Огласительное поучение второе

[To those preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation about repentance, remission of sins and about the enemy, in response to the words of Ezekiel: The truth of the righteous remains with him (Ezek. 18:20).] 1. A terrible evil is sin, and the most cruel disease of the soul is a crime of the law; it completely deprives her of strength and plunges her into eternal fire; the evil of man himself, a product of will. And that we truly sin according to our own will, the prophet clearly speaks of this somewhere: I planted you like a noble vine... how did you turn from Me into a wild branch of someone else’s vine? (Jer.2:21). The planting is good, the fruit is evil: evil comes from the will. The planter is innocent, but the grapes will be burned by fire. Because it was planted for good fruit, but it brought forth evil fruit of its own accord. God created man upright, according to Ecclesiastes, and people indulged in many thoughts (Eccl. 7:29). For we are His workmanship, says the apostle, created... for good works (Eph. 2:10). The Creator, being Himself good, created us for good deeds, but the creation, of its own free will, turned to evil. So, sin, as it has been said, is a terrible evil, but not incurable. Terrible for the one who has it, but conveniently curable in the one who rejects it through repentance. For imagine that someone is holding fire in his hand. As long as he holds the coal, it will undoubtedly burn him, but if he throws the coal, the heat will stop. If anyone thinks that he is not being burned by sin, Scripture says to him: Can anyone take fire into his bosom so that his clothing does not burn out? ( Proverbs 6:27 ). This is how sin burns the strength of the soul. 2. But someone will say: what is sin? Is it an animal? Is it an angel? Is it an evil spirit? What is it that acts this way? This is not an enemy attacking you from outside, man, but a worthless industry vegetating out of you. Look with right eyes and there will be no lust in you; keep yours and do not steal someone else’s - and the tendency to steal will cease. Remember about judgment - and neither fornication, nor adultery, nor murder will increase in you. When you forget God, then you only begin to think evil and commit lawless deeds. 3. However, it is not only you yourself who are the culprit of sin, there is someone else who is the most evil instigator of it - the devil. He incites everyone, but does not overcome those who do not obey him. That is why Ecclesiastes says: If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, then do not leave your place (Eccl. 10:4). Shut your door, keep him away from you, and he will not harm you. If you cold-bloodedly allow the thought of lust, then it, turning to your heart, will take root in you, bind your mind and drag you into the abyss of evil. But perhaps you will say: I am faithful, and lust will not prevail over me, even if it is often aroused in my thoughts. Don’t you know that even a root is embedded in a stone from staying on it for a long time? Do not accept the seed, otherwise it will suppress the faith. Uproot evil before it blossoms, so that, having neglected it at the beginning, you will not need the ax and fire later. When an eye disease begins, treat yourself in advance so as not to seek a doctor when you are already blind. 4. The first culprit of sin and the father of evil (see John 8:44) is the devil. The Lord said it, not me. First the devil sinned (1 John 3:8). No one had sinned before him. He sinned not because by nature he received the necessary inclination to sin (otherwise the cause of sin would fall on the one who created him as such); he, being created good, of his own will became a devil, receiving this name from his actions. For, being an Archangel, later, due to his slander, he was called the devil and, being a good servant of God, received the characteristic name of Satan, since Satan means the enemy. This is not my teaching, but the spirit-bearing prophet Ezekiel. He, mourning him, says this: you are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty, you were... in the garden of God (cf. Eze. 28:12-13). And a little later: You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you (Ezek. 28:15); It is very well said: until it was found in you, since evil did not enter into you from outside, but you yourself gave birth to it. Afterwards he said the reason for this: Because of your beauty your heart was lifted up, because of your vanity you destroyed your wisdom; therefore I will throw you to the ground (Ezek.28:17). In accordance with this, the Lord says in the Gospel: I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18). Do you see the similarities between the Old Testament and the New? He, having fallen, carried away many with him; he stirs up the lusts of those who obey him. From him comes adultery, fornication and all other evils. Through him, our forefather Adam was expelled, and instead of paradise, which bore wondrous fruits without cultivation, he received a land producing thorns. 5. Well, someone will say, we perished deceived and is there really no salvation after that? We have fallen - is it really impossible to rise? We have become blind - is it really impossible to see again? We have become lame - will we really not be able to walk upright? To put it briefly, we have died - and is there really no way to be resurrected? For Him who raised up Lazarus four days old, already stinking, is it not more convenient for you, man, to raise him alive? He who shed His precious blood for us will free us from sin. Let us not despair, brothers, let us not plunge ourselves into a hopeless state. For it is terrible not to have faith and hope for repentance. He who does not hope to be saved without fear multiplies his sins, and he who hopes to receive healing has no difficulty in guarding himself against them. The robber, if he does not expect pardon, reaches the point of bitterness, and if he hopes to receive forgiveness, he often comes to repentance. Likewise, the serpent lays aside its scales; shall we not lay aside sin? And the land that grows thorns, being well cultivated, turns into fruitful land, but is salvation really irrevocable for us? So, our nature can accept salvation; only our will is required. 6. God loves mankind, and loves mankind unlimitedly. Do not say: I committed fornication, committed adultery, committed terrible sins, and not just once, but many times. Will He really forgive? Will he really consign them to oblivion? Listen to what the psalmist says: How great are Your blessings (Lord) (Ps. 30:20). All your sins taken together do not overcome the greatness of Divine mercy. Your ulcers do not exceed the experience of your doctor. Only surrender yourself to Him with faith, tell the Physician your illness, you and David say: I said: “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and the following words will come true on you: and You have taken away from me the guilt of my sin (Ps. 31:5). 7. Do you want to see God’s love for mankind, you who have recently just begun to listen to the catechumen teaching? Do you want to see God’s love for mankind and great patience? Listen to what happened to Adam. The first-created Adam disobeyed the commandment of God; Couldn't God have put him to death then? Look what the most loving Lord is doing! True, he expels him from paradise (since, due to his sin, he became unworthy of this location); however, he settles him directly in paradise, so that, seeing where he fell from, from what and into what state he was cast down, he could subsequently be saved through repentance. The first-born man Cain became a fratricide, the inventor of villainy, the culprit and leader of murders, and the first envious person. But after he killed his brother, what is he condemned to? You will be an exile and a wanderer on earth (Gen. 4:12). The sin is great - the punishment is light. 8. Thus, God’s love for mankind is truly revealed here, but it is not yet as great as we will see later. Imagine what happened in the time of Noah. The giants sinned, wickedness then spread greatly across the earth, for its sake a flood had to follow. And in the five hundredth year (of Noah’s life) God reveals His threat; however, in the six hundredth year he already brought a flood to the earth. Do you see the greatness of God’s love for mankind, which extends for another hundred years? Couldn't He have done immediately what He did after a century? But He deliberately extended the time to give an opportunity for repentance. Do you see the goodness of God? Even if they had repented then, they would not have lost God’s love for mankind. 9 . Let us also look at others who were saved through repentance. Or perhaps one of the women will say: I committed fornication, committed adultery, and desecrated my body with all kinds of intemperance—can I be saved? Woman, look to Rahab and hope for salvation too. For if she, being an open and public harlot, was saved through repentance, then is it really possible that a woman who once committed adultery before accepting grace will not be saved through repentance and fasting? Consider how Rahab was saved. She only said: Your God is God in heaven above and on earth below (Joshua 2:11). She did not dare to call Him hers, realizing her uncleanness. And if you want to have evidence from Scripture that she was saved, then you will find it in the psalms: I will mention to those who know me Rahab (Egypt - Ed.) and Babylon (Ps. 86:4). Great is God's love for mankind! He even remembers harlots in Scripture! And moreover, he doesn’t just say: I will mention Rahab and Babylon, but he adds: to those who know me. So, salvation, which is acquired through repentance, is equally possible for males and females. 10. And even if an entire people sins, God’s love for mankind is not defeated. The people of Israel cast a calf, but God did not forsake His love for mankind. People denied God, but God did not deny Himself. This is your god (calf - Ed.), Israel (Exodus 32:4), they said. But the God of Israel, as is characteristic of Him, again became their Savior. Moreover, not only the people sinned, but also Aaron the high priest. Moses testifies to this: And the Lord was very angry with Aaron, but I prayed for him, he continues, and God forgave him (Deut. 9:20). If then Moses, by his intercession for the sinful high priest, propitiated the Lord, then will not Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God, appease God by intercession for us? And if God did not forbid Aaron, who sinned, from assuming the high priestly dignity, will He really bar the entrance to you, who came from among the pagans? Repent in the same way, O man, and grace is not forbidden to you. In the future, show the shameless way of your life. For truly God loves mankind, and no one can worthily express His love for mankind. And even if all human nations united together, even then they would not be able to even partially convey God’s love for mankind. For from Scripture we proclaim only a certain part about God’s mercy towards people, but we do not yet know how much condescension He showed to the Angels themselves. Thus He condescends to them too, since there is only one sinless Jesus, who cleanses our sins. But enough about them. 11. If you want other examples to be presented by me, then look at blessed David and take him as an example of repentance. This great man fell when, having risen from his afternoon sleep, he was walking on the roof of his house. I looked carelessly and was exposed to human weakness. The sin was committed, but this did not destroy the good disposition to confess one’s fall. The prophet Nathan immediately comes to reprove and heal the wound. The Lord was angry with you, he says, because you sinned (see 2 Samuel 12). This is what a private man said to the king, but the purple-bearing king was not upset with him. For he looked not at the one who spoke, but at the One from whom he was sent. He was not blinded by the host of warriors surrounding him. For he imagined in his mind the army of the Lord's Angels and was afraid of the Invisible One, as if he had seen Him; why does he say in response to the one who came, and in his person to the One who sent: I have sinned before the Lord (2 Samuel 12:13). Do you see the king’s humility, do you see his confession? He was not caught by anyone; few knew about his action. The job is done quickly, immediately. The prophet appears for reproof, and the fallen one confesses to his crime. And since his consciousness was sincere, he very soon received healing. For the same prophet Nathan, who threatened him, immediately says: and the Lord has taken away your sin (2 Samuel 12:13). Do you see how quickly the humane God applies His judgment? Meanwhile, the prophet says: by this deed you have given the enemies of the Lord a reason to blaspheme Him (2 Samuel 12:14). You had many enemies because of your righteousness, but your chastity protected you. When you have lost this strong weapon, your enemies are ready to attack you. This is what the prophet told him. 12. But blessed David, although he truly heard the words: The Lord has taken away your sin, did not stop repenting, but instead of purple he put on sackcloth, and instead of a gilded throne, the king sat on ashes and on the ground; and not only sat on ashes, but also ate ashes as food, as he himself said: I eat ashes like bread (Ps. 101:10). With tears he dried up his lustful eye; I wash, he says, my bed every night, I wet my bed with my tears (Ps. 6:7). When the courtiers advised him to eat bread, he did not listen to them, but continued to fast for seven whole days. If the king repented in this way, then aren’t you, a private person, obliged to repent? And during Absalom’s indignation, while many were opening ways for him to escape, he wanted to flee through the Mount of Olives, as if turning his thoughts to the Redeemer, who had to ascend from it to heaven. And when Shimei angrily cursed him, he said: let him go (see 2 Samuel 16:10). For he knew that to the one who releases it will be released. 13. You see that repentance is a good deed. You see that those who repent are saved. And Solomon fell, but what did he say? He turned my heart (Proverbs 24:32). And Ahab, the king of Samaria, was a most lawless idolater, a lawless man, a killer of prophets, alien to piety, greedy for other people’s fields and grapes. But after Naboth was killed through Jezebel, when the prophet Elijah came and just uttered threats, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth (see 1 Kings 21:27). What does the philanthropic God say to Elijah? Do you see how Ahab humbled himself before Me? (1 Kings 21:29). He seems to convince the prophet, inflamed with anger, to condescend to the repentant. I will not cause trouble, he says, in his days. And although after forgiveness he will not leave his wickedness, the Lord completely forgives him; not because He does not know the future, but grants forgiveness in accordance with the present time of repentance. For a just Judge judges each case as it happened. 14. Likewise, Jeroboam offered sacrifice to idols on the altar (see 1 Kings 13:4). His hand became dry when he ordered to seize the prophet who had denounced him. But, having learned from experience the strength of this man, he says to him: Appease the face of the Lord your God (1 Kings 13:6). And as a result of these words, his hand was healed again. If the prophet healed Jeroboam, can’t Christ heal and free you from sin? Manasseh was also a most lawless man; he sawed Isaiah to death, desecrated himself with all kinds of idolatry, and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. But, having been taken captive to Babylon, he turned the misfortune he endured into healing repentance. For the Scripture says that Manasseh humbled himself before the face of the Lord, and prayed to Him, and God bowed to him... and brought him back... to his kingdom (2 Chronicles 33:13). If the one who sawed the prophet was saved by repentance, will you really not be saved, having done nothing of the kind? 15. Be careful not to reject the actions of repentance without reason. Do you want to know how strong repentance is? Do you want to know the strong weapon of salvation and understand how powerful confession is? One hundred eighty-five thousand (2 Kings 19:35) of the enemy Hezekiah put to flight by confession. This matter is truly great, but it is still insignificant in relation to what will be said. He stopped the spoken Divine decree with repentance. During his illness, Isaiah tells him: make a will for your house, for you will die and not recover (2 Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1). Can one expect after this, can one hope for healing when the prophet says: you are dying? However, Hezekiah did not abandon repentance, but, remembering the words of Scripture: if you had remained in place and in peace, you would have been saved (Is. 30: 15), he turned to the wall, and, stretching out his thoughts from the bed to heaven (for the impenetrability of the walls does not stop prayers sent up with piety), he says: Lord, remember me (see 2 Kings 20: 3). For in order to be healed, it is enough for me to remember You about me. You are not subject to time, but You Yourself are the lawmaker of life. Our life does not depend on the properties of the location of the stars, as some idle talk, but You Yourself, by Your will, decide who and when to live. And to the one who, according to the saying of the prophet, had no hope of living anymore, another fifteen years of life were added, as a sign of which the sun took a reverse course. Then for Hezekiah the sun turned back, and for Christ the sun darkened. It did not return, but faded, and through this it showed the difference between one and the other, that is, between Hezekiah and Jesus. And he was able to avert the Divine decree, but does Jesus not grant remission of sins? Turn and weep for yourself, close the door and pray that He will let you go and free you from the burning flame. For confession is powerful to quench fire and tame lions. 16. If you don’t believe, then imagine what happened to Ananias and those who were with him, what springs they poured out. What measure of water could extinguish the flame that rose to forty-nine cubits? But where the flame rose excessively, there, like a river, faith poured out, there they resisted evil with such a voice: You are righteous in all that you have done to us... For we have sinned and acted lawlessly (Dan. 3:27, 29). And repentance extinguished the flame. If you do not believe that repentance can extinguish the fire of Gehenna, then learn this from what happened to Ananias. But one of the attentive listeners will say: God preserved them then for their righteousness, since they did not want to bow to the idol, God gave them such strength. If so, then I will present another example of repentance. 17. What are your thoughts about Nebuchadnezzar? Haven't you heard from the Scriptures that he is a bloodthirsty, ferocious man, with brutal qualities? Have you not heard that he threw away the bones from the royal tombs? Have you not heard that he took a whole people into captivity? Have you not heard that he blinded the king after he saw his children being killed? Have you not heard that he crushed the Cherubim? I'm not talking about spiritual Cherubim, no, don't think like that, man! But the sculptured Cherubim, the purification from the midst of which God spoke aloud. He trampled the curtain of the shrine, took the censer and moved it to the idol’s church, took all the offerings, and burned the church to the ground. What kind of punishment was he worthy of for the killing of kings, for the burning of a shrine, for the captivity of the people, for the dedication of sacred vessels to idols? Wasn't he worthy of a thousand deaths? 18. You have seen the greatness of evil, now look at God’s love for mankind. He was transformed into a beast, spent his life in the desert, was beaten so that he could be saved. He had claws like a lion, for he was a predator of the holy. He had the hair of a lion, for he was a lion, stealing and roaring. He devoured the grass like an ox; for he was a beast who did not know Him who had given him the kingdom. His body was wet with dew, because, seeing the fire extinguished by the dew, he did not believe. So what's going on? I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven... and I blessed the Most High, praised and glorified the Ever-Sustaining One (Dan.4:31). So, when he knew the Most High and raised a grateful voice to God, when he repented of committing sin and recognized his weakness, then God returns the royal honor to him. 19. What then? To Nebuchadnezzar, who did so much evil and then repented, God granted forgiveness and the kingdom, but will He not grant you, the repentant, remission of sins and the Kingdom of Heaven, if you live as you should? The Lord loves mankind, quickly forgives, but hesitates to punish. Therefore, let no one lose hope of his salvation. Peter, the supreme and foremost of the apostles, denied the Lord three times before a maidservant, but, repenting, wept bitterly (Matthew 26:75). And crying expresses heartfelt repentance. And therefore, he not only received forgiveness in his renunciation, but also retained his apostolic dignity inalienably. So, brothers, seeing many examples of those who have sinned and repented and been saved, hasten to repent yourself before the Lord, so that you may receive forgiveness for your sins, and be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and inherit the gift of heaven together with all the saints in Christ Jesus. Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: