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This is what St. Tikhon says about self-love (Book 6, §254)! Self-love causes every disaster in the world. From self-love - abuse, from self-love, so much human blood is shed, only widows are left crying for their husbands, only mothers are left for their sons, only children are left mourning for their fathers, so much states and cities are desolate, so much is dependent on the treasury, so much restlessness, confusion, fear is created in both fighting states!.. Self-love produces robberies, murders, violence and raking. Self-love makes judicial places a marketplace, teaches one to trample on the truth, and stains the judicial swords with innocent blood. Self-love fills prisons with righteous and unrighteous prisoners. It must be attributed to pride that many poor people wander without charity, protection, clothing, food; for, instead of providing each other with excess, self-love teaches some to take away the last from their neighbor; others - to keep wealth given from God, regardless of the demands of the brethren; For some, it is too much to indulge in luxury... Poverty and squalor come from pride; self-love is to blame for the fact that some are beggars, others abound too much, others starve (suffer from hunger), others are satiated. - The fruits of pride - let me say briefly - these are: 1) every sin and lawlessness; 2) every disaster and misfortune that happens in this world; 3) the selfish person himself has an evil conscience, sadness and despair of God’s eternal mercy; 4) after death in this century, eternal torment in hell and fire in Gehenna. Then the narcissist will hate himself immensely; he is disgusted with himself: the one who loved and revered himself here immeasurably is disgusted; the one who had a great reputation here will want to turn into nothing. “So pride is responsible for all evil.” Question As the saint represents. Tikhon's pride, and what signs does it indicate? Rep. (Bk. VI, §200). When a person turns love, which is due to God alone, to himself, this is called self-love, which is nothing more than immoderate love of oneself. It is a sign of self-love when someone, having abandoned the will of God, fulfills his own... There is a sign of self-love when someone avoids evil, not for the sake of the will of God, which does not want evil, but either for the fear of man, or for praise or out of self-interest... There is a sign of self-love when someone, having some kind of gift: wealth, for example, intelligence, health, attributes it to his diligence and labors, and not God... It is a sign of self-love when someone, being in some kind of trouble and misfortune, does not endure, but grumbles. For such a one prefers his will to the will of God, without which nothing can happen. It is a sign of self-love when someone, whatever he does, does it for the sake of glorifying his name... Just as love of God is the root and source of all the blessings of peace, peace, harmony: so self-love is the beginning of all evils and troubles in the world, as said above... Question How does Saint Tikhon talk about self-sacrifice? Rep. Whoever wants to follow Christ (everyone must), must deny himself. For just as someone who wants to look at heaven must first turn his eyes away from the earth and then look at heaven, so whoever wants to follow Christ, that is, Christ’s life, must first deny himself. Why this? Because we are evil by our nature, from the sinner Adam we are all born sinners and sin-loving people, and we conceive nothing other than evil and vain. Christ is the purest goodness and holiness, there is light, not involved in any darkness (John 8:12; 1 John 1:5). Therefore, we cannot follow Him until we deny ourselves, as evil ones. If anyone wants to follow Me, He Himself says, let him deny himself (Matthew 16:24). What is it to deny yourself? We will know this when we look at the one who denies his neighbor. Anyone who has denied his neighbor moves away from him; when the rejected one hungers, thirsts, is hungry, hurts, then the rejected one does not sympathize; when he is in need, he does not help him; when he suffers, he has no compassion for him. This is how we should, when we want to truly deny ourselves, do with ourselves when we (for the sake of the name of Christ) are blasphemed, scolded, beaten, wounded, deprived of honor and property, imprisoned, expelled, all this - as if we did not feel it on ourselves, and blamed it on someone else, and not on us, all this disaster was. This is what it means to deny yourself! Renounce your will and follow the will of Christ; renounce your evil behavior and follow the good behavior of Christ; renounce pride, envy, malice, pride, love of money and other old Adamic qualities and inclinations, and follow Christ’s humility, meekness, love, patience and His other divine (moral) properties. Question How can this be? Rep. Thus: for example, the lust for uncleanness, fornication and adultery arises in your heart, and in your heart you yourself, renounce these evil lusts, and renounce the lust of yourself, the one who lusts, and follow in purity and chastity the most pure and holy Christ. Pride rises in your heart... Renounce sowing abominations, for all that is high in men is an abomination before God - and follow the humble Jesus with humility. Is your heart inflamed with anger, malice, vengeance? Deny this, and follow in meekness the meek and gentle lamb - Christ... Question What reasons and motivations dispose a Christian to self-sacrifice? Rep. 1) If someone did not want to renounce himself and his evil behavior, then again he wants to turn to Satan and his works, which, at the baptism of St. and entering Christianity, did we renounce? 2) Look how many sons of this century work and strive for temporary benefits... The warrior is not afraid and goes against the enemy under bullets, cannonballs, swords, in order to earn honor and glory from the monarch. A merchant who is filled with robberies and other dangers is not afraid to wander in order to acquire perishable treasure... How can you not be encouraged to feats of selflessness by the hope of the future, eternal and ineffable bliss?.. 3) Imagine the disposition and qualities of both - the old Adam and Christ, and judge who is better to follow?.. A bestial and bestial disposition is a disposition. the old man... Christ's disposition is most divine and most good, which by itself draws our hearts to love and imitate Him (Book VII, Art. 4, Chapter 5). This is how the newly-minted saint of God Tikhon talks about self-knowledge. You cannot correct yourself properly if you do not recognize the evil hidden in your heart. An unknown disease remains incurable. The beginning of health is to know your illness; and the beginning of bliss is to understand one’s misfortune and misfortune. From self-knowledge will come the knowledge of one’s poverty and wretchedness; from the consciousness and feeling of one’s damnation will follow the fear of eternity, humility, and the desire for deliverance. To the humble, God gives grace, which corrects and renews a person. Know yourself, and you will correct yourself (Part I, instructions from the Chronicle, art. 48). Question What most serves to understand what lies in the heart? Rep. Temptation and misfortune reveal what lies in the human heart. Temptation is like a medicine called an emetic. What is hidden in the stomach, the emetic shows: so, and what is in the inside of a person, temptation and misfortune are announced. The Holy Word of God and other Christian books show the corruption of our nature; but in temptations and adversities we recognize it through practice or deed itself. Thus, the love of fame is recognized in the deprivation of glory, the love of money - in the deprivation of wealth, envy - in the well-being of one's neighbor, anger - in annoyance. Do not be discouraged by temptations, but thank God above all for the fact that He leads you into self-knowledge through them. Question In what article of his spiritual Treasures, collected from this world, is the saint. Tikhon finds out the feelings of the heart that has come to self-knowledge? Rep. In the article: I’m ashamed to look at you (Part 13, Art. 16). We hear this word when someone has received many benefits from a benefactor; but he offended him a lot, and appeared ungrateful to his benefactor; and then, having come to self-consciousness, he repents before him, and confesses his guilt and sin and says to him with regret: I am ashamed to look at you. So a Christian soul, having sinned a lot against the Lord, but then coming to its senses and repenting, befits God, its Creator, crying out: I am ashamed to lift my eyes to You. You are my Creator; I am Your creation and the work of Your hands (Ps. 119:73). But I did not understand this, sinning and being lawless before You. You did not create me as an insensitive and dumb creature, but as a human being, with feelings and reason, and, most of all, you honored me with Your image. I am the image of Your ineffable glory. But I did not understand this great gift of Yours, I did not listen to You, I sinned and offended You, my great Creator and benefactor. Therefore, shame covers my face. You, defiled by sin, conceived in iniquities and born in sins, have washed me, sanctified and justified me in the bath of rebirth. But I did not understand Your great and ineffable gift, since I desecrated myself with many sins, and like a dog returned to its vomit, and like a pig, having washed itself, it returned to the pot. Behold the coldness of my face! My heart is troubled about this!.. You feed me, clothe me, and with Your generous hand you give me everything and every good thing that I have. But I did not understand Your abundant goodness, insulting You, my benefactor, and I did not appear grateful to You, my benefactor: I am ashamed to look at You. And now I recognize and confess my ingratitude and sin towards You, and I know and confess that I am truly unworthy of heaven and earth, and the crust of bread and this temporary belly, but only worthy of punishment... But you see, O Heart-Knower, the sadness, groaning and tightness of my heart, and the shame of my face, as I have sinned against my Creator and God. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions, cleanse my iniquities - and all - Psalm 50 (Psalm 50). I no longer want to sin in anything; but just as Your word teaches, I will do so and, according to its rule, I will try to correct myself. Lord, help me, stretch out Your holy hand and strengthen me!.. About the self-delusion of St. Macarius the Great says this as a warning to those seeking the sanctification of grace. “This is the property of the soul: it has a certain depth and many members. However, sin comes and possesses all the members of it and all the thoughts of the heart. But when he seeks grace, he finds grace, and it comes to him, and occupies two members of the soul. - The inexperienced and inexperienced, having felt the consolation of grace, thinks that grace has come and taken possession of all the members of his soul, and sin has already been completely eradicated, not knowing that sin takes possession of an even larger part of the soul and its strength, and grace only one. And thus a person pitifully deceives himself. Many times grace continually acts in the soul like an eye in the body; but sin, secretly approaching, protects the mind. In this case, one who does not know the analysis and distinction in things easily gives in to deception, thinking that he has completely acquired grace, madly thinks something about himself, is exalted and arrogant, considering himself free from sin. Question How does Saint Tikhon warn against self-delusion? Rep. So: like stomach belching, it is also a word and deed that comes from the heart. The belching begins first in the stomach, and comes out through the mouth: so that what is inside a person’s heart, good or evil, is revealed outside through word or deed. When there is prayer in the heart and it abounds, it will certainly show itself either by raising one’s eyes to heaven, or by raising one’s hands, or by saying a word of prayer. Then the person will cry: Oh, Lord, have mercy! Oh, Lord, hear! Oh, Lord, have mercy! When God’s mercy and gratitude for it are felt in the heart, it also comes through words, with a decent feeling. Then the person exclaims, and with a joyful spirit and lips of joy he exclaims to God the Benefactor: Glory to Thee, O God! or: Blessed be God; or: bless the Lord, my soul... Also, every evil that hides in a person’s heart, like belching from the stomach, comes out through a word or deed and reveals itself... Many people think and say that they have hope in God; but from chance, like from a belch, they learn in whom they trust. Temptation reveals who we trust in: God, or man, or another creature. He who resorts to someone in his need and seeks help, trusts in him. Are you running to a person? You rely on man, not God. Do you get rid of adversity through wealth and gifts? You rely on wealth, not on God... Many people dream that they love God and their neighbor; but since they do not have love in their hearts, they seduce and deceive themselves. Their deeds show that they love their own whims and love themselves, and not God and their neighbor... The great thing is love, and there is nothing greater than love. All gifts are nothing without love (1 Cor. 13:1, 2, 3). Love should be in the heart, not in words, and is known by deeds, not by words. The constant desire and desire of God's word and the fulfillment of His will, as long as this is possible for a person here, is a sign of heartfelt love... Many people think that they are meek and patient, but chance and temptation, like belching, reveal the opposite; and then they themselves will know that there is no meekness and patience in them. Many people think that they pray all day and often; because they bow a lot and read a lot of written prayers; but since they do this without reason and without zeal, they either pray little or never. For everything external without the internal is nothing. Every goodness and piety must first be in the heart and come from the heart or from the inside, just as belching comes from the stomach: my heart will vomit the word good, says St. David. Do the same. Do you pray? Let your heart burp your prayer. Do you give thanks and sing to God? Let your heart burst forth with thanksgiving and singing. Are you humble? Let your heart burp out your humility. Do you have mercy on your neighbor? Let your heart spit out your mercy... Do you repent to your Lord and confess your sin? Let your heart spit out your repentance and confession. Tempt yourself. Try the perfume. Take heed, lest the evil one deceive you (Part II). Question How does St. Tikhon reflect on freedom? Rep. I. Both work and freedom are twofold. Bodily work is when a person has a master over him, whom he obeys and of whom he is a slave. Spiritual work, when it works against sin and sin against the devil. For sin is the work of the devil... There is bodily freedom when a person does not work for another person and is not subject to his authority. Such are the essence of kings and princes. Bodily freedom is also when a person is not bound by the body, not shackled, not imprisoned... Spiritual freedom is when a person is freed from sin and the devil’s power by the grace of God, does not allow sin and the devil to reign over him, resists his passions and lusts, subdues the flesh to the spirit, serves the only God as a free spirit. Such a one may be a slave in the body to man, in chains, in captivity; but in spirit he is always and everywhere free. For no one can enslave and bind the spirit. So the holy martyrs were shackled in their bodies, bound and imprisoned; but they were free in spirit. So today pious slaves work for their masters with their carnal bodies, but are free in spirit... As long as a person has faith and strives against the flesh, the world, the devil and sin, he has spiritual freedom, even if he was enslaved. Behold, glorious freedom (Part VII)! II. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). There is nothing more pleasant and desirable for people than freedom... Everyone respects freedom more than the whole world. Neither wealth, nor honor, nor sweet food is unpleasant for us, when we have no freedom... Dumb birds deign to be free rather than to be in captivity and eat ready-made food. Everyone has a natural desire and love for freedom... True Christians have this treasure, I mean freedom, and freedom is not temporary, but eternal. Their freedom lies neither in place nor in time. A dungeon, captivity, work, or an iron chain cannot take away their freedom. They always and everywhere have this invaluable treasure with them. For it is with the incorruptible price of this world, not with corruptible silver or gold, but with honest blood, like the undefiled and pure blood of a lamb, that Christ was bought (1 Pet. 1:18; Part IX, Ch. 10). Question What does this freedom consist of? Rep. 1) Christians are free from sin, death and eternal condemnation in Christ Jesus. He will save his people from sin, the Angel spoke about Christ (Matthew 1:21). Having been freed from sin, become enslaved to righteousness (Rom. 6:18). “How are Christians free from death, but they die?” They die bodily; but they will rise again on the last day. Then the word will be written (1 Cor. 15:54). “Are Christians really sinless?” No; Christians have sin; but he does not reign over them, and although they sin out of weakness; but through prayer, repentance and faith in Christ they are cleansed from sin (1 John 1:9). 2) Свобода христианская состоит в том, что они свободны от клятвы законныя: Христос ны искупил есть от клятвы законныя , быв по нас клятва ( Гал. 3:13 ; Рим. 8:1 ). Клятва же законная в том состоит, что закон на всякого, кто всего, законом Божиим повеленного, не исполняет, гнев Божий возвещает и вечному осуждению подвергает. Христиане, благодатию Христа Сына Божия, Который весь закон за нас исполнил, и за грехи наши предан бысть и стал за нас клятвою, – свободны... 3) Свободны христиане от закона: яко не суть под законом, а под благодатию. They fulfill the commandments of God not under the compulsion of the law, but with a free spirit; not like slaves, afraid of punishment, but like sons, showing willing and loving obedience to their Father, they bear spiritual fruit, which is love, peace, patience, and so on. (Gal. 5:22). In this, it seems, mind, Paul wrote: the law does not lie for the righteous... Carnal, non-Christian, pagan self-will is opposed to Christian work, or the yoke of Christ is good and His burden is light. About this work of St. Tikhon talks like this (Part 9, Chapter 11). Christian work is sweet work, because it is unconstrained and free. The masters of this age buy slaves for themselves, against their will, and assign them to work from which they themselves turn away... God, the Lord of all, does not deal with us this way. He calls everyone to his work, but forces no one; attracts everyone with his grace and convinces (Matthew 20:1-7; 22:2-9), but does not force... He opens his garden for work and convenes everyone, through his servants - the prophets and apostles and the saints. teachers, but does not want to force anyone. Self-will is pleasing to the carnal, unblessed man; but Christian work for a Christian is comforting and delightful. For 1) she is free and unconstrained; 2) Christians do not work for a person similar to themselves, but for God, the Creator and Lord of all. All people choose better to serve a high, merciful, wise person; but no matter what kind of master the man is - tall, great, kind, wise; but he is the same as his slaves - earth and ashes... This is not the Lord for whom Christians work; He is God - King of Kings and Lord of Lords; His kingdom is the kingdom of all ages. He is so great that the whole world is before Him, like a drop of water before the sea, or like nothing. His goodness, mercy, wisdom, truth are endless... Therefore, the holy martyrs boasted with this high title before kings and tormentors: We are Christ's servants; We work for the King of Heaven. 3) Masters of men accept service from their slaves, but do not help them in their service: Christian work is not like that: they work for their Lord, but God Himself helps them, strengthens them, instructs them: He gives them zeal and diligence, their spirit encourages them, their hearts are kindled, their minds and minds are enlightened... 4) The work of God’s servants does not consist in wearing the yoke of some heavy one, which is the kind of work assigned to people from their masters, especially inhuman; but - in wearing the good yoke and light burden of Christ. God does not command His servants to carry earth from place to place, to dig ore, and to do other similar heavy work—the Lord does not command anything of the sort; but what? Behold, he says, I command you, that you love one another (John 15:17). And the end of the will is love from a pure heart (1 Tim. 1:5). What is easier than to love? What is sweeter, more pleasant and more convenient than to love?.. 5) The sweet and comforting work of Christians is known from the opposite work, which is the willful work of the passions. There is nothing more painful than living according to the corrupting inclinations and inclinations of your will, and slavishly satisfying passions. An evil person suffers so much from his inner tormentor, i.e., anger, how many ways he invents to take revenge and reward an insult with an insult!.. They themselves know it, and court cases testify. How much the envious one is consumed by a poisonous and deadly worm, seeing the bliss of his neighbor and being sick about him: he turns pale, dries up, melts away!.. The lover of money has hard work, which serves mammon: his heart binds and hardens and keeps to himself; turns away hands from giving alms, and directs them to predation... And what fornication, drunkenness and other self-will does to their zealots is obvious to everyone: they become beasts from men, and madmen from rational ones, and dumb from verbal ones! The same should be understood about other passions that are satisfied by self-will. Ясно и твердо Апостольское слово: имже кто побежден бывает , сему и работен ( 2Пет. 2:19 ). И хотя таковые кажутся свободными, хотя делают, что хотят, и живут по своей воле; but they are slaves; ибо всяк творяй грех, раб есть греха ( Ин. 8:34 ), – и рабы беднейшие и злосчастнейшие тех, которые варварам и мучителям работают. Лучше человеку, разумному созданию, работать, нежели – страсти, как идолу глухому и немому. Samples of death for sin. And: even if you live according to the flesh, corrupted by your own will, you are about to die. Christian work is not like that. The yoke of Christ is easy and His burden is light. And the work of truth is a glorious, noble freedom, the fruit of which is holy, the end is an eternal life. Christians, as servants of God, meek, long-suffering, merciful, true, and they themselves imitate their Lord: they overcome the malice of the wicked with goodness; those who are embittered do not become angry, those who are deprived do not cry. Food and drink serve only as a reinforcement for a weakened body, and not as a sweet nourishment; They eat and drink as much as the weak flesh requires reinforcement. Eating, drinking, peace and other actions direct towards a single end - godly work and service; and not to sweets and satisfaction of one’s flesh and will. Question What spiritual thoughts are in the mind of the saint. Tikhon gave birth to the view of the lamp? Rep. Like a lamp in a house, he reflects, living faith is in the human heart. The lamp is lit by a person; the lamp of faith is lit by the Holy Spirit through hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). When the lamp in the house burns and shines; everything is clear in the house, and those who live in it see everything, and those who walk do not stumble: so, when the lamp of faith shines in the heart, a person clearly sees everything spiritual: the invisible God as if he were visible, and other invisible things as if they were visible, he saw, and he did deeds befitting the Christian title. When there is no lamp in the house, there is darkness in the house: so, when there is no lamp of faith in the human heart, there is nothing else but darkness and all error. So that the lamp in the house does not go out, oil must be added: so that the lamp of faith in the heart does not go out, one must: 1) read or listen to the word of God and other Christian books, 2) pray diligently to God, 3) partake of the holy and life-giving sacraments of the body and blood of Christ and 4) do works of mercy. Question What are the signs of the lamp of faith burning in the human heart? Rep. 1) Such a person reads the word of God and diligently studies in it; 2) he calls on God from the heart, prays to Him and thanks Him for all His good deeds; 3) guards against all sin and strives against all sin; 4) lives in this world as a wanderer and stranger... Nothing in this world makes him happy except God; 5) a clear sign of the lamp of faith burning in the heart is joy in the Holy Spirit. For where there is faith in God, there is joy in God... From here we can see what signs of faith have faded in the human heart: 1) lawless living: the fornicator’s faith has faded; the thief and the robber's faith has faded, etc., 2) contempt for God's word, 3) abandonment of prayer, 4) withdrawal from the most pure mysteries, etc. Be holy, as I am holy, says the Lord God (1 Pet. 1:16). This is the will of God, your holiness, says the Apostle (1 Thess. 4:2). Question What means, aids and incentives for acquiring and preserving holiness does St. Tikhon present? Rep. 1) The omnipresence of God and the clear vision of not only our deeds, but also our secret thoughts and intentions can turn us away from sin and encourage us to live our holy lives. 2) The suffering of Christ is strong and should turn us away from sin - the suffering of Christ for our sins... 3) The promise made under St. baptism, should turn us away from sin and move us to piety... 4) The high and magnificent name of the holy Church is the house of God, the city of God, etc. encourages us to evade sin and pursue piety... 5) Christians can and should be encouraged to live a pious life in Christ Jesus and maintain themselves in it - their high and heavenly title: we are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, etc. ( 1Пет. 2:9 ). 6) Communion of the most pure and life-giving mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ should move us, Christians, to move away from sin and to true repentance... 7) May prayer move us to avoid sin and create true repentance... 8) May the infinite and ineffable goodness of God move us to avoid sin and to live a holy life (Rom. 2:4 ). 9) May the truth of God move us, Christians, to true repentance and against sin... 10) May the written word strongly move us to repentance and caution: at midnight there was a cry: behold, the bridegroom is coming, come out to meet Him (Matthew 25:6). 11) The hope set aside for Christians in heaven (Col. 1:5) is to strongly motivate Christians and strengthen them, with God’s help, in godly patience and turn them away from sin. There is the house of the Heavenly Father... There is a holy city... There they see God face to face... There the sun of truth shines - Christ... There are holy Angels. Nothing bad will enter there... 12) Righteous and faithful reasoning about worldly things can turn the heart away from vanity and turn to true repentance and piety... Gold, silver, precious stones, decoration of clothing, personal kindness, and everything that to the eyes of men in the world seems dear and pleasant - what is there, if not the charm and lust of our hair... (Book 8, ch. 10, §§407–418)? О Священном Писании святитель Тихон объясняет следующие вопросы: Question Что такое священное Писание? Rep. Священное Писание составляют Пророческие и Апостольские книги, или одним словом – Библия. Писание святое есть как-бы послание небесного Царя к подданным своим рабам, нам недостойным, которое чрез верных Своих рабов, Духом Святым умудренных, благоволил послать и волю Свою святую и милостивое благоволение Свое открыть. Question Where is the Divinity of Holy Scripture seen? Rep. It has a certain wondrous and Divine power and action, so that in a short time, not through many, but through twelve men, not wise, but simple and without books, it spread throughout the entire universe (Rom. 10:18). And not only did it happen, but it also bore great fruit, that the pagans, stuck in the delusions of idolatry and growing old, abandoning the superstition of idolatry, turned to Christ Jesus, who died a shameful death, and recognized Him as the Savior and God. And although, through the devil’s cunning and intrigue, the wise men and the mighty of this age strongly opposed the preaching of the Gospel; but like the wind is the rays of the sun, the stormy devil’s wind could not hinder the Apostles, like the rays from Christ the Sun sent into the heavenly places (Isa. 55:10). Question What follows for us from the divinity of Holy Scripture? Rep. What Holy Scripture, as the word of God, reveals, we must undoubtedly believe, as if we see with our eyes, or - far more accurately. For it is more convenient for our feelings to deceive us than for God’s word, which is spoken by a true God. We must believe in Him more than in Him who rose from the dead (Luke 16:31). Any person can lie; but God, like eternal truth, cannot lie (Ps. 144:13). And because God has revealed to us, it certainly is, or will be in due time. There will certainly be a resurrection of the dead; there will be a second coming of Christ, just as the first was; His judgment will be righteous; there will be reward for the righteous and for the sinner, etc. Question Is it necessary for everyone? Rep. Try the Scriptures, as if you think you have eternal life in them, says Christ (John 5:39). Although the forefathers and patriarchs were saved without Scripture; but they were taught and instructed by the living voice of God. We should not expect such a voice and instruction... Just as those who walk along the path or do something need sensual light, so those who go towards eternity and labor in the feat of faith and piety need the lamp of the word of God. And just as the body is strengthened with food all day long, lest it weaken, so the soul must be strengthened daily by the spiritual word of God with food, lest it be worn away by hunger and weaken. Man is blind by himself, and therefore requires enlightenment; he is weak, and therefore he needs reinforcement; he is sad and lazy, and therefore he needs encouragement and consolation. And all this is gleaned from Holy Scripture. Question For whom is the Holy Scripture needed most? Reply The Word of God, as the truest and most perfect rule of piety, is necessary for all Christians; but to shepherds, that is, bishops and priests, especially; for they took the key of understanding, which is the word of God, and with which, both for themselves and for others, they must open the door to Christ and the eternal life, opened by His death. Pay attention to yourself and to the teachings, and remain in them, the Apostle tells the shepherd (1 Tim 4:16). Question How is Holy Scripture divided? Rep. The Holy Bible or the books that contain God's word are divided into the books of the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament means all those books that were written before the coming of Christ, such as those of Moses, the Prophets, and so on. The books of the New Testament are those that were written by the Apostles after the coming of Christ, and they contain the holy teaching and preaching about the saving coming of Christ, such as the four Gospels, the Apostolic Epistles, etc. Question Like St. Does John of Damascus count the books of the Holy Scriptures? Rep. You need to know that the books of the Old Testament are twenty-two, according to the number of letters of the Hebrew language: for the Jews have twenty-two letters, of which five are written in two, so that their styles are twenty-seven. For they are written in two ways: kaf, mem, nun, pe and tsade. Therefore, the books of the Old Testament in the same way are considered twenty-two, but there are twenty-seven, because five of them contain two each. Thus, the book of Ruth is added to the book of Judges and is considered by the Jews to be one book; also the first and second Kings - for one book; third and fourth Kings - for one book; first and second Chronicles - for one book; first and second Esdras - for one book. Thus, all the books kept in the ark consisted of the four Pentateuchs, and two more books in the following order: The five books of the law: the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy constitute the first Pentateuch or Law. Then the second Pentateuch, called Scripture and Sacred Scripture, consists of the following books: Joshua, Judges with Ruth, the first book of Kings with the second, counted as one book; the third book of Kings with the fourth - also for one book, and two books of Chronicles - also for one book: this is the second Pentateuch. The Third Pentateuch consists of books written in verse: the book of Job, the Psalter, the Proverbs of Solomon, his Ecclesiastes, his Song of Songs. The fourth Pentateuch contains prophetic books: twelve prophets as one book, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc. Finally, the two books of Ezra make one book, and Esther. And the books called Panaret (treasury of all virtues), that is, the book of the wisdom of Solomon and the wisdom of Jesus, which was written in Hebrew by the father of Sirach, and translated into Greek by Jesus by his grandson, the son of Sirach, although edifying and good books are not included in the number, and were not kept in the ark. The books of the New Testament are: the four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; Acts of St. the apostles, written by the evangelist Luke; seven conciliar epistles: one of James, two of Peter, three of John, and one of Judah; fourteen epistles of St. the Apostle Paul, and the Apocalypse of the Evangelist John (Exposition of Faith, Chapter 17, Book 4.) In many parts and in many ways, of old, God spoke from the Father into the Prophet; in the last days he spoke to us in the Son (Heb. 1:1). “Thus, the Law and the Prophets, and the Evangelists and Apostles, and shepherds and teachers spoke by the Holy Spirit. “And so all Scripture is inspired by God, and therefore useful to eat (2 Tim. 3:16). Why is studying the Divine Scriptures the most kind and soulful thing. For the soul, nourished by the Divine Scripture, like a tree planted by streams of water, bears ripe fruit - the Orthodox faith, and is always decorated with green leaves, i.e., godly deeds. Holy Scripture sets us up for a virtuous life and pure contemplation: for in Scripture we find exhortation to all virtue and prevention from all vice. Therefore, if we are zealous in learning, we will acquire much wisdom. For everything is achieved through diligence, labor and the grace of the bestowing God. For everyone who asks receives it, and everyone who seeks finds it, and it will be opened to the one who interprets (Luke 11:10). Let us knock on this most perfect paradise of the Scriptures, a fragrant, sweet, most beautiful paradise; in it our ears are filled with the varied singing of spiritual God-bearing birds; our heart is touched, comforted in sorrow, tamed in anger, and filled with eternal joy; our mind, resting on the golden and brilliant interstices of the Divine dove, ascends on its bright wings (Ps. 67:14) to the only begotten Son and Heir of the Planter of spiritual grapes, and through Him to the Father of lights (James 1:17)... Let us draw from this source of paradise inexhaustible and pure water flowing into eternal life (John 4:14). Let us be satisfied and enjoy them always with a new thirst; for the grace of Scripture is inexhaustible (Exposition of the Righteous Faith of St. John of Damascus, 1844, p. 271).” “What a pleasure it is to read Scripture! More pleasant and delightful than looking at some meadow or beautiful garden, especially when reading happens with understanding. For, although the meadow, the beauty of flowers, tree leaves, roses, ivy, myrrh and delight the eye, they dry up after a few days; On the contrary, the understanding of Scripture protects the mind, cleanses the conscience, eradicates low passions, inculcates virtue, elevates the mind, does not allow one to indulge in despair in unexpected calamities, places it above the arrows of the devil, carries it to heaven itself, detaches the soul from the bonds of the body, gives it light wings, and leaves everything good in the hearts of the listeners...” (Conversations of St. John Chrysostom, placed in Christ. Readings 1822 Part 8, pp. 3 and 4). About sacred tradition, Saint Stephen, Metropolitan of Ryazan, friend of Saint Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov, in the Stone of Faith (part 3) asks: what is tradition? And he answers: tradition here refers to a certain teaching in the sacred Scriptures, that is, the Bible - unwritten, but revealed from one to another and the contents are consistent. For example: infant baptism is designated by Apostolic tradition, unwritten... Question How are legends divided? Rep. Traditions are divided into many parts, namely: into Divine traditions, into Apostolic traditions and into Church traditions. Divine traditions are those that have their beginning from Christ, who secretly taught his Apostles (Acts 1:3). Such are the traditions in the service and structure of the Mysteries of the Saints, as they should be arranged and sanctified. For we find little about this in the sacred Scriptures, except from Divine tradition. That's why ap. Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the mystery of the Eucharist: I received from the Lord, which I also delivered to you (1 Cor. 11:23). Apostolic traditions are called those that originated from the Apostles, instructed by the Holy Spirit. This is the legend about the fast of the Holy Pentecost, about the fast on Wednesday and Friday, and so on. (See Rule 69 of the Apostle). The Apostle himself distinguishes the apostolic tradition from the Divine, saying: I command not I, but the Lord, and below: to the rest I say I, and not the Lord (1 Cor. 7:10, 12). Church traditions are ancient Church customs, from time immemorial from shepherds and teachers, sometimes receiving their origin from the people themselves, and by the common consent of all, having the force of law. This is the custom - to pray to the east, to bless water. Of the Church traditions, others are the essence of the Council, dedicated to the entire Catholic Church for safekeeping, for example. celebration of Easter, Penticostia and other major holidays. Others are private and local traditions, preserved by one particular Church and people. These are some special celebrations in our Russian Church, for example. On August 14, the Translation of St. is celebrated. relics of St. Theodosius, etc. Question By what signs can one recognize the apostolic tradition? Rep. If you want to know the true apostolic tradition, learn by these rules: 1) when the entire Catholic Church contains something as a dogma of faith, although it is not found in the Holy Scriptures. Such is the tradition about the number of sacred, canonical books, about the four Evangelists, about the ever-virginity of the Theotokos, about the seven-fold number of sacraments... 2) When the entire Catholic Church contains and preserves something that no one could establish except God and St. Apostle... This is the tradition about the baptism of infants... 3) If something from the entire Catholic Church has been preserved in all past times, and is now preserved with an immutable order, we honor this from the Apostle to the faithful. This is the legend about fasting. 4) When all Church teachers, by common consent, unanimity and consent, not only at Ecumenical Councils, but also each individually, recognize something as apostolic tradition, then we believe this, as an apostolic tradition, as follows: veneration of St. icons, the rite performed during holy baptism, that is, with the preliminary consecration of water, with incantatory prayers, with the denial of Satan, etc. The Stone of the Orthodox Faith, or the essence of the Orthodox teaching on traditions, St. Stephen of Yavorsky explains as follows: “Not everything that belongs to faith is written in the Holy Scriptures, but many imams of traditions, from them another essence of the Divine, even Christ - to the Apostles; another apostolic, even the apostles - to their disciples; these are given to us, in a living voice, and delivered to us by Scripture (Part 1. About betrayed) Question What evidence does Saint Stephen of Yavorsky provide when defending the Orthodox teaching on traditions? Rep. Many, namely: I) the firmness of the stone of faith from three epochs: from Adam to Moses, from Moses to Christ, from Christ even to our times; II) the firmness of the stone of faith from the sacred writings of the New Testament; III) from the Ecumenical Councils and IV) from the testimonies of the God-bearing Saints. father. So eg. St. Basil the Great to Amphilochius says: the Church has many and great things to gain from unwritten tradition, and the first is that the faithful were marked with a cross on their faces (To Amphiloch. Chapter 27). St. Chrysostom, in response to these words of the Apostle: I praise you... just as I have given you the traditions, so keep them, - he adds: for many things were betrayed unwritten then (Conversations on Corinth. 26). St. Damascus (book 4, chapter 17) about the Orthodox faith, says this: the essence of the other is the greatest, even the Apostles have unwritten... What does the enemy think, says Saint Stephen of Yavorsky, are not these testimonies about the traditions of the apostles clearer than the rays of the sun?.. Let one of the archpastors of the Nizhny Novgorod flock who died in God, His Grace Archbishop Benjamin, tell us about the Holy Church Utensils. But first of all, what is the church of God? The Church of God, as St. Benjamin says, is a house of prayer in which believers gather to glorify God, to pray and for the saving reception of the Divine Mysteries. Churches of God are popularly called the Church. Church is a Greek word, not a Russian one, and translated from Greek it means: the Lord’s, that is, a place dedicated to the Lord. Churches or churches of prayer come in many different forms. For some are sanctified in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, or the One Person of the Trinity, others in the name of the Most Holy Mother of Christ the Son of God, others in the name of the Angels, Apostles, etc. But all those churches are churches of the Lord, churches of God, and the villages of the glory of the All-Holy Trinity. Every church, says Simeon of Selun, be sanctified to God; That is the house, and His servant, who is named by that name, dwells in it, as if in his own dwelling, and comes there with an immaterial soul (New Tablet 7. 1. §2). Question What does St. Benjamin quote from Simeon of Selunus about sacred utensils? Rep. Simeon talks about things used during prayers and sacred rites in the Church as follows. And in the things of this Church, the grace of God comes and, having come, remains... And this very thing we see in reality, Divine powers and miracles happen in churches, angels, that is, appearances, and holy signs are performed, petitions are fulfilled... For in the church... everything is holy, and God acts, heals and saves by His grace (New Tablet. Part I, §3)... Therefore, says the blessed one. Simeon of Thessaloniki, every thing that has been sanctified in the name of God should be venerated by everyone, clay, stone, wood, etc... And we have seen this many times, as despisers of saints and sacred houses, and other saints. things are stolen, destroyed and corrupted, and houses in which they put stone or wood of St. churches, all corrupted and destroyed (New Table of Contents, Part I, §5). Question How is the church of the Lord divided? Rep. The church is divided into three main parts: the altar, the church and the vestibule or pre-church, modeled after the Tabernacle. The altar (from the Latin word alta ara) is the first most sacred place: for it is set aside for sacred rites, and no worldly person is allowed to enter it. The church is designated for all the faithful, and the vestibule is for the catechumens and repentants... In St. on the altar the most holy place is the throne. As on this altar throne, says Saint Benjamin (§3, chapter 3, part 1), in the continuation of the Divine Liturgy the various acts of Christ are remembered: the Last Supper, the crucifixion, burial, the three-day resurrection, the ascension, His second coming: then the throne receives various signs: 1) the throne marks St. the meal at which Christ teaches the faithful His life-giving flesh and His life-giving blood; – 2) the tomb of Christ, in which he was buried from Joseph and Nicodemus; 3) the tabernacle, the village and dwelling of glory, on which the heavenly God, seated on the Cherubim, incarnate, rests, and 4) the Mount of Olives, from which Christ ascended. Question What do the four corners and four pillars of the throne represent? Rep. Four corners - four ends of the world. Just as Christ is presented to everyone in the middle of the throne, so that everyone can see and eat Him, then the throne should be quadrangular to all the ends of the world, so that Christ, who is presented on it, will be seen and accepted by everyone... The columns signify the prophets and apostles (§5, chapter 3)... The sorrel on the throne signifies the shroud with which Christ was entwined in the tomb. Indytion means the garment of glory. For there is, says Simeon of Selun, like a dead man hanging in a shroud, and like glory for a garment, as the psalm sung shows: The Lord reigns, clothed in beauty. Iliton signifies the sudary with which the head of Christ was tied in the tomb, and which, after His rise, was visible in the tomb. The antimension has the same power and is equally sanctified as the throne itself. On the throne and behind the throne is placed the Divine Cross of Christ, through which he made the entire saving sacrifice... For St. the throne candlestick in wax or oil, in honor of the living Word of God, lying in the bread-bearer (tabernacle), i.e., St. body and blood of Christ. Question What is the offer? Rep. The proposal has a sign befitting the Nativity of Christ - Bethlehem, a cave, a manger. The utensils on the offer, i.e. star, veils, incense, have their own meanings, also related to Christmas. The star means the star that guided and led the Magi to Christ; covers - those shrouds with which the priest was; incense - gifts brought from the Magi. A high place, standing in the middle of the altar, on which one bishop presides, shows the pulpit of Jesus, most heavenly. Co-altar - chairs or benches. The priests neighboring them, in relation to Christ, form the apostles. Pulpit - marks the image of the stone of the Holy Sepulchre, which was rolled away by an Angel from the door of the tomb, and from which he preached the resurrection of the Lord... The two-part nature of the prosphora means two natures in Christ - Divinity and humanity, and one - person. To Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, glory and worship - forever! Question What is the priesthood? 11 Rep. The priesthood is a mystery in which, through the ordination of bishops, special power is given from God to the priest to serve and perform Divine mysteries (according to rank and regulations). Question What and how is the priesthood performed? Rep. When the bishop's hand with the edge of the omophorion is laid on the head of the one being sanctified, through prayer or these words: Divine grace, always weak in healing and impoverished in replenishing, will guarantee... Let us pray for him, that the grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him. What does the saint ask of someone being ordained as a deacon? May the Holy Spirit keep it in all honesty, for those who have the secret of faith in a clear conscience; may he grant him the grace that he gave to Stephen the first martyr; May he be worthy to build the degree bestowed upon him in a manner pleasing to God (Prayer 1). May he be filled with all faith, love, strength and holiness by the invasion of the Holy Spirit (Prayer 2). Question What should this secret be kept? Rep. Six: 1) Let the person who receives this mystery have regular years, that is, thirty years. For the Savior also began to preach and teach at the age of thirty. Perhaps even the youngest will be accepted into the priesthood if he succeeds in reason and virtues. 2) Let there not be a bigamist, nor a widow. 3) Let no one be born of open fornication. 4) Let him not be defiled by sin that is extremely vile, especially obvious or known from many; may he not be defiled by murder, etc. 5) Let him have a contented mind, knowledge and prudence for the structure of the Divine mysteries. 6) Let the members of the body, which are needed for this work, be intact, that is, let the apostle not be blind or deaf, etc., according to the rule of the 78 saints (St. Tikhon, part 1). Question What is a priest? The saint answers. Tikhon: the priest is the builder of the Mysteries of God. You ask me, the saint writes. Tikhon: Why are bishops and elders called shepherds? I answer. Why are cattle shepherds called shepherds, and therefore bishops and elders are called shepherds. Shepherds are chosen from the entire village or hamlet to graze their cattle: so shepherds, bishops and presbyters, are elected from the Church to shepherd Christian souls. Shepherds graze dumb cattle: shepherds graze Christ's verbal sheep, that is, people redeemed by the blood of Christ. The shepherds drive the cattle out onto the field, onto the grass and into good pasture, and there they feed them: the shepherds feed the sheep of Christ with the word of God and the Holy Mysteries. Shepherds protect their flock from wolves and beasts: shepherds protect and protect the flock of Christ's sheep from the devil, demons, heretics, superstitions and other enemies - spiritual beasts. Shepherds, if any cattle separates from the flock and goes astray, look for it and drive it into the herd; shepherds, if any Christian strays from the true path, strive to convert him with the word of God and exhortation and join the flock of Christ... Shepherds drive their flock from the field into the homes of their owners: shepherds drive the flock of Christ from this world into the heavenly fence to Christ the Lord premise. Shepherds receive compensation from their owners for their labor and pasture; shepherds from Christ the Lord will receive compensation from Christ the Lord for their labor and pasture - an unfading crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4). From the shepherds, if some cattle are not brought into the house, the owners ask: where is my so and so cattle? From the shepherds, if any Christian dies and does not appear in the heavenly fence, Christ the Lord will ask: where is My secret sheep? Where is the sheep that I gave you to feed and you received safe in baptism? Where is the sheep that I acquired not with silver and gold, but with My own blood?.. The shepherd is deprived of compensation from the owner for the loss of cattle: the shepherd is deprived of compensation from Christ for the destruction of the verbal sheep, and is given as punishment. A shepherd is innocent if not through his negligence, but in some other way the cattle perish: the shepherd will not be guilty and will not suffer from Christ the Lord when a Christian perishes not through his negligence and carelessness, but through his own negligence and self-will, that is, when the shepherd taught, instructed, exhorted and showed him an example of good deeds, but he, as his shepherd, did not listen. Think about this, O priest, and tempt yourself: are you shepherding the flock of Christ as it should be? From here it follows: 1) how reasonable and teaching shepherds should be; 2) what virtues are they adorned with in order to be an image of the flock; 3) how to read St. Be diligent in the Scriptures, from which one can draw instruction and teaching; 4) they should become shepherds not so much for the sake of bread as for the sake of saving human souls; 5) when you teach people, strive so that the parable is not told to you: heal yourself to the doctor, and God would not hear in your conscience what was said to the sinner (Ps. 49:16, 17); 6) it is better to please one God than the whole world, and to do the will of one God: no one will stand up for you before God when He judges you. Remember this, O priest! 7) It is good to please people, but for good (Rom. 15:2); Otherwise, it is better for the whole world to fall into hatred than to lose God’s mercy... Whoever God loves and supports in His mercy, the wrath of the whole world and all the devils, hatred will not harm anything... Everything obeys His mania and will. Deepen this in your heart. Save yourself! (Part 14. Scripture 26). Question What is the Creed? Rep. The symbol is a confession of the Holy Orthodox Faith. What language is this saying? "Greek". How to call it Slavic? “A brief statement of the Orthodox Faith, or confession thereof.” Where is it written? "In the books of St. Father and in the Book of Hours.” Whose is this Symbol? "Nicaea and Constantinople." Why is it called the Symbol of Nicea and Constantinople? “Because it was complex at two Ecumenical Councils - at the first Nicene and the Constantinople, which was after Nicea.” How does this Symbol begin? “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, etc.” How many members is this Symbol divided into? "Twelve." 1) I believe in one God, etc. 2) And in one our Lord Jesus Christ... 3) For our sake man and for our salvation... 4) Who was crucified for us... 5) And who rose again on the third day... 6) And who ascended into heaven... 7) And who is to come again with glory... 8) And in the Holy Spirit of the Lord... 9) Into one Holy Cathedral... 10) I confess one baptism... 11) I hope for the resurrection of the dead... 12) And the life of the next century. Amen. (From Katich. St. Demetrius of Rostov) How many characters? There were many symbols, but we will mention here only two - the most famous: 1st Niceno-Constantinople and 2nd St. Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria." Symbol of St. Athanasia where was it written? In the Psalter." How does it start? “Whoever wants to be saved, first of all, it is fitting for him to hold the Catholic Faith, even if someone does not keep it whole and blameless, except for all bewilderment, he will perish forever.” What is the Catholic Faith? “To believe in one God, glorified in the Trinity, and to honor the Trinity in unity, as well as the Symbol of St. Athanasia teaches us this. Just as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds in Christ (2 Cor. 1:5). Even though our light sorrow is now multiplied into success, the burden of eternal glory will become for us... (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). In everything we are sorrowful, but not cold; we are hopeless, but we do not despair: we persecute, but we do not abandon us: we cast down, but we do not perish: we always bear the death of the Lord Jesus in the body, and the life of Jesus will appear in the body (2 Cor. 8–10). So, let us not lose heart during temptations, says St. John Chrysostom. For none of those who love fun, carelessly rest and feast, none of those who lead a pampered and distracted life can be a fellow member of Christ. But whoever spends his life among sorrows, temptations and walks a narrow path is close to Him. For He himself walked along the same path, which is why He said: The Son of man has no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). So, do not grieve in the midst of sorrows, thinking about Who you are joining through them, and how temptations purify you and how much benefit they bring you. Nothing can be called sorrowful and grave, except an insult to God (Conversation on the 2nd epilogue to Corinth according to the Chronicle. Reading for 1842, Part 2, p. 200). Question Like St. Tikhon used for spiritual reasoning, looking at the cattle? Rep. Whatever evil character is noticeable in cattle and beasts, the same is also found in man, unborn and unrenewed by the grace of God. In cattle we see self-love, we see how he wants to devour food, grabs it with speed, not allowing other livestock: the same in man. He himself does not tolerate offense, but he offends others; wants someone to help him in need; but he himself does not help others in need... He wants to have everything for himself; but his neighbor, although he has nothing, does not care about it. This is bestial and merciless pride! In cattle we see anger and rage; too – in man. We see how he gets angry, how he is indignant, grumbles, rages, how he torments himself, shakes like a leaf with anger, how he threatens the one who offended him, and so on... We see that cattle fight: we also see it in people. How many different quarrels and bloodsheds there are between poor people! Cunning and cunning are noticeable in cattle: man also has pernicious evil within himself. We see how he pretends to be, how he tries to show himself to be kind, but inside he is evil, how he is cunning, deceitful, flattering, lying, hypocritical. Predation is noted in cattle; – and it is impossible to count how many obvious, secret and flattering methods of theft a person invents; and even more so among sellers, craftsmen, and so on... Gluttony is seen in cattle: and also in humans. Impurity is seen in cattle; - we see how some of the people, in the likeness of a pig, wallow in voluptuousness (especially in drunkenness). Laziness is noticeable in cattle: we also see in man how careless and negligent he is about his soul, about his salvation. But, what is worst of all, the wordless - some are cunning and crafty, but others are simple; others are angry and angry; but others are meek; some are lazy, but others are cheerful, etc. And in a poor sinner all the bestial evils are combined: he is proud, and angry, and lazy, and cunning, and wicked, and unclean, etc. Oh, poor man! What state have you come to, having sinned against your Lord and Creator, by listening to the advice of the evil enemy of God and yours? Oh, highly venerable creation of God, a creature adorned with the image of God! What meanness and vileness you have fallen into! Where is your pristine kindness and splendor? Where is your holiness, purity, truth and integrity? Where is your divine light, which enlightened your soul and mind?.. You were conformed and like God, but you became ugly and like cattle (Ps. 48:13, 21). He was free, but became a prisoner. He was holy and pure, but became defiled and vile. Was the temple of the Holy Spirit, but became the dwelling place of unclean spirits. Oh, the cruel fall! Oh, evil changes! Fierce is the day and hour in which man listened to the serpent’s advice and fell!.. Your meekness is reasonable (known), let it be to all people (Phil. 4:5), says St. Apostle Paul. Let the pain in you be your servant. Whoever is exalted will humble himself: and he who humbles himself will be exalted: the word of Jesus Christ himself (Matthew 23:11, 12). For there is nothing more excellent than modesty, says St. Chrysostom; therefore (Christ) commands them (the disciples) this virtue. He began (his sermon) with it, when he brought the children out into the middle (for blessing), and when on the mountain he spoke about the beatitudes; here he pulls out pride at its very root when he says: he who humbles himself will be exalted (Conversations 72, on Matt.). Stinginess, love of money and covetousness have their place in the human heart and they possess the heart. This passion is insatiable. For the more wealth a miser and covetous man collects, the more desire and lust for wealth increase in him. “Love of money,” says St. Chrysostom, there is insatiable drunkenness. Like drunk people, the more wine they drink, the more thirst they feel: so money lovers cannot quench their excessive desire. But as soon as they see their wealth multiplied, they burn with the desire for a new increase, and they will not give up this desire until they fall into a calamitous abyss (Conversations 22 on Gen.). In another place: covetous and covetous people are worse than animals; for the beasts, having had their fill, stop stealing; and they can never get enough (Conversations 9, after Corinthians). A lover of money and a covetous man, although he has a lot of wealth, the most damned is more than all. For he can never have peace and security, carrying inside himself a tormentor to whom he is enslaved to evil. So says St. Chrysostom: “The covetous and predators have no peace anywhere, because they always have warfare and enemies within themselves. Just as the sea can never be without waves; So a money-loving and stingy person’s heart cannot be without sadness, care, fear and rebellion.” They are stingy and lovers of money, although they confess the true God, but only with their lips, and with their hearts they work for another master - mammon. God and mammon are two masters, but they are very nasty and command the opposite. God commands: give to him who asks you; Mammon: take what you have. God commands: feed the hungry; Mammon: leave him. God says: clothe the naked; Mammon: and take away the last thing. God says: sell your property and give alms; Mammon: collect and take care for yourself. God says: have mercy on the poor; Mammon: What need do you have of it?.. That is why the Apostle calls the love of money and stinginess idolatry, and the root of all evil. Question How does Saint Tikhon talk about love of fame? Rep. Honor and nobility are so highly revered by the sons of this age, and it is impossible to say... But this fruit is red on the outside, but rotten on the inside, and when adversity and troubles occur, or when death is inevitable for all, it declines and disappears, as if it did not exist. Then a highborn is from a simpleton, and a master from a slave is in no way different. Then everyone will recognize an empty name and title, like a puffed-up bottle, like an idle one. And what happens to the soul, which lived in a noble body, dominated people, but itself worked for passions; She denounced and judged people, but she herself is convicted by conscience and the law?.. What’s wrong with her?.. We know that God does not accept the face of man, that everyone will accept what he has done to the body, either good or evil. Moreover, in His word we read that the most severe judgment is preponderant (Wis. 6:5-8). The honor and nobility of this world without true Christian nobility are subject to greater judgment and condemnation... I am not condemning noble persons here, no matter what; but ambition and love of glory, which cannot be combined with true Christian nobility and faith, according to the word of Christ (John 5:44). And I admit that the pagan thing is to chase after vain glory, a pagan thing that only seeks what suits their feelings. Christians are ashamed to imitate the pagans in this - Christians, whose hearts should be raised to another, incomparably better, nobility by Faith... Question What is true nobility? Rep. To be a true Christian, a son of the Orthodox Church, a member of the body of Christ, to have communion with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ... All the glory of the kings and princes of this world is nothing before Him. This glory is not seen now, but will be revealed at the last day (1 John 3:3). But vain love of glory does not allow a poor person to reach this true glory. Love of fame, I say, and not the glory of this world. For it is another thing to have glory and honor in this world; another thing is to desire and seek glory and honor in this world. True Christians and saints can and do have glory in this world, but they do not seek it, and what’s more, they run away from it. Love of fame is a sign of addiction to the world, but it is criminal and not befitting a Christian heart. Question How does St. Tikhon talk about sweet eating? Rep. The third pleasure of the sons of this age is sweet eating. Oh, how many people it turns away from Christ and away from true worship of God! Many despise honor and do not seek wealth, but few do not want to please their belly. But think about it, what is sweet eating? What if not the shortest pleasure of the taste and larynx? Sweet and various seasonings dissolved food that fits into the stomach can be as simple as that. For the stomach does not understand what kind of food it is - sweet or simple, as long as it is healthy. It requires healthy food, not sweet food. People are just as satisfied with simple food as with sweets. The village peasant equally strengthens himself with bread, salt and water, like his landowner with sweet and various foods... Equally, this one and the other go about dinner, do their business, and, once again hungry, each one eats food for his own... Think about the consequences of sweet and simple food and their belongings, and you will see that all sorts of evil will follow from sweet and varied foods. Where more impure lust, a deadly plague of Christian souls, nests, if not in a luxurious and voluptuous heart? Who lives more in idleness, guilty of all evil, if not a sensualist? Who is most lazy about prayer and other Christian duties if not the luxurious? This truth is obvious. Just as all kinds of vipers breed in rotten blat, so in a voluptuous heart all kinds of sinful impurity are born. He is not like that, living on moderate and simple food. Although he feels the burning of lust, he quenches it with prayer and the help of God. In matters of rank and in other blessed labors, he is always cheerful, not lazy in prayer, always ready for any good deed... Various foodstuffs require no small amount and dependency; and what should be turned to the poor brethren is consumed by sweet food; simple food is free from this and does not prevent our hand from being generous in giving. I am silent about the fact that sugary eating often comes from untruth and resentment of one’s neighbor... You can’t have various foodstuffs everywhere, such as: on the roads, in battle and other cases; the simple one is ready everywhere. And what various foods cause to the belly, how many diseases they give rise to, doctors know about this. There is no such danger from simple and moderate food; and although illness comes to those who are abstinent, but having found little in them with which to hold on, it soon goes away, being driven away by abstinence as the strongest medicine... “The flesh demands consolation.” Rep. It is not the flesh, but the lust of the flesh that seeks sweet food; and the nature of the flesh of one requires reinforcement... “I’m used to it.” Answer: But just as you got used to sweet eating through intemperance, so you can get used to simple food through abstinence (Book 8, Chapter 10). Question How does Saint Tikhon talk about the positions of masters and their slaves? Rep. (Part 9, ch. 7, §480). In the Church of Christ or Christian society, he says, there is no master and slave, but all are brethren in Christ, all are servants of the Lord on High, and sons of the heavenly Father, and therefore all are one, according to the Apostolic teaching (chap. 3, 28). That some are called masters, others are called slaves, this is in the image of this age; which difference the word of God does not take away. It preaches freedom to all Christians and commands them to remain in it. Through freedom, through which Christ frees us, stand firm and do not remain under the yoke of work (Gal. 5:1). But this freedom is, of course, spiritual, that is, freedom from sin, legal oaths, the devil, and hell, and Old Testament rituals. Pious slaves also have this freedom. On the contrary, masters, although they are free in body, but when they work under sin and passions, they do not have this freedom and are slaves, according to the word of Christ: everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8:34). And this freedom, i.e. spiritual, Christian, internal freedom is common to all, pious masters and slaves, and until then they have it as long as they have in their hearts a living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Who alone grants this freedom: if the Son frees you, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). We see that in the Holy Church everyone is free spiritually, and there is no difference between slave and master, but everyone is brethren among themselves and slaves of Christ the Lord (1 Cor. 7:22). According to the outward appearance of this world, some are free, others are slaves; which difference the Lord does not take away, but commands everyone to remain in the calling in which they are found (1 Cor. 7:24). Question What is the position of both, that is, masters and slaves? Rep. I) The duty of masters to their slaves. 1) Masters must remember that they themselves and their servants are brothers in Christ and have one Lord in heaven; Therefore, let them not despise them, as if they had them for their own stool. Christ, the Lord of glory and King of heaven and earth, is not ashamed to call Christians His brethren (Heb. 2:12). How much more so - a simple man should have a man like himself for a brother. Let them therefore follow the Lord Christ, as servants follow their Lord. 2) Do not burden them with unnecessary work and dues. For both masters and slaves have the same flesh: they also want to eat, dress and rest with their relatives; and so that they have time to pray, praise God and listen to God’s word - to gather with other Christians in the churches of God. 3) Love them as your brethren in Christ, and provide for them in a fatherly manner. 4) By word and exhortation, convert and instruct them on the path of truth, and with the fear of God, curb the disorderly. Every godly master should be a father to his servants. 5) Give yourself to them as an example of pious Christian life. Nothing brings good morals to servants like the example of a good master. 6) Woe to those who oppress their servants and do not treat them mercifully... Such people must become aware and change their morals, and act like Christians, when they believe that there is a Lord in heaven, Who does not accept the face of man and judges everyone according to their deeds. And if they don’t feel it now, then they will feel it when they all stand together before the righteous Judge, and many, whom they now have for their stool and like cattle, will see them clothed in eternal honor and glory, while they themselves are covered with shame and eternal disgrace, and they will wish to share with those whom they now abhor, but they will hear this: child! Remember that you received your good in your belly, and Lazarus also received your evil; now here he is comforted, but you suffer (Luke 16:25). II) The duty of slaves to their masters is inspired by God's word. places of St. Scriptures (Eph. 6:5–8; Col. 3:2–24; Titus 2:9, 10; 1 Pet. 2:18–21). Question With what and how can pious slaves console themselves in their poor and low state? Rep. (§484 ibid.). Sim: 1) although they work for their masters, nevertheless, they are the servants of Christ. And whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for men... For you work for the Lord Christ (Col. 3:24). In body they are slaves, but in spirit they are free; for no one can enslave the spirit. And they are the Lord’s freemen, according to the teaching of the Apostle (1 Cor. 7:22). The holy martyrs consoled themselves with this great title, and although they worked for wicked kings, princes and lords; however, they answered: We are Christ’s servants, Christ, the heavenly King, we work and serve. May pious slaves draw consolation from this, that they are slaves of Christ, the King of Heaven, even though they work for men. On the contrary, a noble person who is not enslaved to any person is deprived of this sweet title when he does not live piously, that is, he is enslaved to his whims. For Christ and whims cannot work together. 2) Those who suffer innocently from their masters and are deprived of what they need for this life, let them think that wealth and poverty, bitterness and patience will all pass, and will pass soon. Death will conclude everything, and then there will be a wonderful change... It is right for God to repay sorrow to those who insult you, and to you who are insulted, joy with us, says the Apostle, in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of His power (2 Thess. 1:7). 3) Although slaves are deprived of their allowance, they spend their days in the same way as the masters who deprive them. The slave spent the same day yesterday as his master, with the only difference being that this one lived in luxury, indulgence and many sins, while the other lived in poverty, poverty and lesser sins. And equally, both the master and his slaves will approach the end, which will make both slaves and their masters equal, and will send them to the land from which a person was taken, where there is no difference between slave and master. Question How holy. Tikhon talks about death, about its universality, differences, etc.? Rep. As for the appearance of death; The death of the righteous and the sinner, the pious and the wicked is equal, and in this there is no difference between the pious and the wicked. For the pious and the wicked alike are sick, groan and lose their belly. Likewise, the head, hands, and feet of a martyr of Christ are cut off, just like a villain; likewise, the martyr is burned, crucified, pierced by a spear, drowned in water, and ends his life as a murderer, a villain and a robber; in the same way, everyone is buried in the ground, as the Wise One says: everyone has one entrance into the stomach, and the exit is similar (Wis. 7:6). Even cattle, no different from people, expire and cease to live. But when we penetrate to the inner state and consider what the Holy Faith presents to us, we will see the difference in the death of the pious and the wicked, since their lives in this world were different. Question What is the difference between the death of the godly and the wicked? Rep. 1) Although both pious and wicked are called in St. Scriptures sleeping: many from those who sleep in the dust of the earth will arise, these to eternal life, but these to reproach and eternal shame (Dan. 12:2); because through the Archangel's trumpet, as if from sleep, everyone will awaken from death and come to life: however, for the pious, death in a special sense is called sleep: because they rest from their labors (Apoc. 14:13). Just as those who have labored well during the day rest well in the night: so the pious, who have labored in the struggle of faith and piety in this world, fall asleep sweetly through their blessed labors, rest and calm down until they are awakened by the Archangel’s trumpet. 2) The pious (in death) are deprived of temporary and earthly blessings, but inherit eternal and heavenly ones; the wicked, having lost the temporary, are also deprived of the eternal. 3) The pious cease to live temporarily, but begin eternal life; The wicked, ceasing to live temporarily, cease eternally, but they exchange temporary life for eternal death (Apoc. 21:8). 4) The pious, through labors, sorrows and illnesses, move into peace, coolness and joy, and are carried by Angels into the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22); The wicked, due to their gaiety and luxury, are found in hell, in torment (Luke 16:23). 5) The pious, consoling themselves in the bosom of Abraham, await the general resurrection, in which, having heard the voice of the Son of God, they will come to life in the flesh, and, like the grass that has vegetated with beautiful flowers in the spring time, they, having emerged from the graves, will be clothed in a new, imperishable and beautiful appearance, and so will receive from the right hand of the Lord the most perfect bliss. The wicked, tormented in hell, await the most perfect reward and torment for their deeds, after being united with the bodies with which they committed lawlessness. Therefore, death is gain for the godly (Phil. 1:21): for through their death they gain eternal life. And the death of the wicked is destruction; for by temporary death they die eternally (Part 9, Chapter 17). Saint Tikhon reveals the beneficial purpose and beneficial consequences of death in his Spiritual Treasure, dwelling with his mind on the words: now you are freed from all troubles. This word, although it is spoken to people living in this world; however, it is not entirely befitting of them: because it is not possible for a person living in this world to be freed from all troubles... This word: now you are freed from all troubles - befits one person - faithful and pious, who is at the end of his death... “Beloved Christian, who is ending this much-poor life! You are now freed from all troubles. You were born to die; you die in order to live... You have been in many different troubles and misfortunes: from now on you will not see them. You cried and were sick: you will never be here again. You fought, not without sorrow and labor, against the flesh with passions and lusts: from now on they will no longer bore you. You suffered attacks from the devil and his evil spirits, and from evil people: henceforth they will leave you... You demanded drink, food and clothing, for the sake of your weak body: henceforth you will not demand... You are separated from your father and mother: but you go to God - the Eternal Father... You leave your friends and your brethren: but the Angels and the faces of the saints will be your friends. You will not see this sun: but Christ the Lord, the righteous Sun, will shine for you. You leave this world; but in peace you leave all troubles and misfortunes, and you enter into the kingdom of God. You end your temporary life; but you begin eternal. Blessed is the way, where you will go... (Ps. 142:8). Prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, and saints went and came there; you go there too. Question What should we think about people dying in the wrath of God? Rep. After the final judgment, they will suffer forever in hell, some more, others less (Luke 12:47, 48). Question Among dying people, are there those who are, as it were, in between—between those who are being saved and those who are perishing? Rep. There are no people of this category; but it is certain that many sinners are freed from the bonds of hell not by repentance or confession: for in hell who can confess? (Ps. 6:6). But for the benevolence of people who are alive, for the prayers sent from the Church, and especially for the bloodless sacrifice that the Church makes daily for everyone, living and dead, since Christ died for everyone. That such souls are not liberated by themselves, Theophylact speaks about this (read on Luke 6), explaining the words of the Lord that He has the power to forgive sins on earth. “Look,” he says, “we can atone for our sins on earth. But after we leave the earth, we can no longer blot out our sins on our own through confession.” Explaining the words (Matthew 22:13): having bound his hand and nose, that is, the active forces of the soul, he says: “in the present century something can be done and accomplished, but in the future, all the active forces of the soul are bound, and it is impossible to do anything good in satisfaction for sins. Only divine liturgies, prayers and alms, which are offered by the living for the soul of the deceased, bring it very great benefit and snatch it from hell (Orthodox confessional answer to questions 64–65. Part 1). Question What place is assigned for the souls of those people who die with the grace of God? Rep. The souls of those people who depart from this world with the grace of God and with repentance for their sins have their place in the hands of God (Wis. 3:1). Their place is also called paradise: Amen, I say to you: today you will be with Me in paradise (Luke 23:43). Abraham's bosom: the beggar died and the angels were carried into Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22). Question And where are those souls that leave the body while in the wrath of God? Rep. Their place is called hell, outer darkness and other names. But just as the souls of the righteous do not receive perfect reward until the final judgment, so the souls of those condemned (by a private court) do not suffer perfect punishment; but after the final judgment, the souls together with the bodies will receive either a crown of glory or punishment (Right. Confessional answer to question 68. Part I). St. Tikhon talks about humility, this most beautiful virtue, in the article: Water flows from high mountains to low places (Treasure Spirit, Art. 40). We see that water flows from the mountains to low places: thus the grace of God from the heavenly Father is poured out on humble hearts. Let's look at the properties of a humble heart... A humble heart sees in itself its sins, damnation, disaster and insignificance. Such a heart does not dare to lift up its eyes and speak much to God, like that publican. A humble person, if he offends someone out of ignorance and carelessness, as happens to everyone, is not ashamed to fall before him and ask for forgiveness, even if the offended person is his inferior and subject to him. Oh, dear disgrace, when a higher person bows down to a lower one and asks for forgiveness! A humble heart considers itself worthy of any good deed and any evil... A humble heart will ascribe to God what good it does. For he sees his own weakness, and the fact that man, on his own, without God’s help, like a dry tree, cannot create any fruit... A stream of God’s grace flows onto such a heart. God looks upon such a heart with mercy. Question Can you tell me how Saint Tikhon reflects on humility in another place? Rep. What is the alphabet or alphabet for beginners to learn book reading; then for Christians who want to learn Christian living, there is humility. Those who study book learning must first learn the alphabet: so Christians, when they want to successfully learn a virtuous life, must first learn humility... True virtue cannot exist without humility; and although it starts, it will go broke again. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Learn this Christian alphabet, Christian, and you will learn Christian philosophy. Saint Tikhon proposed temptation in two places of his Spiritual Treasure: 1) in the article: pestilence, and 2) bestial following. What a pestilence is to the body, he says, is a temptation to the soul. The pestilence infects and kills the body; temptation infects and kills the human soul. A pestilence first begins in one person, then the whole house, and from it - the whole city or village, and then the whole country becomes infected and perishes: thus the temptation begins in one person, and then spreads to many... We see this in the world; We see how they are infected by temptation from each other and die... One began to build such and such a house, walk in such and such a dress, build banquets and feasts: following him and following his evil example, others also begin... Oh, fierce evil - temptation! Therefore, Christ strictly forbade the temptation to give (Matthew 18:6, 9). Christian! Beware of temptation like a pestilence. Also depicts this evil saint. Tikhon and in the second, above-mentioned article. Question What advice does Saint Tikhon offer against this evil? Rep. 1) Christ and our Savior, the Lord and King of glory, was mocked and mocked by the lovers of the world; the world is empty and it laughs and scolds you: know your own, and do what pleases the Lord, and not the world. 2) We not only have feelings, but also reason; and it is given to us to judge what is useful and what is harmful. 3) We are Christians, and we have God’s word... Let us apply what people do to Holy Scripture, as to a clean mirror, and reject what is disgusting to it. 4) Be in peace as Lot was in Sodom. Be as if you do not see, and do not hear as if you were deaf. Always turn your eyes to eternity, and be wise on heaven, not on earth. Question What is a guide to avoiding temptations? Rep. 1) Do not look at what people do, no matter who they are, but listen and heed what the word of God inspires. 2) Reason and imitate the holy life of the Savior and His saints who followed Him. 3) Turn away hearing and vision from things that are not like... 4) Stay closer to your home. And 5) pray: turn away my eyes, O Lord, so as not to see vanity, and even more so - not to be deceived and not carried away by it! Did you want to have, writes Saint Tikhon to one of his friends, a brief understanding of the Ecumenical Councils of the Holy Fathers? Here is an abbreviated and contented image (in a table) of everything you need to know about them; and read their rules in the helmsman (After the blessed Dormition of St. Tikhon, these rules were published with perfect accuracy and correctness by the Holy Synod - in a book called: The Book of Rules). The first ecumenical council was under Constantine the Great, under the Roman Patriarch Sylvester (Viton and Vincent - his locum tenens), under the Patriarch Mitrofan of Constantinople, in Nicaea, against Arius, who said the Son of God to be a creation; 318 saints attended it. Father. There are 20 rules stated. It was in 325. The second ecumenical council was held under Theodosius the Great, in the presence of the Roman Patriarch Damasus; under Patriarch Gregory the Theologian of Constantinople, in Constantinople, against the Doukhobor Macedonian. There were 150 fathers present. 8 rules were taught. He was in 382. The third ecumenical council was under Emperor Theodosius the Lesser, or Junior, in the patriarchate of Celestine, under Cyril of Alexandria, vice-president of the pope, in Ephesus, against Nestorius the man-worshipper. There were 200 fathers. Eight rules were given. The council took place in 431. The fourth ecumenical council took place under the Emperor Marcian, under Pope Leo (its locum tenens were Paschalin and Lucian), under the Patriarch of Constantinople Anatolia, in Chalcedon, on Dioscorus, the consort. There were 630 fathers. There were 30 rules; per year according to R. X. 451. The fifth ecumenical council was held under the Emperor Justinian the Great, in the personal presence of Pope Virgil, under the Patriarch Eutyches of Constantinople, in Constantinople, against the Originists, who spoke fabulously about the end of torment. There were 165 fathers. - In 553. The sixth ecumenical council was under Emperor Constantine Pogonata; to the papacy of Agathon (whose locums were Theodore and George), under the Patriarch of Constantinople Eutyches, in Constantinople, against Sergius and Pyrrhus and other edipalists. There were 170 fathers for some, 289 for others. - In 680. The Seventh Ecumenical Council took place under Emperor Constantine and Irene; in the papacy of Andrian (whose locums were Peter and Peter), under the Patriarch of Constantinople Tarasius, in Nicaea, against the iconoclasts. There were 367 fathers. 22 rules were published. - In 788. Note The fifth and sixth councils did not set out rules; For this reason, there was a cathedral in Trulla and was named the fifth-sixth, during the reign of Justinian Rinotmin, under Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the presence of Metropolitan Basil of Crete, the locum tenens of the pope. This council laid down 102 rules. There were 227 fathers. Read and honor the rules of these Councils, continues Saint Tikhon, and in addition, the local ones, which our Orthodox Church all accepts, some for teaching, others for information about the state of the pre-eminent Church (The resolutions of local councils are also contained in the Book of Rules published by the Holy Synod). Question How were the ecumenical and local Councils formed? Rep. The custom of the Councils was established by the apostles themselves (see Acts, chapter 15). They resolved the discord and misunderstandings of the Church by imprinting these words, worthy of reverence: it pleased the Holy Spirit and us. The Savior promised them this Spirit and gave them this power (See John 14:16, 26; John 16:13; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:19, 20). Here Christ said that He would be with His disciples until the end of the age. And the divine Apostles themselves long ago left both the preaching and these promises, by inheritance, to the Orthodox Church and the Father (1 Cor. 12:5, 28; Eph. 4:17; Acts 20:28). For the pious and virtuous, everything commanded in the rules of the saints serves to benefit. For godliness itself is beneficial for everything (1 Tim. 4:8). Question How does Saint Tikhon talk about conscience? Rep. God, when creating man, planted a conscience in his soul, so that, as a rule, he would be taught what to do and what to avoid. Conscience is nothing more than natural law; therefore, it is similar to the written law of God: - for what the law of God requires, conscience teaches. The law of God commands one God to be known; also inspires conscience. Therefore, the pagans themselves, convinced by their conscience, recognized one God. The law of God commands us to honor God above all creatures, and to Him alone give the highest honor; Conscience also commands. The law of God commands God, as the supreme Master, to show humility, obedience and obedience; conscience teaches this too. The law of God commands God, as the most righteous judge, to be feared; We hear this from our conscience. The law of God inspires to love God above all else, because God is the highest good and the source of all good: it also inspires conscience. The law of God commands parents and all authorities sent from God to obey and give honor: we also hear in conscience. The law of God forbids adultery and fornication; Man also hears in his conscience, and it thunders inside, so that we do not defile ourselves with uncleanness... So the law of God and conscience are similar to each other. That is why the pagans themselves, enlightened by philosophical teaching, wrote many useful institutions. Question What will follow from this? Rep. The fact that whoever sins against his conscience also sins against the law of God; whoever does not obey his conscience does not obey the law of God and God himself... Just as God's law convicts a person of sin; This is how conscience denounces. For this reason, when an accusatory word is spoken in general, then sinners are touched by their conscience and are embarrassed... And just as God’s law frightens the sinner with the judgment of God, so does the conscience frighten, and it cries out to the sinner within: man, it will be bad for you!.. Just as now the actions of the law of God and conscience are the same, so they will be similar at the judgment of Christ. There the law of God, torn from him, will convict the sinner; his conscience, irritated by his sins, will also convict... Question Is your conscience falling asleep? Rep. It happens that an evil conscience seems to be asleep; but when he awakens and begins to denounce, then fierce torment will follow from conscience - such that many, unable to bear it, kill themselves... If conscience torments here like this, how will it torment in the next century, when it will present all our sins vividly!.. Why, my soul, are you sleeping? Awake, arise and bear the fruit of repentance. Note. Having such agreement with the law of conscience, the revealed word of God presents us with many rules of faith and piety that do not flow directly from the damaged conscience of man, which have their direct basis in the Christian religion - in the renewed union of man with God, and far exceed all the most well-intentioned suggestions of the natural mind of man. These are: faith in Christ as the Redeemer, and in the Holy Spirit as the Accomplisher of our salvation; the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself; to do good to enemies, to rejoice in misfortunes and suffering for the name of God, to pray unceasingly, to dedicate everything to the Lord God, etc. Question Which, of course, is the case with St. Tikhon under the spiritual Treasure collected from the world? Rep. Of course, one of the most edifying creations of our holy father, Tikhon, the most soul-saving teacher of the Russian Church and wonderworker. “Just as a merchant from various countries collects various goods, brings them to his house and hides them: so a Christian can collect spiritually beneficial thoughts from this world, put them in the cage of his heart and thereby build up his soul.” Taking this example as a guide and putting it in the title of part 10, St. Tikhon, in his Zadonsk solitude, compiled a book entitled: Spiritual Treasure, Collected from the World. This book was written holy. Tikhon since 1777 for three years, consists of 4 parts and contains 157 articles of reflective content on moral subjects. Saint Tikhon drew these thoughts from objects he accidentally encountered, or from incidents in his life. So he has, for example. in this creation there are reflections under the headings: vine and rods; head and body; sheep, shepherd and flock; turn back, went the wrong way; don’t touch this, there is poison here; I can’t leave you anywhere; hospital or infirmary; and we will go there; what are you here for? What have you become? Water flows from high mountains to low places; small tree; bath; whose are you? I'll come tomorrow; belching; watchman; I'm ashamed to look at you; I'm not your brother; the vessel is full and empty; mirror; How can I forget him? and so on. When he saw, heard or imagined such objects, he applied them to Christian moral teaching and always cleverly, as his life writer, the Right Reverend Eugene, Archpastor of Kiev, says, pleasantly and touchingly deduced from them either some similarity or dissimilarity... The simple-hearted and frank style is the special advantage of this book, and makes it attractive, entertaining and accessible even to those who have not trained themselves in the matter reflections. Read, read, read it, my brother, as often as possible, and you will receive from here not only instructions and, so to speak, divine wisdom, but also a certain spiritual delight that is always inherent in the works of those teachers of the Church who strive in the holy place, becoming vessels of God’s grace. Question What is holy. Tikhon suggests doubt? Rep. since in a Christian there is a twofold birth - old and new, or carnal and spiritual: then in the same Christian a twofold person is found - old and new; twofold not in essence (essentially one person: for there is one soul and body, of which the essence of man consists), but in internal structure, inclination and action... These two people, found in a single Christian, as opposed to each other, have a constant struggle among themselves... This battle or warfare between the flesh and the spirit, or the old and the new man, occurs in two areas: in the area of the mind and understanding, and in the area of the heart and wishes. Warfare or battle in the mental area is the cause of doubt in the dogmas and secrets of the Holy Faith. Weak flesh, or our outward and old man, does not accept what he does not see with his senses and does not comprehend with his mind. She does not accept that God is one in nature, but Trinity in Hypostases. It does not accept that the world was created from nothing, reasoning that nothing comes from nothing, but everything is born from something else. To a virgin to give birth without a husband, and to remain a virgin, to God to become incarnate and to be a man, to a man who died and crumbled into dust to rise, and the flesh blames other holy mysteries for violence. Therefore, Nicodemus, still carnal and not understanding the mysteries of God, doubts, does not believe, and asks Christ about a new and spiritual birth from above: how can a person be born, old? Can the second food enter into its mother’s womb and be born?.. How can these things be (John 3:4, 9)? And ap. Paul and the other apostles say: we preach Christ crucified; to the Jews it was a stumbling block, but to the Greeks it was foolishness (1 Cor. 1:23). A person who is less spiritual does not accept even the Spirit of God, and doubts: for he has foolishness... From here arose soul-destroying doubts and opinions about the creation of the world, about God, about Christ, the Son of God, about the resurrection of the dead and about other dogmas of the Christian Faith - occurred in Christians who reasoned about them according to the carnal meaning of the mind, without captivating him into the obedience of the Faith. But the spirit and faith, living in a true Christian, leads him to the safest haven of God’s revelation and points to the truth and omnipotence of God, and with this spiritual sword, he overthrows every heap that is charged to the mind of God, and captivates every mind into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:4, 5). Question Who is the first boss and follower of doubts? Rep. The weak and blind flesh is greatly helped by Satan, the Christian enemy, who also fights against the spirit, and tries to extinguish the hidden spark of faith, speaking to a person in his heart about the mysteries of the saints: how can these things be? How can God, one in nature, be in three Persons? How can a world be created out of nothing? How could a Virgin give birth to a beginningless God? How could God, an invisible man, be visible, and beginningless - to begin, and impassive - to suffer, and immortal - to die, and dead - to be resurrected? How can a dead and rotten body rise again? How can a sinner, burdened with sins, be justified before the righteous judgment of God by faith alone? The faithful soul is forced to endure this and other arrows of unbelief and doubt fueled by the enemy. But true faith firmly resists them, and like the victory that has conquered the world, it overcomes them (1 John 5:4, 5), driving away all doubt, and being confirmed by the unfaithful and faithful testimony of the word of God: the testimony of the Lord is true (Ps. 18:8), and is not subject to any doubt (Book VIII, chapter 6). We see in the world, the saint reflects. Tikhon (Part II. Treasures, spiritual, under stat. rank), that people enter various ranks: some are judges, others are warriors, others are generals, others herd cattle, merchants, etc. Thus, every Christian is called by Christ the Lord to repentance, as He Himself says: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13). And since everyone is a sinner: everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23): then everyone is called to repentance, no matter who is called. The Christian title, to which they are called from Christ, is true repentance: Christ called them to this. For every person, his rank or the class to which he belongs is the first duty and business. The first task of judges is to seek the truth and judge according to the laws, for soldiers to defend the fatherland, for farmers to cultivate the land, for merchants to trade in goods, to teach teachers, and so on. So the first thing for Christians is to be in repentance; for Christ called them to this. Look, Christian, what you are called to! Do not seek wealth, do not honor, do not seek glory in this world, do not build banquets, do not go on visits and receive guests, and so on...; but turn away from all this, be in repentance, and thus receive eternal salvation, to which you are called in Christ Jesus. Repentance does not consist only in leaving behind great external sins; but in changing the mind and heart, and renewing the inner state, that is, turning away from all the vanities of this world, because they do not hinder everyone who wants to be saved; to examine, observe various spiritual weaknesses - pride, envy, impurity, etc., to regret and lament that such evil, through the poison of the ancient serpent, entered into our soul, created pure and immaculate, and with such pity and contrition to pray to Christ, so that by His power He would correct and heal us. When the heart or inner state changes and is corrected, then external affairs and external life will be corrected. The feet will not do evil when the soul does not want, the hands will not do evil when the will does not want; the tongue will not speak evil when the heart is not willing; the body will not commit sexual immorality unless the heart desires it. What is good - not to do evil outwardly, but to be evil inwardly?.. A murderer, an adulterer, a thief lives in the heart. There is no benefit in a vessel that appears clean from the outside, but is filled with great stench and uncleanness on the inside: so there is no benefit to a person who appears good on the outside, but is evil on the inside; On the outside he seems humble and quiet, but on the inside he is filled with pride, envy and malice; He speaks kindly and sweetly, but holds flattery and deceit in his heart; He keeps his hands away from theft and robbery, but he doesn’t give his own to anyone. Those who are good on the outside, but evil on the inside, are likened to watered-down tombs, which are red on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27). Our God, who tests our hearts and bellies, looks at our hearts, and not at our appearance and appearance... You appear humble on the outside, but are you not exalted in your heart? If you don’t show anger and don’t lash out: good; but are you not consumed inside by anger towards your neighbor? You do not kill your brother with your own hands: it is not bad; but look, do you not harbor hatred for him in your heart? Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). You will not mingle with your wife in your body: that is not bad; but you lust with your heart, you are a fornicator (Matthew 5:28)... The human heart is a vessel filled with uncleanness and the stench of passions. Let us strive to cleanse this vessel within us. God promised us great things: He promised Himself to live in our hearts: for I will dwell in them and walk, and I will be their God, and they will be my people (2 Cor. 6:16). There is not and cannot be a greater, dearer, most pleasant and beloved treasure, like God, living within oneself; and there is no greater honor for a person than to be the church of God. God lives in a pure soul, as in His most favorable church; and it is more pleasant for Him to dwell in a pure soul than in churches made by hands; because in the soul there is the image of God. Let us also purify our hearts, so that the image of God will appear in us, the beautiful goodness of our souls, and we will be the church of our God (2 Cor. 7:1). Imitating the Prophet Jonah's cry: free my belly, O Blessed One, from aphids, and save me, Savior of the world, calling: glory to Thee (Song. 6, tone 1)! About the descent of the Holy Spirit of St. Demetrius of Rostov, in his first word on the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, talks like this. God promised one day to send His Holy Spirit to men, saying through the prophet Joel: I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28). And this promise of God has already been fulfilled: for He sent His Holy Spirit into the world not just once, but showing Himself in different ways. 1) The Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove when Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan. 2) The Holy Spirit appeared in the cloud when Christ was transfigured on Mount Tavor. 3) The Holy Spirit appeared in the wind, when it filled the house where the Apostles were sitting: suddenly there was a noise from heaven, like a stormy breath. 4) Appearing in the heat of fire, when it came upon the Apostles: the divided nations appeared to them like fire: but they sat upon one of them, and were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1). I want it, says St. Demetrius, for the sake of your piety, suggest why the Holy Spirit showed itself to the world in different forms - in the form of a dove, in a cloud, in the wind and in tongues of fire? But first of all I pray to you, O Holy Soul, come now to my heart and my sins have fallen with immaterial fire and teach me the ignoramus to speak kindly. 1) The Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove for many wines: Ovo, like the Holy Church, that is, believing Christians, they are called a dove: arise and come, my neighbor, my good one, my dove (Song. 2:10). Ovo, as (and because) the dove is not a bird of prey, but a simple one, having no flattery in itself. Christ the Savior Himself, exhorting His disciples, says: Be ye therefore wise as a serpent, and purposeful as doves (Matthew 10:16). For the Holy Spirit also habitually dwells in those who have a simple, humble heart, and not an evil one and not a deceitful one. The Holy Spirit appeared like a dove, says the blessed one. Augustine, whoever wants to be sanctified by the Spirit, will be like a dove, lacking flattery. Also, for this purpose, through the thought of God, he flies to the heights, as the Psalmist once cried out: who will give me a krill like a dove, and I will fly and rest (Ps. 55:7)? The Holy Spirit appeared in a cloud on Tabor, just as God himself once appeared to Moses in a cloud in ancient times (Ex. 34:5): for the same is God who appeared to Moses. Before the end of the world, Elijah and Enoch will come to earth, and the Antichrist will kill them, and after killing them, their bodies will lie unburied for three days in disgrace. Then God will resurrect them and ascend to heaven as a cloud (Apoc. 14:12), so that through that cloud we will be able to ascend to heaven. The cloud pours out rain from itself and sprinkles the earth... For the Holy Spirit also appeared in the cloud, that He might pour out the rain of His grace on our hearts, according to this word: The love of God was poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom. 5:5)... The Holy Spirit descended in fiery tongues, and gave the Apostles words of fire: the word of God is called fire, as it is written in the Apocalypse about Elijah and Enoch: fire comes from their mouths, and their enemies are consumed (Rev. 11:5). And when St. Basil the Great preached the word of the Lord, then St. Ephraim saw fire coming from the mouth of Vasily, and with such a fiery word the sinful thorns were burned. And this is what you need to know, why St. On any holiday, except the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the church does not have the custom of being decorated with green trees. In order to let us know that the Holy Spirit descends only on those who flourish in virtues (or wish and strive to flourish). Christ the Savior Himself admonishes us: if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. But whoever remains in sins, the Holy Spirit does not descend on them. My Spirit will not abide in these men, it is said (Gen. 6:3), for they are flesh... O Christ our God! Give us Thy grace, and now send Thy All-Holy Spirit upon us and upon all Thy people, so that, having received it in our hearts, we all cry out with one accord: we have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true Faith, we worship the indivisible Trinity! The descent of the Lord Jesus Christ into hell is told: I) in hymns on Holy and Great Saturday. Today hell is crying out: I wish I had received Rojshago from Mary; come upon me, destroy my power, smash the copper gates; the souls that you previously contained, O God, raise them up (Verse 1). Today hell is crying out: my power is destroyed, I received the Dead, as one of the dead; I can’t hold this at all; but I will destroy their kingdom with Him. I have had dead men from all eternity; according to this he lifts up everyone (Verse 2). Today hell is crying out: my power is lost, the Shepherd is crucified, and Adam is raised... and so on and so forth. II) In the word of St. Father Epiphanius of Cyprus ... “Christ is among the dead: let us go there with Him, so that we may know what mysteries are there; that we may know the mystery of God under the earth, and understand the miracles of the Lord; let us learn what gospel He preaches to those in hell (1 Pet. 3:19). III) In the presentation of St. Orthodox Faith - John of Damascus (Book 3, Chapter 29): “The deified Soul of Christ descends into hell (1 Pet. 3:19) so that just as the Sun of righteousness may shine for those who live, so for those who sit under the earth, the light may shine in darkness and the shadow of death; so that, just as Christ preaches peace to those on earth, liberation to the captives; so also to those who are in hell: that every tribe may worship Him, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth (Phil. 2:10). Question What is hell called? Rep. Hell is a dark place where unrepentant sinners are sent to suffer. This place is called differently - outer darkness (Matt. 22:13; 25:30, 46), the abyss (Luke 8:31), the prison of spirits (1 Pet. 3:18), the underworld (Phil. 2:10), hell (Matt. 5:22, 10:28), the cave of fire (Matt. 13:50; Luke 12:5), and other names, which, however, all express one idea: the place for souls who depart from here in sins is a place of condemnation and wrath of God (Orthodox Spanish). Question Where is Hell or Gehenna? Rep. There were different opinions about this. Some, based on the words of Scripture (Num. 16:30–34; Ezek. 26:20, 31:18), represented hell in the interior or extreme depths of the earth, in the underworld. Others, such as St. John Chrysostom believed that Gehenna was outside the world. “You ask: in what place will Gehenna be? In my opinion, says St. Chrysostom, beyond this whole world. Like royal dungeons and mines are in the distance; so Gehenna will be somewhere outside this universe. However, he adds, what do you care about that?.. We will not find out where she is, but how to avoid her.” Question What is the torment of sinners in hell? Rep. 1) The fact that they are removed from the light of the face of God (Matthew 7:23), and are imprisoned in the prison of spirits (1 Pet. 3:19), and this rejection alone from God is the greatest punishment. 2) They are deprived of participation in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the bliss of the righteous, and are cast into total darkness (Matthew 22:13). 3) They feel remorse for their sins, which torments them incessantly, like an undying worm (Mark 9:44). 4) Are in a community of evil spirits. 5) They endure various prolonged torments (Luke 16:23; Matt. 22:13). Question Are the torments of hell the same for everyone? Rep. It should be thought that the torment of sinners in hell, without a doubt, is not the same, but according to the righteous judgment of God, it is proportionate to the crimes of each (Luke 12:47, 48). And according to this, one can think that hell has its own private abodes, its own special departments, of which one is called hell itself, the other - Gehenna, the third - Tartarus, the fourth - the lake of fire. In the Apocalypse, hell and the lake of fire are distinguished (Apoc. 20:13, 14)... Woe is me! This is how sinners will cry in hell. Alas for me that I did not cast off the heavy burden of sin, but attracted a heap of these evils! Alas for me that I have not washed away my filth, but am branded with sins... Oh, my crafty reasoning! For the temporary pleasure of sin, I suffer immortally; for the pleasure of the flesh he is now consigned to fire (at St. Basil the Great). Whoever wants to be saved, first of all, it is fitting for him to hold the Catholic Faith, but if anyone does not keep it whole and blameless, he will perish forever, except for any bewilderment, it is said in the symbol of St. Athanasius of Alexandria. How important and precious is salvation for us, holy one. Tikhon clarifies in a letter (Part 14, 11), with the following general appeal: You are calling me to your place. And I wanted to come to you; but my weakness, the distance of the road and other reasons do not allow it. Goodbye, I stayed at home. I wish you, like myself, to be saved in Christ. For this is the only thing needed, according to the word of the Lord. Let the world love worldly things, let others seek honor, others - glory, others - treasures, let others strive for lands and homelands, and be careful to name their names on the lands; let others build rich houses, gardens and galleries, ponds, decorate carriages and horses, etc. For us Christians, Christ offers one thing for our needs. What is it? Eternal salvation. He orders to look for it as if it were the only thing needed. For without salvation there is no benefit, even if someone has everything. And whoever has salvation has everything, even if he has lost everything. Salvation consists of everything that is desired; without salvation the whole world is nothing, according to the word of the Lord (Matthew 16:26). Oh dear, eternal salvation! The whole world is nothing compared to him! Oh, how poor is that Christian who has left this invaluable and most precious treasure of the whole world, seeking to be enriched and glorified in the world! Madness, God says to the one who is rich in the world for himself, and not in God, this night your soul will be taken from You, and what You have prepared, to whom will it be (Luke 12:20)? Who will have your chests of money? To whom are your houses? To whom - horses, carriages, galleries, ponds, lands, fatherland, valuable clothes - and all the clothing to whom? Everything will end, just like your life. Even if he dies, he will not take everything; his glory will fall with him (Ps. 48:18). Why seek something that is nothing in comparison with salvation? Should we chase something that moves away from us like a shadow? We are strangers and strangers in a strange land. Our Fatherland is not here. Why are we hoarding treasures here so that we can live here forever? Who would want to have all the wealth and fame in the world, but lose their belly? Life is more precious than anything. If a temporary belly is most valuable, how much more so is an eternal one. And if we leave everything so as not to lose our temporary life, as happens during a fire and during the invasion of enemies, how much more must we leave everything so as not to lose our eternal life and salvation. Elsewhere, St. Tikhon (book 6, §176) incites people to achieve salvation: “temporary calamity and suffering, whatever it may be, does not happen without consolation, and no matter how long it lasts, it ends in death; but in the next century it will be a disaster and endless misfortune. There will be no deliverance from the bonds of hell and fiery suffering: there is eternal despair of God’s mercy, an eternal feeling of the righteous wrath of God. There the answer will be heard: remember that you received your goodness in your belly (Luke 16:25). People run away from death here; there they desire her, and she flees from them. They will want to turn into nothing, but will not be able to, and will always die, but will never die. And behold, there is the second death (Apoc. 9:6). Great melancholy, fear and horror will overwhelm the soul. A conscience will arise, which throughout all eternity will denounce and gnaw at the sinner for having rejected God’s lofty mercy and grace and brought himself into such a painful state. God, the Creator of heaven and earth, did not spare His Son for your sake, and gave Him up to death and cruel suffering for your salvation: but you despised this ineffable love; for the sake of temporary small pleasure he left God; fulfilled your own whims, and not the will of God, which wanted you to be saved; he worked and pleased not Christ the Savior, but Satan. Other people like you are now comforted and enjoying eternal blessings, because they believed and followed Christ the Savior by faith; but you rejected God’s advice, and so you perished. How many times has God called you to repentance; how many preachers exhorted for your salvation: you have despised all that. You did not want to listen to God in your belly; God will not hear you today. So the condemned person will be tormented and, like a worm, his conscience will gnaw endlessly, and illness will be added to illness, torment will be added to torment. Save yourself, save yourself! It is better to endure every calamity here, it is better to suffer through every illness throughout life; It’s better for me to sit chained in a stinking prison for the rest of my life; accept beatings and wounds... rather than lose salvation and plunge into an ill-fated eternity. Save yourself, save yourself in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit be honor and glory and worship forever. Amen". Question How holy. Tikhon finds out that Christ’s suffering is strong and should turn us away from sin? Rep. (Bk. 8. §408). The suffering of Christ is strong and should turn us away from sin, presenting to our spiritual eyes a double shame, that is, the unchangeable truth and mercy of God. 1) We see that God’s truth cannot be violated, but urgently requires its satisfaction; We see that sin cannot go unpunished. The truth of God demanded that we be punished forever, because the eternal and infinite God was angered... Who could become a mediator, intercessor and reconciliator between an infinite angry God and an angry man? Nobody!.. Not an angel, not any other creature. Jesus stood, our Redeemer, who says: And he looked, and was not without a helper; and I thought, and no one caught: and I delivered My arm (Isa. 63:5). And became an intercessor for God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). And the righteous judgment of God turned upon Him: a curse came upon us (Gal. 3:13), only the Blessed One. The Innocent One endured judgment for us the guilty... Reflection on the truth of God and on His righteous wrath against sin and on the most severe suffering that Christ endured for our sins, may it frighten us and remove us from sin! If Christ, innocent and the only righteous one, suffered so terribly for the sins of others: how will sinners be tormented in Gehenna for their sins? Christ suffered and died for every man; but when a person does not want to use the suffering of Christ for his salvation, to give up sin, to repent: then this very suffering of Christ will be a conviction that he has rejected so much of God’s grace... Then the poor sinner will feel that there is sin and the colic is his grief... It is easy to sin, but it is not easy to free yourself from sin; and without Christ one should be cast down into the depths of hell by the weight of sin, and pay the justice of God with endless punishment. Beware of sin, which irritates the righteous God. 2) In the suffering of Christ we see the inexpressible mercy of the Heavenly Father towards us. He, seeing us in destruction and not wanting to allow us to perish forever, did not spare His Son for our salvation, but gave Him up for us (Rom. 8:32). What the Son of God Himself, for our consolation, says: God so love the world, as He gave His only begotten Son to eat, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but may have eternal life (John 3:16)... Oh, the wondrous good will of the heavenly Father, Who, for the sake of His poor and lost creation, did not spare His Son! Oh, the wondrous obedience of the Son of God, Who, gladly, humbled us, His enemies, humbled Himself, being obedient even to the point of death—the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8)!.. How then would you desire to insult the merciful Father with sins and the obedience of His Son, performed for you, by neglecting your unrepentant life? How will you love sin, for which the Father betrayed His Son, and the Son of God endured such grievous and bitter torment?.. You love sin, because you do not disdain it; you do not disdain, for you do not abandon him... May meditation on the truth of God turn you away from sin; and let your consideration of God’s mercy not allow you to despair after committing sin; remember the truth of God during temptation to sin; but do not forget the mercy of God during the temptation for the sin you have committed. Thus, reflection and remembrance of the suffering of Christ teaches us to fear sin, hate it and move away from it; and do not despair for the sins you have committed, but return to the Heavenly Father, following the example of the prodigal son, and ask for forgiveness from Him, and having received mercy, do not separate from Him in the future. “A small tree is conveniently pulled out of the ground: so every evil passion, while it has not yet taken root in the heart and has not become old, is easily removed from a person, the saint thinks. Tikhon, looking at the trees. The great tree is pulled out of the ground inconveniently and with great force, because it has firmly established its roots deep in the earth. Thus, an old passion, deeply rooted in the human heart, is expelled with great inconvenience and difficulty... Many try to free themselves from the passion to which they have been enslaved, and they curse themselves and over time lag behind it, but are again captivated by it. For passion, like a magnet, attracts them. Therefore, arm yourself against your flesh first, while you are still young; purge passions and lusts from your heart while you are still young and have not grown. Passions are the primary ones, your enemies: be a fighter, be a brave warrior against these enemies, and not a subject; their master, and not their novice, their master, and not their slave... Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and put to shame (Ps. 34:4) (Part 11)! As there is a bridle for a fierce and raging horse, so there is restraint for the passionate and lustful flesh. The horse restrains itself with a bridle and obeys the wishes of the rider: thus a Christian must restrain every passion and subdue the spirit or mind (Part. 11, Secret spirit. under the stat. Bridle). Question What is holy. Tikhon speaks about the fear of God? Rep. Much. I) How great is the gift of God - the fear of God, and how blessed are those who have it! Fear of the Lord, glory and praise, and joy and a crown of joy... He who fears the Lord will have good fortune in the end, and on the day of his death he will find grace. The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord, and it supplies it on the paths of love. The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord... the fulfillment of wisdom is to fear the Lord; the crown of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord (Sir. 1:11–21). The fear of God is like a faithful guard who always watches and protects the spiritual home from all evil, or more importantly, like a strong and high wall that sanctifies the arrows of the enemy. The fear of God does not allow one to be seduced by the beauties of this world. The fear of God does not allow the mind to wander freely, the tongue to speak, the eyes to look at everything, the ears to listen to everything; but he always takes care of everything and, in the likeness of birds, teaches him to look around. The fear of God also inspires what is allowed, such as food, drink, clothing, to be used not for luxury and sweetness, but for need. The fear of God instructs us to diligently heed the law of God and all useful teaching, reproof, and punishment. The fear of God teaches us to examine our conscience and cleanse it with warm repentance; always pray and sigh to God, so as not to fall into sin. The fear of God inspires the offender to forgive; do not be angry with someone who is angry; do not slander the one who slanderes, do not rebuke the one who reproaches. Finally, the fear of God teaches us to despise human and mortal fear itself, so as not to anger God, and to surrender to bodily death in order to avoid spiritual death. The fear of God is a true school of humility, which attracts God's grace. Truly, there is nothing stronger and stronger than the one who has the fear of God. The nobleman, and the judge, and the mighty will have glory: but from them there will not be a single one who fears the Lord, says the wise son of Sirach (Sir. 10:27). II) Signs of the fear of God are. He who has the fear of God is guarded from all sins - open and secret, before people and without people; he does not look at the sins of others, but penetrates into his own conscience and tests and cleanses it; he willingly listens to God’s word, and all soul-helping instruction and reproof; he shies away from the honor, wealth and pleasures of this world, because they open the door to sin; protects all senses - sight, hearing. III) On the fear of God, Saint Tikhon from St. This is what Chrysostom says. “Nothing can compare with having the fear of God in you (Conversations 3 on Phil.). Throughout life there must be fear (Conversations 54 on Matt.). Fear leads and arouses to repentance (Conversations 11 on Matt.). If there were no fear, everything would perish (Conversations 60 on John). He had the custom of urgently praying at a certain hour of the day for the fear of God - like this: Lord, plant in me the root of good things and Thy fear in my heart! IV) (§181. Book 6). Question From what does the fear of God arise and intensify? Rep. With the help of God, 1) from thinking about His terrible destinies that appeared on sinners, such as: on Cain, (Gen. 4), on those killed by the flood (Gen. 9:7), on the Sodomites, burned by fire and a bogey (Gen. 19), on Pharaoh, with his army mired in the sea (Ex. 14), on Dathan and Abiron, devoured by the earth (Num. 16), on Absalom, who hung between heaven and earth (2 Kings 18), and on many others. But the same God who previously executed people for sins now also sends executions on the lawless. We hear terrible shaking of the earth and hail, buried in the same coffin with the inhabitants; we hear and see deplorable battles, terrible bloodshed; We see and hear terrible fires, from which villages, towns and villages perish. All this shows that there is a God who hates iniquity and punishes the wicked. And temporary punishments testify that there will also be eternal ones - for faulty and bitter sinners: there will be Gehenna, a never-ending worm, gnashing of teeth, pitch darkness. 2) The fear of God is born from the idea of ​​God’s properties, especially the omnipresence and omniscience of God. The Omnipresence of God shows you that God is everywhere - with you, and above you and before you: for in Him we live, we move, and we are (Acts 17:28). Do you walk, do you rest, do you talk, are you silent, are you alone, or with whom are you talking? God is with you. Are you doing it? God sees your work. Are you talking? God hears your word. Do you think? God discerns your thoughts. 3) The fear of God is born and intensified by the reflection that God, who issued the law and commands it to be kept, is great and terrible - and the God of vengeance. He commanded to keep his commandments strictly; and for the crime of St. His law is abhorrent to temporal and eternal punishment. We are afraid to violate the decrees of the earthly king, a king whose anger can deprive our body of life: how can we violate God’s command not to be afraid of his righteous anger, which can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (Matthew 10:28)? 4) The fear of God is born from the reflection that the God who commands is our most gracious Father and who loves us. We show obedience to our carnal father and are afraid of angering him: how can we not be afraid to show disobedience to God, the heavenly and eternal Father, who created us and begot us in His Son?.. What kind of father loves his son as much as God loves us?.. 5) since the fear of God is a gift, one must ask for it from God through fervent prayer. V) (§182). Just as the fear of God turns a person away from sin, so fearlessness opens the way to all evil. From fearlessness - blasphemy, perjury, bribery, extortion, violence, theft, theft, foul language, wanton cries, ridicule, condemnation, slander, deceit, flattery, deceit, all uncleanness, all lawlessness and godlessness. Like a fierce horse, having no ruler, strives and runs wherever its eyes look: so a person, by nature inclined to all evil, when he is deprived of the fear of God, as a good ruler, rushes towards everything evil, and wherever the evil will leads him, there he goes - from evil to evil, from sin to sin, from lawlessness to lawlessness; thinks evil and speaks evil; begins evil and commits evil; and how by steps, through various iniquities, he descends into the depths of evil and neglect... Oh woe to him! Question Does everyone, especially after death, give an account of their deeds? And is there a private court (question 61 Orthodox Confession)? Rep. since on the day of the last judgment an account will not be required from each separately, for God knows everything; and since everyone at death knows his deeds, then after death everyone will also know the reward for his deeds. For if everyone knows his deeds, then God’s judgment about him is also known, as St. Gregory the Theologian: “I believe the words of the wise that every good and God-loving soul, when separated from the body with which it was united, immediately anticipates and contemplates the good that awaits it (for that which brought darkness is cleansed, or taken away, or - but I don’t know what to call it), and enjoys some wonderful pleasure, admires, and joyfully hurries to the Lord To his own, having escaped from this life, as if from some gloomy prison, and throwing off the nets that lay around it, which stopped the mind in its soaring; and imagining the bliss that is being reserved for her, she seems to already feel it. Not much later, continues Gregory the Theologian, and the flesh akin to itself, with which it labored together on earth, having received again from the earth - in a way known only to God who has united and resolved, together with it will inherit heavenly glory. We must also think about the souls of sinners, only from the opposite side, that is, that they know and foresee the torment that awaits them. And although before the final judgment neither the righteous nor the sinners receive perfect reward for their deeds; but despite all this, not all souls are in the same state, and are not sent to the same place. It is therefore clear that since, before the last judgment, such a division cannot occur without a private court, then there is a private court. When we say that God does not ask us for an account of our life, we mean this in the sense that we will give it - not according to the example of human reports. Question What does it say about the private court of St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria in a word that begins like this: I am afraid of death, because we are bitter; I’m afraid of Gehenna, which is beyond infinity... I’m afraid of the angel at judgment, because they are not merciful?.. Rep. There is a need to see the soul when the body is separated. For the armies and powers of heaven and the opposing forces of darkness are coming against us, the leaders of the world, the rulers of wickedness, the publicans, and the testers and deeds of the air... and with them the prince of the powers of darkness, having a mortal power, and in a certain way judges souls, inflicting and counting everything that I have done - from youth even to the day of the end, in which he took upon himself, test subject What kind of fear and trembling does the soul desire to have on this day, seeing terrible, and wild and coldless demons... Seeing them, the soul is confused, worried, restless and hides, resorting to God's angels. For the soul is kept from St. The angel, passing through the air and lifted up, finds ordeals that preserve the sunrise... Each ordeal brings their sins: utterances, and oaths, and idle talk, and immeasurable laughter, and unclean kisses, and the songs of prodigals. The holy angels bring these too, the tree of the mouth and the tongue of good verbs: prayers, psalms, singing, readings of Scripture... The second ordeal is the vision of the eye, the tree of absurd sight and unbridled vision... The third ordeal is of hearing... The fourth ordeal of the sweet sense of smell, which babbles at harlot wives. The fifth ordeal, the tree was made through evil and cruel hands, and other evils of the ordeal: envy, pride, anger, fornication... and the publicans have every sin of their own. This hour (of private judgment) is painful and groaning, until the soul sees what will happen. Divine powers stand against the face of wicked spirits and bring good deeds, words, and thoughts. The soul examines among those standing in fear and trembling, until the end of its actions, words and thoughts, either having been condemned, it will be bound, or having been justified, it will be freed. For everyone will be bound captive by their sins. And if she is worthy, having lived a pious life, the Angels accept her, and she walks without sorrow, having the holy Powers as her companions... If she is found to have lived in negligence and fornication, she will hear that fiercest voice: let the wicked be lifted up, let him not see the glory of the Lord! Then days of anger, sorrow, and need and oppression reach her, then the Holy angels leave her; and the murini demons accept her, and striking her mercilessly, they bring her down to a gloomy, dark land. Because God’s commandments, concludes this word of St. Kirill, let us take up arms against carnal passions; let us humble our vain thoughts; Let us rise up in battle against the devil, let us put our thoughts to sobriety, and acquire unslothful prayer... Let us not give joy to unclean demons, for our God is already the Savior of all and the destroyer of demons. Question Tell me how holy. Tikhon talks about the Last Judgment? 1st Rep. I tremble and shake with fear, he calls out in his Zadonsk solitude, hearing and reasoning this word: Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me (Apoc. 22:12) - to render to everyone according to his deeds. Terrible is the day and hour in which God will judge sinners. Human judgment is terrible for us, but God’s judgment is incomparably more terrible. In human judgment, a man like us is judged; God himself judges in this court. In a human court, witnesses are accused or acquitted; there they are not needed; for the Judge knows everything himself completely. In human court, persons are often accepted, and the rich are preferred to the poor, the noble is preferred to the commoner. There the Judge does not know the persons; but judges according to conscience and deeds. In the judgment of man, before a few, man is exposed and judged; there the sinner will be convicted and condemned before the whole world. At the human court, only external affairs are judged; there, too, people will give an answer for an idle word. Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me. Have mercy, Lord, have mercy on your creation. No one is sinless, except You are One (part 3). 2nd Rep. And just like St. Tikhon depicts the fear of a future trial. “This word, beloved, is also terrible from the ascetic of Zadon: I will reprove you and bring your sins before you (Ps. 49:21). For this word is spoken by the great God himself. To whom? To a sinner. What is he talking about? That he will convict the sinner for all his sins and present all his lawless actions before his face. Where? On the universal disgrace, on which all the holy angels and, from the beginning of the world to the end, all people will gather... I will expose you, etc. The fornicator and every defiler will be presented with all his filthy dreams, words, looks and deeds. The evil one will see who he has harmed and with what, whom and before whom he has dishonored with his slander, etc. The deceiver and the flatterer will see their insidious plans. A wicked leader will see his negligence about those under his command - violence, anger of people, etc. A negligent shepherd will see his negligence about the flock of Christ. A careless parent will see his carelessness about raising his children and his temptations for them. The lawless master will be presented with all his insolence, violence, and bitterness. Then every sinner will be convicted and hear: Behold the man and his works! He will hear, and shame and disgrace, trembling and horror will cover him. Cry, cry, sinful soul, and be sick and repent. The terrible judgment is holy. Tikhon makes a striking portrayal, exposing the festival of Shrovetide. “Do you know,” he says, what days the Shrovetide is protected by? What is its beginning and what is its end? It begins on the first day after the week of meat-eating, on which the Church of St. the remembrance of the terrible judgment of Christ brings us into fear and feeling. Then St. The Gospel preaches that the Son of Man will come and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 10:28), - that terrible Judge will come, who tests hearts and wombs, from whose wrath and rage all creation will tremble, the sky will shake, the sun will turn into darkness and the moon will not give light, the stars of heaven will fall, the mountains will melt and hell itself will shake... Then (i.e. e. before Maslin) it is announced that before this terrible Judge all the nations will gather and be separated from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Then it seems that the sheep, that is, the righteous, will be placed at the right hand of that terrible Judge, and the goats, that is, sinners, will be placed on the left. Then the longed-for voice of the righteous Judge is heard to those on the right hand; come, blessings of My Father, etc... Then, like thunder, the terrible saying of the angry Judge will roar and everyone will be in awe: get away from Me, curse, etc. (Matthew 25:34, 41). Then everyone imagines that the abodes of the Heavenly Father are opened, the adorned palaces of the King of glory appear, the glorious marriage of the Lamb is revealed, and a river of fire flows below, hell opens its mouth, the eternal prisons are opened and it is seen that these, that is, sinners, are going into eternal torment, and the righteous - into eternal belly. (Matthew 25:46). Then it appears that one is eaten, and the other is left; the son is taken, but the father is abandoned; the wife is taken to death, and the husband is abandoned; the daughter is taken, but the mother is left; the slave is captured, but the master is abandoned... One is heaven, and the other is hell; one is the abode of the Heavenly Father, and the other is fiery Gehenna; for this one is the palace of glory, and for this the prison of the underworld will receive him; one enters into the eternal belly, and the other is given over to eternal death; one inhabits the sweet cohabitation of patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs and all saints, and the other dwells with dark demons and similar sinners; one is kindly met and accepted by angels, and the other is mercilessly drawn by evil spirits... Then the righteous will be enlightened, like the sun, in the kingdom of their heavenly Father... Then desperate sinners begin their deplorable eternity, begin and will always begin endlessly: they will seek death, and flee from them. Their fire does not go out, and the worm does not put them to sleep... Alas, misfortune! Alas, fear! This is what the day that precedes the cheese week represents to us. Oh, what a terrible day this is! It seems that everyone can feel better and spend the next days more carefully?.. But - alas!.. Question What does St. Tikhon offer as instruction to spouses? Rep. 1) Both husband and wife must enter into marriage according to their own free will and mutual consent. For this reason, during a wedding, the priest asks both persons: are they entering into marriage by their will and with their consent? – A marriage cannot be firm without the consent of both persons. Both parents or gentlemen who forcibly persuade someone to marry, and priests who see the disagreement of any person and perform a wedding, are grievously sinning and are subject to legal punishment: for from now on all evil will follow in marriage. 2) Those who entered into marriage correctly must maintain love and fidelity to each other until the end of their lives. 3) Neither the husband of his wife nor the wife of her husband should leave her until death; but as they promised and agreed, they will remain inseparably until death. 4) If a husband from his wife, or a wife from her husband, notices the correct reason for separation, then neither the husband from his wife, nor the wife from her husband should separate on their own, but report this to their shepherd, the diocesan bishop, for consideration and expect a resolution from him. 5) There is a custom for some husbands to leave their wives, and for the wives to leave their husbands, under the guise of abstinence. But this matter is very dangerous; for instead of abstinence, grave sin of adultery may follow, either in one or in both persons... 6) Those living in marriage must remember that they are Christians, they confess the holy name of God, they call on God, they partake of the holy mysteries of Christ, and even more so - priests and deacons; and therefore you should not live in marriage like the pagans: let not Satan tempt you with your intemperance, says the Apostle (1 Cor. 7:5). 7) A husband should not have a wife as a slave, but as a helper; but a wife must obey her husband as the head (Eph. 5:22, 23). 8) since Satan, the enemy of our souls, in well-behaved and faithful spouses tries to break the union of love and harmony: then the spouses must bear with each other in their infirmities and endure each other with love: then peace, love and harmony will be maintained. 9) When either the husband is good, and the wife is evil, or the wife is good, and the husband is evil: then there cannot be peace and harmony between them, as there can be no equation between a straight and crooked tree. Then the good-natured person will face constant suffering and the cross; then let it have courage and with patience conquer evil! 10) We see in history that many wives corrupted their husbands and led them to destruction: the serpent approached Eve and deceived her. Eve, deceived, deceived Adam and led him to destruction. The same thing happens now. The same ancient serpent approaches a wife and seduces her, and through the wife, draws the husband to lawless deeds. Husband! Be careful and do not follow your wife’s will and advice in everything, so that she does not possess you!.. Eve always has her own character. Here the priesthood is considered in relation to only two of its degrees: priesthood and deaconry. Bishops have been mentioned before.