For which a person needs Divine grace. Grace of God in Orthodoxy. The essence of divine energies
"If Faust at the end of his life, working on cognition, says:" I see that we can not know anything, "then this is the result;
And a completely different case, when the same words we heard from the first semester student trying to justify their tape (Kierkegaor). "
The Lord did not double-digitally said that lazy, incorrect and smoking slaves, no as grace, will not be included in the kingdom of heaven. Whatever they believe that they would not confess, for not hoping.
Grace is not justifying our unworthy kingdom of God, life.
[Grace (Dr. Grech. Άάρις, lat. Gratia) - It is understood as a non-resident divine force or energy in which God is a person and which is given to a person for his salvation. With this force, a person overcomes the sinful beginning in itself and reaches the state of events.
Also grace called undeserved mercy and the favor of God towards people. ]
Why grace?
The devil is a spiritual person, surpassing a person (for he is flesh) and in wisdom, and in force,
And in the rest. He managed to seal the perfect person in the Eden Garden. Therefore, it should not be shot down from direct paths of many and many no longer perfect people. And they can not do anything, because they are flesh. They cannot defeat him with his strength. But only the grace of God, they get the ability to be winners over him. In other words, God's grace is needed to help us live a holy life.
15 For we have not such a high priest, who cannot compare us in our universities, but which, like [we], is sophisticated in everything, except for sin.
16 Therefore, yes, we proceed with daring to the throne of grace to get mercy and find Grace. (Heb.4: 15,16)
Jesus was tempted and knowing the difficulties of combating sin and flesh. He understands and can be compassioned in our unfortunate, because he himself was tempted. And we have the opportunity, by His grace, receive this grace for parolescent help.
11 For appeared grace of Godsaving for all people
12 teaching usSo that we, rejecting the wickedness and worldly lust, chawed, righteously and piously lived in the current century, (Tit.2: 11,12)
The essence of grace is not justifying our sins, disobedience or infidelity, and the supernatural ability does not sin or do what it is simply impossible to make in this world without the action of God's grace.
Maybe therefore Paul wrote: All I can in the Jesus Christ who strengthens me. (Phil.4: 13)
But it may not understand this, not any, but only the one who following the commands of Christ, fights against sin, flesh and peace. The perfect obedience to the commandments of Christ was to be carried out in daily works. Grace does not exempt from following Christ, but, on the contrary, leads to a complete obedience to Christ. And only such a person sees the real action of grace and understands its purpose and meaning.
A person who does not entitle the words of Jesus does not exhibit effortlessly, not included with close gates, continues to live the world - can not receive assistance in the form of grace of God. Since it does not have any need, because it is not looking for it with all my heart.
Why says that salvation - by grace?
8 For grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from you, God's gift:
9 Not from affairs so that no one boasts. (EF.2: 8.9)
Grace is given through faith. Belief in Jesus lies in obedience to him. Wishing to be obedient, God gives the ability to be pleasing to him. This grace (ability) is not from them, but the gift of God. Therefore, no one can praise by these matters.
We are saved by grace in the sense that we find the ability to live holy and pleasing to God in this world of sin. And it is given as a gift, so no one can boast.
Who can see and worry grace?
... God proud to oppose, and the humble gives grace. (Jac.4: 6)
Humble before God (exactly first of all Before God), acquires the ability to make it impossible, which he could not do before. Without excluding the fact that those who were overlooked on him in him will be posted.
.. But God chose the Novud of the world (but humble) to post the wise, and the weak world (but humble) chose God to post strong; (1 Cor.1: 27)
It is under grace - not wise becomes wisdom, weak becomes strong ...
It is possible so at the time of awakening in Wales, the great interpreters of England came and sat at the feet of gross, hard workers of coals, and saw the wonderful affairs of God.
The grace of God we can not sin in this world.
All born of God does not make sinbecause the seed is in it; and he can't sinbecause born from God. (1IOAN.3: 9)
We know that everyone born from God Not sinful; But the born of God keeps himself, and the crap does not touch him. (1IOAN.5: 18)
Himself, on your own, a person cannot oppose the temptations and the devil. But, knowing the grace of John, such statements were made: "Anyone, born of God cannot sin!". It is the supernatural effect of grace who allows the believer to live holy life and keep himself if he wants it.
At times, God takes grace.
Poor I am a man! Who will save me from this body of death? (Rome.7: 24)
At times, God takes away grace to experience a person on loyalty and educate the holy character or to show who he is without grace (in the case when it begins to exalcate).
Grace is given to ministry.
But by the grace of God, the fact that I am; and the grace of him was not in vain, but I have worked for more than all: Not me, however, but the grace of God, who with me. (1 Cor.15: 10)
The grace of God gives the ability to successfully serve. But a person can actively apply it to the ministry or to reduce the data to him talents and abilities.
In the case of Paul, he says that he used grace on the "full coil": "I have worked out more than all." But immediately corrects, knowing that the abilities are not from him: "Not I, however, but the grace of God, who with me."
So, grace is not an excuse of our unworthy kingdom of God, life.
Grace is help to live life, pleasing to God, for those who are looking for this.
P.S. All this is not said as a theory, but what is going to practice.
There is something else to say about grace, but so far I will default, because the topic is still revealed.
1. Species of grace
It is used in the Scripture in different values. Sometimes it means in general the mercy of God: God is "God of all grace" (1 Peter 5, 10). In this broad sense, grace is fale to people worthy of life At all times of mankind, in particular - to the righteousness of the Old Testament, such as Abel, Eno, Noah, Abraham, the Prophet Moses and the Latest Prophets.
In a more accurate point, the concept of grace refers to the New Testament. Here are two basic meanings of this concept:
1) All house building of our salvationcommitted by the coming of the Son of God to Earth, his earthly life, the godfather, resurrection and ascension to the sky: "Thank you are saved through faith, and this is not from you, God's gift; not from affairs, so that no one boasts" (Ephesus 2 , 8-9) ( justifying grace)
2) The gifts of the Holy Spirit, the dismissible church of Christ to conquer its members, for their spiritual growth and to achieve the kingdom of heaven. This is the power of the Holy Spirit, penetrating into the inner being of a person leading to his spiritual improvement and salvation. It - saving, sanctifying grace.
In the church is another, special grace grace. It cannot be attributed to a justifying or sanctifying grace.
The difference of the gifts of this, special grace from the first two:
The grace of justifying and sanctifying is served to each person, for its salvation in particular. The special gifts of grace are served by a person not for himself, but For the benefit of the church.
We read about these gifts from the Apostle Paul:
"Gifts are different, but the spirit is the same; And the ministry is different, and the Lord is the same; And the actions are different, and God is the same, producing everything in all. But everyone gives a manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit. One is given to the spirit of wisdom, another word of knowledge, the same spirit; Another faith, the same spirit; Another gift of healings, the same spirit; Another wonderfulness, other prophecy, other distinguishing of spirits, other different languages, other interpretation of languages. Nevertheless, this produces the same spirit, separating each particular, as he pleases "(1 Cor.12, 4 - 11).
2. History understanding of grace
The difference in the specified values \u200b\u200bof the word "grace" and the prevailing understanding of him in the sacred Scripture of the New Testament, as the forces of the Divine, it is important to keep in mind because in Protestantia, the doctrine of grace in the general value of the great deal of our redemption from sin across the god feat of the Savior What (in their opinion) a person who assured and received his vacation of sins is already among those saved. Meaning Apostles teach us that a Christian, having an excuse for a gift, on the total grace of redemption is in this life individually only "Saving" (1 Cor. 1, 18) and requiring support for fertile forces. We "faith got access to the grace in which we are standing" (Rome.5, 21); "We are saved in the hope" (Rome 8, 24). 3. Without the action of grace, human salvation is impossible
The church teaches that the salvation of a person is possible only with the help of God's grace, and he gets this grace in the holy sacraments.
St. Feofan Relaimer Writes:
"... The grace of the Holy Spirit is not otherwise filed and adopted can be, as through the sacraments, the Lord himself established in the Church by the hands of the apostles."
3 Ecumenical Ephesian Cathedral Reaffirmed the condemnation of Pelagiyevoy Yersi, who learned that a person could be saved on his own, without the need to have God's grace.
As a person who does not have a soul is dead for this world, and the one who does not have grace of the Holy Spirit, dead for God; And it is impossible for him to have a residence in heaven.
Saint Irina Lyon:
As a dry land, not getting moisture, does not bring fetus and we, formerly witted trees, could never bring fruit of life without a gracious rain over ... Therefore, we need the dew of God so that we do not burn and have become fruitless.
Rev. Macarius Egyptian:
Five mental mental feelings, if they enlist the grace of over and the shrine of the Spirit, are indeed wise virgin, more than their feastful wisdom. And if they remain with one source, then they are made by yrudyovy and turn out to be in the world; Because the spirit of the world was not colated, although they themselves, according to some probabilities and in the outside, think that they are the brides of the groom. Like the souls, fully admitted to the Lord, it is miserable, prayers are raised to him, and they will go with him, and the love of the Lord will be loving; So, on the contrary, the souls who made love to the world and the height of having a residence of their on earth, they go there, there are thoughts, there live their mind there. And therefore, they are not closer to the goodness of the Spirit, as something extraordinary for our nature, of course, to the sim celestial grace, which is necessary - to enter into the composition and in unity with our nature, so that we can enter with the Lord in the Heavenly Birth of the Kingdom And to imagine eternal salvation.
If over the celestial clouds and gracious rains are not in excessive, there will be no success of the worker farmer.
Saint John Zlatoust:
I would convince yourself that at least we used a thousand times the efforts, we will never be able to create good deeds if we will not use the help of over.
Saint Tikhon Zadonsky:
Without grace, the soul is like the withered earth.
Rev. Simeon New Theologian:
"As our human nature comes to the world of the world with a private curse of Adamov, so it comes out on the light of the kingdom of God (from the font of the baptism) of the involuntary blessing of Jesus Christ. And if it does not join the Divine Nature of Christ, if it does not accept the grace of the Holy Spirit, not may not think nor do something worthy of the kingdom of God, can not fulfill a single commandment given to us by Christ (to be the sons of the kingdom), because Christ makes everything in all calling his holy name. In order for that God became a man to descended into it, as in God, the Holy Spirit, who stays from who did not leave. And then, then, through the unity with him, the deity joined every person who communicates with him and combining together, that is, in the will of God, all the distances and desires His own. This is the resurrection of the soul in life. "
Sv. Right. John Kronstadt:
What is grace? The good of the power of God, giving a person to the believer and peculiar in the name of Jesus Christ or the Holy Trinity, cleansing, consecrating, educating, assisted in the presence of good and removal from evil, comforting and encouraging in attacks, sorrowers and diseases, sporing in the receipt of eternal benefits prepared by God In heaven chosen him. Gorde is who was, proud, angry, envious, but became meek and the Smire, selflessness for the glory of God and the good of the near, to any benevolent, condescendingly, conceoding without indulgence, - he became such a power of grace. Whether who was unbelieving was, but became a believer and a diligent performer of the prescriptions of faith, he became such a power of grace. Divoroving anyone who was, Koryutn and unrevious, cruel to the poor, but, moving in the depths of the soul, was not enough, truthful, generous, compassionate, - he owes this strength of Christ. Whether there was an ample curve, a multi-way and a multi-seater, but became a handset, a postmanship, not on illness or consciousness of harm to the body of impudents, but from the consciousness of the goal of moral, higher, - it became such a strong grace. Whether he had a hater and vindictive, vengeful, but suddenly was suddenly human-loving, loving and their enemies, ill-wishers and their own behavior, who do not remember any offense, - he became such a reviving, implementing and renewing grace. Whether he was cold to God, to the Temple, to the Worship Service, to Prayer, in general, to the sacraments of faith, cleansing, strengthening our souls and bodies, and suddenly, changeing in the soul, became hot to God, to God-serving, to prayer, was bewent - He became such a fastening grace of God. From here it is seen that many live out of grace, without conscious of her importance and necessity for themselves and not looking for her, according to the word of the Lord: I am also looking for the kingdom of God and the truth of it (Matt. 6, 33). Many people live in every abundance and contentment, enjoy the blooming health, they are happy to eat, drink, walk, amusing, composure, work, but different parts or branches of human activity, but their grace in their hearts do not have, of this invaluable treasure of Christian, without which a Christian There can be no true Christian and heir to the kingdom of heaven.
4. Anticipating grace
So, according to the teachings of the Church, a person living worldly thoughts and aspirations, it is impossible to contact God himself, wish and recover salvation. In order to awaken him spiritually, the Light of the Divine Grace enlightens it, calling him to faith and repentance. It - grace I preceded and educating.IN Easy of Eastern Patriarchs The preceding grace is said:
"She is similar to the light that enlightens walking in the dark. She is guided by the seekers seeking her, and not opposed to her. Gives them the knowledge of the Divine Truth. Teaches to do good, pleasing to God. "
St. Feofan Relaimer writes about action in man premountful grace and then - saving (promotional) grace:
"That person lives in a state of disappearing from God, who for himself only lives and does not think about God and Heaven, or, according to David: does not offer God before Sobody (Ps. 53: 5; 85:14). This is such an entire concern for anything: or about knowledge, or about art, or about the post, or about the family, or, even worse, about enjoying and satisfying any passion; He does not think about the future life, but the real tries to arrange so to live calmly and, as it were, forever; inside myself does not appeal, therefore it does not know his condition and those consequences, what will be from his life, but always considers himself something great and driven everything forward with a lot of care ... He sometimes does good deeds, but they are all the essence of the spiritual (Avd. Vost. Patter., 3 Chl.), Putting it with a common spirit of pride, which takes their true price. ... imagining while still in sectors, no matter how sometimes, apparently, it was strictly taken to disassemble himself and his life, no way can assist himself that his deeds are insignificant and evil. Satan, who has a man through a sin living in a person, along with his self-like, as a flying bed is striking his spirit in all their way. Therefore, he fell with blinding, insensit and disappointment.
A man who is in such a state can not be felt, while the Light of Divine Grace will not reach his sinful darkness. Darkness leads to him Satan, confuses it into his networks, from which no one will arise without any impression (2 Tim 2, 26). Niktegroms can come to me, says the Lord, not his father, the message, will attract him ... Hearing from his father and skill, will take me (John 6, 44, 45). Therefore, the Lord himself stands at the door of the heart and throw, as if by saying: Sleep and Sunday, from the dead (Rev. 3, 20; Ephesus. 5.14).
Of God's voice calling comes to a sinner or directly, right in the heart, or mediocre, mainly through the Word of God, and often through diverse incidents external in nature and in his life and others. But always he falls at the conscience, awakens it and, like lightning, illuminates (clearly represents consciousness) all the legitimate relations of the person who have been violated and perverted. Therefore, this is the action of grace and opens with the strong concern of the spirit, confusion, fear for itself and self-suspension. However, it does not entail a person forcibly, but only stops him on the path in vicious, after which the person is completely powerful or to turn to God, or again to marry in the darkness of a prubency. In the parable of the prodigal son, this state is pronounced by the words: in himself (Luke 15, 17).
In a person who disengaged (not opposing) the action of grace, calling and educating his inner darkness, it opens a special ability to vividly perceive the frank truths, as if some special heart hearing and permanent: opens the eyes (Acts 26, 18), the spirit of wisdom is working in knowledge Truths (Eph. 1, 17). ... Under the action of grace, the heart is supplied by them, taking them inside yourself, completely digestively and holding them in themselves ... with this ... the appeal is experiencing a two-way change: some grave and irreparable, other facilitating and soothing souls. However, according to the state of the appeal, first of all, all the laws on it, the law lists him and synthesizes him as a culprit. A number of changes in this kind in the heart make up a set of repentant feelings.
In the order, first of all there are knowledge of sins. The law shows a person all mandatory actions for him, or the commandments of God, and consciousness represents a whole field of action, otherwise, with the assurance that they could and not be that all the essence of his freedom and admitted to them often with the consciousness of their illegality. The consequence of the internal impact of a person in all omitting and violations: a person feels comprehensively guilty before God, unreasonable, unrequited. From here, then, painful, sorrowful, crushing about sins feelings are crowded in the heart from different sides: contempt for yourself and indignation on evil arbitrariness, because the whole wine itself; shame that before such a derogatory state brought himself; painful fear and waiting for loved ones because he insulted the sins with his god of Almighty and Righteous; Finally, the confused feeling of helplessness and hopelessness trusts the defeat: a man would have wanted all evil it would be sick with himself, but it struck by him; I would even wish to die to rebel in the best condition, but it is not authorby to do it. Then the man from the depths of the soul begins to shine: what is creating that I will create! - As the people from the decorations of John the Baptist (Luke 3: 10, 12, 14) and from the words of the Apostle Peter, within the descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37). Here everyone, at least there was the Lord or the other what a famous man in the world feel that he was caught by the court of God and is completely subject to his strength that he is a worm, and not a person, the renovation of people and humiliation of people (Ps. 21: 7), That is, in the dust, the whole self is human and resurrecting the consciousness of the aunt God, or a sense of dependence on him - full, inevitable.
Such feelings are immediately ready to bring their own and the fruit - to initiate that is to the submission of God or, in the present case, to correct and start a new life by the will of God. ... here in the parolescent help comes to him, on the one hand, faith, and on the other - the gracious, assisted in the affairs of all kind of good power.
... the cramped strict chief of the law the sinner cannot be found anywhere else, except for the Gospel - the sermon about Christ the Savior, who came to the world of sinners to save.
... The top of the perfection of Faith is a lively personal belief that the Lord, as everyone, saved me ... A person, as if destroyed by the law of the law,, as it comes to the field of faith, comes to life in his heart, exclaims the head of the sorrowfully ... until a person in pardon And the help of God, can not put and decisive intention to live by the will of God (1 Pet. 1: 3). Therefore, when a feeling of trustiness in God and God's blessing, favorable in the heart, in faith, in the all-voloying death of the Lord Jesus, assures him that God would not descend him, will not reject, will not leave his help in the execution of the law for the sake of the Lord; Then, already, arguing to this feeling, as for Kamen, gives a man a decisive visit to leave everything and devote himself to God all ... here is a fracture of the will: a person happens in that condition, in what was the prodigal son, when he said: Reza, I go.
Determined, however, the intention of this is only a living condition for God, and not the easiest life. Life is the power to act. The spiritual life is the power to act spiritually, or by the will of God. Such force is lost by a person; Therefore, until it gives him again, he cannot live spiritually, no matter how much intention believed. That's why the outpouring of the fertile strength in the soul of a believer is significantly necessary for the life of a truly Christian. Truly Christian life has a gracious life. A man is erected to the holy determination, but so that he can and act according to it, it is necessary that the grace is combined with his spirit…"
5. How does the saving grace of God act?
In this sense of the word, the grace is the power, the abuse of God, the power of God, which is given to us for the sake of the Redeechnating feat of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is in the Church of Christ, reviving, the lifeful, improving and leading a believer and virtuous Christian to absorb salvationBrought by the Lord Jesus Christ.The grace of God updates human nature and produces restoration of human nature.
Both spiritual birth and further spiritual increase in man occurs through mutual assistance of two began: one of them is the grace of the Holy Spirit; Another - the opening of a man of his heart to take her, thirst for her, the desire to perceive herHow the rain will be taken by the thwarting dry earth: in other words - a personal effort for obtaining, storage, actions in the soul of divine gifts.
This is writes the apostle Paul:
"But [the Lord] told me:" My grace is pretty for you, for my strength is performed in the weakness. " And therefore I will be much more willing to praise with my universities to live in me the strength of Christ "
(2 Cor.12, 9).
"But by the grace of God, the fact that I am; And the grace of him was not in vain "
(1 Cor.15, 10).
Holy. Seraphim (Sobolev) Writes about the types of grace:
"According to the teachings of St. John Cassian, it is necessary to distinguish two types of grace: grace of external industrialthrough which the Lord acts around the world or directly, or through angels, people and even visible nature; and grace as an inner divine force ... She acted in the life of the first people in Paradise and was the source of their true leading, holiness and bliss. After the fall of our progenitors, she left them, and it was necessary to come to the Savior, to suffer, die and resurrect, so that this grace was again granting to people. This mercy of God and flowed into us when, on the promise of Christ, the Holy Spirit in his diverse grace came to the apostles, as truth (1 in. 5, 6; in. 5, 26; 16, 13), as power (Acts. 1, 8) and as a consolation (in. 14, 16, 26; 15, 26; 16, 7), or Divine joy. Since then, grace of St. Spirit began to feed believers in the church through the sacraments Baptism and minorization for revival.
As a reviving divine force, she began to reign inside our being, in the heart of a person. Before this grace, as learns the Great from St. Fathers of the Blessed Diaood, in his heart reigned sin, and grace acted with the owl. And after the phenomenon of grace, sin acts on the person of the owl, but grace - in the heart. In this, by the way, the difference between the Old and the New Testament is.
Of course, essentially we will never define what the grace of God. St. Macarius Great teaches that as God is incomprehensible in his essence, so it can not be vague in his essence and grace St. Spirit, for it is inseparable from God His Divine Strength. "
FROM in. FEOFAN SCLASHNIKreveals the action of a saving grace in the soul of a man who made the sacrament of baptism and has become a Christian:
"... Reported, however, with ses [with baptism], the gifts are captured by the internal changes that must occur in the heart of the baptism to the Lord and which, in fact, it is relying the foundation, the beginning and germ of the life of true Christian. These changes the essence of repentance and faith, as The Savior himself demanded from all coming to him, saying: shown and believe in the gospel (MK. 1:15). They are produced in the soul of Divine grace - pre-valid. In the baptism of the same and (world formation), grace enters inside, in the heart of a Christian, and then constantly resides in it, to remember him to live in Christian and go down by the strength due to spiritual life.
The whole life of the believer after this flows in the following order: he with Hisnient subcor and desire takes graceful sanctifying funds - the Word of God and the Sacrament, and the grace in this time produces many actions of the Enlightenment and Strengthening. From this, with a continuation of the field of earthly life, the spiritual life of a Christian, ascending from the strength due to the power of the Lord (2 Cor. 3, 18), is gradually growing and the spiritual life of the Lord (2 Cor. 3, 18), Dontaja will enjoy the age of the execution of Christ (Eph. 4, 13). Therefore, he does not have, in fact, not a single action that he would make without grace and whom it consciously did not belong to her. They really belong to it as at first, for it excites and by committing, for it gives force. God is acting in it, and hedgehogs want, and hedgehog about the defendance (FLP. 2, 13). A person has its own flame desire to stay in the chief order of divine storage, in moral and good life and a decisive legend of themselves by the leadership of God. "
By teaching sv. Makaria Great creating a new person grace acts mysteriously and gradually. The grace is experiencing a human militant, whether he retains all the love of God, noticing consent in him with his actions. If in a spiritual feat of the soul turns out to be a good-size, no one is upgrown and not insulting grace, then she penetrates "to the deepest compositions and thoughts," until the whole soul is increasing grace. He says:
"The divine grace, which in one instant can clear the person and make perfect, begins to attend the soul gradually to experience the human militant.
True, the grace incessantly comes over, rooted and acts as a soldering in a person from a young age ... However, as it pleases, it varies with its actions in man to his benefits. Sometimes the lights of this focuses and flammifies stronger, and sometimes as if weaker and quieter, in other times the light of this is lit and shines more, sometimes diminished and fades ...
Although the baby do nothing in the power, or can not go to his mother on his feet, but he, looking for a mother, moves, shouts, crying. And Mother is complicated over him; She is glad that child with effort and a cry is looking for it. And cast a baby can not go to her; That, the Mother herself, overcoming the love of the baby, for his long quest, comes to him and with the great tenderness takes, caresses and feeds him. Also makes a human-humid God with a soul that comes and recovers him. But much more, prompting his lovely love and his own goodness, he flies to the understanding of the soul, and, according to the apostolic word, it is done with her one of the spirit (1 Cor. 6, 7). For when the soul flies to the Lord, and the Lord, Milua and Loving Her, comes and flies towards her, and its integrity is already in grace of the Lord, then the soul and the Lord are made of a single spirit, a single blowing, a single mind. "
6. Causes of the deviation of grace
Rev. Maxim Confessor:"There are four main types of leaving God. There is a leaving promotionalAs it was with the Lord himself, to the apparent leaving to save the left. There is leaving testAs it was with Joseph and Joseph, to show one pillar of courage, another chastity pile. It happens left spiritual adequacyAs it was with the apostle Peter, in order to humility to keep in it an excess of grace. And finally, it happens leaving disgustAs it was with the Jews, in order to punish them to repent. All these types of leaving the savory and are fulfilled by the God's Goodness and Physicon. "
Prep. Macarium Great:
"If the king, he says, will put his treasure from any beggar; then who took the preservation does not consider this treasure his property, but everywhere admits in his poverty, without daring to embroil the treasure alien; because it always argues with himself: this is a treasure Not only I have someone else's, but also put to me with a strong king, and he wants to take it from me. So who having the grace of God should think about themselves. If they are exalted, and they will end them with their hearts, then the Lord the ticklet has them Grace your own, and they remain as they were to accept grace from the Lord.
For there is a time when grace is stronger than ignites, consoles and dries man; And it happens when she diminishes and fade, as she herself is home-building this to the benefit of man. "
Saint Feofan Reasanizer:
"... God is the soul, contacting sin on the path of wandering, first gives to taste all the sweetness of the life of this new. But then leaves one person with his own forces. Grace with ses or hides its action, or retreats. This is done then to give a man deeper to make sure that he in itself is one without grace, - and the skill deeply understand and before you, and before God, and before people. "
"Samosphere and the ratification of grace are always inseparable. The Lord dismisses his eyes from the coming one ... And for the retreat of grace, it is not always a fall. It should only cool the cooling, bad movements and a penalty against passions, not in the sense of falling into cases of passionate, and in the sense of heartbroke confusion: for example, who will say an unpleasant word ... and the heart will light up anger and under. "
"... to spare yourself should not and self-dedicated to entertainment: for such a kind of behavior is the grace of God drives out. And why not grind?! The horror, as it goes down the bottom of ... Save you, Lord, from this trouble! .. Obachu all kinds of need the spiritual, about which the heart hurts, betray the Lord, and he will help and wishes something wrong. "
"Remember, you said that they do not comply with the thoughts, and then wrote that I spoiled you with my speeches, that before you had everything better, but as you were peering into myself in my direction, then you see one disagreement: and thoughts and thoughts, and Feelings and desires - everything goes to the granny and to give them to any order of the Force. Here is the solution to you why this is so: there is no center. And there is no center, because you have not yet decided what way to accept your consciousness and free election. The grace of God has given up the possible order in you, and he was in you. But she will not work alone, but will wait for your decision. And if you do not get your election and the decision on the side of it, then it will completely go away from you and leave you in the hands of the thrower of yours.
Streamlining inside you will begin only when you become on the side of grace and the order of life in the spirit of it to put the urgent law of your life. "
"Grace wears the soul, like a child's mother. When the child is hearing, - and instead of the mother starts to be seen on the other things; then the mother leaves the child one, - and hiding. After noting himself one, the child begins to scream and call the mother ... Mother again comes , takes a child ... and the child is still tightly pressed against the chest of Matery. So does and grace. When the soul is talked and forget to think, what is worn and keeps the grace, grace retreats ... And leaves the soul one ... why? - then, To be formed by the soul, the troubles of the retreat of grace, and began to pour it hard to her and look for her. - Such a retreat - there is no anger, but the love of God is administered and called the retreat of instructive. Macaria is Velikago and others have a lot about this ... And at the diodeha ... "
Holy Righteous John Kronstadt:
What does the heavy dream of the heart and the fossil insension of the heart during a prayer or in the preparation of sermon, when teaching the law of God? So leaving us the grace of God, along the wise and good intentions of God, to strengthen our heart to free their own spiritual affairs. Sometimes grace wears us as children or leads and supports us as if by the hand, then we have been having a virtue of us, and sometimes it leaves us some of our gentlemen, so that we are not lazy, and worked and the Spirit deserved grace here: That's time We must, as free creatures, voluntarily show your correction and your diligence to God. It would be mad at the deprivation of us grace, for the Lord when he wants, then he takes his grace from us, fallen and unworthy. It is necessary at this time to learn to patience and bless the Lord: the Lord gave his grace, the Lord and took; Note the Lord, and did it; May the name of the Lord blessed! (Job. 1, 21).
Etc. Isaac Sirin:
Before the crushing - pride, says the wisdom (parable 16, 18), and before giving up to humility. As pride, visible in the soul, - and the measure of the crushing, how does God follow the soul. Gordinity does not understand the one when it appears in my mind or when a person won it, but the pride, constantly staying in man. Behind the predetermined thoughts will follow a crushing, and when a person loved the pride, he does not know already a crushing.
7. The ratio of grace for human freedom
Prep. Macarium Great:... The Will is human there is a substantial condition. If there is no will; God himself does nothing, although he may be free. Therefore, the diploma depends on the will of the person.
...the grace of Nimalo does not associate his will forcing forceAnd does not make it unchanged in good, at least he wanted, or did not want to. Opposite, and inherent in the man of God, the power gives the place of freedom in order to show off the will of a person, respects whether, or he does not respect the soul, whether or not consistent with grace.
St. Feofan Reasanizer:
"Do you have jealousy about salvation. It marks the care of you express. This means that the spiritual life is warm in you. You should support it, keeping jealousy and inciting it. When will be jealous, there will be life, and life is never standing on one thing - therefore, there will be a success. But it is impossible to notice it, as the growth of children is noticed, koi always in front of her eyes.
JUSINATION Sie is the fruit of grace. The Lord called you. Sieu always confess with full thanksgiving. If urged, it will not quit, just do not stick away from him. For not everything from the Lord, but there is a part and from us. What about us? Upholstery in favor of God. It will be until the jury. When there is a jealousness, it is witnessing concern about saving hot. "
".... Neither ask: Want to paradise, in the kingdom of heaven? - Spirit will answer: I want, I want. But tell him then: well, then do it, - and the hands sank. In Paradise, I want, and to work hard for nothing always takes out hunting. I have been talking to the fact that it is not only necessary to be taken away, but also solid to raise the determination to certainly achieve the driving out and start the work itself to achieve. "
"Theorists take a lot about the ratio of grace for freedom. For the welfare grace, this question is resolved by the case. Wearing grace gives himself an intention of grace, and grace in it acts. This truth for him is not only obvious to any mathematical truth, but also every external experience, for he has already stopped living outside and is focused inside. He's concern is now one - to be always faithful inherent grace. Infidelity insults it, and she or retreats, or reduces its action. Loyalty to his grace or the Lord is indicated by the fact that neither in his thoughts, nor in the senses, nor in affairs, nor in words does not allow anything that it consistent with the nasty Lord, and, on the contrary, no business and undertaken, without performing it, Kohl will soon consciously, that there is the will of God, judging by the flow of its circumstances and, at the direction of the internal deposits and moot.
It sometimes requires a lot of labor, painful self-encompassions and self-resistance; But he happily sacrificed to the Lord, because after any such victim, he gets inner reward: peace, appeal and a special coup in prayer.
With these acts of gratefulness of grace and the gift of grace, due to the prayer, already inoperative at the time. "
Rev. Macarius Optina:
«… how long to take the time repentance and care of your salvation. St. John Distrownger writes: (Art. 3) "How soon you will feel about the piety of the flame, you will soon run, for you don't know when it goes out and when you leave you in the darkness" When you feel such a flame, you know that it was the title of God, because the blaggy of thought is eaten in our hearts from God, and whoever despises, himself will be condescent from God, in short, according to the word of God: "We are not destroyed by yourself the eternal stomach" (Acts 13, 46) ".
The experience of Orthodox devotees encourages them with all the power to urge Christians to the humble consciousness of their germ for the action of the rescue grace of God. Expressive in this case of instructions prep. Simeon of the new theologian:
"If you have a thought, inspired by the devil that your salvation is made not by the power of your God, but your wisdom and your own power, - if you agree to the soul on such a suggestion, grace leaves from her. Feat against such a strong and most gravily brethren arising in The soul, to the soul to the last of our breath. The soul must together with the blissful apostle Pavl to think allegously aloud the angels and people: Not me, but the grace of God, who is with me. And the apostles, and the prophets, and martyrs, and hierarchs, and reverend, and The righteous - all confessants were such a grace of the Holy Spirit, and for the sake of such confession, with her help, they were pregnant with a good feat and made their course. "
"Wearing the name of the Christian, - We read at the same Holy Father, if he is not in the heart of the conviction that the grace of God, for faith is served, there is the mercy of God ... if it does not face the goal, to or get the grace of God in the first time through baptism or, or if he had and she moved away from him because of his sin, to return it again through repentance, confession and self-sustained life, and feeding alms, fasting, making vigils, prayers, and so on, thinks that it makes glorious virtues and Valuable themselves good deeds: in vain, he dries and emptiles. "
Rev. Efrem Sirin:
Divine grace is open to everyone so that everyone enjoyed, how much does it want: "who craves, go to me and drink" (John 7, 37).
Rev. Isidore Pelusiot:
Why the grace of God is not at all? First, it is experiencing a magnitude, and then descends. For, although it is grace, but it is poured, commemoracing with the capabilities of the suspension, expire depending on the capacity of the presented vera vessel.
Saint Gregory Nissky:
They say: "Why doesn't all be extended by the action of grace? Some enlightened it, but there remains a lot and not enlightened. Didn't God wanted or could not pay anyone equal to generously?" Both are wrong: God cannot but want or not be able to do good ... But having power over the universe, to the transaction provided to us, a lot left in our power, and over it is every single gentleman. We are designed not to slavery, but to freedom of will. Therefore, it is right to impose these accusations for those who have not come to faith, and not on the calling for her.
Rev. Efrem Sirin:
"As faith and grace lives in the shower."
8. God's grace calls for the salvation of each
The church approves this truth on the liturgy of the paid gifts by the mouths of the priest, when he, holding a cadyl in his hands and a lit candle, after the "Wisdom, Prô ..."! " Turns from the throne to the people to the people and hurts:"The light of Christ enlightens all!"
At this time, praying with a deep reverence before the true light of the Lord Jesus worship Knee.
St. Feofan Relaimer Describes the vision that opens up that grace calls on everyone, but not everyone takes her gifts and comes on the path of salvation:
"I will tell you the vision of one elder. I saw a wide-wide field. There are many people of different kinds on it. They walked on the mud, sometimes knee-deep and more, and thought that they were walking in colors; They themselves were in rags, evaporated and ugly, and thought they were handsome and in dressings. None of them had a deceased, all in alarm and troubles, in freaks or disputes and quarrels with each other ... To the east of them, Polyana lay a somewhat sublime, covered with grass and flowers, and the seemingly dry, sandy and rocky. The mountain was raised by the mountain, interrupted by the ridges in different directions, everything is higher and higher ... From behind the mountain, unusual beauty was seen, blinding and blind eyes opening. The rays from this light went in a set in a noisy crowd, wandering over a dirty field. Each head was resting my ray. What are people? Look at the light because of the mountains themselves and did not occur to them. As for the rays, one did not take them away at all; Other, feeling a restless blow to them, rubbed only their heads and, without raising the heads, continued to do what they did; Others raised their heads and turned their eyes back, but immediately closed the eyes again and returned to the former. Some, aspiring their eyes in the direction of the beam, were long stood in the observing view of the world and admired his beauty, but everyone stood still in one place and finally from fatigue, then being collected by others, again began to walk along the same road on which they were before . Rare-rare, conquering the excitation of the beam and the direction of him, left everything, directed steps to a flowery glade and then went further and then to the mountain and in the mountain to the light that had had them from the mountain. The meaning of the vision is clear by himself! ..
See if no one leaves an exciting grace; Just the people themselves, let them not be stubborn. "
9. "Time and place of grace - only here"
Sv. Right. John Kronstadt writes that the adoption by the person of graceful gifts of salvation is possible only in this life:"Kto does not know how hard it is difficult to apply the sinner with his beloved sin's path to the way of virtue ... If it were not for the grace of God, who would have come to God from sinners, as the property of sin - darken us, to bind us hand and legs . But the time and place for grace is only here: after death - only the prayers of the church and then on repentant sinners can act, on those who have admissibility in souls, the light of good deeds, having taken from this life, to which grace may be hidden God or fertile prayers of the church. "
Blessed Feofilakt Bulgarian He speaks:
"The sinner, having been truth, and in real life, is already in darkness, but since there is still hope for appeal, then this darkness and not there is darkness. And by death there will be a consideration of his affairs, and if he did not redeem here, then his pomestic darkness surrounds there. For the hope of the appeal is then no longer, and the perfect deprivation of Divine grace comes. While the sinner here, then, although he also receives divine goods, - I'm talking about the sensual benefits, - He is still a servant of God, because he lives in the house of God, that is, between the creations of God, and God nourishes and preserves him. And then it will be completely excommunicated from God, without having participation already in any benefits: this is a darkness, called Ghane, in the opposite of the present, not half, when the sinner still remains the hope of repentance. "
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Pavel, the will of God, the apostle of Jesus Christ, located in Ephesus, holy and faithful in Christ Jesus: grace you and the world from the God of our father and Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1: 1).
Just he said that it was, and grace immediately visited him, and his soul Zasali.
Why don't we see in the gospel, what did Mytar say and what - Pharisee? Pharisee is a moral, impeccable, fair, kind person who had a good name and who was pious. The same happens with us, pious, the same. How to raise Pharise, if he did everything exactly as necessary, if he was a good person? As one grandmother told me:
- What does it mean, older? Everything that I do is good! If you do something else - it's bad! I consider all your good, and what others do something bad for me! What does it mean? Is it possible that I am always right if my deeds are good, and others are bad? Something is happening!
I answered her:
- Yes, you are right, grandma, something happens here!
So, we, good in everything, do not sink in God, because we are good and moral people and perform everything as it should, but God does not want us. And the other is a sinner, a bad man, he is an olyan, he thief, a liar, a fraudster; So was mytar - this is the bad person. However, he found a quick connection with God - rejoicing, crying, dries herself in the chest and saying: "God, hunt me, sinful!" . And he was justified, while the other was convicted.
See how one thoughts before God changed the whole person? One has time, rushed, I cried before God, and God immediately visited him, cleared, consecrated and justified. Just like the robber. And the other, the Pharisee, was good, he liked that he was good, and he thanked God: "Thank you, God, that I am not like other people or like this sootar!" All, the end!
Therefore, condemnation is a great sin. Why? Because it means the absence of humility. The predominal condemns the other, and the smarmer does not condemn, because he knows: we are all guilty of God. There are no innocent before God, we are all the uncleans, Okyanne, firm, grilled. Who can I condemn if we are all the same: one with one bad, the other on the other? Maybe I do not have such a sin, but there are thousands of others! Isn't that sins too? Is it not wound too? Is it also not defiles the image of God in us? Let I do not lie, but I'm a thief, and if I am not a thief, then unfair and everything else. Sin is sin, that is, both sin.
We all need to repent, and therefore we can all get grace of God, if we accept and show. This, beloved brethren, the key to the secret of God's grace. God visits a humble man who rises, let him still fight sins. However, God bend to the proud person, let him even be immaculate in the rest. God bends a proud person and not only does not help him, not only does not want him, but also disgusts from him, as they say in Scripture. He is an abrasion before God.
Do you know what "abomination" means? This is something that we are disgusting that we don't even want to smell, it's like Padal, which so disgusting stinks that we cannot bear it to the Smand and turn away. Such and a prideous man before God, because the proud never repents, he always justifies himself: "Yes, I said it, but it was necessary to say! It was necessary to act like that! I have to do so! " He has a knife, he cuts them others, and it does not care.
In the proud person, grace can not be abide. No matter how good qualities in it, but if there is egoism, the grace of God cannot be with him. A humble and repentant person, no matter how bad qualities, he will receive the grace of God, because God is already looking in the hearts of humble people who are repent, and repentance always attracts the grace of God.
The power of grace. I remember how I also asked myself, hearing: "grace, grace ...". I asked myself: "What is grace in the end? I, maybe there is grace, and I do not know what it is, "do we have grace? This is a question, and many people ask him. Do we have grace?
A person is easy to understand whether there is grace in it: by fruits. We cannot have grace and be dark, confusing, full of vices, live in nerves and in Chaos: grace cannot exist in the heart of such a person. The grace has fruits, these are the fruits of the Spirit, and one of them is what the Holy Apostle Paul says: (grace and) world . When grace is present, peace lives in man: he has a world in the soul, in his heart, in the body; He is a peaceful man.
This is one of the most obvious fruits of grace of God, and a person who has grace knows about it, he feels: grace acts in it. Fathers say: as a woman, when she is pregnant, understands that there is another person in it, because he feels a baby in his movements, the same with grace in man - he understands that he is graceful in him that this is not That his own, and the gift, it is divine energy.
In the same way, he understands and when God leaves him - but it was not God left us, and we leave him, like this will speak correctly. We leave God with our sins, crimes that we do, we leave God, we move away from grace, and it does not work. God is always near us, but we do not feel it, because we close our eyes under the influence of sin.
So, we feel it, and now many ask:
- Father, and smoking is a sin? And walk to the disco sin? And wearing this clothes sin? And this is a sin?
Sin is not a legal fact so that we can sit down and write a book in which it would be noted: this is a sin, and this is not a sin, - and whether it would be checked every time, whether sin or more. As they say in one ridiculous anecdote: they wrote the laws in which it was said: "If you make something three times, you will get such a punishment, and if five times, then." Well, if you do it four times? Nothing is said about this. So we will then do it four times, if for three and five will be punishment!
But the deeds are not overcome in this way, we cannot evaluate them as if in order of laws. So how to focus then? You understand yourself when you make any deed that the grace of God leaves you: the conscience is ging up you, and you feel that God is not with you.
One young man asked me:
- Is it sinful to go to such a place?
I told him:
"You know, I never walked at such places and I don't know if it was sin." But come on, I will ask you: When you go to this place, do you feel that God is with you?
He grinned:
- I don't think he was with me in that place.
- Well, if you do not think that he is with you, so do not go there!
If this is a place where God cannot go where, how you feel, God is not going with you, then it means that there is no God that God does not fit in that place. So we understand: when we see that grace leaves us, then do not look for something else, do not look for, whether it is written in the documents. There is no God in this case, in this action, in this regard to another.
First of all, know that one of the most cunning steps, with which we all fall (especially we, "Christians"), is a conviction. A person who condemns, falls down the string, like lead, he is not delayed for a moment. God, save us from it. Unfortunately, we suffer from this, in condemnation it is easy to slip, but the consequences of him are tragic. The man is completely deprived of grace. Did you condemn another person? God immediately leaves you. God can not be there, where there is a conviction.
Because condemnation - the first child of egoism; The egoist will easily condemn. It is akin to Hula on God, because only God can judge a person, for only he is sinless. The creator of man and God in his endless love expects a man to his last breath, and you do not know what is happening in the heart of another person. Do you judge the other, do you know that he has in his heart?
Do you know what a great mystery is, how much tenderness of grace? From one smile that you give a terrible person with love, from one good thoughtless that you will have about some kind of person, you can immediately feel this grace that you really feel yourself before the throne of God. So much grace can push the person with one of her simple movement and thoughts! And so much can fall, literally crashing and centered grace because of one of his condemning gesture and rejection of another person.
What a great thing is - a man to have a world in himself. Peaceful man is really very happy; Happy is not a strong, rich, famous, educated, famous, and that person who has peace in his heart. Whatever happens around him, God's peace, superior to every mind, in it, because God is the world. Christ is our world. He is our world, and when he is in us, then everything within us is in the world. Therefore, the church constantly prays: "The Morty of the Lord is prayed", "about the reduced world and the salvation of our souls", "the world of all", the "world of God", "with the world of sisond"! We constantly hear this word - "Peace" and "Peace Source".
So, the world is Christ; When he is present, peace is in man. In a person, harmony is equilibrium, fullness, he has no fear, anxiety, phobias, uncertainty, stress, fear of death: "We infectivate the bird flu, they become also infected with some kind of flu, let's get into operation ..." We will lose peace and upset.
Something we lack. Why are there such confusion and anxiety inside? Take Christ and put it in your heart. When he is present, everything else is pale, and a person feels complete, he is Miren, he has no fears, anxiety, no one can scare us. When God is present, who scares me? When I lose God, yes, I'm scared, I choke when I lose God; Then I get into the stressful situation and imagine that I will do everything myself, I will decide and settle. But it is not. God is the one who will do everything. God will arrange everything. Keep God in your heart, and if you delay him humility, prayer, repentance, the storage of his commandments, reading the Word of God, then the world will reign in you. And as one great old man said, the world, and thousands of people around you will find peace.
He says: "Having peace in itself, and with you the sky and the earth will be ashamed." Then you will no longer be afraid that the other will hurt you, smoothes you, as we think that we conjure us, they envy us, damage, and live with these madness. No one can do anything: when we are with humility we carry God in our heart and call on the name of God, then God is present, and we have a world, and the great problems of the modern era are allowed - stress, uncertainty, loneliness, violence, malice that bear us every day…
Grace - 1) Divine effect at all; 2) Divine action aimed at preserving and developing peace; 3) Divine action aimed at saving a person.
The word "grace" means good good giftbecause only God is the source of the highest.
Is it possible to call the grace by God, Divinity?
Equally, the manifestation or action of the nature of the fire is a split, shining movement of gases, contemplated in the form of languages, - we call not only burning, but also with fire. As touching the fire, we commemorate not to his essence, but to its action (because it is precisely the action), and the involvement of the divine manifestation or energy, the involvement of grace, is involvement of God himself.
In this regard, the grace of God is often referred to as the third face of the Blessed Trinity - the Holy Spirit, although it can be denoted by a more expressive expression: the grace of the Holy Spirit or the grace of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is called the Holy Spirit because the divine action always stems from his father through her son and manifests itself in the spirit of Saint.
What does Stise Holy Spirit mean?
The compassion of the Holy Spirit is the compassion of God's grace. Under the compound you can not imply accumulating the likeness of how material or even intangible values \u200b\u200baccumulate, such as labor skills or knowledge.
Charging grace means something else. As the spiritual transformation of a person who is not coming differently as with the assistance of God, a person does not just get better and perfect; He is likened to God and spiritually comes closer to him. The higher the degree of likelihood and unity of the person and God, the brighter manifests itself and expressively shines in him God's grace. Actually, all this fertile saving process is called grace or consecration, oblivion (cm:;).
How should it be treated for the provision on the teaching of grace through the sacred subjects, shrines, such as the icons and the power of God's worships?
The reduction of grace can be carried out by God both directly and through representatives or subjects of the created world. In cases of giving grace through holy icons and relics, they serve as a means of communication with God and His saints (see :;).
Unlike magical means, where the emphasis is placed on rituals and spells, the grace of God does not work mechanically, but a person is taught by his faith. The ability to perceive grace depends on the internal state of a person, from his heart attitude. In this regard, the prayer is understood by the Holy Fathers not as if praying, a person worsens God to him, and so that praying, he himself towers and reveals to interact with him.
When sampling in front of the icon or recesses, the manthomole is easier to tune in to appeal, it is easier to focus and remove your spirit (mind and heart) to the revenge, whose image is captured on the icon, or to the saint, to whose relics he wants to fall. When entering into a prayer connection with hijackers, we ask them for a petition to the Creator, and it responds - to the extent that it is necessary for the benefit of praying, - by its blessing (action).
It is incorrect to consider that the Orthodox icons or holy power are independent sources of God's grace, God's energies. Such an attitude is akin to the attitude of pagans to talismans and oversets, and should be recognized as alien to Christian consciousness.
If the grace supplied to the believer by means of saint or shrine is not emitted by them as its immediate sources, then why was Motovilov in the brilliance of the gracious light?
The grace of God is nothing more than a divine action directed into the world; In a narrower meaning - a divine action aimed at saving a person.
In the usual conditions for a sinful person, grace, as a rule, is invisible. In turn, a truly believer is capable of assisting God, contemplate its spiritual eyes.
Meanwhile, at a special discretion of the Almighty, the radiance of grace can be revealed even and a sinful person, and even sensual way. For what? - In each case there is a special advocacy goal (see :).
At the discretion of God's radiance, the shine is apparently and then when she (grace) hesitate on God's saints.
So, the light that came from the face of Moses () served as a testimony for the sons of Israel about his proximity to God, that the Lord favors to their legpody and leader. This testimony strengthened the authority of Moses, kept his fellow tribesmen from excessive ropota and probably from a potentially possible rebellion.
As an innovatives, so unbelievers are deprived of the possibility of attachment to those gracious who are taught exclusively to members (of course, it is impossible not definitely, but only until they enter into the ranks of Christians).
However, this does not mean that they are completely devoid of the possibilities of the communion of Divine Grace.
First, the saving grace acts on them asking them (this corresponds to the concept of "calling the action of Divine Grace"). Even before his sufferings, the Lord announced: "When I am ascended from the ground, everyone will attract to him" ().
The holy fathers call the grace "rays of the Divine", "divine glory", "" ... The action of the Divine Grace has all three faces of the Holy Trinity. "The action of a unoccupied entity," writes St. - There is something in common, although it is characteristic of each person. " St., reflecting on the house-building manifestation of the Holy Trinity, notes that grace comes from his father and communicates through the Son in the Holy Spirit. According to the word sv. , grace is "Energy General and Divine Strength and the Action of the Tripostasic God."
The action of the Divine Grace opens the possibility of knowing God. "... Without grace, our mind cannot know God," teaches St. - ... Each of us can argue about God as much as I learned the grace of the Holy Spirit. " The action of Divine Grace gives a man the opportunity to fulfill the commandments, salvation and spiritual transformation. "When acting around himself, a Christian contributes to the feats of all his identity, but it does, and can successfully do, only with the continuous assistance of the Divine Force - grace, - teaches St.. . - There is no thought that a Christian can think in the gospel, there is no feeling that he can feel the evangelical, there is no case that he can make evangelical without fertile help of God. " The action of Divine Grace tells a person an invaluable gift of the connection with God -. In this fertile condition, a person, according to the word of St. , it is likened to Christ and becomes above the first Adam.
The action of Divine Grace is carried out in collaboration (c) with a free will of man. "God-human synergism is a significant difference between Christian activities in the world. Here a person will work out to work God and God will work out for a person, - explains St. . - ... a person for his part seizes will, and God - grace; A Christian personality is created from the joint action. " According to the teachings of St. , creating a new person, grace acts mysteriously and gradually. The grace is experiencing a human militant, whether he retains all the love of God, noticing consent in him with his actions. If in a spiritual feat of the soul turns out to be a good-size, no one is upgrown and not insulting grace, then she penetrates "to the deepest compositions and thoughts," until the whole soul is increasing grace.
The concept of "grace of God" in the Holy Scripture
The word "grace" is very often found in the Holy Scripture, both the Old and New Testament, and is used in various senses:
but) Sometimes means goodness, felt, favorables, mercy (;;);
b) Sometimes a gift, good, all the good, all sorts of a gift, what kind of God gives His Merit, without any of their part of merit (;), and the natural gifts that the whole earth is filled (;) and supernatural, emergency giving God, which gods various members of the church (;;);
in) Sometimes it means the great deal of our redemption and salvation, committed by the grace of the Lord of our Jesus Christ (), ();
d) But the saving strength of God, who, reporting to the merits of Jesus Christ, is called the merits of Jesus Christ for our consecration and rescue, revives us spiritual and, claiming, and improving, makes our sanctification and. Jesus Christ yesterday and today and forever the same. Do not get involved in various and alien to the teachings; For good grace strengthen the hearts, and not by the disassembly from which they did not benefit().
Dogmatic definitions of grace
(From the book: "Canona or the Book of Rules."Rules of Holy Councils of Local. The rules of the convulsion of the Carthaginskago Cathedral (393-419))
125. It is also determined: if someone detects that the grace of God, who is justified in Jesus Christ, our Lord, is valid for only the release of sins that have already been made, and does not submit over that help, but other sins are not worried, - there will be anaathema, so How the grace of God not only gives knowledge, which is appropriate to create, but still inhales in us love, but we can fulfill what they know.
126. Also, if someone detects that the same grace of God, who about Jesus Christ our Lord, will remember us only in order not to sin, because it opens and is the knowledge of sins, yes, we know what to seek and what to shift, but That it is not served by love and the strength to do what we have learned due to create: such will be Anathema. For when the apostle is a verb: mind makes proud, and love creates (): It would be very wicked to believe that our grace of God, and we do not have the creation; While there is a gift of God: and knowledge. What pleases to create, and the love of good, which is approved to create, so that when creating love, could not sile mind. For how from God is written: personal man mind (): It is also written and this: love from God is().
127. It is also determined: if someone detects that the grace of excuses is given to us so that it is more convenient for the fulfillment of free-raid performance, we were more convenient than grace, as if not accepting the grace of God, we, although with inconvenience, could and without it, to fulfill the Divine Commandments, - Such will be anathema. For the Lord did not tell about the fruits of the commandments: without me you can uncomfortable, but said: without me, nothing can be created().
God is opposed to Gordy, and humble gives grace ().
rev.: "Every two great feathers will be attended by the god-fearing soul: the first to get the grace of the Holy Spirit, because there is no possibility to enter into someone on the path of salvation and even more so marching on him, if he does not get the mysterious grace of the Allweight Spirit, the second is more serious In order not to lose this grace received with many pots and works ... And this great feat, so as not to lose God's grace, obtained already, will come to the soul to the last of our sinking. "
How to find God's grace
"So, having the high priest of the Great, the past heaven, Jesus the Son of God, will firmly hold the confessions of our own because we have no high priest, who cannot compare us in our universities, but which, like us, is sophisticated in everything except sin"
A few years ago, one of my friend suggested me to take a new position in the Mission "Navigators". I liked my job and I didn't want to change it at all. Nevertheless, I replied that I'll think about it. I hoped that I would face and God would show me that a new job is not for me.
To say that I did not really like the new job - it means to shove the soul. When I thought about all its advantages and minuses, then there were five minuses, and the advantages are not one. The more I pondered about the offer of a friend, the worse I became. I had an unpleasant feeling: God wants me to agree. But the more I thought about a new job, the less I liked her. I got into a difficult position: I really didn't want to do what God apparently wanted from me. How to proceed?
The struggle between my desires and what, in my opinion, was God's will, lasted for several days. Its glow increased. Once in the evening I told God that I would agree to do everything he wishes from me, but I do not have spiritual forces to tell a friend "Yes." I complained to him that he had reached the limit of his own opportunities, which is ready to follow him, but provided that he will give forces.
I continued to suffer, and then I remembered the words from the in.12: 24: "True, truly I tell you: if wheat grain, paddhys in the ground, will not die, then one will remain; And if it dies, it will bring a lot of fetus. " It seemed to me that these lines could not be better approached to my situation, because to agree to a new job for me was equivalent to death. All the plans that I built about the future of my family would have been killed about my ministry.
But this verse reminded me of one biblical principle: to bring the fruit to pre-"die". Moreover, Jesus said that if we do not "die", then the fetus will definitely not be. After thinking, I found the strength to answer "yes." I said: "Lord, the new job does not please me, but you promised that if I" die ", I can bring a lot of fetus. I do not understand how it can happen, but I believe you, and accept the offer. " Then it turned out that the new work was not at all God's will. Obviously, he used this case to make a certain spiritual change in me.
But on this example, it is very clearly visible how to find God's grace, that is, God's strength, which will help to properly act in a variety of situations. Perhaps the thought of observing God's grace for you Nova, and you do not quite understand what I am talking about. We acquire the power that God prepared us in Christ. You can use this analogy: we take money from an inexhaustible bank account - from the account of God's grace. For this, God gave us four funds: prayer, his word, submission to its fishery and the ministry of fellow believers.
The throne of grace
The first means of finding grace - prayer: you need to ask for grace in prayer. In the described situation, I had a crisis faith, I stopped asking God to point out the way and began to ask him about grace, that is, about the spiritual ability, to say "yes" his will. In Heb.4: 15-16 God exhorts us to dare to come to him in prayer:
"For we have not such a high priest who cannot compare us in our universities, but which, like us, is sophisticated in everything except sin. Therefore, yes, we proceed with daring to the throne of grace to get mercy and gain grace for parolescent help. "
The throne of grace is a symbol of God, squeezing on his throne, God of all grace. Of course, it is not about the throne itself, but about the grace in the need for God, sitting on this throne and giving us grace in the need for God. In OD.6: 16-17 we see God's God and Court. Who will bring there to be, will call the mountains and stones so that they fell on them and hid them on the face of the Lord, from his anger.
The prophet Isaiah also saw God sitting on the throne. But it was God forces and holiness. An embraced fear, Isaiah exclaimed: "Mount to me! I died! For I am a person with unclean mouth, and I also live among the people with unclean mouth, - and my eyes saw the king, gentlemen Savaof "(IS.6: 5). In Heb.4: 16 We see no longer the throne of anger and not even the throne of greatness and holiness, but the throne of grace. God exhorts us to go to this throne, not afraid of his anger, not afraid of His holiness, but being confident In his grace. God holy, omnipotent and great - this is exactly the same as he saw His Isaiah. The day will come when he brings his anger to everyone who turned away from him. But for us, his children, he - the lord of the grace on the throne.
No need to forget that God brought Jesus to sacrifice for our sins. He restored justice, took anger from us. Thanks to the atoning victim of Jesus God, the throne - for us no longer the throne of the trial and anger, but the throne of grace.
The very God, about which Paul says he "lives in an impregnable light" (1Tim.6: 16), now invites us to enter the holy saints, in your throat hall and "proceed" to Him (JU.10: 19- 22). Such an invitation contrasts sharply with the norms of Moiseeva law. Previously, only the high priest could be included in the Holy Holy Temple, and once a year and only with the blood of the redemptive sacrifice (EHR.9: 7). Now, thanks to the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, shed once for everyone, all believers can at any time enter the heavenly sanctuary (JU.10: 19). We have the right to enter God. Moreover: God exhorts us to dare to enter it - and all thanks to the blood of Christ.
Approaching the throne, you need to remember that the God of all grace is seated. He is the owner who paid daily earnings even to those who worked on the vineyard just an hour. He is God who spoke about the sinful Israeli people who stayed in captivity: "And I will rejoice about them, the benefits of them ..." (Ier.32: 41). He is God who preserved the loyalty to Peter - a sinner and a loser. He is God who made from Peter the Great Apostle. He is God who again promises that he will never leave and leave us (see Dev. 31: 6.8; Ps.93: 14; Is.42: 16; Heb.13: 5). He is God who wants to "pardon" us (IS.30: 18). He is God, who for us, and not against us (Rom.8: 31). All this can be expressed by several words: he is God anything grace.
Approaching the throne of grace, we see that our high priest, Jesus, came earlier and petitions for us (see EU .7: 24-25). The author of the Epistle to the Jews says Jesus is able to compare our weaknesses. Two denials "not" in words: "For we have a not such a high priest who cannot compare us in our universities ..." (Heb.4: 15) is equivalent to one statement: "For our The high priest is truly able to To compare us in our universities ... ". This is how John Brown wrote, Scottish theologians of the XIX century: "The truth is that he not only compassionates our weaknesses, but can not be compassioned. So you need to ask not "Can he compare me?", And "Could he not compare me?"
Jesus can compare our weaknesses, because he is "sophisticated in everything except sin." The word translated as "compassion" means not easy to "feel pity to someone", but "understand the feelings of another person and share them, that is, suffering from someone else's pain." But this feeling is available only to someone who has ever been to a similar situation, who understands the martyr and wants to alleviate his suffering.
J. Brown wrote:
"This is a pity ... But this is something more than just pity: this is a pity that a kind person feels in relation to those who pass through the same suffering through which he himself passed ...
If the Son of God was not at the same time and man, he could regret his people, but could never compare him. To gain the ability to compassion, he needed to become unprotected from suffering. To become compassionate, he needed to become an sufferer. "
Nevertheless, I suspect that many of us, experiencing physical or emotional pain, are often asked to themselves: "Does Jesus suffered so much so much?". After all, he was not unemployed, his son did not die in a car accident, he was not crippled, his wife slowly did not fade away from cancer?! In the Bible, of course, it is not said that Jesus suffered all these specific suffering. It says: he "like us, tempted (was) in everything, except for sin" (4:15), i.e., the temptations of Jesus covered the whole range of human suffering. He was born in poverty, he drove the Israeli chiefs, betrayed friends, on the cross he underwent terrible pain. Jesus was not yet thirty years old when his earthly father Joseph died, which was last mentioned in chapter 2 of the Gospel from Luke.
The worst thing was that something was not given to you: Heavenly Father was left (MF.27: 46). Sometimes in trouble we feel Loneliness (David says about it in Ps.12: 2) And we know: the worst feeling we feel when God leaves us. True: Jesus was "Movement of sorrows and experienced diseases" (IS.53: 3). So he is able to understand us and compare us. That we would have happened, he is not in a novelty. Jesus understands our sufferings and shares them, and therefore we can confidently led to God's throne and, without having to impose our sorrows on Christ. We are not indifferent to him, he understands us.
"To get mercy and find grace for parolescent help" (Heb.4: 16), he encourages us to dare to come to the throne of grace, where the compassionate high priest is already given for us. Very often, the words "mercy" and "grace", said about God, interchangeable. That is how most interpreters understand them in this passage.
These nouns are very close in meaning, but usually between them see the following difference: "(God's) goodness in relation to unworthy is called grace, but in relation to sufferers - pity or mercy." Louis Berkof expresses such a thought of mercy: "It can be determined like God's goodness or love, revealed by grieving, regardless of whether there was a grief deserved or not" Consequently, in Heb.4: 16 The word "grace" apparently means that the grace we spoke about in the two previous chapters, - God's help through the Holy Spirit.
So, we come to the throne of God's grace, first of all, because we need His mercy, being merciful, he grants us grace - Help in the Holy Spirit and helps, thus, to cope with our difficulties, problems, sorrow and coming out the goddly.
I am so detailed by analyzing an excerpt from Heb.4: 15-16 to clarify how in prayer to find God's grace. I think everyone will be useful for us to find out what it means - to appear before the throne of God's grace. We need to understand what makes the compassionate high priest Jesus for us. But, most importantly, we need to go to the NPectol of grace to find grace during the need.
So I entered in this case. I started the throne of grace and told God that I could not do what, as it seemed to me, he wanted from me. I asked him to give me strength to answer "yes." When the Jewish rulers were banned by Peter and John to preach about Christ, the disciples with daring rushed to the throne of God's grace. They prayed: "And now, the Lord, I will revive them on the threats, and give your slaves with all the courage to say words" yours "(Acts.4: 29). They rushed to the throne of God's grace and asked for mercy. They asked to give them grace to boldly talk about Christ.
Word of grace
So, the grace received from the Lord is also the help of the Holy Spirit. It is not clear to us how the Holy Spirit interacts with the human spirit, but we know: most often - through the Word of God, that is, he reminds us those excerpts from the Scriptures that can help in our situation. This happens when we listen to the preaching of the pastor or the word of each other, read the Christian book or writing. I knew myself very much excerpts from the Bible, and therefore the Spirit often reminds me of familiar poems. So happened when he reminded me that you need to "die" for your own plans and aspirations to bring the fruit. Paying our attention to a certain verse, it shows how to apply this truth in the situation.
In Acts 20: 32 Paul appeals to the Ephesian Presbyters: "And now I betray you, brethren, God and the word of grace of it that can ask you more and give you a heritage with all consecrated." A little earlier, in verse 24, he mentioned the Gospel of God's grace, about the good of the salvation given through Jesus Christ. In verse 32, he talks about the word of grace of him, mighty to ask you. This is a strengthening faith and the daily reading of the Scripture. It was his Paul who calls the "word of grace", which helps to understand and find God's grace.
The Bible is not just a book about God, but a book that came from God. "All Scripture is brainstormy," Paul said (2ndim.3: 16). The Bible is the revelation of God about himself, given to everyone who wants to know about him: to know about salvation, about spiritual growth. She is the only objective testimony emanating from God's own.
So, to find God's grace, you need to know the Bible very well. It is necessary to know the great truths of Scripture: the truth about God and his nature, about the man and his desperate need. Do not stand your knowledge to limit the "biblical recipes" - how to raise children, how to spend money, as evidenced by unbelievers, etc. Do not be content with one advice!
In our practical age, it is believed that the judgment of theological doctrines is a waste of time, because it does not bring practical benefits. But what could be practical knowledge about God? Above all, David wanted to take a look at the beauty of the Lord (see Ps.26: 4) - on its holiness and power, wisdom and strength, loyalty and inexhaustible love. God tells about yourself and your nature only in Scripture.
But the Bible is more than objective truth. She grants and supports life. Scriptures - "This is not empty for you; But this is your life "(Deck 32: 47). Increase in God's grace (i.e., to learn its undeserved location or receive assistance in need), it is possible, only knowing God's Word, absorbing him. As food when digesting, it is distributed throughout all the tissues of the body, so in the spiritual world a written word of God enters our hearts and becomes figuratively speaking, spiritual flesh.
How do we know that God's Grace is enough for all Pasha "Food"? How do we understand what to live or serve "by giving God"? How to find out about the "throne of God's grace", at the foot of which we take mercy and grace during the need? How do we learn that God is a gracious owner who gives us much more than we deserve? The answer to all these questions is one: from Scripture, so it is called the word of grace. R. Lensky wrote: "God and the Word of Grace His are inseparable. God allows the grace to appear through the word of yours. "
How long the connection between God and His Word is seen from Rome.15: 4-5: "And everything that was written before was written to us to instruct that we care and consolation from the Scriptures retain hope. God of patience and consolation yes gives you to be in everynownity between sobody, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. " In verse 4 it is said that through the Scripture we gain consolation and patience. In verse 5 it is written that God gives us. So, patience and consolation are the gifts of God's grace coming to us during the need. We proceed to him with a request, and God responds to it through Scripture.
So, to find God's grace, more often read the Word of God. Sunday sermons are not enough, although they are important. You need to constantly read the Scriptures, study it and memorize individual poems. From this God will not think about you better and will not bless abundance. After all, he does not bless us for the fact that we eat right! But proper nutrition is necessary to maintain life in the body. So the regular nutrition in the Word of God is necessary for spiritual health, to gain its grace.
"To confront the shivel of the devil, it is enough to answer him God's word, from which the forces of Darkness run. Christians on their own experience were convinced of the reliability of this method. God's word drives doubts, fears, frees from the power of Satan. "
Let's say this: the Word of God gives the believer necessary in the need for grace.
But to become a sword, it should always be near - in the heart. You need to become like a psalm show, who said: "In my heart, I secretly hid my word, so as not to squeeze before you" (Ps.118: 11). To hide the Word in the heart - it means to hide it there for the time of need. We often say: "Get on a black day." So, I am preserving the Word of God in the heart, we not only save ourselves from sins - adultery, lies, theft, etc. Hidden in the heart of the word - the Intellectual Foundation of the Holy Spirit, which he uses to bring us grace.
I myself experienced an amazing fortune when I wrote this chapter. I was called from afar and reported very unpleasant news about loved ones. In the evening, I went to sleep with such a feeling that I got a blow to a solar plexus. But, waking up the next morning, I first remembered the words of the Apostle Peter: "You will place all the concerns on him, for he has been baked about you" (1Pet.5: 7). I dressed, but this verse did not go out of my head: the Holy Spirit gave me grace to think that God would really take care of the situation. That was why I was able to partially impose my alarms on him, having received grace through the word it was when it was necessary.
This case is only one of the long series of the like. So it happened to me and, I am sure, with all the believers who hid the Word of God in their hearts. In the comments to EF.6: 17, FF Bryus wrote: "At the time of the danger of God's words, they are immediately the believer, put them in his heart, and help not disappear from Christ." The Bruce notes refers to verse 11 of Psalm 118.
So, if you want to find God's grace, you need the Sword of Spiritual - the Word of God - always in your mind, was always at hand in the Holy Spirit. The structure of verse EF.6: 17 clearly shows how the holy spirit interacts with believers. Paul said that we should "take" a spiritual sword, i.e. we must make some efforts. But this sword is still not ours, but the Spirit. It is he who forces him to work. To revive the word-sword can only spirit, but provided that we take it in hand.
Sometimes the Word of God never comes to life immediately: sometimes for several days I have to fight over the problem, reread the Scripture and ask God from God, before the Holy Spirit will revive the biblical truths in me and gives grace and help. The Spirit of God acts at its discretion, it is not to squeeze into spiritual formulas: pray - quote Scripture - receive a ready-made answer.
God does not only in his own way, but also at one time. Sometimes, he sends grace immediately, as in the case told by me (1Pet.5: 7). Another time allows us to suffer a few days, weeks, months. But, no matter how he orders, we need to tirelessly strive for the throne of His grace, believing in the promised help. You need to read Scripture until it comes to our hearts. Our business is to take a spiritual sword, and it is to revive him.
Submission to God
The third way to God gives us his grace is subjecting his fishery. The Apostle Peter said: "... yet, submitting to each other, enjoyed the humble and because God is opposed by Gordy, and the humble gives grace. So, come to get up under the strong hand of God, let you raise you at one time "(1Pet.5: 5-6).
God grants the grace of humble - those who are humble under the strong man's hand. We often, on the contrary, do not humble, but property His strong hand. Having appealed to God to get rid of trouble, we, at best, rapid, grind and worry, and in the worst - I'm angry or rising against God. In both cases, we fall into the sin of pride, and the Gordy Lord opposes.
To find God's grace, you need to accept, submit to his plans and ideas. And for this it is necessary to understand that it is his strong hand worth it for all our troubles and anxieties. No wonder the Bible teaches: no matter how the immediate cause of events seemed to us, God is worth it for everyone.
Jose and Joseph saw God's hand in what happened to them. Saveyan was stolen by Owov, Haldey hijacked camels and killed servants, lightning burned sheep, and Hurricane dumped the house of the eldest son, under whom all the children were killed, - all this happened in one day. Then, himself, from the sole of the legs before the dark, was covered with painful ulcers. Nevertheless, losing children and property, Job said: "The Lord gave, the Lord and took" (Jobs.1: 21). In response to his own torment, he said: "... Are we kind of good to take from God, and will we not accept evil?" (2:10).
In this story, I was more important for us, and his wisdom: looking over the human evil and natural disasters, he knew that everything was happening, even suffering, was coming from God's hands. Finishing the story about the misadventures of Job, the sacred permissor notes: they (relatives) "steadily with him, and comforted him for all evil, which The Lord brought him... "(иов.42: 11). At the beginning of the story, the author mentions the role of playing in the events of Satan, but at the end still ascribes the happening hand of the Lord.
When Joseph finally opened him to slavery to the cunning brothers, he said: "So you didn't send me here, but God, who put me with the father of Pharaoh and Mr. in all his house, and the domain in the whole earth of Egypt" (life. 45: 8). He knew about the All-Russian God, who even used the sin of the brothers to exercise his goals. To find God's grace, it should be remembered: his hand drives all the circumstances of our life. If something unpleasant, bitter or humiliating happened, you need to compete under his strong hand.
And also: Do \u200b\u200bnot forget that his strong hand is a hand of a loving father who raises her children. Sometimes we get bitterly, because we perceive the troubles as God's punishment, and not as evidence of His care and desire to correct us. However, in Heb.12: 7 It is written: "If you suffer a punishment, God comes with you, as with sons. For there is any son who would not punish the Father? " The author of the message to the Jews did not explain what kind of punishment does in mind. He does not say that troubles are sometimes sent to us in punishment. He said the goal of sent to trouble - to raise us. And be sure: whatever trouble do on your way, who seemed to you their reason, is God for everyone. So he raises us.
In addition, the author of the Message to the Jews says that God raises those who love (Art.6). This is not a warning, but exhortation (Art. 5). According to the Epistle to the Jews, the goal of God's punishment is "so that we have to participate in Holy Holyness" (Article 10), in order to become the character of his son.
Punishment can pursue two goals: fix our actions and fill out some shortcomings in our character. In both cases, the father punishes us with love, and not in anger. Jesus has already accepted God's wrath instead of us, and therefore all the troubles and troubles come to us only because he loves us and wants to upbringing to her son.
Samuel Bolton wrote:
"Everything that God does, he does with love for people. He punishes us only with love (although the reason for punishment can serve and sin). He punishes us only from love. The ultimate goal is love. He does everything only for the blessing to us so that we can become partakers of Holy Holyness and, to our glory, concerns of His glory. "
In trouble and grief it is difficult to see the hand of a loving God: we, like the whole world, continue to think that the highest good is happiness. All that happens to us is, we evaluate only one criterion: we have become happier from this or not. But holiness is good greater than happiness, and therefore God all arranged so to give us holiness before happiness. About our eternal good, he cares more than about temporary prosperity. He cares more about the spiritual than the material. Therefore, coming from his hand of troubles, troubles, grief, disappointment and humiliation carry holiness.
John Newton very accurately showed the tactics of God in the hymn "trouble - the answer to prayer":
Lord, - in prayer I asked, -
How can I rescue?
Requested about faith and love
And as a person to recover it.
Moluba to me in the mouth invested,
Yes, the answer itself sent.
But there was a response to him
What I fell into despair.
I thought: in grapples
Ful by request, and VMIG
The fighting power of love
Sin fell - and immediately the world arose!
And he showed me a soul:
My soul, and in her - rot.
And the forces of hell wrote
To attack her.
Then the same hand
(To increase the sadness?)
My dreams are blonde
Dispelled in dust. The dust fused the distance ...
Lord for what? - shouting trembling.
Caught death carries your eyes?
I asked you faith, grace -
Here is my answer, it was a sentence.
Need torments in order
To destroy the pride,
Worldly joy despite
In me, open my new world.
It is not enough to see a strength of God's hand for the direct reasons for our troubles. It is not enough to understand that this is the hand of a loving father, raising his children. I saw in Scripture so much confirmations of God Vsevladia, which is already instinctively looking for God's hand in all what is happening. And now with great reluctance forced to admit: every trouble is part of God's educational process, designed to fix something in us, and something to fill. The most difficult - submit. We often come together to God, but in order to get into trouble, to gain his grace, you need, first of all, to accept under the carrier test of a strong hand.
God gives grace only humble - humble in relations with people and God. John Lilly expressed this idea very well: "And therefore, give up, silently and crotko taking any humiliation emanating from the hands of God. For the time is the time of your test, and when parental rose is found with the spirit of meekness, then reconciliation, healing and joy will follow. " And then Lilly gives a very important advice: "And do not try to upset the plans of the gracious God, do not try to avoid the blessing of sorrow. Let his plans become your plans! ".
After the death of my first wife, a friend sent me a postcard with words taken, apparently from the old church hymn. I rewrote these verses in my notebook to reflect on them during prayer:
Lord I am ready
Take everything you give
Live without what you hold from me
Give what you take from me
Suffer from troubles sent by you
Become as you want.
It is such a meekness of the Spirit that needs to get torture under the strong man's hand and find the grace promised them.
But humility has another important side. It is not enough to obey the Spirit, you need to obey and actions, believing that he will support us at the crucial moment. And the "decisive moment" will come when the trouble will reach its goal. As the prophet Jeremiah said, "For the Lord leaves not per century. But he sent the grief, and heres about his great goodness "(crying 3: 31-32). God will not leave us in trouble longer than you need, "For he does not make his heart punishable and grieves the sons of human" (Article 33).
God will raise the one who comes up under his strong hand. How? Maybe it will take trouble, restore the world in our life, gives us those benefits that we did not have. It happened and with Jews: "And God blessed the last days of I was more than the previous ..." (Jos.42: 12). Maybe circumstances will not change (for example, if someone from loved ones died), but they will take weight, pain and sorrow. It happened to Pavlov's "stale". He was graceing to endure suffering.
Where to draw faith when sometimes it seems that God forget about us? The Apostle Peter replies: "You will lay out all the concerns on him, for he is stirred about you" (1Pet.5: 7). Not only raises, but also Private about us. We have already said that the punishment accompanies care. But his concern is not limited to one punishments. Even punishing, he makes your pain. This is how Isaiah described the feelings of God towards Israel: "In any sort of grief, he did not leave them, and the angel of his face saved them" (IS.63: 9). Also, God applies to us. In every grief, he will not leave us.
God is stirred about you, and therefore put all the excitement on it. But do not confuse: it does not say in the text - "If you place all your concerns on him, he will abandon you." His concern is not due to our faith and the ability to shift excitement on him. Communication reverse: It is necessary to impose all worries on it precisely because he is about us.
And here it is not without the help of the Holy Spirit. No matter how approves us in your care - we believe with difficulty. Not easy way to truth to heart! Sometimes, to come to compete under his hand to believe that he is really about us, we have to ask for the grace of God. Sometimes it is necessary to pray to the words of the Father, who came to Jesus to ask about the healing of the Son. Jesus told him: "If you can believe anything, everything is possible to believe," what the Father exclaimed: "I believe, Lord! Help my unbelief "(MK.9: 23-24).
Servants of grace
The fourth path that God sends us to grace your own is the ministry of fellow believers. This method of God uses most often, because he himself commanded that in the body of Christ all members "the same concerned about each other" (1 Corp.12: 25). Of course, such ministry must be mutual. For each other we are the guides of God's grace.
We believe that in the ministry "bewilderful to give, rather than taking" (Acts.20: 35), i.e. we strive to be "gates", and not by recipients of grace. The problem is that we do not want to show the surrounding "our subsidiary", their difficulties. (Especially men do not like to expose their soul, considering this sign of weakness).
We try to impress that we have "all seized" that we are fighting with all temptations, we successfully cope with all the difficulties. It is difficult for us to admit not only that at work I pulled to a lubricant secretary, but also that the head bypassed the promised increase.
In the chapter "The Word of Grace" we said that you need to conceal God's Word in the heart for the time of need. During needs, there will be several close friends who can become the guards of God's grace.
Reflecting on the ministry of grace, we, above all, we think about the initiative personality of the minister. But more often the initiative belongs to the one who in ministry needs: who, besides him, recognizes the fact of the existence of needs and "will allow" to themselves anyone? He will have to show the servant that he is not only ready to tell about his problems, but also accept the ministry.
How to ask for another believer to serve us? Remember: In this case, we ask another person to become a conductor of the Holy Spirit, pouring their grace in us. We ask someone to strengthen us in communicating with the Holy Spirit to feel the help promised God. At the moment we do not ask for a tangible help and council (although this is possible in certain cases). Now we need God's grace and strengthening God's power.
If so, then someone should pray for us. Remember: how often Paul asks the recipients of their letters to pray for him, even in cases where nothing terrible happens to him! So really for an hour we don't ask believers to pray for us? But so that the prayers are successful, you need to explain to them what's the matter.
Secondly, we will need help friends to understand what passages from Scripture are applicable to our situation and how to practically use them. You can say: "Here is the essence of my problem. What do you think, what excerpts from Scripture can help me? " I understand - the offer is too bold: when a person is bad, the most unpleasant thing is to get a blurred answer in the form of a verse from the Bible. But good friends "see you through" and, of course, they will not quote "duty" poems.
Thirdly, you can ask to help us better understand the problem, look at her from the side. We tend to inflate their own difficulties and exaggerate dangers. Third-party observer can become a conductor of the Holy Spirit and objectively evaluate the situation that created, and this, in turn, will help torture under the strong hand of God.
You probably noticed that in this chapter I only spoke about the classical methods of serving each other - prayer, the Word of God, subordinate to the fishery of God. So it should be. A stranger can only facilitate our communication with the Holy Spirit, to become a guide of God's grace for us, but he has nothing to offer for us.
Nevertheless, the ministry is a bilateral street. If you see how many times in Scripture, there are words "each other", it will become clear how important the idea of \u200b\u200bmutual ministry is important for the New Testament writers. We are commanded to pray for each other, to strengthen each other, learn and exhort each other, rely on each other, wear each other's burden, share with each other, etc. Body of Christ lives the mutual ministry of his members.
Now let's talk about grace in the ministry, i.e., how to be an affordable Holy Spirit to become a conductor of grace from him to believers. We have already talked than helping those who are affirming how to allow someone to serve you. It is not necessary to do without grace and, perhaps you have to pray: "Lord, help me to open up before friends, although it seems to me humiliating. Let my friend become a servant of grace. "
The ministry must be mutual, and let's think about how to serve others. All those who explore this God's trail know how often they have to change roles - then you serve you, then you serve. So here the principle of Paul is appropriate: "Now your excess in the replenishment of their shortage, and after their excess to the replenishment of your shortage; To be uniformity "(2k.8: 14).
Permits are not only needed to pray. But, on the other hand, it is impossible to specifically pray for the needs if you did not tell about them. If a tragedy occurred - someone died, lost his job, became crippled due to illness or as a result of the accident, - here it is clear what to pray. But everyone reacts to such tragedies in its own way. Therefore, it is better to tell you more precisely about your prayer needs, I would tell you the circle of close friends, which for many years.
Perhaps prayer is one of the most important ways to serve grace. We said that God calls us to start His throne for mercy and grace. But sometimes the brothers and sisters are so depressed with their grief and seemingly silent, that they simply do not have enough spiritual strength to go to God's throne. They seem to them that the heavenly gates are closed that "God is not at home." In such cases, it follows with his prayers to raise the throne to the throne.
Such ministry is well described in MK.2: 1-12, when paralyzed literally carry to Jesus. This is one of the few events described in all three synoptic gospels. The story is familiar to everyone. We are striking faith and perseverance of the patient's friends: they could not penetrate the door, and therefore they climbed onto the roof and, disobeying her, the patient was lowered down to the legs of Jesus.
Let's focus on some of the details of this story. The man was completely paralyzed. This means that he could not help his friends - they themselves should have been carrying him. It is difficult to carry a helpless paralyzed person and hard. They carried it on the bed - a thin, naked a straw mattress. When friends dragged the patient, the mattress saved, which is why it was even harder to carry it ... But neither the severity of Noshi, nor the crowd stopped friends. They did not calm down until they put the patient to the legs of Jesus.
Sometimes someone from our friends or acquaintances becomes a spiritual paralytic. Sorrow or trouble make him felt spiritually. He cannot help himself. Moreover, the spiritual mattress on which he lies (their faith in God) is very thin. If we talk with this person with the words of Scripture, he will look at you with a missing look and say that the Scripture does not mean anything for him. He asked God to fulfill the promises, but nothing came out. There is no God near.
Such a person is a slight heavy spiritual burner. Praying with him is useless, you can only pray for it. Friends who were paralyzed were not retreated until they brought him to Jesus, so we should carry our burden, until we do before the throne of God's grace and God spiritually will not heal the suffering.
Of course, spiritual paralysis is an extreme case. Most often the one who we serve can go to the throne of God's grace. But we need to rally around him in prayer. God can answer the prayer of one and does it. But in Scripture, he talks about the need to pray for each other.
And how to get permission to serve someone grace? To do this, show the needy care in need, and let him understand that it is not indifferent to you. Our goal is to help a person come to God and impose his sadness on him. Needing is important to know that God is about him property. Very often about God's care We will be judged by other people about us: feeling the care of friends, it is easier to believe that you are not sensible to God. The main thing, do not try to replace God's care for your. Sometimes we do this. But God wants, in order for his behavior to be evidenced by his attitude to the suffering.
How to show your neighbor? The first is to come to contact. If you live in one city, invite it to visit, try somehow to establish relationships. I can judge my own experience and from the experience of a number of close friends: this is exactly what we sometimes do not succeed. Next to the grief feel awkwardly, you do not know what to tell him - and therefore you are silent, and sometimes you try to avoid this person. One friend, whose wife died a few months after mine, asked somehow: "Jerry, where are all my friends?" The other told about the friend who diligently avoided him after the death of a child.
If you do not communicate with grievous because there is nothing to say, I will give one advice. Tell me simply: "I understand how badly you, and I do not know how to console. But do not forget: I am with you. " If the situation is allowed, add: "Want, let's have a joke, let's talk?"
Just do not need to resear asking: "How are you?". Maybe you really wonder how he has things, but the person automatically responds to such a question: "Fine!". Having survived all this, I can say: this style of communication shows, rather, the asking you are indifferent.
Demonstrating his concern (try to determine yourself, he believed you or not), start asking "leading" questions: "How do you have a relationship with God?", "Do you read the Scripture or it is for you now - a dead book?". Ask questions so that the person understands: His "No" will not be frightened.
A conversation about Scripture with mournful requires great subtlety. No need to preach, you do not need to give duty councils. The rule is: I carry the consolation only by those rows of Scripture, which at one time comforted you. Be very careful: Does the person perceive everything you say to him? It seemed to me that in such cases it is best to write a letter with quotes from the Bible. At the same time, it will not be necessary to respond from the grief, and it looks not so intrusive as in a personal conversation.
It is very important to serve the neighbor, because it is so that the Holy Spirit can shed their grace through us. But I have already said that the ministry should be mutual. Do you have some friends who serve you for the grace of God? Have you ever earned the right to serve God's grace to others? To find God's grace, we need help each other. This is what Ecclesiast said:
"Two better than one; Because they have a good reward in their work. For if one falls, then another will raise his comrade. But the grief is one, when it falls, and there is no other, which would raise it "(Ecc. 4: 9-10).
If you do not have friends who could serve, but you want to have them, I propose advice. First, admit yourself: yes, I need such friends. It is not easy to do, especially men. Self-sufficiency and independence - man stigma. But if you read the book to this page, then, right, I realized that you are not self-sufficient. Even in communication with God, help is needed. He made us such that we cannot do without each other.
Secondly, ask God to bring you to those people with whom you may have a close relationship. Praying, think about your acquaintances: Maybe it's some of them? If you have chosen a person, invite it to visit, see if you can talk freely about purely personal matters - needs, goals, spiritual problems ... If you want to gather a small group, invite two or three friends and see if you have such Support Group".
But do not be surprised if God will answer you somewhat in an unusual way on a prayer for each other or friends. Maybe he will lead to your life of what you did not think about. Maybe you thought about those who consider the "spiritual giant", mentor and the advisor, and God will lead such who otherwise, as the "worm of Jacob" (Is.41: 14-15) you will not call (we talked about it in chapter 11 ).
In the process of developing your relationship, you will understand to what extent can be opened before new friends. This is a typical male problem - hard to recognize your drawbacks. I walked through this and I can say: if you feel that the Lord pushes you to open, type more in the light air and "dive." Then they will surprise themselves, with what understanding friends will be treated for you, how to talk about your problems and doubts.
But you do not need to talk only about troubles, you do not need to dear each other. Remember: God made us servants of grace and try to become guides of the Holy Spirit, help friends to find God's grace. Gathering together, pray for each other, talk about Scripture, help each other to obey God's providence.
Hiding Saul from looking for His death, David was hiding in a coolant cave. There, appealing to God, he wrote a psalm 141. "I look at the right side, and I see that no one recognizes me: no shelter has become for me, no one cares about my soul," this is a cry of desperate person (Article 4) . Maybe you feel something similar? Do you think no one cares about you? If so, you need a friend or friends who would have been servants of God's grace for you. And, obviously, you yourself should be for someone servier.
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