Recall the Lord’s conversation with a man who asked the Lord what he should do to inherit eternal life (= the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit), that is, to become a Christian, that is, a son (daughter) of God, because only a son (natural child or adopted: Jesus Christ and all of Christ’s, baptized with the Holy Spirit, that is, Christians) has the right to inheritance (of the Father), is an heir, so to inherit eternal life (the Kingdom of God), one needs to be adopted, to become a son of God by Grace (adoption occurs in baptism by the Holy Spirit, in the begetting by God) (see Luke 18:18-30). The Lord said: you know the commandments – do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother… When the man replied that he had kept all these from his youth, the Lord said to him: one thing you still lack – sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me! He kept the commandments, but did not achieve the goal for which they were given, that is, he did not acquire humility, so the Lord said he lacks poverty (of spirit).
Sell all that you have, give alms, and then come (be baptized, become a disciple – because I will give you the Power (the Holy Spirit) to be My disciple, if you humble yourself, fulfilling the commanded (= necessary conditions for baptism: self-denial, cross-bearing, almsgiving…)) and follow Me! Sell everything! Everything (spiritually-soulfully-bodily)! Otherwise, you cannot be a disciple of Christ, you cannot follow Christ (receive the Holy Spirit)! To enter the realm of Freedom (the Kingdom of God), one must be freed from all bonds, from all earthly attachments (husband, wife, children, parents, all property (including spiritual, that is, “good deeds” recorded in my account in heaven, making God my debtor, and soulful, and bodily), all “yours”…), must completely impoverish (become poor in spirit, because theirs is the Kingdom of God)! For where your treasure is (on earth: husband, wife, children, property, fame, power, lust of the flesh, eyes and pride of life… or in Heaven: Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit), there will your heart be also! And whoever looks back (still has treasures, values on earth), – he is not fit for the Kingdom of God (he has not yet recognized the precious Pearl – Jesus Christ, has not yet recognized his poverty, is still in madness and blindness, is not yet catechized)! Therefore, it is impossible for a rich man (in anything) to enter the Kingdom of God, to become a Christian (because Christians are already in the Kingdom of God, in the Holy Spirit; the Kingdom of God – the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, therefore all baptized by the Holy Spirit, Christ’s are already in the Kingdom of God, which has come!).
Those who heard these words of the Lord were astonished… but contemporary “Christians” laugh, being in delusion and self-deception: that they supposedly are already Christians, that they have already been baptized, that they already partake of the Eucharist, clothed in various ranks and titles… and all this when they have not even begun to be catechized: neither keeping the commandments, nor selling their possessions (on the contrary, instead of getting rich toward God, they get rich for themselves, like the foolish rich man in the parable). Some reproach us, saying we have made everything complicated… I say nothing from myself, but only help to hear and understand the Word of God! I know that it is desirable to serve both God and mammon – it is so easy and convenient (without self-denial, without cross-bearing, without following Christ), but our duty is to warn, to caution: whoever tries to serve both God and mammon, serves only mammon, and let him not deceive himself (much less call himself a Christian)! Rather, let him begin to be catechized and repent!
The devil through his servants (through our brothers and sisters: false prophets, false teachers, false apostles… – who are in various delusions, heresies, false teachings, demonic deceptions-delusions) convinces “Christians” that everything is “normal” with them, that it has always been this way, that they are sinners, great sinners, but Christians!? The Lord by the Holy Spirit has warned us all (and continues to warn through His prophets, through Christians) to be vigilant, for many false prophets, antichrists, false teachers, false apostles will arise… But we have become complacent, irresponsible, thinking that by calling ourselves Orthodox, we have become invulnerable to the spirit of deception, cunning, heresy, blasphemy, and all kinds of evil!? We have already shown what spirit most Orthodox people are of – the spirit of antichrist, as evidenced by their deeds and inaction (criminal fruits) and their mouths, that is, their teachings (heresies, blasphemies against the Truth…). Be vigilant! With fear and trembling, let us work out our salvation – let us prepare for baptism by the Holy Spirit (for adoption) by catechism-repentance!