If those who insult parents, fornicators, harlots, adulterers, and adulterers are not stoned and burned now, then the thought that is extremely important and profound, and which guided the ancient lawgiver, remains in full force to this day.

It consists in the fact that blasphemy of the name of God, insulting parents, fornication and adultery are extremely grave sins. This ancient law, though not fulfilled now, reminds us of the great sin we commit when we disrespect, and much more when we offend our parents; reminds us of the gravity of the vile, abominable sin of adultery. This is his strength, and this strength is fully preserved to this day.

Only the rite has been abolished, for it has a temporary, historical significance, but the spirit of profound wisdom, which lies at the basis of this rite, has not been abolished in the least; therefore the Lord says that He did not come to break the ancient law, but to fulfill it.

That is why He says that "until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will pass away from the law, until all things are fulfilled." And the ancient law, though not a ceremonial law, but the law of the spirit, the great law of Christ, with which He supplemented this ancient law, is preserved until the end of the world.

It will not pass away, it will not pass away!

That is why the Lord said that He came not to destroy, but to fulfill the law. Therefore, the apostles were right, who at their Council eliminated only the ceremonial part of the law of Moses: they did not violate the law. The law has fully and completely preserved its spiritual essence.

Remember this, and treat the ancient law with deep respect. Consider it your duty to fulfill it as you fulfill the law of Christ. Amen.

On the Insufficiency of Good Deeds Alone

July 4, 1948.

Among the people around us, there are people who do not believe in God, but who are nevertheless good and do many good deeds. One often hears the question: "Well, is this not enough, will they not be saved by their good works?" No, they will not be saved. Why will they not be saved? For this is what our Lord and God Jesus Christ said, when "the lawyer, tempting Him, asked, saying, Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart....This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:35-39).

If faith in God, if love for God is the first and most important commandment in the law, and the second commandment about love for one's neighbor follows from this first, and receives its strength from love for God, then in order to be saved, one must love God with all one's heart, for this is the first and most important commandment of the law.

What does it mean to be saved? It means to receive eternal life, it means to enter the Kingdom of God, it means to become partakers of this Kingdom! What is the Kingdom of God? What is eternal life?

This is what the Lord Jesus Christ told us in His great high-priestly prayer addressed to God the Father. He said thus: "Behold eternal life, that they may know Thee the only true God, and Whom Thou hast sent Jesus Christ" (John 17:3). This is eternal life: eternal life in the knowledge of God, in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that without knowledge of God, without knowledge of the Holy Trinity, without faith in the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no eternal life, that is, there is no salvation.