken possession of. In only one case does she not give way to spiritual jealousy - namely, when she sees that affairs and activities to satisfy this jealousy - science, art, craftsmanship, family life, civil services and positions - do not give space to her, crowd her, cool her and extinguish her. Then she completely snatches the person she has taken possession of from those orders of life governed by spiritual jealousy, and takes him to a place where he does nothing but satisfy her—spiritual jealousy. Can you guess what we're talking about here?! I am fencing off real spiritual zeal for you from everything external, so that you definitely see that it exists and become zealous about it. She is that “fire” that the Lord came to “create” on earth (Luke 12:49) and which, having fallen on the earth of our nature, consumes everything indecent there, and melts and purifies everything that is needed. The Apostle meant this when he wrote to the Thessalonians: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). For although this Spirit is a gracious Spirit, His presence in us is evidenced by the burning of spiritual zeal, and He is extinguished when this zeal is extinguished. This is what he meant when he taught the Romans: “Be diligent, not lazy, eager in spirit, working for the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). Diligence and indolence are jealousy itself; burning in spirit is evidence of its presence and effectiveness; the work of the Lord is the direction and spirit of this zeal. Directing such zeal, the same Apostle commands the Philippians: “As much as is true, as much as is honorable, as much as is righteous, as as is most pure, as much as is admirable, as much as is worthy of praise, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, consider this... and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9). This is what the revived spirit is jealous of, united with God and, as a result of such jealousy, maintaining such a combination. For this reason, the God of peace abides with him - a blessing greater than which there is no other. Also defining the proper direction of zeal, he writes to the Romans: “I beseech you, brethren, by the tender mercies of God, present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, your verbal service, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so as to test you, what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2). Renewal of the mind is renewal of our spirit by grace. Having come to life, he renounces the affairs of this age and is zealous only about pleasing God, sacrificing himself to God as a “living” and “holy” sacrifice, and therefore “pleasing” to God. So here’s what jealousy is, what its strength is and what its directions are! Since the significance of this jealousy is so great, you yourself will agree that it is worth the trouble to determine whether you and I have it. And work hard at it. The holiday of the Nativity of Christ is approaching. Congratulations and send you my greetings and best wishes! Along with this, I congratulate you on the New Year. Perhaps I won't have to write to you until then. You might be interested in: