Our salvation does not depend on anything external: it is not important whether one is noble or not, rich or poor, but whether he is virtuous, whether he believes, whether he cares about spiritual progress, and whether he loves God (St. Clement of Alexandria).

2. How to live in order to be saved?

Every work of piety and Christian love: the reading of holy books, good thoughts, useful conversations, holy obedience, thanksgiving in temptations and sorrows, forgiveness of offenses — bear the seal of prayer and smell fragrant before God. Still, one must force oneself, test oneself in everything, and block the paths of effeminacy, then labor and piety will turn into a habit (Elder John of the Trinity).

3. What are the greatest gifts of God?

Repentance and Communion are the greatest of all the gifts of God. In part, the holy books can also be included here (St. Barsanuphius the Great).

4. What should a spiritual person beware of?

The ascetic of virtue must in every way avoid thoughts that enter his mind and heart that please him. Satan is very ingenious in wickedness: when he cannot distract people known for piety from their precious life and behavior and persuade them to do what he pleases, he tries to defeat them in another way. He praises them as people who have attained perfection, then glorifies them as saints, and glorifies them as having already become friends of God and have attained to the utmost of every virtue. And in this way, having engendered in them the passion of pride, it stirs them up in enmity against God, and finally uproots them, like a certain plant. Therefore, as I said, we must shun thoughts that delight us in our minds and hearts (St. Cyril of Alexandria).