Об искушениях

The temptations that come benefit not only those who are perfect in faith, but also those who are imperfect. Temptations are manifested in relation to people both by pleasure and sorrow, by both health and illness, by both wealth and poverty. Temptations are also called attacks on a person from the outside that concern his body, as well as the sad consequences of these attacks. Temptations are also sinful lusts with which each of us is tempted, as the Apostle James says about this: “Everyone is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and perfect sin gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15). What kind of death exactly? Eternal death, that is, the separation of the soul from God due to sin. This death, from Adam until the end of the age, is followed by bodily death. For those who did not repent during earthly life, after death there will be an unbearable and endless torment of separation of soul and body from God. Brethren, let us avoid this temptation as much as possible. After all, to avoid it or not is in our power. If we see ourselves falling into this temptation, we will grieve. If we grieve for God as much as necessary, then we will prepare ourselves for permanent repentance and salvation. I want to help you now understand what this temptation is, because it causes eternal harm to a person. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest not of temporary, but of future blessings, granted us not temporary, but eternal liberation. This is the liberation we want to show you, if our words are convincing to you. We preach to you eternal liberation from the consequences not of physical, but of spiritual temptations. Because, according to the holy Apostle Paul, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Cor 10:4). However, it seems to me that you do not understand what liberation from spiritual temptations is and, much less, do not strive for it. After all, earthly temptations grieve you more - the very ones you should have rejoiced at having fallen into (James 1:2,12). If we grieved about our sins more than about earthly temptations, everyday problems and sorrows of this world, we would gain not only the salvation of the soul and eternal liberation, but also liberation from the temporary temptations of this world. Let us ask ourselves: why has earthly life become so tiresome for us? Because of our problems? No. Our life became like this because, having transgressed the commandment of God, we ourselves exposed ourselves to the forbidden temptation, that is, sin. So, if by repentance we cleanse ourselves from all sin, then in earthly life we ​​will have less sorrows, and at a favorable time we will move into an eternal, carefree and free from temptations life. Try to accept the words that I say to you. And return to the salvation that Christ gives us. Let us not grieve or be greatly upset over our bodily sorrows and problems. Let's think better about soul-harming passions - these are real temptations worthy of sadness. Then we will be able, as God taught us, to say to Him: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13), meaning by temptation a forbidden and guilty temptation.