Chapter 2

People will be judged at the Judgment of God according to the Gospel commandments

According to the Gospel commandments, we will be judged at the Judgment established by God for us, Orthodox Christians, at the Judgment on which our eternal fate depends. The judgment is private for each Christian immediately after his death, and will be common for all people at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth. At both judgments, God Himself is present and judges. In the private judgment He executes judgment through the angels of light and fallen angels; at the General Judgment He will execute judgment by means of His incarnate Word [78]. The reason for such a diverse judgment is clear. Man submitted to the fallen angel arbitrarily: consequently, he must first complete his reckoning with the fallen angel, in accordance with the extent to which the Christian has dissolved communion with the rejected spirit by means of redemption. At the general Judgment both the fallen spirits and the people carried away by them must stand before the torture, as having sinned before the majesty of the Godhead, why God Himself, the Word of God Himself, Who took upon Himself mankind, by Whom our redemption was accomplished, and by Whom it behooved all the fallen to be saved, will execute Judgment on all of us who have fallen and have not been cleansed by repentance. The code, or collection of laws, on the basis of which judgment will be made and sentence pronounced in both courts, is the Gospel. The Lord said: Reject Me, and do not receive My words from him who judges him: the word that is spoken will judge him on the last day. For I did not speak of Himself, but the Father who sent me, He gave Me a commandment like a river, and whatever I would speak. And we know that His commandment is eternal life [79]. From these words of the Lord it is clear that we will be judged according to the Gospel, that neglect of the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments is an active rejection of the Lord Himself. Let us, brethren, use all our diligence to become fulfillers of the Gospel commandments! It is not known when death will come; can demand us to the Judgment suddenly, at a time when we least expect this demand. Blessed are those who have prepared themselves for the transition into eternity by the life of the Gospel! Woe to the negligent, the inattentive, the self-willed, the self-conceited! Woe to those who have not broken communion with Satan! Woe to those who have not entered into communion with God! Greater woe to those who have entered into this communion and rejected it!

Chapter 3

Monastic life is life according to the Gospel commandments

The ancient monks called monastic life the life of the Gospel. St. John of the Ladder defines a monk as follows: "A monk is one who, in every place and deed, at all times, is guided solely by God's commandments and God's word" [80]. The monks, subject to the Monk Pachomius the Great, were obliged to memorize the Gospel [81], in order to have the laws of the God-Man, as it were in a constantly open book, in memory, so that they might have them constantly before the eyes of the mind, to have them inscribed on the very soul for the most convenient and unswerving fulfillment. Blessed Elder Seraphim of Sarov said: "One must accustom oneself in such a way that the mind, as it were, swims in the law of the Lord, by which, being guided, one must govern one's life"[82]. Studying the Gospel, trying to fulfill its commands in deeds, words, and thoughts, you will follow the Lord's testament and the moral tradition of the Orthodox Church. The Gospel in a short time will raise you from infancy to maturity in Christ, and you will become that blessed man whom the inspired Prophet sang, who does not go into the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the destroyers: but in the law of the Lord is his will, and in His law he shall learn day and night. And it shall be like a tree planted by the outflowing waters, if it yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall away: and everything that does it will succeed [83]. The Holy Spirit instructs the true servants of God, men who have become their own to God: Hearken, O My people, to My law, incline your ear to the words of My mouth [84].

Chapter 4

On the Fragility of Monastic Life When It Is Not Based on the Gospel Commandments

He who founded his life on the study of the Gospel and on the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments, founded it on the hardest rock. In whatever position he was placed by the circumstances of life, his podvig was always with him. He works unceasingly, he strives unceasingly, he succeeds unceasingly, although his work, although his podvig and success are imperceptible and incomprehensible to others. Whatever sorrows and temptations befall him, they cannot overthrow him. The Lord said: "Whosoever heareth these words of mine, and doeth me, I will liken him unto a wise man, who made his tabernacle upon a stone: and the rain came, and the rivers came, and the winds blew, and fell upon that tabernacle: and thou shalt not fall, for it was founded upon a stone." Here life and spiritual disposition are likened to a tabernacle: this tabernacle receives extraordinary strength from the Divine, unlimited power with which the words of Christ are filled. It is obvious that no other means or aid can provide such firmness as the fulfillment of Christ's commandments gives to the soul: the power of Christ works in His commandments. The Lord added the following words to the above words: "Whosoever heareth these words of mine, and not doing them, shall be like a foolish man, who made his tabernacle on the fox: and the rain came, and the rivers came, and the winds blew, and the tabernacle was questioned, and fell: and its destruction was great." It conveniently destroys the apparently good life of those who base it exclusively on some bodily podvig or on many podvigs, sometimes very difficult and very highlighted, but do not pay due attention to the commandments of the Gospel. Very often it happens that ascetics do not even pay any attention to the Gospel commandments, openly trample on them, giving them no value and not understanding their importance in the least. Such ascetics, when they encounter an unexpected temptation or an unexpected change in their lives, not only hesitate very quickly, but also undergo a complete moral disorder, which in the Gospel is called the great destruction of the temple of the soul. As an example, let us take a desert dweller who lives in deep solitude, who has placed all the hope of his success and salvation in this solitude. Let us suppose that suddenly, due to the violence of circumstances, this hermit had to leave solitude and live among a multitude of people. He, as unbound in himself by the commandments of the Gospel, must certainly be subjected to the strongest influence of temptations, which are found in great numbers in human society. This is natural: he had no other power to protect him than external solitude: having lost it, he lost all his support, and must of necessity yield to the power of other external impressions. What has been said is by no means to humiliate the wilderness life, which protects against temptations and amusements, and especially contributes to the study and fulfillment of the Gospel commandments; it is said so that the desert dweller in his wilderness may apply special diligence to study and fulfill the commandments of the Gospel, by means of which Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God are introduced into the soul [87]. True Christianity and true monasticism consist in the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments. Where there is no such fulfillment, there is neither Christianity nor monasticism, whatever the outward appearance. The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell in it for ever and ever: the Scriptures call righteous those who try to fulfill in the most thorough manner the truly and only righteous will of God, by no means their own, imaginary and falsely righteous. Only those who fulfill God's righteousness can inherit the earth, that is, they can dominate their hearts, their flesh, and their blood. The mouth of the righteous shall learn wisdom, and his tongue shall proclaim judgment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet shall not stumble.

Chapter 5

On Guarding Yourself from Temptations

Basing one's life on the Gospel commandments, one must at the same time choose as a place of residence the monastery furthest from temptations. We are weak and damaged by sin. Temptation, being in front of us or near us, will necessarily find sympathy for itself in our sinful damage and will make an impression on us. This impression may at first be unnoticed; but when it develops and strengthens in man, then it will prevail over him and can bring him to the brink of destruction. Sometimes the impression of temptation acts very quickly, without allowing, so to speak, the tempted person to come to his senses or come to his senses: it instantly darkens the mind, changes the disposition of the heart, and plunges the monk into fall and fall. St. Pimen the Great said: "It is good to flee from the causes of sin. A person who is near the cause of sin is like one standing on the edge of a deep abyss, and the enemy always conveniently plunges him into the abyss whenever he wants. But if we are bodily removed from the causes of sin, then we are like one who is far removed from the abyss; the enemy, even if he dragged us into the abyss, but at the time when we are subjected to the attraction, we can resist, God will help us" [89]. The causes (guilt) of sin, the reasons for it, the temptations are as follows: wine, wives, wealth, health (excess) of the body, power and honors. "These," says St. Isaac of Syria, "are not sins proper; but our nature is conveniently inclined to sin because of them, which is why man must carefully guard himself against them" [90]. The Fathers forbid the choice of a glorious monastery as a place of residence in the opinion of lay people [91]: vanity, common to the entire monastery, must necessarily infect each member as well. Experience shows that the entire brotherhood can become infected with the spirit of vanity, not only because of the material advantages of their monastery, but also because of the high opinion of the laity about the special piety of its rule. The contempt for the brethren of other monasteries, which is precisely what pride consists of, deprives us of the possibility of monastic success, based on love for one's neighbor and humility before them. — As an example of how temptation, acting little by little on a monk, as if imperceptibly and insensibly, can finally prevail over him and plunge him into a terrible fall, we cite the following story: "In the Egyptian skete there was a certain elder who fell into a grave illness and accepted service from the brethren. Seeing that the brethren were working for his sake, he decided to move closer to the villages, so as not to trouble the brethren. Abba Moses (probably the one whom the Monk Cassian calls the most prudent among the fathers of the skete, who in general were distinguished by an abundance of spiritual gifts) said to him: "Do not move to the neighborhood of villages, so as not to fall into fornication." The elder was surprised and saddened by these words; he answered: "My body is dead, and is this what you are talking about?" He did not listen to Abba Moses and settled in the neighborhood of a secular village. The inhabitants, having learned about it, began to come to it in great numbers. A certain maiden also came to serve him for God's sake. He healed her – it seems: the maiden had some kind of illness, and the elder had the gift of wonderworking – then, after some time, he fell with her, and she became pregnant. The villagers asked her: "By whom is she pregnant?" They did not believe her. The Elder said: "I have done this; but keep the child that is to be born." A child was born, and was breastfed. Then, on one of the feasts of the skete, an elder came there with a child on his shoulders, and entered the church at a meeting of the entire brotherhood. The brotherhood, seeing him, wept. He said to the brethren: "Behold, the child: this is the son of disobedience." After that, the elder went to his former cell, and began to bring repentance to God" [92]. Such is the power of temptation when a monk stands face to face before him. The gift of healing did not stop me from falling into fornication; The body, mortified for sin by old age, infirmity, and prolonged monastic labor, came to life again, being subjected to the incessant or frequent action of temptation. — As an example of how the guilt of sin can instantly affect a monk, darken his mind, turn his heart's disposition and plunge him into sin, let us again cite a church story: "The bishop of a certain city fell into an illness, because of which everyone despaired of his life. There was a convent there. The abbess, learning that the bishop was desperately ill, visited him, taking with her two sisters. While she was conversing with the bishop, one of her disciples, standing at the feet of the bishop, touched his foot with her hand. From this touch, a fierce prodigal battle flared up in the sick man. Passions are evil. He began to ask the abbess to leave her sister with him to serve him, citing the lack of her own servants as the reason for such a request. The abbess, suspecting nothing, left the sister. Through the action of the devil, the bishop felt the restoration of strength and fell into sin with a nun who became pregnant. The bishop left the cathedra and retired to a monastery, where he ended his life in repentance, the acceptance of which God testified to by granting the penitent the power of miracles" [93]. "Such is our weakness!" such is the influence of temptations on us! They threw into the abyss of the fall the holy prophets [94], and the holy bishops, and the holy martyrs, and the holy desert dwellers. All the more so should we, who are passionate and weak, take all precautions and protect ourselves from the influence of temptations on us. The passions in monks are hungry: if they are left unguarded, they rush with fury at the objects of lust, like predatory beasts unleashed from chains.

Chapter 6

A God-pleasing life in silence must be preceded by a God-pleasing life in human society