Беседа 11

1. How necessary and useful repentance is, people will easily understand this if they think about themselves that they are people. It is written: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Also, the Lord in the Gospel says: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14), and the tax collector, lamenting his sins, left the church more justified than the Pharisee, calm in the consciousness of his righteousness. Although he gave praise to God, saying: “God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this tax collector: I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I acquire,” however, he was preferred to him who, standing in the distance, did not even dare to raise his eyes to heaven, but striking himself on the chest, said: “God! be merciful to me, a sinner! (Luke 18:10–14). It was not so much the Pharisee who admired his health, but how he compared it with other people’s ailments. It would have been more useful for him, since he came to the doctor, to reveal with contrition what he was sick with, rather than to hide his wounds, to praise himself, pointing out the wounds of others. It is not surprising that the publican, who was not ashamed to admit his weaknesses, came out more justified. In visible matters, to reach the top, you need to climb up. With God, although He is above all, one can come into contact not with exaltation, but with humility. Hence the prophet says: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted” (Ps. 33:19), and also: “The Lord is high: he sees the humble, and recognizes the proud from afar” (Ps. 137:6). He is farthest from the proud. Those (the humble) He sees to raise up, and these He sees to bring down. And when he says that “he recognizes the proud from afar,” he shows quite clearly that He sees the humble from close. God Himself is called high, so that God alone is not arrogant, no matter how much He exalted Himself. Let not the proud think that they can hide from the eyes of God, for God will recognize the proud. And let them, again, not consider themselves close to God, because from afar He recognizes the proud. So, whoever rejects the humility of repentance does not want to draw closer to God. It is another thing to rise towards God, and another thing to rise against God. Whoever prostrates himself before Him is raised by Him. And whoever exalts himself before Him, He humbles him. One is true greatness, and the other is empty pomposity. He who grows fat on the outside, withers on the inside. Whoever wishes to be better “at the threshold of the house of God than to live in the tents of wickedness,” God rewards him with dwelling in His courts. And He takes nothing for Himself when He receives someone into the seat of bliss. Therefore, the psalm says very well and truly: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You... Lord.” And do not think that the one who humiliates himself always remains in humiliation, because it is said: he who comes “from strength to strength.” And lest you think that his exaltation in the eyes of people is accomplished through visible exaltation, although it is said: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You... Lord,” he further consistently shows the spiritual height of this power: “Put the ascents in your heart, in the vale of deplorable places, in the place where you put them”... So, where did you put the ascensions? “in the heart,” namely, in the valley of tears. This means that whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Just as ascent means exaltation, so the valley means crying, humility. Just as repentance is accompanied by sorrow, so tears are proof of sorrow. And further it is beautifully said: “for he who lays down the law will give blessing” (Ps. 84:11, 6-8). The law was given to show the wounds of sinners, which the blessing of grace could heal. The law was given for this purpose, to reveal to the proud his weakness, and to prove to the weak the need for repentance. This is why the law was given so that we would exclaim in the valley of mourning: “I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members,” and so that together with weeping we would exclaim: “O wretched man that I am! who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom.7:23-24), and so that together with the apostle, who was taught by the One who brings judgment to the oppressed, “looseth the prisoners... opens the eyes of the blind” (Ps.146:7-8), we could give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom.7:25). 2. As you and I know, repentance comes in three types. In the Church of God they are common and known to those who want to be attentive to everything. One, giving birth to a new person, before the final saving washing of all former sins occurs in baptism, just as at the birth of a child, sorrows pass for those whose insides suffer, and joy follows after sadness. Anyone who follows the movements of his will when he begins the sacraments of believers cannot begin a new life unless he repents of the old one. Only infants are free from this repentance at baptism, because they do not have free will. For the purification and remission of original sin, the faith of those by whom they are offered is useful to them, so that from all the consequences of the vices of others from which they are born, they are cleansed in the same way by the open confession of others. This is truly why it is said in the psalm: “Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sin” (Ps. 50:7); in the same way, it is written in another place that no one is clean before the face of God, even if there were only one day of his life on earth (Job 14:4). Although the desire to learn more about the condition of infants in the future inheritance of the saints, which is promised to them, exceeds the measure of people's understanding, it is piously believed that what is preserved throughout the entire circle of the earth by the power of church authority is useful for their spiritual salvation. Among other people, no one comes to Christ unless he first repents of what happened before. This first repentance is commanded to the Jews by the Apostle Peter when he says: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). It is also required by the Lord Himself when He says: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit, the Forerunner and Preparator of the path of the Lord, speaks about the same thing: “brood of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future wrath? produce fruit worthy of repentance" (Matthew 3:7-8). 3. Another repentance, the effect of which is carried out throughout the entire life that we spend here, must be accompanied by constant, humble prayer. Because anyone who truly desires eternal, incorruptible, immortal life must first of all sincerely grieve over the present life, temporary, perishable and mortal. And a person does not enter into a new life through the sacrament of baptism in such a way that, just as he is freed there from all previously committed sins, he is also freed from the mortality and corruption of the flesh itself. If this is so, it is true, therefore, what is written, and the power of which everyone experiences in himself while he lives here, that “the corruptible body burdens the soul, and this earthly church suppresses the over-anxious mind” (Wis. 9:15). But since this will not happen in that blessed life, when “death will be swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54), who will doubt, no matter how temporary happiness he enjoys, that we need to repent in this life and strive with all zeal for that incorruption. And the apostle also says, “that, being at home in the body, we are separated from the Lord, for we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:6-7). But who really wants to return to his fatherland and to the contemplation of God face to face, if not the one who mourns his removal from the Lord? From precisely this feeling of the penitent the following mournful cry is born: “Woe is me that my wandering is so long!” And lest you think that this is still being said by an unbeliever, look at what follows: “I dwell... at the tents of Kedar. My soul lived long with those who hated the world. I am peaceful: but as soon as I speak, they lead to war” (Ps. 119:5-7). These words can be applied not only to a believer, but also to the most zealous preacher of the truth and to the fearless martyr, the holy Apostle Paul. After all, the same apostle says the following: “For we know that when our earthly house, this hut, is destroyed, we have a building from God in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal. That is why we sigh, wanting to put on our heavenly dwelling; As long as we don’t end up naked even though we’re dressed. For we, being in this tent, groan under the burden, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up in life” (2 Cor. 5:1-4). So, what do we want if not an existence other than the one we are now dragging out? And what should you sigh about if not about your situation? But when will we be free from this, if not when, after the destruction of the earthly hut, we inherit the heavenly dwelling both in spirit and in body, with the renewal of the whole person? Therefore, the righteous Job called real life itself a temptation, exclaiming: “Is not life a temptation for man on earth?” And further, without touching on the mystery of the fall of man, he says: “like a servant, fear your Lord and find the shadow” (Job 7:1-2), rightly calling present life rather its shadow. It was not in vain that Adam, after the Fall, ran away and hid from the face of God, making himself clothing from tree leaves, from which canopies for shade are made, as if running away from his master and looking for shade. 4. All this is said so that anyone, even if he was through baptism and cleansed from previous sins, would not become proud and think that there is nothing behind him that would separate him from the sacrament of the altar, but would rather preserve humility, which is the main guiding rule for Christians - so that “earth and ashes” (Sir. 10:9) would not be proud until this night passes, during which “all the forests wander animals; lions roar for prey and ask God for food for themselves” (Ps. 103:20-21). As this food, Job was destined to appear, who said: “Is not life a temptation for man on earth?” ( Job 7:1 ). And the Lord says to His disciples: “Behold, Satan has asked that he might sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). So, who in his right mind does not sigh for something better? And why not spend time in repentance? Who, with all humility, praying to God for help, does not present himself submissive to Him until temptations and all this earthly tinsel pass away, and that day arises for us that never ceases, and illuminates what is hidden in the darkness and “reveals the intentions of the heart, and then everyone will have praise from God” (1 Cor. 4:5)? At least someone was sure that he had tamed his body and, having died to the world, bridles the enslaved members, so that sin no longer reigns in his mortal body to fulfill his lusts, that he honors only the true God, does not make idols, does not honor images of false deities, does not call on the name of the Lord his God in vain, remembers the Sabbath day as an image of eternal rest, honors his parents, does not kill, does not commit adultery, does not he steals, does not bear false witness, is not defiled by the desire of someone else's property or someone else's wife, does not indulge in luxury and is not consumed by stinginess, is not quarrelsome, not a blasphemer and is not a slanderer, finally, he sells everything that is his and gives to the poor, and follows Christ, and strengthens in his heart the root of heavenly treasures - which, it seems, is still required for complete justice - however, let him not be arrogant. Let him remember that all this was given to him and did not come from him. “What do you have that you wouldn’t get? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you didn’t receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:7). Let such a one use the master's property wisely, let him take care of his neighbor as if he were taking care of himself. Let him not think that it is enough to keep only what he has received, lest he hear: “You wicked and slothful servant!... you should have given my silver to the merchants, and when I came, I would have received mine with profit” (Matthew 25:26–27), so as not to lose what he received and not be cast into outer darkness. If a very great punishment should be feared by those who keep intact what they have received, then what else do they hope for who spend what they received unjustly and lawlessly? And in purely everyday affairs, a person is thus bound by the obligation of not only carnal, but spiritual acquisition. But even if he is not bound by everyday affairs, he should not, because he serves God, become numb from idleness, lest he be rejected. Let him give, if he can, alms willingly, whether when he gives something to the poor to satisfy their everyday needs, or when, being a distributor of heavenly bread, he creates strong strongholds in the hearts of believers against the devil. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Let him not fall into cowardice in difficult circumstances, which must happen to show a person that he is a man. Let him not be angry with someone who bursts into him with malice, or who is overwhelmed by need and clumsily asks, or who indiscriminately wants to approach you with his business while you are busy with something else, or who verbally blindly resists obvious justice, or who is unpleasantly sluggish. Let him not reveal anything more or less than he should, let him not say more than is necessary or when it is not necessary. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of peace, who bring good news!” (Rom.10:15). But they also collect dust from the dry ground, which they naturally shake off as a condemnation for those who, due to bad will, reject the gospel. So, not only because of the fact that this life is fleeting and unknown, and not only because of that daily care, about which it is said: “Each day has its own care enough” (Matthew 6:34), and which we must bear upon ourselves, waiting with firm hope until this time passes, and bearing fruit with patience, but also because of the dust of this world, the dust that sticks to the feet of those who labor in the field piety, and also because of the troubles that happen even in the most necessary matters, and which are rewarded with God’s help in abundance, we need to have daily repentance. 5. But if the servants of the word of God and the mysteries of Christ are obliged to this, then how much more are all other simple subjects of the Great King obliged to this? The Apostle Paul, this faithful and brave warrior of Christ, in order to avoid only the false suspicion of greed, used his support, even when, perhaps, there were no means of support; “I have caused costs to other churches,” he says, “by receiving support from them to serve you” (2 Cor. 11:8). How much more should the laity, bound by the concerns of the age, practice daily repentance? Even if they were unsullied and pure from theft, embezzlement, deception, from fornication and all excesses, from vile idolatry, from participation in vulgar spectacles, from heresies and divisions and from all similar vices and crimes, however, as a result of ordinary household concerns and in the area of ​​intimate marital relations, people sin so much that they seem not only covered with the dust of this world, but as if covered in mud. This is exactly what the apostle points to when he says to the Corinthians: “And this is already very humiliating for you, that you have litigation among yourself. Why would you rather not remain offended? Why would you rather not endure hardship?” But among them there turns out to be something worthy of condemnation, about which he later says: “But you yourselves offend and take away, and that from your brothers” (1 Cor. 6:7-8). In addition to all injustices and deceptions, the apostle considers even courts and litigation among one another to be a shameful matter and exhorts that cases of this kind be resolved by church court. Hence his following words are understandable: “An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but a married man worries about worldly things, how to please his wife.” He says the same about women, although at the same time he exhorts the husband and wife to be together, “so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.” Wanting to show that this is a sin and only a concession to weakness, he immediately then adds: “However, I said this as permission, and not as a command” (1 Cor. 7:32-33.5-6). Only the mixing of one and the other sex for the sake of birth is insane. How many other sins also occur, either in talking about other people's subjects and affairs that do not concern us, or even in empty laughter alone - as it is written: “A fool raises his voice in laughter, but a prudent man barely smiles quietly” (Sir. 21:23), or in the very food intended to support this life, there is immoderation and intemperance, accompanied by an upset stomach the next day; or in buying and selling, when false assurances are given of the value and cheapness of objects. It would take a long time to list all this, which everyone can better notice and see in themselves if they carefully hold the mirror of Divine Scripture before them. Even though there were no individual mortal sins for us, such as murder, adultery or other similar ones, however, in the aggregate they are deadly in their multitude and so disfigure us that they separate us from the purest embrace of the most beautiful of all the “sons of men” of the Bridegroom (Ps. 45:3), if they are not cut off through daily repentance. 6. If this is not true, then why do we beat ourselves in the chest every day? And even we, the priests who stand at the altar, do the same. When we pray, we say, and it is necessary that throughout our lives we say: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). We pray for forgiveness not for what was allegedly not forgiven to us in baptism, with which statement we can only show the wavering of our faith, but we say this about daily sins, for which each, according to his strength, tirelessly makes the sacrifice of alms, fasting and the very supplications and prayers. Hence, everyone who carefully observes himself will not deceive himself, well understanding in what danger and eternal death he finds himself, and how he needs to constantly take care of his purification, due to frequent alienation from the Lord, and how inclined we are to return back, even standing on the path of Christ. After all, if we have no sins and at the same time, beating ourselves on the chest, we say “forgive us our debts,” then we are undoubtedly grievously sinning when we lie even during prayer itself (inter ipsa sacramenta). Thus, since through faith, hope and love we unite with God and imitate Him, we do not sin, but become children of God. Since, due to the weakness of our flesh, since it has not yet been freed from death and not changed by the resurrection, unkind, vicious movements invade our soul, we sin. But it is useful for us to admit this in order to earn the healing of our weakness by condemning pride. Therefore, it is true that “he who is born of God does not commit sin” (1 John 3:9), and what we read about in the same letter of John: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). There it speaks of the first steps of a new man, here - about the remnants of the former; both happen in this life. Renewal gradually comes and gradually, with the removal of dilapidation, it takes its place. If both of these things happen here, then we are, therefore, on a journey - not only are we defeating the enemy, but we ourselves are being struck down in a not particularly careful fight against sin. And now it is not the one who wins who boasts, but the one who strikes more often, who fights more courageously. This will happen until the one who, having fallen himself, envies a standing person, carries some into eternal death, and until a triumphant cry is heard from others (the saved): “Death! where is your sting? hell! where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). But we are never so easily defeated by the enemy as if we imitate his pride, and we never defeat him more powerfully than if we follow Christ. We do not cause him greater sorrow in any other way than if we heal sinful wounds by confessing our sins and repenting of them. 7. There is also a third kind of repentance, when it is committed for sins, which the ten words prohibit, and about which the apostle says that “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21). Regarding this repentance, everyone must observe special severity, so that, condemning ourselves, we are not condemned by the Lord; according to the words of the same apostle: “If we had judged ourselves, we would not have been judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). Let a person ascend to the tribunal of his thoughts if he is afraid that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Let him put himself before his face; so God threatens the sinner, saying: “I will expose you and bring your sins before your eyes” (Ps. 49:21). So, having established judgment in your heart, find the accuser in your thoughts, the witness in your conscience and the tormentor in fear. Let the penitent's soul flow through his tears, as it were. Finally, let him be confirmed in the thought of considering himself unworthy of communion of the body and blood of the Lord, so that those who are afraid of being separated from the Heavenly Kingdom through the final decision of the Supreme Judge are given, but only after fulfilling the rules of the church, the bread of heaven in the sacrament. Let the image of the future judgment stand before your eyes, and when some come to the altar of the Lord, to which you yourself do not approach, think how terrible the punishment is, due to which, while some receive eternal life, others are condemned to eternal death. Many, even criminals, can approach this altar, which is now established in the church for the glorification of Divine mysteries and is accessible to the vision of bodily eyes, since God in the present tense shows his patience in order to show severity in the future. They come, not suspecting that God’s patience is calling them to repentance. But because of the hardness and unrepentance of their hearts, they are storing up for themselves “wrath for the day of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment from God, who will reward everyone according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:5-6). But to the other altar, where Jesus, the Head of the Church, entered as a forerunner for us, where other members are to follow this Head, none of those about whom, as I already mentioned, the Apostle said that those who do this will not inherit the kingdom of God, can approach. Only the Priest will be there, but, of course, with His body, of which He is the head, which has already entered heaven. The Apostle Peter calls this body, which has to be together with its head in heaven, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9). So, how can one dare or can enter behind the inner veil, into that invisible Holy of Holies, who, neglecting the rules of the church (qui medicinam coelestis disciplinae contemnens), did not want to be distracted for a short time from the visible? He who did not want to humble himself in order to rise, will humiliate himself when he wants to rise. And anyone who, during this time, through the feat of obedience and justification in repentance did not take care to prepare for himself a place in the body of the Heavenly High Priest, will be forever separated from communion with the saints. With what shameless brow would he then want to turn away the face of God from his sins, who now does not say with all his heart: “For I acknowledge my iniquities, and my sin is always before me” (Ps. 50:5)? And how could God forgive what man himself did not want to recognize in himself? 8. But maybe those who want to calm themselves down with vanity have some hope? Mired in vices and luxury, when they hear the words of the Apostle that “those who do this will not inherit the Kingdom of God,” they want to have the salvation they are looking for except the Kingdom of Heaven, and so they say to themselves, refusing to repent of their sins and change their destructive way of life in any way for the better: “I don’t want to reign, it’s enough for me to be saved.” But here they are deceived primarily because there is no salvation for those who persist in their wickedness. The Lord says: “and because iniquity increases, the love of many will grow cold; but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:12–13); salvation is promised in any case to those who remain in love, and not in wickedness. Where there is love, those evil deeds that separate one from the Kingdom of God cannot take place there. “For the whole law is summed up in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:14). Then, if there is any difference between those who reign and those who do not reign, one should nevertheless take care to ensure that everyone is together and not to be among the worst (hostium) or strangers. After all, the Romans, although they all own their kingdom of Rome, however, do not all reign and obey others - the reigning ones. But the apostle does not say that those who do this will not reign, but said: “those who do this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” The same is said about flesh and blood. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God... For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:50,53), so that they are no longer flesh and blood, but the spiritual body receives the property and nature of the spiritual body. At least they were afraid of the last sentence of our Judge, which He therefore deigned to make known in order to warn His faithful servants, giving “to those who fear... a banner, so that they would raise it for the sake of the truth” (Ps. 59:6). In addition to those who are directly promised that they will judge according to the words of the Lord: “You also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28), among those who judge should be understood all who, for the sake of the Gospel, left all their property and followed Christ. The number twelve means a certain totality, and will the Apostle Paul really not be there, although he was not one of the twelve? Thus, the faithful will participate in judgment along with those whom the Lord calls by the name of angels when he says: “The Son of Man will come... and all the holy angels with Him” (Matthew 25:31). Angels are messengers. Messengers can quite rightly be called everyone who proclaims to people about heavenly salvation. Hence, the evangelists can be called good angels, and it is said about John the Baptist: “Behold, I send My angel before You” (Mk.1:2; Mal.3:1). With the exception of all these saints, the rest of the multitude, as is clear from the words of the Lord Himself, will be divided into two parts. And He will put the sheep on the right side, and the goats on the left, and He will say to the sheep, i.e. to the righteous: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” The apostle also speaks about this kingdom when, having listed bad deeds, he notes that those who do this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Notice further that those standing on the left side will hear: “Go,” says the Lord, “into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:31–41). Therefore, let no one rely on the Christian name alone and listen with all humility and fear to the apostle who says: “For know that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for for this reason the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience; Therefore, do not be their accomplices” (Eph. 5:5–7). He speaks about this in more detail to the Corinthians like this: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” And watch how He then frees those who did this in a former life from fear and despair: “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified... in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). 9. So, whoever, after baptism, continues to commit the same evil deeds, will he really remain an enemy to himself to such an extent that he will still hesitate to change his life while there is time, and will begin to sin further? After all, by remaining so stubbornly in sin, he accumulates wrath for himself on the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgment, and if he still lives, it means that God’s patience leads him to repentance. And so, entangled in the bonds of deadly sins, he still does not want, still postpones, still hesitates to resort to the keys of the Church (ad ipsas claves Ecclesiae) [as the sacrament of repentance is called here], through which he could receive permission here on earth in order to be resolved in heaven, dares to hope after this life for some other salvation only because he is called a Christian, and is not afraid of true threatening words The Lord: “Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Doesn’t the apostle in his letter to the Galatians, having listed the things by which people sin, draw the same conclusion? “The works of the flesh,” he says, “are known; they are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarrels, envy, anger, strife, disagreements, (temptations), heresies, hatred, murder, drunkenness, disorderly conduct and the like. I warn you beforehand, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). Let a person condemn himself for his disposition to such vices while he can do this, and let him try to change his life for the better, so that when he is no longer able to do this, he will not be condemned by God. And when the thought of real correction has already matured in him, let him come to the leaders of the Church, through whom there is permission from sins; like a good son, in compliance with the established order, let him receive from the ministers of the mysteries a sign of his justification and, with complete devotion and reverence, making the sacrifice of a contrite heart, let him do what would not only serve him for salvation, but also for the edification of others. And if the priest finds this useful for the Church, let the repentant, in view of the gravity of the sin and the temptation it creates for others, not refuse to bring repentance in the face of many or even in the face of the whole people, let him not resist and thereby increase the inflammation of his destructive and deadly wound, let him always remember that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). And what is sadder, what is worse, than to be ashamed of the wound itself, which cannot be hidden, and at the same time ashamed of its dressing? 10. Let no one think, my brothers, that he can neglect the advice regarding this saving repentance because, perhaps, he sees and knows many approaching the sacrament of the altar, whose sins are known to him. Because many are corrected, like Peter, many are patient, like Judas. The condition of many is unknown, “until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5). After all, many people want to blame others because they try to excuse themselves through them. Many good Christians remain silent and tolerate the sins of others, which are known to them, because they often do not have evidence, and what they themselves know cannot be proven before the church court. Although something else is true, the judge cannot trust it if there is no correct evidence. We cannot withhold anyone from communication (even if this withholding had only an educational purpose), unless someone voluntarily admits to sin or is identified and convicted by a private or church court. And to assign to oneself both rights, i.e. to be both an accuser and a judge for everyone - who dares? This order is briefly indicated, as we should assume, by the Apostle Paul in the same letter to the Corinthians, when, having named all kinds of vices, he gives the form of church judgment for all such vices. He says: “I wrote to you in a letter - do not associate with fornicators; however, not generally with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, for otherwise you would have to come out of this world” (1 Cor. 5:9-10). People cannot live in this world without being with such people. They cannot lead them to Christ if they avoid conversations and communication with them. Therefore, the Lord, eating food with tax collectors and sinners, said: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:12–13). And the apostle, following Him, says further: “I wrote to you not to communicate with anyone who, while calling himself a brother, remains a fornicator, or a covetous person, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a predator; You can’t even eat with someone like that. For why should I judge those who are external? Are you not judging the internal ones? God judges those who are outside. Therefore, cast out the wicked from among you” (1 Cor. 5:11–13). Here he clearly shows that it is not rashly or haphazardly that the evil should be deprived of church fellowship. And if this cannot be done through court, then let them rather be patient, so that someone, avoiding the evil, does not himself move away from the Church and drag others into hell. Examples of this for our edification are indicated in the Holy Scriptures, for example, in the harvest, when the straw remains until the last day of winnowing (Matthew 3:12), or when it speaks of a net in which good fish remain along with bad ones until they are separated on the shore, i.e. “at the end of the age” (Matthew 13:47–50). This does not contradict what the apostle says in another place: “Who are you, judging another man’s servant? Before his Lord he stands, or he falls” (Rom. 14:4). He did not want one person to be condemned by another on mere suspicion, or to be tried by an unusual arbitrary court, but that everything should be done in accordance with the law of God, according to the order of the church, when someone himself confesses, or when he is clearly accused and convicted. Otherwise why did he say: “But... who, while calling himself a brother, remains a fornicator... or an idolater,” etc., if not for the purpose of teaching that these accusations should be pronounced correctly, as established by church rites? After all, if one name (slander) is enough, then many innocent people would have to be convicted, because they are often falsely accused of all kinds of crimes. 11. So, those whom we persuade to repent, let them not look for companions on the path to punishment, and let them not rejoice that there are many of them. After all, they will suffer no less because they will suffer along with many others. This is a stupid excuse and a vain consolation for yourself. Or, perhaps, they see that many of the leaders and ministers of the church do not live in accordance with their word and are unworthy of the mysteries that are performed through them for others. Oh, unfortunate people who forget Christ through this! After all, He has long indicated that we should obey the law of God more than trying to imitate those who “speak and do not” (Matthew 23:3). Tolerating his traitor to the end, He even sent him to preach along with others. Those who prefer to imitate the bad morals of their leaders rather than fulfill the commandments of God proclaimed through them are as unreasonable, incomprehensible and pitiful as the pitiful traveler who thinks that he should stop and not go further when he sees that the road is shown by stone pillars covered with letters. Why, however, if you need to reach the end, not look more carefully and follow such companions who both show the way well and themselves walk along it without hindrance and quickly? And this is if there were a shortage of such satellites, and there would be few of them; After all, it is impossible for them not to exist at all, although people do not look for something that can serve to imitate as much as something on which they could pour out hypocritical indignation, and they do not find good ones, being themselves bad, or being afraid to find such, wanting to remain evil forever. However, let’s assume that now there are no people worthy of emulation. But let anyone who thinks this way look mentally at the Lord, who became man to teach man how to live. If Christ dwells in your inner man, in your believing heart, and if you remember the words of the Apostle John: “Whoever says that he abides in Him (in Christ) must do as He did” (1 John 2:6), then you will not have to look for someone to follow, and another, when he sees you, will not complain about the lack of good ones. If you do not know how to live righteously, try to learn the commandments of God. It is quite possible that many people live righteously, but because it seems to you that there are none, that you do not know what a righteous life consists of. If you find out, act in such a way that you yourself have what you are looking for, and show others what to imitate. Strive in spirit for Christ, strive for the apostles, of whom the youngest is the one who says: “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 4:16). Strive in spirit for the countless number of martyrs. Why is it pleasant for you to glorify their memory with shameful feasts [pointing to the ancient custom of organizing feasts on the days of remembrance of martyrs, at their tombs] and unpleasant to imitate their lives with a good life? There you will see that not only men, but even women and, finally, boys and girls are not carried away by foolishness and are not seduced by wickedness, do not fall before the fear of dangers, are not touched by the love of this age. So you, who do not know where to find justification for yourself, are surrounded not only by the direct guidance of the commandments, but also by countless examples. 12. But let’s continue the conversation about the benefits and saving power of repentance, as we have already outlined. If you, despairing of your salvation, add sins to your sins, as it is written: “With the coming of the wicked comes contempt” (Prov. 18:3), then still do not neglect repentance, do not despair; cry out to the Lord from the depths of your heart and say to Him: “From the depths I cry to You, Lord. God! hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayers. If You, Lord, notice iniquities, - Lord! who can resist? But with You there is forgiveness” (Ps. 129:1-4). From such depths the Ninevites cried out and received forgiveness; the prophet's threat turned out to be weaker against their humble repentance. But perhaps you will say: “I have already been baptized into Christ, from Whom I have received remission of all past sins, and I have become despicable, constantly repeating my actions, like a bad dog in the eyes of God, returning to his vomit. Where can I go from His Spirit and where can I flee from His presence? But where should you run, brother, if not to the mercy of Him, whose power you previously disdained when you sinned? No one runs away from Him except to Him, passing from His wrath to His mercy. And what place will you find where His presence does not find you? If you ascend to heaven, He is there; if you go down to the underworld, there. Spread your wings and dwell mentally on the edge of this world - and from there His hand will lead you out and His right hand will hold you (Ps. 139:7-10). And no matter what you do, no matter how much you sin, you are still using the life that the Lord would have taken from you if he did not want your salvation. Why do you forget that God’s patience “leads you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4)? Who, calling, did not convince you not to leave Him, the same one, sparing, calls for you to return. Look at King David: he himself was worthy of receiving revelations, he was circumcised, which at that time served instead of baptism, which is why the apostle says about Abraham that he received the sign of circumcision, “as a seal of righteousness through faith” (Rom. 4:11). He was already anointed with an honest anointing, which represented the royal priesthood of the church. And so, having suddenly become guilty of adultery and murder, it was not in vain that he, repenting of such a huge and deep fall from grace, cried out to the Lord, saying: “Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.” Why, if not because “I am aware of my iniquities,” as he said, “and my sin is always before me”? What does he bring to God that could appease Him? “You don’t want sacrifice,” says the prophet, “I would give it; You do not favor burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a broken and humble heart, O God” (Ps. 50:11, 5, 18–19). Not only does he reverently offer sacrifice to God, but by saying this, he also shows others what needs to be offered. It is not enough to just change life for the better and move away from evil deeds, if at the same time, satisfaction for sin is not given to God through the sorrow of repentance, through a sense of humility, through the sacrifice of a contrite heart, with the assistance of works of mercy. Because, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). In another place of Scripture it is commanded that we should not limit ourselves only to abstaining from sins. “My son! - it is said, “do not commit any more sins and pray for the former” (Sir. 21:1). And the Apostle Peter was a believer, he himself was with Christ and baptized others. But look at Peter, who deserved reproach for his arrogance, because of his fear he fell and because of his contrition he was healed. In the same way, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, a certain Simon, who had already been baptized into Christ, wanted to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, thinking about a shameful and ungodly purchase, but convicted by Peter, he received instructions from him to bring repentance (Acts 8:13-22). In the same way, the Apostle Paul, giving his instructions to believers on every occasion, says: “I am afraid... lest again, when I come, my God will despise me among you, and lest I should mourn for many who have sinned before and did not repent of the uncleanness, fornication, and lasciviousness that they did” (2 Cor. 12:20-21). So, we have been given commandments of right life and given examples of not only those who do the right thing, but also those who repent in order to receive salvation, which they lost through sin. True, we do not know whether God forgives us. But what does he lose if he prays to God, who did not hesitate to destroy his salvation when he angered God? Who knows, for example, whether the ruler of the earth, the emperor, wants to forgive us? And yet people spend money, sail seas, expose themselves to danger from storms and, in order to get rid of death, are under constant threat of death, they make a prayer to a person, and all this is done without hesitation, although the outcome of the request remains doubtful. But the keys of the Church are more reliable than the hearts of kings. What is resolved by these keys on earth, according to the promise, “will be resolved” in heaven (Matthew 16:19). And humiliation itself before the Church of God is much more honorable: less labor is required, and, in the absence of any danger of bodily death, the danger of eternal death is eliminated. You might be interested in: