A sermon by St. Theophan the Recluse
It reached my ears that, as it seems, you consider my
sermons very strict and believe that today no one should think this way, no one
should be living this way and therefore, no one should be teaching this way.
“Times have changed!” How glad I was to hear this. This means that you listen
carefully to what I say, and not only do you listen, but you are also willing
to abide by it. What more could we hope for, we who preach as we were ordered
and as much we were ordered?
Despite all this,
in no way can I agree with your opinion. I even consider it my duty to comment
on it and to correct it, since – even though it perhaps goes against your
desire and conviction – it comes from something sinful, as though Christianity
could alter its doctrines, its canons, its sanctifying ceremonies to answer to
the spirit of each age and adjust itself to the changing tastes of the sons of
this century, as though it could add or subtract something.
Yet, it is not so.
Christianity must remain eternally unchanging, in no way being dependent on or
guided by the spirit of each age. Instead, Christianity is meant to govern and
direct the spirit of the age for anyone who obeys its teachings. To convince
you of this, I will put forward some thoughts for you to consider.
Some said that my
teaching is strict. First of all, my teaching is not my own, nor it should be.
In this sacred office nobody should, nor even can, preach his own teaching. If
I or someone else ever dare to do so, you can put us outside the Church.
We preach the
teachings of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of the holy Apostles, and
the Holy Church, which is guided by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we make
sure to do everything possible to keep these teachings whole and inviolate in
your minds and hearts. Every thought we present and every word we use, we do so
very carefully, so as not to overshadow this brilliant and divine teaching in
any way. Nobody can act differently.
...a single raising
of your mind to God, and a single humble genuflexion to His glory and in His
honor has infinitely more value than all the treasures of the world... --St
Nicodemos and Theophan the Recluse (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 20)
Such a law that
calls for each man’s preaching in the Church to be "God-sent," was
established at the creation of the world, and should thus remain valid until
the end of the world. The Prophet Moses, after the delivery of the commandments
from God Himself to the people of Israel, concluded: “You shall not add to the
word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the
commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you.” (Deut.
4:2)
This law of
constancy is so unalterable that the Lord and Savior Himself, when He was
teaching the people on the mountain, said: “Do not think that I came to abolish
the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I
say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke
shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Math.
5:17-18)
Then He gave the
same validity to his teaching, before interpreting the commandments in the
spirit of the gospel, by adding: “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these
commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the
kingdom of heaven.” (Math. 5:19)
This means that
anyone who wrongly interprets the commandments of God and lessens their
validity, will be an outcast in the future life. This is what He said at the
beginning of His preaching. He assured the same thing to Saint John the
Theologian, the beholder of ineffable revelations, to whom He described the
final judgement of the world and the Church, indicating in the Apocalypse (Book
of Revelations): “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are
written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the
holy city, which are written in this book.” (Apoc. 22:18-19)
From the time of
His first appearance in the world until the Second Coming, Christ has given the
Holy Apostles and their successors the following law: “Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded
you.” (Math.
28:19-20)
That means “for you
to teach, not what anyone else could possibly imagine, but what I ordered, and
this to the end of the world.” And He adds: “And lo, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age. Amen.” (Math. 28:20)
The Apostles
received this law and sacrificed their lives in order to keep it. And to those
who wanted to keep them from preaching what it was they preached under the
threat of punishment and death, they replied: “Whether it is right in the sight
of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot
stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)
This clear law was
delivered by the apostles to their successors, was accepted by them, and has
timeless effect in the Church of God. Because of this law, the Church is the
pillar and the ground of truth. Can you see then what an inviolable
steadfastness it has? After that, who would be so bold as to stubbornly disturb
or move anything in Christian doctrine and law?
Next listen to what
is said of the Prophet Ezekiel who for seven days was in the ecstasy of prayer
and after seven days heard the word of the Lord: “Son of man, I have made you a
watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth” (Ezek. 3:17),
and he declared to the people: Here is the law for you! If you see a wicked
person committing iniquity and you do not tell him: leave your iniquity and
change your way, “that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood
I will require at your hand.” (Ezek. 3:18) Conversely, “if you warn the wicked,
and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die
for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous
person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a
stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he
shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be
remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the
righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because
he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.” (Ezek.
3:19-21)
What a strict law!
And though it sounds in the consciences of all pastors during their election
and consecration, when a heavy yoke is put on them, namely the instruction of
the flock of Christ that He entrusted to them, big or small, not only to guide
it but also to preserve it. How could anyone be so bold, to pervert everything
in the law of Christ, when this involves the destruction of both pastors and
flock?
Notice how strict
judgment was mentioned when something similar happened to the nation of Israel
during the difficult years of their captivity. Some prophets out of pity for
the suffering and sick talked to the people, not as the Lord had ordered, but
as their heart dictated. Concerning them the Lord gave the following commands
to Ezekiel: “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your
people, who prophesy out of their own minds. Prophesy against them and say,
Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and
make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls.”
(Ezek. 13:17-18)This means: Woe to those who order any kind of special
treatment and suggest such leniency, so no one feels the slightest displeasure,
either from those on top or those at the bottom, not caring whether this is for
their salvation or destruction, whether it is pleasing to God, or repulsive.
Woe to them, because “thus says the Lord God...your pillows and veils,” namely
your candied and comforting teaching, “upon which there you are perverting
souls, I will tear from your arms and I will let their souls that you are
perverting, go away...” (Ezek. 13:20-21) from this teaching of yours and I will
destroy you corrupters.
This is the benefit
of this special treatment and leniency, such as you want to hear from
preachers! When you put all this deep in your heart, it is not right for you to
want us to make any concessions in Christian doctrine, having the wrong desire
to be pleased by us. On the contrary, you are obliged to persistently demand
from us to remain true to doctrine, as strictly and firmly as possible.
Have you ever heard
of the indulgences of the Pope of Rome? Here is what they are: special
treatment and leniency, which he gives defying the law of Christ. And what is
the result? From all of this, the West is corrupt in faith and in their way of
life, and is now getting lost in its disbelief and in the unrestrained life
with its indulgences.
The Pope changed
many doctrines, spoiled all the sacraments, nullified the canons concerning the
regulation of the Church and the correction of morals. Everything has begun
going contrary to the will of the Lord, and has become worse and worse.
Then came along
Luther, a smart man, but stubborn. He said, “The Pope changed everything as he
wanted, why shouldn't I do the same?” He started to modify and re-modify
everything in his own way, and in this way established the new Lutheran faith,
which only slightly resembles what the Lord had commanded and the Holy Apostles
delivered to us.After Luther came the philosophers. And they in turn said,
“Luther has established himself a new faith, supposedly based on the Gospel,
though in reality based on his own way of thinking. Why, then, don't we also
compose doctrines based on our own way of thinking, completely ignoring the
Gospel?” They then started rationalizing, and speculating about God, the world,
and man, each in his own way. And they mixed up so many doctrines, that one
gets dizzy just counting them.
Now the Westerners
have the following views: Believe what you think best, live as you like,
satisfy whatever captivates your soul. This is why they do not recognize any
law or restriction and they do not abide by God's word. Their road is wide, all
obstacles displaced. Their way is broad, all the obstacles taken out. But the
broad road leads to perdition, according to what the Lord says. This is where
leniency in teaching has led!Lord, save us from this broad way! But it is
better to love each difficulty that the Lord has appointed for our salvation.
Let us love Christian doctrines and let us compel our mind with them, pushing
it not to think otherwise. Let us love Christian morals and let us compel our
will in them, forcing it to lift the light yoke of the Lord humbly and patiently.
Let us love all Christian rituals and services which guide us, correct us, and
sanctify us. Let us compel our heart with them, encouraging it to convey its
desires from the earthly and perishable, to the heavenly and imperishable.
Let us confine ourselves
as though in a cage. Or better, let us drag ourselves, as if we were passing
through a narrow passage. Let it be narrow, so no one can deviate neither to
the right left, nor the left. Yet undoubtedly, through this narrow way we will
obtain the kingdom of the heavens in return. For as you know, this kingdom is
the kingdom of the Lord. The Lord laid this narrow way and said, “Follow
exactly this route and you will obtain the kingdom of heaven.”Could anyone then
doubt whether the traveler will get to his destination? And what mind would one
have who starts wanting all kinds of annulment of the commandments, when by
doing this he would immediately lose his way and be lost?
Source: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com.by/2014/08/st-theophan-recluse-on-why-orthodox.html
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