On the commandments of God and the Christian life

“The Lord your God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4), known in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: in the Father unbegotten, in the Son begotten without beginning, without time, and without passion, as the Word, who anointed with Himself the essence He received from us, and in the Holy Spirit, not begotten, but proceeding. This one is God, and this is the true God, in the Trinity of hypostases – the one Lord, who is not divided in essence, will, glory, power, action, and all the attributes of the Godhead.

“You shall love Him alone, and Him only shall you serve with all your mind, and with all your heart, and with all your strength; and His words and His commandments shall be in your heart,” to do them, to learn from them, and to speak of them, “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:5–7). Always remember the Lord your God and fear Him alone, and never forget Him and His commandments; and thus He will give you strength to do His will. For He requires nothing more of you, “but to fear Him, and to love Him, and to walk in all His ways” (Deut. 10:12).

On honoring the Creator and rejecting idols

He is your praise, and He is your God. Do not be amazed at the extent of the passionlessness and invisibility of the first-world Angels, nor at the extreme cunning of the powers cast down from there, their cunning and wickedness, aimed at tempting us, and do not dare to think that there is anything in them equal to God. Do not look at the greatness of the heavens and the variety of their movements, nor at the brilliance of the sun, nor at the brightness of the moon, nor at the radiance of the other stars, nor at the suitability of the air for breathing, nor at the manifold usefulness of the sea and the earth, and fear to make any of these your god. For all these are subject to Him as His creation, called into being by His word from non-existence. “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it was created” (Ps. 32:9).

Glorifying this one, clinging to Him with love, repent to Him day and night of your voluntary and involuntary sins. For He is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness” (Ps. 85:15), the eternal benefactor, who promises and gives the everlasting kingdom of heaven, a secure and immortal life, and unending light for the enjoyment of those who honor Him, love Him, and worship His majesty. But He is also a jealous God, a righteous Judge and a terrible Avenger, who gives to the wicked who do not believe in Him, do not obey Him and abandon His commandments, eternal torment, unquenchable fire, unceasing suffering, inconsolable sorrow, pitch darkness, gnashing of teeth – to the evil apostate and to all who were tempted by him, followed him and abandoned their Creator in deeds, words and thoughts.

On Icon Veneration and the Holy Cross

“You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water,” to serve and worship it as God (Ex. 20:4). For all are the creations of the one God, who in the last ages, having taken flesh from the most pure womb, appeared on earth and lived with men, and having suffered for the salvation of men, having died and risen, ascended into heaven with the flesh and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and with this same flesh He will come again. Create an icon of this beloved for our sake out of love for Him, and through it remember Him, through it worship Him, through it direct your mind to the worshipable flesh of the Savior, who sits in the glory of the true Father in heaven.

In the same way, create icons of the saints and worship them not as gods, which is forbidden, but as a testimony of your communion with them in love and honoring them, directing your mind to them through their icons. Just as Moses created icons of the Cherubim and placed the Holy of Holies in the Holy of Holies, and the Holy of Holies itself was an image of the heavenly things, and the Holy of Holies bore the image of the whole world, and Moses called it Holy, not glorifying creation, but through them glorifying God who created the world. And do not consider the icons of the Lord Jesus Christ and the saints to be gods, but through them worship Him who first created us in His own image, and then, out of His ineffable love for humanity, was pleased to accept this very image of ours and describe Himself in it.

And worship not only the image of Christ the Lord, but also the image of His Cross, because it is a sign of Christ’s victory over the devil and over the entire host of opposing forces, because of which they tremble and flee when they see it depicted. This image, even before the appearance of the Prototype, was highly glorified in the prophets and manifested great and wonderful miracles; and at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified on it and is to come to judge the living and the dead, it will go before Him as a terrible and great sign of His power and glory. Glorify it now, so that then you may boldly look upon Him and be glorified with Him.

And worship the icons of the saints, for they were crucified with Christ, depicting the cross on their faces and reminding us of their participation in Christ’s sufferings, which was effectively manifested in them. Likewise, honor the tombs of the saints and any remains of their bones, for the grace of God did not depart from them, just as the Divinity did not depart from the worshiped body of Christ at the time of His life-giving death. Doing this and praising those who glorified God, as those who proved themselves perfect in God’s love through works, you will be glorified by God together with them and will sing with David: “How precious to me are your friends, O God” (Ps. 138:17).

On oaths and the celebration of the Lord’s Day

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Ex. 20:7) — swearing falsely or taking an oath for the sake of something earthly, or for the sake of fear of man, or for the sake of shame, or for your own benefit. Breaking an oath is a renunciation of God. Therefore, do not rush to swear, but avoid swearing in every way, fearing lest through it you fall into the crime of swearing, which alienates you from God and ranks you among the lawless. But be truthful in all your words, and by this you will add to them the firmness of the oath.

If, however, you are bound by an oath, if it is in any way in accordance with the divine law, fulfill it, since it is lawful; and cleanse your guilt for having done so rashly by almsgiving, prayer, weeping, and contrition of the body, thereby propitiating Christ, who commanded: Do not swear or be afraid. But if it is in any way unlawful, see that through your foolish godliness you do not do any unlawful deed, lest you become a partaker of Herod, the prophet-killer. But leave this unlawful oath unfulfilled, and make it your law not to swear or swear rashly henceforth, hastening to propitiate God by the above-mentioned remedies.

One day of the week — which is called the Lord’s (Sunday), because it is dedicated to the Lord, Who rose on this day from the dead, and thereby foretold and manifested in Himself the general resurrection of all — this day is holy (Ex. 20:10–11). On this day do not do any worldly affairs, give rest to yourself and to those who are with you, so that together you may glorify Him who redeemed us by His death and resurrection and raised our nature. Remember the future age and be instructed in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord; and test yourself, whether you have not transgressed or left out anything, and correct yourself in all things.

Visit the temple of God on this day and be present at all church services; partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ and think about the beginning of true life; renew yourself and prepare yourself to receive future eternal blessings, for the sake of which do not use earthly things for evil even on other days. And on the Lord’s Day, in order to serve God, leave everything behind, except for the most necessary things, without which one cannot live. Having God as a refuge in this way, you will not transgress the commandments, you will not kindle the fire of passions and you will not take upon yourself the burden of sin; and thus you will sanctify the Sabbath day, celebrating it by abstaining from evil. Liken the great legal holidays to the Lord’s Day, doing the same on them and abstaining from the same.

On honoring one’s physical and spiritual parents

“Honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12), for through them God brought you into life, and after God they are the culprits of your existence. Therefore, after God, you too should honor and love them, if love for them promotes love for God; and if it does not promote it, then distance yourself from them. But if they become an obstacle for you, especially in the matter of the true and saving faith, as non-Orthodox people, then not only distance yourself from them, but also turn away from them, and not only from them, but also from all other people of this kind. For Christ the Lord said: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:26). This is how one should treat carnal fathers, friends and brothers who hinder salvation; Honor and love those who are of the same faith and do not hinder salvation.

If you should treat your physical parents in this way, how much more should you honor and love your spiritual parents? Who brought you from existence to prosperity, revealed to you the light of knowledge, taught you to be clear about the truth, revived you with the dome of purity, invested in you the hope of resurrection and immortality, an endless kingdom and inheritance, and made you unworthy of eternal blessings, from earthly to heavenly, instead of the son of man, the son of God and the God-Man Jesus Christ, who gave you the spirit of sonship. As He Himself said: “And do not call anyone on earth your father, for one is your Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers, for one is your Teacher, the Christ” (Matt. 23:9–10).

You should give all honor and love to your spiritual parents, since honor to them is directed to Christ the Lord and to the Holy Spirit, in whom you have received sonship (Rom. 8:15), and to the Heavenly Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (Eph. 3:15). Try to have a spiritual father throughout your life and to reveal to him every sin and every thought, and to receive from him absolution and healing: for it is given to them to bind and to loose souls, and whatever they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever they loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. This grace and authority they received from Christ; therefore, obey them and do not contradict them, so as not to cause death to your soul. For if he who opposes his natural parents in that which is not forbidden by the law of God is put to death by the law, will not he who opposes his spiritual parents cast out the Spirit of God and destroy his own soul? Therefore, consult with your spiritual fathers and obey them to the end, so that your soul may be saved and inherit eternal and imperishable blessings.

On purity, virginity, and honest marriage

“Do not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14), so that instead of being a member of Christ, you do not become a member of a harlot (1 Cor. 6:15) and, after being cut off from the Divine Body, you do not be cast into Gehenna. If the daughter of a priest, defiled by fornication, is burned with fire according to the law, as one who has disgraced her father (Lev. 21:9), then how much greater eternal torment will be subjected to the one who has caused such defilement to the Body of Christ?

But if you can, then preserve your virginity, so that you may be completely God’s and cling to Him with perfect love, serving Him all your life, always carelessly caring for the Lord’s, anticipating the future life and living like an Angel of God on earth. For virginity is theirs, and it makes them like them; but it makes them even more like the Father, who before all ages innocently gave birth to the Son, and to the innocent Son, who in the last times was born of the Virgin Mary in the flesh incorruptible, and to the Holy Spirit, who is not born of the only Father, but proceeds. He who has chosen true virginity is likened to this one God and is united in an incorruptible marriage with him who has adorned himself with the beauty of virginity, and, being virginal in soul and body, adorns every feeling, word and thought with the beauty of virginity.

If you do not choose virginity and have not made a vow to God about it, then you should take one lawful wife in the Lord and live with her alone, and as your own vessel have her in holiness, abstaining from strangers with all your might. You can abstain from them altogether if you avoid inappropriate conversations with them, do not delight in lewd words and hearing, and turn your own eyes, both bodily and spiritual, away from them as much as possible, and learn not to gaze with curiosity at the beauty of faces. For everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28), and for this reason is unclean before Christ, Who looks into the heart. From this, the poor man also falls into shameful deeds of the flesh – not only to lewdness, adultery, and other natural mixtures, but also to all kinds of unnatural vices. You, cutting off the bitter roots from yourself, will not bear deadly fruits, but will produce the fruit of purity and the holiness inherent in it, “without which no one will see the Lord” (Rom. 6:22; Heb. 12:14).

On meekness, honesty, and love of neighbor

“Thou shalt not kill” (Ex. 20:13), so as not to lose the sonship of Him who gives life to the dead, and not to become by your deeds the son of the eternal murderer. Since murder comes from blows, blows from shame and abuse, these from anger, and anger from harm or losses caused to us by others, either from a blow or from shame, then “from him who takes your cloak, do not withhold your shirt either,” said Christ (Lk. 6:29). For in this way you will free yourself and the one who embitters you from the sin of murder. You will receive forgiveness for the sins you have committed before God, for it is said: “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37), and the one who spoke evil of you and did evil to you will receive punishment — eternal torment, for “whoever says to his brother, ‘You fool,’ is liable to the fiery hell” (Matthew 5:22), said Christ.

Therefore, if you can uproot evil and instill blessed meekness in your soul, give glory to Christ, the Teacher and Creator of virtues, without whom, as we are taught, we can do nothing good. But if you cannot be without anger, reproach yourself when you are angry, and repent before God and before those who have heard from you or suffered from you because of some evil. For he who repents at the beginning of a sin will not reach the end of it.

By observing all these powers and living according to such rules, you will put into your soul the treasure of piety, and will please God, and you will be blessed by God and those who live according to God, and you will become an heir of eternal blessings. May we all be worthy of them through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom befits all glory, honor and worship with His beginningless Father and His all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

“Thou shalt not steal” (Ex. 20:15), lest the Seer of secrets (Dan. 13:42) render unto thee, as one that despiseth Him, many times over, with punishment. Give the best of that which thou hast in secret to the needy, and from God, who seeth in secret, thou shalt receive a hundredfold more, and in the age to come, eternal life.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex. 20:16), so as not to be like the one who initially slandered God before Eve, and not to be cursed like him. It is better to cover up the fall of your neighbor, if this does not harm others, so as not to be like Ham, but like Shem and Japheth, and to be worthy of blessing.

“Do not covet” anything that belongs to your neighbor: neither his possessions, nor his money, nor his glory, nor anything that your neighbor has (Ex. 20:17). For lust, having conceived in the soul, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is accomplished, gives birth to death (James 1:15). You, however, do not covet another’s, and abstain from theft and usury. It is better to give from your own to him who asks, and show mercy according to your ability to him who needs mercy, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. If you find something lost by another, keep it for the owner, even if he is one of those who are hostile to you. For in this way you will reconcile him with yourself, and overcome evil with good, as Christ commands you.