Вера

Animals are also made a proof of faith. Do you believe the Lord, who said: You will tread on the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample the lion and the serpent (Ps. 90:13)? And by faith you have the power to trample on snakes and scorpions. Don’t you know that the viper that touched Paul while he was gathering brushwood did him no harm, because the saint was found full of faith (see Acts 28:3–6)? And if you do not have faith, then fear not the beast, but your unbelief, through which you have made yourself easily destroyed by everything (2). And all His works are in faith (Ps. 32:4) 21. What does this mean? His work is heaven, His work is earth. His business is the sea, the air, everything inanimate, animate, rational, unreasonable. How does all this happen in faith? What faith is there in the inanimate? What kind of faith do the foolish have? What kind of faith is in stone? What kind of faith is there in a dog? What is inanimate and unreasonable is not in faith. But the present saying did not exclude anything, but embraced everything, saying: all His works are in faith. Because what does what was said mean? If, says the psalm, you see the sky and order in it, this is a guide to faith for you, because it points to the Artist. If you consider the order on earth, and through this your faith in God increases again; For, having not known God with carnal eyes, we believed in Him, but through the power of the mind, through the visible, we perceive the Invisible. Therefore all His works are in faith. If you look at the stone, then it also serves as some indication of the power of the Creator. And you will find the same thing if you examine an ant, or a mosquito, or a bee; The wisdom of the Creator is often visible in the smallest things. For He who stretched out the sky and filled the immeasurable size of the seas, He also made the thinnest sting of a bee empty, like a pipe, so that poison could pour out through it. Therefore all His works are in faith. Let nothing lead you to disbelief. Don’t say: this happened by chance, but this happened naturally. In what exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing uncertain, nothing vain, nothing accidental. Do not say: an evil accident, or an evil hour. These are the words of ignorant people. Are not two small birds sold for an assarium? And not one of them will fall to the ground without the will of God? (Matthew 10:29). How many hairs are there on your head? Not one of them is forgotten (see Matt. 10:30). Do you see God's eye how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes His supervision? (2) In considering what the Lord said, one should not hesitate and doubt, but undoubtedly accept that every word of God is true and omnipotent, even if nature assures otherwise. For this is a feat of faith... Whoever does not believe the Lord in small things will obviously not believe in large things. If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (John 3:12) (4). Faith is undoubted consent to what is heard with confirmation of the truth of what is preached by the goodness of God; Such faith was demonstrated by Abraham, of whom it is testified that he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but remained steadfast in faith, giving glory to God and being fully confident that he was able to fulfill what he had promised (Rom. 4:20, 21). If the Lord is faithful in all His words (Ps. 144:13), all His commandments are true, they are established for ever and ever, written in truth and righteousness (Ps. 110:7, 8), then to sweep away anything from what is written or introduce something from what is not written is a clear falling away from the faith and exposing one’s pride, because our Lord Jesus Christ said: My sheep obey My voice , - and before this he said: they do not follow a stranger, but flee from him, because they do not know someone else's voice (John 10:27, 5), and the apostle strictly forbids adding or subtracting anything from the inspired Scriptures, presenting an example taken from human customs when he says: even no one revokes or adds to a testament approved by man (Gal. 3:15) (5). It seems to me that we should not completely shun those who do not accept the faith, but take some care for them according to the ancient rules of love and, with common consent, write to them, with compassion, offering them every possible consolation and, showing the faith of the fathers, invite them to unity (6). Translated by P. Yungerov: all His deeds are true. You might be interested in: