If a child has a height of 1 meter – twenty years have passed, and it does not grow (its height remains the same – 1 meter), this is a sign of something abnormal, diseased! Not noticing this – is true delusion, deception. A person has been in the church for 20-30 years, and there are no positive changes (or there is a process of degradation – becoming more malicious, selfish) – not seeing this, not knowing how it should be and considering this degradation as a normal state – this is the state of delusion, deception! The one who notices his physical growth (was 1 meter tall, and now he is already 1.20 m), and firmly knows that he has grown by 20 cm (over a certain period) – is this person, who knows the truth about his physical growth and his growth, in delusion, deception?! In the Church, all processes are conscious, so a Christian sees his spiritual growth (1 m → 1.20 m → …), knows that he is growing in the Grace of the Holy Spirit, moving from strength to greater strength (could lift, carry 100 kg, and now can lift, carry 150 kg). Above, we listened to what St. Seraphim of Sarov advises God-lovers, that they should know, which virtue gives the greatest profit of the Holy Spirit, and spiritually trade with it. Christians know the truth about themselves: I am holy, I belong to Christ, I grow (1 m → 1.20 m), I see my spiritual growth (just as my physical growth) – I am not in delusion, not in deception, I am in the truth, I consciously see reality! “Know yourselves: whether you are in the Spirit, whether you are growing, whether the fruits of the Holy Spirit are increasing in you? Know!” What delusion can there be?! Check, know what brings you profit – and do that, and what brings losses, harm – do not do that! Therefore, one must see, know what gives profit – one must see what I gain, grow, increase, that I (poor in spirit) become richer in Spirit! And what then is delusion, what is it about? Delusion – is a state of self-deception, it is deceiving oneself and believing in this deception, falsehood as truth. Delusion – is, for example, deceiving oneself, saying to oneself, believing that I have already achieved perfection; it is attributing to oneself an exaggerated measure; delusion – is engaging in humble speech full of pride and folly, and irresponsibility: “I am a wretch, I am the greatest sinner…” – only a great saint, only a seer can say that about oneself, and not a person who has not even begun the path of repentance-catechesis! Humility – is consciously being in the truth, knowing the truth about oneself, seeing one’s holiness, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (how much I have been given by Grace), one’s spiritual growth (from strength to greater strength of the Holy Spirit), and at the same time one’s discrepancy to the Gifts (how much has been given to me, and how little I bring forth fruits!) – had to bring 5 talents, given 5, and brought only 2 talents. Humility – is consciously knowing that I am holy (in the Holy Spirit), but not by my own strength, wisdom, deeds, or merits, but by God’s mercy, God’s Grace, and I myself am nothing, a wretch! This is true humility! Humility is always from above, from God, from the vision, awareness of God’s Gifts, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, God’s Love, and at the same time feeling one’s unworthiness (These Gifts to whom? – to me, the last sinner!). I know that I am nothing and at the same time, I see, consciously know that I am Divinely Loved by God and gifted by the Holy Spirit – this is humility!
Delusion (deception) – is blindness, sightlessness (who say, claim that they see, that they are not blind), ignorance (who say they know, understand, while they are mindless; who instead of watching close their eyes, so as not to see anything, so as not to fall into delusion!?). A sign of great delusion –when those who are in delusion are afraid of falling into delusion!? Instead of sincerely, without deceit seeking the truth, those who are in delusion warn against delusion! A sad sight: they talk about and fear what they do not understand! “Christians” read the ascetic works of the Holy Fathers and lose their minds; they begin to fear delusion and fall into even greater delusion, deception, heresy!
Let us say a few words about holiness. “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (see 1 Pet. 1:15-16). However, today’s Orthodox practice decisively rejects the idea of holiness as the norm of Christian life, shifting the focus to contemplation of one’s sins. All Christians are holy, members of the Body of Christ, the Holy Church, full (each to their own measure) of the Holy Spirit. Those who are not holy are not Christians. When it comes to holiness, “Christians” immediately associate this word with miracles (wonder-working, clairvoyance, etc.), holy – means wonder-worker. But these are all Gifts of God, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the Lord wisely distributes in the Church for service. We said that miracles themselves are not signs of holiness, favor with God (Judas Iscariot was a wonder-worker, healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, preached the Kingdom of God… and perished; on that day they will say: did we not perform miracles and signs in Your name, and prophesied – and the Lord will say to the wonder-workers, clairvoyants: I never knew you, depart from Me all you who do lawlessness; and the antichrist will perform and already performs great miracles and signs). Therefore, a holy person can be a wonder-worker (if it is pleasing to the Holy Spirit), or may not be (and bear another ministry in the Church: of words, teaching, caring for the sick, needy; John the Baptist – the greatest prophet – did not perform a single miracle, while other (less than John the Baptist) Old Testament prophets performed miracles, and heretics, and antichrists performed and perform miracles; so, the sign of holiness is not spiritual gifts (service, for ministry), but the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, Orthodox faith, peace, meekness…; “By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples (holy, Christians), if you have love for one another, if you love one another!” love, mercy – this is the greatest miracle on earth!); there were many saints in the Church who asked God to take away their gifts (clairvoyance, wonder-working…). A gift is something by which one can be saved, and by which one can ruin oneself! Therefore, holiness – is being in Christ, in the Holy Spirit (as testified by the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace…); it is a peaceful, joyful, cheerful, conscious, bright state of soul with strong Orthodox faith and deeds of love. All baptized are undoubtedly called to such holiness, and if a Christian does not have this spiritual state even to a small degree, then he is only a Christian by name! But, it is obvious that modern Orthodox practice (which is 99% based on the “traditions of the elders”) is decidedly different from the practice of the Ancient Church in relation to sin. In the ancient Church, if you are a sinner – then you stand in the vestibule and do not take communion for years; but if you take communion, then you are holy (in the sense of the word that the apostle Paul put into it, see Rom. 1:7; 6:22; 8:27; 12:13; 15:25; 1 Cor. 1:2; 3:17; 6:2; Eph. 1:15; 2:19 and others). Undoubtedly, the Church perfectly understood (understands) that our holiness on earth is imperfect, that it needs constant humility and repentance; but holiness (which included the awareness of Christian dignity, and the real life of the Spirit, and the evangelical effort of life) was still the norm, and sin – deviation from it. Today, everything has changed to exactly the opposite: sin – is the “norm” of the self-consciousness of an Orthodox “Christian,” and if it is not so, then he is in “delusion” (deception).