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Let us adhere to piety, let us observe unshakable faith. Believe the truth and do not contradict the truth. Do not distort the faith, do not explore the Divine nature, do not subject immortal dignity to mortal judgments. The path of reasoning is dangerous; the understanding of the confession of faith is safe and secure. True wisdom is faith. Listen to what the Divine Word says: “Even if someone were perfect among the sons of men, without Your wisdom he will be considered nothing” (Wis. 9:6). Avoid research and do not choose words over faith. Have Paul as your teacher, recognize Peter as your leader, imitate their faith. Listen to Peter, who says: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). Follow Paul, who clearly glorifies the Son of God and in one place says that God, “who at times and in divers manners spoke of old to the fathers by the prophets, in these last days has spoken to us by the Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. This being, being the radiance of glory and the image of His hypostasis, and upholding all things by the word of His power, having accomplished by Himself the cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand (throne) of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:1-3); and again in another place, speaking about the Jews, he preaches: “theirs are the fathers, and from them is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever, amen” (Rom. 9:5) (5). When an earthly king invites someone to his palace or to a feast, do you think the invitee will not rush to express gratitude? We must strive with much greater zeal for the Heavenly King, Who will make those whom He accepts not only participants in the feast, but even fellow-partners of the reign, as it is written: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12). And I’m not saying that someone should lay hands on himself or kill himself contrary to the will of the Creator God, or expel the soul from its temporary home - his body, but I want to say that everyone, when they call him or his neighbor there, walks with joy and joy and greets others walking. This is the essence of the Christian faith: to expect true life after death, to hope for a return after the exodus (5). A great good is faith, a great good and the cause of many good things, so that people in the name of God can do the works of God. “If you have faith,” says [Christ], “you will say to this mountain: “Move from here to there,” and it will move” (Matthew 17:20); and again: “He who believes in Me, the works that I do will he do also, and greater works than these will he do” (John 14:12). What kind of big things would you say? The works done by the disciples subsequently, when even the shadow of Peter raised the dead. Through this, the power of Christ was preached even more. Indeed, it is not so much surprising that He worked miracles during His life, but that after His death others could perform great miracles in His name: this served as undoubted proof of His resurrection. Even if He appeared to everyone, it would not arouse such faith, because those who saw it could still say that it was a ghost. But whoever sees that in His name alone are performed signs much greater than those He himself performed when dealing with people, he cannot help but believe, unless he is extremely insensitive. So, faith is a great good when it comes from a warm heart, from a lot of love and a fiery soul. It makes us wise; it covers up human insignificance and, abandoning earthly speculations, philosophizes about heavenly things - even more: what human wisdom cannot acquire, it comprehends and accomplishes in abundance. Let us hold on to the faith and not entrust our affairs to speculation. Why, in fact, tell me, the pagans could not gain anything? Did they not know all external wisdom? Why couldn’t they surpass the fishermen, the skin-makers and the unscientists? Is it not because they left everything to their own speculations, and these latter to faith? So, for this reason, the latter surpassed Plato, Pythagoras and all erring people in general, defeated those knowledgeable in astrology and mathematics, geometry and arithmetic and those who studied every science and became as much better than them as the true and actual sages are better than people who are naturally stupid and insane. In fact, look: these said that the soul is immortal, or, better, not only said, but also convinced of it; and they initially did not even know what the soul was, and when they recognized and distinguished it from the body, they again began to suffer from the same ignorance. So, some said that she was incorporeal; others - that it is a body and is destroyed along with the body. In the same way, they said about the sky that it is animated and is God, and the fishermen both taught and convinced that it is the creation and work of God. However, it is not surprising that the pagans were guided by speculation, but what is worthy of tears is that people who present themselves as believers turn out to be spiritual. That is why they fell into error. So, some of them said that they knew God as He knows Himself, which even none of the pagans dared to say. Others said that God cannot give birth dispassionately, and did not give Him any advantage over people. Others argue that neither a good life nor good behavior brings any benefit... And that the right faith in a vicious life does not bring any benefit, this is shown by both Christ and Paul, who were primarily concerned about a good life. Thus, Christ teaches: “Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord!” Lord!”, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 7:21); and further: many will say to Me on that day: “Lord! God! Did we not prophesy in Your name?.. And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22, 23). In fact, people who are inattentive to themselves easily fall into vices, although they have the right faith (8). We will never test God regarding the cause of events, but without investigation and excessive inquisitiveness we will accept whatever He commands, even if His command seems incongruous from the point of view of human reflection. Tell me, really, what could seem more incongruous than for the father himself to kill his only and beloved son? However, the righteous man, having received such an order, did not talk about it, but accepted the command only according to the dignity of the orderer and obeyed. But another, having received a command from God to beat the prophet and considering it inappropriate, thought about this matter, and did not simply obey, and for this he was punished to death, and the one who beat him pleased God (see 1 Kings 20:35). And Saul, who saved people’s lives against the will of God, was dethroned and subjected to cruel punishment. You can find many other examples, which all teach us never to explore the reasons for God’s commands, but only not to resist and obey them. If it is dangerous to be curious about what God has commanded, and if extreme punishment awaits those who test it, then what justification will those who judge more incomprehensible and terrible subjects ever have, for example: how did the Father beget the Son? What is His essence? Therefore, knowing this, let us with all good will accept the mother of all blessings - faith, so that we, as those sailing in a calm harbor, may observe correct teaching (11). Who, seeing the heavens open, Christ coming on the clouds and all the hosts of the heavenly powers around Him, the flowing rivers of fire and everyone standing before Him with trembling, will not worship Him and recognize Him as God? But tell me, will this worship and recognition replace faith for a pagan? No. Why? Because this is not faith, it is a consequence of the need for a majestic spectacle; It is not one’s own decision, but the greatness of what one contemplates that captivates the soul in this case. Consequently, the clearer and more striking the signs, the less faith there is, which is why the signs are now not performed. To be convinced of the truth of this, listen to what Christ says to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Consequently, the more obvious the sign, the less the dignity of faith. The same thing would happen if signs were performed now. That then [after the coming of Christ] we will no longer know Him by faith, Paul explained this in the words: “for we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Just as then faith would not be imputed to you because of the obviousness of the subject, so now it would not be imputed if the same signs were performed as before. After all, faith occurs when we accept something that cannot be comprehended in any way, by any reasoning. Thus, God threatens Gehenna, but it is invisible; if it were visible, then the same thing would happen again (12). You might be interested in: