О тех, которые уловляют души в непотребство, утверждая, что ничего не значит таковое дело

God said to the prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, I have given you as a guard to the house of Israel, that you may hear the word from My mouth, and rebuke them from Me. Whenever I speak to the wicked man, I shall die: and neither shall I tell him, nor shall I agree, that the wicked man shall remain, and turn from his way, even as he lived: that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, and I will require his blood at thy hand. And if you tell the wicked, and he does not turn from his iniquity... that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and you will deliver his soul (Ezek. 3:17-19). Hearing this, beloved, let us work out (create) our salvation with fear and trembling, not losing heart while mutually admonishing each other, talking among ourselves not about what serves for pleasure, but about what contributes to the salvation of each of us. For this is what pleases God. But the enemy does not give you peace, laying out his nets. Therefore, we also need not to be careless about mutual love, remembering that God is able to break apart the enemy’s networks and deliver us from his malice. My heart hurts, and my insides have changed (my insides have sank) because of what my ear has heard in the Scriptures. And again I intend to give you brotherly advice: lust-loving people who despair in their souls, do not deceive you into doing deeds of wickedness. They are the offspring of the Sodomites, for whoever is jealous (promotes) of their deeds must be called their son. So, avoid their deeds and imitate them, so that, together with the Court, you avoid being named. Both the intentions are dangerous and the morals are disgusting among the malicious caresses. Some are clearly trying to deceive, while others hide behind piety and hypocritical humility, according to what is written: “Having the form of godliness, having rejected the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). Therefore, and also so that they are not convicted of childbearing, they indulge in pleasures, taking advantage of every convenient opportunity: they have neither the fear of God nor the knowledge of God, and “not only do they themselves create, but they also deign to do them” (Rom. 1:32). Therefore, they call great and grave wickedness unimportant, in order to catch every person and lead to the transgression of God’s commandments. Just as those who intend to kill a lion, having sharpened a spear to weaken the shine of the iron, cover it with black paint, and then deal the lion a fatal blow, so these people, assuring them of the unimportance of sin and lawlessly caressing those who obey them, drag their souls into destruction. And just as many poisonous animals emerge from another hole, so from the hearts of such people many crafty reasonings emerge. For it is said: “But a wicked heart forges a depraved heart for all time” (Proverbs 6:14). So, we must offer something from the Divine Scriptures for the reproof and overthrow of evil people, and for the correction and protection of those intending to repent. The tributary says: “Son, keep the laws of your father, and do not refuse to punish your mother. Bring me to your soul forever, and oblige them to your neck. Whenever you walk, let it be with you; when you sleep, let it keep you, let me rise up, and let it be with you. For a lamp is the commandment of the law, and the light, and the way of life, and reproof, and punishment. Save you from your husband's wife, and from the delusion of a foreign tongue. Son, do not let lust overcome thee of kindness, be caught by your eyes, and be admired by her eyeds. The price of a harlot is one piece of bread: but a wife catches the souls of honest husbands. If anyone binds fire into the depths, will he not burn the robe? Or if someone walks on coals of fire, his feet will be burned; So, the man who comes to the wife of a husband will not be without guilt; let everyone touch her. It is not surprising if someone steals: he steals so that he may satisfy his hungry soul. If he does, he will repay him sevenfold, and having given all his property, he will redeem it for himself. The adulterer, for his poverty of mind, causes the destruction of his soul, and suffers illness and dishonor; his reproach will not be erased forever. The wrath of her husband is filled with jealousy; he will not spare her on the day of judgment. Enmity will not be changed at any cost, but will be resolved by many gifts” (Proverbs 6:20–35). “Son, keep my words, but hide my commandments with yourself: son, honor the Lord, and be strong; fear no one else besides Him. Keep my commandments and live; My words are like the apples of my eyes: cover your fingers with them, and write on the tablet of your heart. Narci wisdom will be your sister, but create understanding for you: so that he may keep you from a strange and wicked wife, even if he begins to overwhelm you with flattering words. Through the window, from her house on the way, she will be accustomed to it, and if she sees from her crazy children a young man of poor mind, passing by the corner in the crossroads of her house, and speaking in the dark evening, when the rest will be nightly and gloomy. The wife wears it, having the image of an adulteress, who makes the hearts of young people soar: she is raised and prostitute, but her nose is not rested in the house. Time is something that mocks outside, but time crouches at the crossroads at every angle. Then, while eating, he kisses him, and with a cold face he speaks to him: “We are a peaceful sacrifice, today I pay my vows: for this reason I went out to meet you, who desired your face, and found you.” I covered my bed with sheets, and carpets with thick sheets from Egypt: I sprinkled my bed with saffron, and my house with cinnamon; come and let us enjoy love even until the morning, come and let us wallow in lust, for my husband is not in the house, he will set off on a distant journey, taking enough money with him, after many days he will return to his home. And deceive him with much conversation, and attract him with the snares of your lips. He foolishly followed her, and like an ox to the slaughter, and like a dog to bonds, or like a tree wounded by an arrow in a yatra: and like a bird he hurries into a net, not knowing how it flows to his soul. Now, son, listen to me, and listen to the words of my mouth. May your heart not deviate from her path. And do not be deceived in its paths. She wounded many, and they are countless, and she killed them. The ways of hell are her house, leading down to the treasures of death” (Prov. 7:1-27). If such severity is applied to women, then the stronger and more terrible will be the angry judgment on their husbands, who mutually commit shame. But maybe someone will come and say: “Where is the proof?” - I will present it to you from the Divine Scriptures. In the book of Genesis it is written: “And Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan: and Lot dwelt in the city of the surrounding countries, and dwelt in Sodom. But men who were in Sodom were evil, and sinners before God greatly” (Gen. 13:12-13). Understand the power of words; calling them evil and sinful, he did not stop there, but added “elo.” And God also says to Abraham: “The Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is multiplied to Me, and their sins are great” (Gen. 18:20), - thereby showing all the importance, abomination and severity of the iniquity of those people. Who should we believe: Divine Scripture or people who are voluptuous and devoid of truth? Voluptuaries with a shameless face say to each other: “God does not judge for this, because it concerns one body.” They object in this way because in order to destroy the fear of God’s justice in the heart of their neighbor, so that they would be fearless and uncontrollable in fulfilling their wishes, without having an accuser. How many have been misled by these words! How much they have corrupted! How many were killed! He who crawls himself is in danger; but whoever convinces others and distracts them from piety, and leads them along the rapids (of sin), according to what is written: “Judgment is without mercy” (James 2:13). Such people dare to represent even the true and untrue words of the Lord as false, uttering blasphemies and covering their own lusts. If those caught in that shame and who have not repented are not judged by God, as they talk vainly, then after this God’s justice will cease altogether! But no, it will not stop, let this not happen! For “The Lord is faithful in all His words and honorable in all His deeds” (Ps. 145:13). If on the Day of Judgment we give an account of every idle word, then all the more will we fall under responsibility for unclean deeds if we do not appease the Righteous and Infallible Judge with repentance. Hearing the apostolic saying, how will they not be ashamed of him who said: “For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7)? It is rightly said about such: “Then God gave them over through the lusts of their hearts into uncleanness, so that their bodies became unclean within themselves” (Rom. 1:24). And he also says: “For this reason God betrayed them in the passion of dishonor: and for his wives he changed their natural likeness into a supernatural one. Likewise, men, having abandoned the natural likeness of the female sex, inflamed with their lust against each other, men inflict cold on men, and accept retribution in themselves, befitting their deception. And even though they were not tempted to have God in their minds, God gave them over to an unskilled mind, to do things inappropriate, full of all kinds of untruth, fornication, deceit, covetousness, malice, filled with envy, murder, zeal, flattery, malice, whisperers, slanderers, abominable, harassers, majestic, proud, finders of evil, parents disobedient, unreasonable, uncompromising, unloving, unswearing, unmerciful. And you also understand the justification of God, because those who do such things are worthy of death, not only that they themselves do it, but that they deign to do it” (Rom. 1:26-32). Do you see how everything they say or do is not worthy of approval and is contrary to a good mind? So, let us not listen to their deceptive words, so that the above does not fall on us. Let us not give room to voluptuous and deadly thoughts, lest what is written about us be said: “And having corrupted our minds, and turned away our eyes, so as not to look at heaven, we should not remember the destinies of the righteous” (Dan. 13:9). And the blessed Apostle Peter says: “The message is that the Lord delivers the pious from adversity, but the unrighteous are tormented on the day of judgment. Most of all, those who follow the carnal path in the lust of defilement, and do not tremble blasphemously about the dominion of the careless, the daring, the self-pleasing, glory. Where the Angels are stronger and more powerful, they do not tolerate reproachful judgment. But these, like beasts, are by nature destined for destruction and decay, and they do not mean blasphemy in them; they perish in their corruption. Accepting the bribe of unrighteousness, imagining the sweetness of daily satiation, defilers and wicked women, feeding on their flattery, eat with you. The eyes of the possessed are filled with fornication and incessant sin, the deceiving souls are unsteady, the heart is taught covetousness, the oaths of the child: forsaking the right path, having gone astray, following the path of Balaam Bosor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness, and denounced his own iniquity. The yoke is silent, you preach with a human voice, forbid the prophet from madness. These are the sources of arid waters, clouds and darkness carried by the wind, to whom the dark darkness is preserved forever. Being proud of vanity and prophesying, they seduce into the filthiness of carnal lust, those who run away from them in every possible way, living in deceit. Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves of corruption: for whoever is overcome is the one who works for him. Even if we have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, these things, intertwined, are overcome, and by them the last burns the first. It would be better for them not to know the path of righteousness than for those who have known to turn back from the holy commandments handed down to them. Then a true parable happened to them: a dog returned to his vomit, and a pig washed himself in a pot" (2 Pet. 2:9-22). What can these vain talkers, seducers of young souls, say against this? Another disciple of Christ denounces them, saying: “Judas is the servant of Jesus Christ, but the brother of James, beloved in God the Father, called by Jesus Christ, kept. May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, making every effort to write to you about the common salvation (yours), they will feel the need to write to you, begging you to strive for faithful faith to the one saints. For certain people, who were ordained of old for this condemnation, have become wicked, turning the grace of our God into defilement, and rejecting the only Master God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to remember you, who alone know this, how the Lord saved the people from the land of Egypt, destroying the followers of those who did not believe, and the angels, who did not keep their authority, but left their home for the judgment of the great day, keeping them in eternal chains under darkness. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and their surrounding cities, having committed adultery in a similar manner and following other flesh, are presented as a testimony to the eternal fire, the judgment has risen. In the same way, seeing these dreams, they defile the flesh, sweep away dominions, and blaspheme glory. Michael the Archangel, always arguing with the devil, speaking about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring blasphemy to judgment, but said: may the Lord rebuke you. These, however, do not know the truth, they blaspheme: but if by nature they behave like a dumb animal, they are defiled in them. Woe to them: for they followed the path of Cain, and rushed into the flattery of Balaam's bribes: and in the bickering of Correov they perished. These are the desecrators of your love, eating with you, grazing without fear: clouds of aridity, blown by the wind: trees of the forest, barren, twice dead, uprooted. The waves of the fierce sea, singing their own shame: the charming stars, to whom the darkness of darkness is preserved forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these too, saying: Behold, the Lord will come in the darkness of His holy angels, to create judgment on all, and to expose all the wicked of all the deeds of their wickedness, in the image of your wickedness, and of all their cruel words, even as they say Nan sinners of wickedness. These are murmurers, reproaches, walking in their lusts in wickedness and transgression; and their lips speak with pride, imagining the benefit of persons. But you, beloved, remember the words spoken before by the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ. I tell you beforehand, that in the last time scoffers will come, walking according to their own lusts and being wicked. These are separating things for themselves, having no soul, no spirit. But you, beloved, edify yourself with your holy faith, praying with the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal life. And have mercy on both of them judiciously; Save them both with fear and with admiration from fire; reprove with fear, with hatred and even the desecrated robe of the flesh. To Him who is able to preserve you without sin and without defilement, and to present before His glory the blameless in joy, to the Only Wise God and our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, power and authority, before all the ages, and now, and to all ages. Amen." (Jude 1–25). It is also written in the Law of Moses: “And whosoever shall lie with the male sex in the bed of the female sex, and shall both commit abomination, let them both die by death” (Lev.20:13). Behold, their unfounded (lawless) teaching has been exposed and overthrown. Therefore, let them not deceive you by those who live dissolutely and trap unsteady souls through hypocrisy. On the contrary, looking at those who serve the Lord with fear and a good conscience, imitate their lives. I am telling you this not as one who claims to be righteous and blameless in his deeds, for my deeds are condemned and full of dishonor. But he reminded himself of what you said, that is, what dangers beginners are exposed to from unlawful treatment of others and from unreasonable condescension. Every Christian, or better yet, every person, needs to tremble for the salvation of his neighbor and worry about him, “because we are pleased with one another” (members of each other) (Eph. 4:25). Most of all, there is no need to seduce those who have fled to the Lord, fearing the threat of the One who said: “And if he seduces one of these little ones who believe in Me, let him not eat, and let the millstone of the village come down upon his neck, and drown in the abyss of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). But we must stay awake, be sober, exhort each other, beg each other, before evil befalls us. Just as “those who sow in tears will reap with joy” (Ps. 125:5), so “those who sow to their flesh, from the flesh” will reap “corruption” (Gal. 6:8). “For God has no respect for persons” (Rom. 2:11). So, let us be attentive to ourselves, repenting with tears before the Lord, so that we can get rid of that future fear. We hear what the prophet says: “Who will tell you that a fire is burning; who will tell you the eternal place” (Is. 33:14). And again: “And they will come out and see the corpses of men who have transgressed Me: for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a disgrace to all flesh” (Is. 66:24). But I ask: pray for me, so that I too may be worthy to produce fruit favorable to our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. You might be interested in: