We will continue our wandering through the wilderness of slavery-obedience, catechism. To achieve something great (in the flesh I say) in spiritual life, one must first of all be a disciple, must be in unconditional obedience (in good, lawful, expedient – here without discernment and advice nothing): the sick (preparing for surgery) – to the doctor, the student – to the teacher, the soldier – to the instructor, the athlete – to the coach… Otherwise: the exam is failed, after the operation – to the morgue, after the first battle – a zinc coffin with the inscription “cargo 200.” Let us not be so foolish – in spiritual life, everything is much (incomparably) more responsible and dangerous – here is eternal shame, eternal death, eternal torment, eternal perdition…
Do not become slaves of men!!! I voluntarily become a slave-disciple to the doctor for my health, to become healthy (and if he forces me to do what destroys my health – anathema to him!), the soldier, the warrior takes an oath not to the commander or the commander-in-chief, but to the people, and he is obliged not to obey criminal orders. The same in the church: the catechumen becomes a slave of Christ, swears allegiance to Christ, for Christ’s sake gives himself into the obedience-catechism to Christians, and if he hears something contrary to the will of God, to the commandments of God, when he is ordered to do something sinful – he immediately exposes the heresy!!!
Do not become slaves of men!!! But until I become a slave-disciple (with discernment and advice!!!) to people (teacher, doctor, instructor, commander, mentor…), nothing good will come of me (we do not take exceptions into account – various prodigies, “saints from their mother’s womb” – they only confirm the rule-law of life), except perhaps: a loser, a homeless person, a drug addict, an alcoholic, a psychopath, a cripple… in one word – an unhappy creature! So, success is achieved by disciples, good students!
We emphasize not slavery, but discernment with advice, because slavery is already a consequence of a prudent, with advice(!), choice. For discernment and advice, there are auxiliary means, for example, there is a medication instruction, which indicates indications and contraindications, compatibility with other medications and special instructions for use (be responsible – compare what the doctor (whom you also prudently with advice chose!) says and what the instructions for the medications he prescribed you regulate! The doctor can make a mistake, not take something into account, etc.) – ask, clarify, think – after all, we are talking about your health, the doctor will make a mistake, and you will die or severely cripple yourself!); there is a constitution, a statute, a charter…– study, compare orders with those regulatory, guiding documents, according to which all should act: both those who give orders and those who must execute these orders-directives!
In the Church, there is Sacred Scripture – the New Testament – the books-words of the Holy Apostles, written by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit, where the essence of Christianity is clearly depicted – Love for God and for the image of God, worship of God in Spirit and Truth, service to God and His image by the Holy Spirit and Humble Love of the Holy Spirit (and all religious – temple piety and everything related to it – has no relation to Christianity; except for the process of catechism, and then it is auxiliary and in catechism) – this is the Constitution of the Church, and the writings of the holy fathers are the interpretation of the Constitution, its decoding! So, you have the books of the New Testament (the testimonies of the holy apostles) and the writings of the holy fathers, where the signs-fruits of life in the Holy Spirit, the path of catechism to acquiring the Holy Spirit, the signs-characteristics of the life of Christians and catechumens are described! Read, study, examine these Regulatory Documents (Constitution, Codes of Laws of Spiritual Life) and compare all “orders” of people (elders (old men or young elders), priests of varying degrees of severity, and all who are in a hurry to “teach,” “save”) – whether they agree with the Constitution of the Church, with the will of God, or not!!! But know: whoever wants, without being a slave, to become a foreman, deceives himself; whoever wants, without being a slave to the doctor, to become healthy – deceives himself! Explore the Scriptures! They testify to the Truth, to Jesus Christ!
I become a slave of the Doctor to free myself from the slavery of disease-mutilation-paralysis (= sin and symptoms of sin – passions, torments) and to become free. Slavery is overcome by slavery (as: death – by death! pain – by pain! – see in Part I). We either voluntarily give ourselves into the slavery of Hypostatic Freedom-Love-Humility, or involuntarily remain in the slavery of sin, selfishness-death-suffering-decay! And the devil-slaveholder-misanthrope teaches people, deceived by the illusion of freedom (the slavery of their lusts-passions – I do what I want, that is, what my selfish, which lies in evil, being wants!? And “I” no longer realize myself – has completely merged with its natural lusts-passions), to fear slavery (to Christ, and in general the word “slave,” restrictions, words with the particle “not”: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not envy, do not… – but I want! I am free: to commit adultery, to kill, to steal, to hate… Poor one, it is not “you” who wants, but the sin that lives in your being, whose slave you have become, and such a slave who has lost the awareness of himself, regardless of his nature! Such devilish delusion – which opposes the Gospel of the Church about Personality, about True Freedom in Love and Self-denial) and convinces that they (senseless slaves of selfishness-pride) are free!?