1- Introduction (*)
After a short period of sleep, we returned to the morning service, and we were waiting for the old man, and Father Germanius appeared to be greatly puzzled, because the previous debate carried a force that suggested to us a great longing for that purity that was not yet known to us. The blessed Sheikh added a unique phrase in which he removed all our claims regarding man’s self-jihad, adding that: Even if a person strives with all his energy for the good fruit, he cannot control what is good unless he simply asks for it from God’s goodness and generosity, and not through his own effort.
While we were confused about this matter, when Blessed Sherimon arrived at the cell, he saw us whispering together, so he reduced the service of prayer and psalms a little from the usual and asked us about the matter.
2- Question: Why do we not attribute purity to human jihad?
Germanius: We are silent regarding the greatness of that virtue that you described to us last night, believing in its effectiveness, but I ask you to say that it seems to me absurd to say of the complete purity that is acquired by the zeal of a struggling person as a reward for jihad, that it does not attribute a principal to his jihad. Because it is foolish to see, for example, a farmer who endures a lot of pain in cultivating his land and does not attribute the fruits to his effort!
3- Sherimon: With the same example I provided, we can further prove that the efforts of working man are of no use without God's help. Because when the farmer endures a lot of effort in cultivating the land, he is unable to attribute the large harvest and abundance of fruits to his own effort. All his effort might have been in vain if the rain had not come or the weather had helped him. We may see the fruits actually ripe and even harvested and reaped by the farmer. However, the efforts of the workers may be useless unless supported by God’s providence. Likewise, divine goodness does not bring abundant production to lazy farmers who do not always plow their fields, and they may toil all night in vain unless the Lord’s mercies make their work successful.
But humanity's pride makes it refuse to put God's grace and its effort on an equal footing or to mix them together. Rather, it thinks that through its own effort it attains God's goodness and generosity, or that the fruits are the fruit of its effort alone.
Let a person ponder well and examine very carefully, weighing this truth appropriately. It is that a person cannot even use the same efforts that he has zealously unless God’s providence grants him and accompanies him the strength to carry them out, and that his own will and strength fail unless divine compassion provides him with the means to accomplish them. A person may fail due to too much or lack of excess rain.
When the Lord grants the bull activity and physical strength to work and success in his project, the person must pray that what is said in the Holy Bible does not fall upon him: “And the heavens that are above your head will be brass, and the earth under you will be iron.” The leftovers of the mob were eaten by the pilot[1]” (Joel 1:4).
Not only does the farmer need God’s care to help him in his efforts during his work, but also to avoid unforeseen disasters that could befall him, which sometimes befall the field while it is rich in the expected harvest... and sometimes even loses what he has actually gathered and stored in the threshing floor or in the barn.
From this we clearly conclude that the beginning does not come from our actions, but even our good thoughts come from God, who inspires us with a good will with which to begin work and provides us with opportunities to implement this good will. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” ” (James 1:17).
that it It starts with us What is good and continues with us in it and completes it with us. This is as the Apostle said: “And he who provides seed to the sower and bread to the eater will provide and multiply your seed and make the crops of your righteousness grow” (2 Corinthians 9:10). This is all for our own sake, but with humility we follow day by day the grace of God that attracts us. However, if we resist His grace with a stiff neck and uncircumcised ears (Acts 7:51), then we deserve the words of the Prophet Jeremiah, who said: “Will they fall and not rise?!” Or does someone apostatize and not return?! Why did this people in Jerusalem constantly backslide? Hold on to deception. They refused to come back?!” (Jer. 4:8,5).
4- Objection
Germanius: We see many pagans who have not been granted the grace of God, excelling not only in the virtues of thrift and patience, but also (clearly) in purity. How can we assume that their free will has been captured, and that their virtues have been given to them by God's grace, especially since they follow the wisdom of the world and deny God's grace, and even deny the very existence of God? They are not like us, who through reading and through others have come to know the grace of God. Do they not say that they attain their exceedingly sublime purity through their extra effort and effort?
5- Sherimon: I am glad that you have been inflamed with a great desire to know the truth. However, you present some points, and by raising these objections you further confirm the supremacy of the faith of the universal Church... Certainly, you present these objections out of a desire to know the truth, so take these matters into consideration:
We must first of all not think that philosophers have attained the purity of the soul like that which we attain, which does not stop at merely not committing adultery. Rather, nothing impure is ever claimed between us. Rather, they have a special type of purity in the sense of controlling the body, with which they suppress their desires so as not to have sexual intercourse. Physically. But they do not achieve inner purity of mind and permanent purity of body, not in terms of work, but also in terms of thought. Finally, Socrates - whom they consider to be the most famous of all philosophers - admits this about himself...
They do not know the virtue of purity that we seek, so our spiritual circumcision can only be requested by the grace of God, and it only applies to those who serve God with a contrite heart.
6- We cannot wage jihad without the grace of God
If in many matters, indeed in everything, it appears that human beings are always in need of God’s help, and if human weakness is incapable of accomplishing anything for his own salvation on his own alone without God’s help, then this is all the more so with regard to our attaining and maintaining purity.
If talking about the difficulty of perfect purity has gone on for too long, let us briefly discuss its tools. I ask: Is any human being, no matter how hot his spirit, with his own strength, able to endure the harshness of the wilderness? I do not say endure a shortage of daily necessities, but of the supply of dry bread. Without God’s consolation, who can endure constant thirst, or deprive his eyes of the delicious morning sleep, so that all his rest and sleep times are within four hours?! Who feels satisfied and satisfied by persevering in reading, staying up late at work, and not caring about temporal gain unless God’s grace helps him?!
Since we cannot long for such things without divine revelation, we are unable by any means to implement them without God’s help. While we are certain of this matter, not according to what our experience dictates to us, but rather confirmed by evidence and solid evidence, in many matters we do not feel weak, we do not lack complete skill, we do not lack will, and yet, unless the Lord’s mercies grant us the power to implement, we deviate far from our goal.
It is not in our power to attain the serenity of isolation and practice difficult fasts and extensive study, even when there are appropriate opportunities. However, accidents often occur along the line, often against our will, making us unable to implement the laws we respect. That is why we pray to the Lord to provide us with the space and time to practice our laws. This is not enough, unless God gives us opportunities to implement what we can do, as the Apostle also said: “Therefore, I, Paul, wanted to come to you once and twice. But Satan hindered us.” (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
Sometimes it is beneficial for us to be deprived of spiritual training, so much so that, without our consent, we break the usual rules, submitting to the weakness of the flesh, and thus, against our will, we learn useful patience...
7- God’s purpose for us and His care for us
Because God's purpose in His creation is not for man to perish, but for him to live forever, and this purpose remains the same, and when He sees that His goodness will shine in us, even with a slight spark of good will, He kindles it as if it were coming out of the hard flint stone of our hearts. He stirs them up, strengthens them, and strengthens them with His breath, “who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). For “even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14)...
God is honest and does not lie when he swears, “As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Return, turn from your evil ways. Why should you die, O house of Israel?!” (Ezekiel 33:11) He does not want any of His least to perish, so how can we not be blasphemers if we imagine that He does not want all people to be saved, but rather some of them?!
Those who perish perish against His will, and He testifies against every one of them day by day, saying: “Turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die” (Ezekiel 33:11). And also: “How many times have I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not” (Matthew 23:37), “So why has this people in Jerusalem continually turned away? Hold on to deception. They refused to return” (Jeremiah 8:5).
Therefore, the grace of Christ is present in our hands every day, and since it wants “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” it invites everyone without exception, saying: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
If he had not called all, but only some, the result would have been that all would be burdened with original (serious) sins and actual sins. Otherwise, the following statement would have been untrue: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and we would not have believed that death had passed. To gather people (Romans 5:12).
Since the perishing perish without the will of God, this is why we can say that God is not the author of death, as is the testimony of the Holy Bible, which says: “Then death is not the work of God, nor is it his pleasure to destroy the living” (Wisdom 1:13).
God's care in not responding to some of our requests
Since most of our prayers are not offered for our benefit, but rather we ask for the opposite, the response is delayed and sometimes our requests are rejected. Likewise, the Lord grants us - as a very compassionate physician - to bring us, against our will, what is for our benefit even though we think it is the opposite. Sometimes it hinders our harmful longings and deadly attempts, and as we rush towards death, it brings us back to salvation, and unknowingly saves us from the claws of hell.
8- God is loving and man is hard-hearted!
The divine word described God’s concern and care for us through the tongue of the Prophet Hosea under the symbol of Jerusalem as a prostitute, who deviated into jealousy filled with ingratitude when she said: “I will go after my lovers who give my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.” The divine condolence came to her, not for the sake of fulfilling her desires, but rather out of desire. In her salvation, she says: “Therefore, behold, I will hedge your way with thorns, and I will build its wall so that you will not find its paths. She follows her lovers but does not reach them, searches for them but does not find them. Then you will say, “I will go and return to my first husband, for it would have been better for me then than now” (Hosea 2:5-7).
He described our stubbornness and recklessness when we disdain Him with a rebellious spirit when He urges us to return usefully - in the following comparison: God says: “I said, ‘You will call upon me, O my father, and you will not return from following me.’ Truly, as a woman betrays her mate, so you have betrayed me” (Jeremiah 3:19,20). He compares Jerusalem (the human soul) to an adulterous woman seeking a man. He compares His love for us to a man who dies for the love of his bride.
The goodness of God and His love that He constantly reveals to all human beings cannot be defeated except by our ceasing to care about our salvation, and our escaping from God’s concern for us, as if it were conquered by our evils. Therefore, it can only be compared to a man burning in the fires of love for his wife, as he melts for the sake of his love for her. What he sees is her belittling him. So divine protection is always with us, without separation.
Great is the Creator’s compassion toward his creation, whose compassion not only accompanies it, but precedes it!… When he sees in us a faint ray of the beginning of good will, he immediately inflames it, strengthens it, and prepares it for our salvation, so he develops what he has planted in us or what he sees has arisen from our struggle, as he says: “before They call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). And also, “He will be gracious to you when The sound of your cry” (Isaiah 30:19). In his goodness, he not only inspires us with holy desires, but also creates opportunities for life and good results for us, and reveals the direction of the path of salvation to those who have gone astray.
9- Between our good will and God’s grace
The human mind cannot easily comprehend how the Lord gives to those who ask Him, and how He exists for those who ask Him and opens to the knockers, while on the other hand He gives to those who do not ask Him and extends His hands to the unbelievers and the blasphemers, calling and offering an invitation to those who resist Him and those who turn away from Him, drawing people towards their salvation, carrying those who They desire to sin into something that is contrary to their desire, because through His goodness He stands in the way of those who rush toward evil.
Who can easily see how the completeness of our salvation is accomplished by our own will when it is said: “If you want And you heard that you eat the best of the earth. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” (Isaiah 1:19-20), and at the same time “Not for whomever he wants Nor to him who runs, but to God who has mercy” (Romans 9:16)?!
How can this be, that God “will reward each one according to his works” (Romans 2:6), and at the same time “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), and “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves.” . It is the gift of God. Not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9)?!
What is this also, when it is said: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Purify your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded people” (James 4:8), and in another place he says: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44)?
What is this that we find, “Prepare the path of your foot, and all your ways will be established” (Proverbs 4:26), while we say in our prayers: “Make your way easy for me” (Psalm 5:8), and “My steps have taken hold in your tracks, and my feet have not moved” (Psalm 17:5) ?
What is this that amazes us when he says: “Put away all your transgressions with which you have disobeyed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit, and why will you die?” (Ezekiel 18:31) And he is the one who promised us this when he said: “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the stony heart from their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 11:19,20)?!
What is this that the Lord commands us to do, saying: “Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved?” How long will your vain thoughts stay among you?!” (Jer. 4:14), while the prophet asks him, saying: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51)?!
What is this that was said: “Cultivate for yourselves the light of knowledge”[2] (Hosea 10:12), and it has been said about God: “Who teaches man knowledge” (Psalm 94:10), “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind” (Psalm 146:8), or what we say in our prayers through the Prophet: “Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.” (Psalm 13:3)?!
In all of this, there is a declaration of God’s grace and freedom of will, so that whenever a person desires to walk in the path of virtue, he will stop and ask for the Lord’s help. He cannot enjoy good health by his own will, and by his will he is freed from weakness. But the good thing that we long for in terms of health, I will not attain it unless God grants it to us, who gives us the joy of life itself and provides us with active health.
It is clear that through the transcendence of nature given to us by the goodness of the Creator, the beginning of a good will sometimes arises within us, which we cannot practically achieve or complete without the Lord’s leadership. The Apostle bears witness to this, saying: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my body. For I have the will to do what is good, but I have no power to do what is right” (Romans 7:18).
10- Between freedom of will and its weakness
Supports the Bible free will He says: “Above all caution, guard your heart, for from it flow life” (Proverbs 4:23), and the Apostle also refers to Her weakness He says: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
David affirms the power of free will when he says: “I have set my heart to do your statutes” (Psalm 119:112), and he himself teaches us about its weakness in his prayer, saying: “Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to gain (covetousness)” (Psalm 119:36), and Solomon says: “to incline With our hearts to him, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers” (1 Kings 8:58). The psalmist refers to the strength of our will when he says: “Shun evil and do good. Seek safety and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14), and our prayers testify to its weakness when we say: “Make, O Lord, a guard over my mouth.” Keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
The importance of will appears from the Lord’s words: “Loose your ties, you captive daughter of Zion” (Isaiah 52:2), and the Prophet sings of her weakness, saying: “The Lord will set the captives free” (Psalm 146:7), “You have loosed my chains.” To you I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Psalm 116:16, 17).
We hear in the Gospel the Lord advising us to come quickly to Him with our freedom of will: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Lord Himself testifies to its weakness by saying: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” “(John 6:44).
The Apostle refers to our freedom of will by saying: “Run so that you may receive” (1 Corinthians 9:24), and John the Baptist testifies to its weakness by saying: “No man can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3:27).
He has commanded us to guard our souls with all care, as the prophet says: “Guard yourselves,” and in the same spirit another prophet testifies: “Unless the Lord preserves the city, the watchman keeps watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
The Apostle writes to the Philippians, showing them their freedom of will, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” and he adds, showing its weakness: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12,13).
11- Grace is intertwined with human will
Thus, such matters are interwoven together indiscriminately... so that many are occupied with such difficult inquiries: Does God show compassion to us because we show the beginning of our good will, or does good will begin because God has compassion for us?
Many people believe in one of these two opinions and emphasize it too much and fall into opposing errors. If we say that the beginning of a good will is within our authority, what do we say about Paul the persecutor? What do we say about Matthew the tax collector? One of them was drawn to salvation while he was eager to shed blood and punish the innocent, and the other was drawn while he loved violence and plunder. And if we say that the beginning of our will always comes as a result of the revelation of divine grace, then what do we say about the faith of Zacchaeus, and the righteousness of the thief on the cross, those two who, by their own will, usurped the kingdom of heaven, and obtained special leadership through the call?
Indeed, it seems that these two: God's grace and freedom of will are in opposition to each other, but in reality they agree with each other, and we infer from the system of goodness that we must have the two together to be similar, for if we remove one of them, we will have broken the system of church law. When God sees us inclined toward goodness, He meets us, guides us, and strengthens us... as He says: “He will be gracious to you.” At the sound of your screams, When he hears, he will answer you” (Isaiah 30:19).And invite me In the day of trouble I will deliver you, and you will glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). If we find ourselves unwilling to do good or growing in (spiritual) coldness, He stirs our hearts with useful advice so that the good will is renewed in us or formed in us.
12- We should not look to God that He created man without a will, or that he is incapable of goodness. If He had allowed him to have an evil will and the ability to do evil rather than good, then he would have deprived him of free will. Then what does the phrase that the Lord uttered immediately after mean? His fall: “Behold, man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:22)? Because we cannot think that he was previously completely ignorant of goodness, otherwise man would be an irrational creature like dumb animals, and this saying is completely alien to the universal Church.
In addition to this, Solomon the Wise says: “God made man upright” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Meaning that he always enjoys the knowledge of goodness alone, “but they sought many inventions” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Because they have the knowledge of good and evil as it was before. After the fall, Adam gained knowledge of the evil that he did not know before, but he did not lose his knowledge of the good that he knew.
Finally, the words of the Apostle clearly reveal that humanity did not lose the knowledge of goodness after the fall of Adam, as he says: “For the Gentiles who do not have the law, when they do by nature what is in the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts as a witness.” Also their conscience and their thoughts will accuse or protest among themselves, on the day when God will judge people’s secrets” (Romans 2:14-16).
In the same sense, the Lord, through the mouth of the Prophet, rebukes the unnatural people, who willingly chose the blindness of the Jews, and through their stubbornness brought it upon themselves: “Listen, ye deaf, look and see. Who is blind but my servant, and deaf as my messenger whom I send?!” (Isaiah 42:18,19).
And so that they do not attribute this blindness to nature and not to their will, he says: “Bring out the people that are blind and have eyes, and the deaf and have ears” (Isaiah 43:8), and also “those who have eyes but do not see have ears but do not hear” (Jeremiah 5:21), and the Lord Himself says. In the Gospel: “For seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13).
Thus, the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying: “Hear with hearing, and do not understand; see with sight, and do not know. Make the heart of this people hard, and dull their ears, and darken their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9,10).
Finally, in order for you to realize that the potential for righteousness was present in them, he rebukes the Pharisees, saying: “Why do you not judge what is right for your own souls?” (Luke 12:57) Thus, the Lord would not have said this if He did not know that they, by their natural judgment, are capable of discerning what is good.
This is why we must take care not to refer all the merits of the saints to the Lord in a way that we attribute to humanity only what is evil and stubbornness. This is what we refute with the testimony of Solomon the Wise, and even with the testimony of the Lord himself. Because after the completion of the construction of the temple, and during prayer, Solomon said this: “And it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the Lord said to David my father: Because it was in your heart to build a house for my name You did well to have him in your heart. Except that you will not build the house, but your son who comes from your loins will build the house for my name” (1 Kings 8:17-19). Do we call this thought or desire of King David a good thought on the part of God, or an evil thought on the part of man?! If he was good and from God, God would not have inspired this rejected thought to him? If it was an evil thought on the part of man, why did the Lord praise him? So that remains This thought is valid and human.
Thus we can speak about our daily thoughts, for David alone was not granted to think about what is good, as we are not naturally forbidden from thinking and imagining good things. We do not doubt that by nature there are some seeds of goodness in us, created by the compassion of the Creator in every soul. But these seeds cannot grow unless divine help nurtures them, and as the blessed Apostle says: “Then neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God who makes them grow” (1 Corinthians 3:7)...
Freedom of will always remains in man, we do not neglect it or exaggerate in it... because the Messenger would not have commanded, saying: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” if he had not known that a person can advance in salvation or neglect it. But humans should not imagine that they do not need divine help in the work of salvation, as He continues: “For it is God who works in you to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Also, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of hands of the elders” (1 Timothy 4:14), “I remind you to kindle also the gift of God that is in you with the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6).
Therefore, in his writing to the people of Corinth, he advises them and warns them not to By not bearing fruit, they appear unworthy of God’s grace. Saying: “We ask that you do not receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). Because by accepting saving grace, Simon did not lose anything because he accepted it in vain, as he did not obey the commandment of blessed Peter who said to him: “Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours and pray to God. Perhaps the thoughts of your heart will be forgiven you, for I see you in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of injustice” (Acts 8:22, 23).
Grace precedes the human will. It was said: “My God, his mercy goes before me” (Psalm 59:10). Also, God delays for our benefit until He tests our desires. Then it is our will that comes forward, It was said: “In the morning, my prayer will go before you” (Psalm 88:13)...
And he calls us When he says: “All day long I have extended my hands to a stubborn and rebellious people” (Romans 10:21). We invite him To us when we say: “Every day I stretch out my hands to you” (Psalm 88:9).
He is waiting for us As the Prophet said: “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you” (Isaiah 30:18). We are waiting for him When we say to him: “I waited patiently for the Lord, and he turned to me” (Psalm 40:1), and “I have hoped for your salvation, O Lord, and I have done your commandments” (Psalm 119:166).
He strengthens us When he says: “And I warned them and strengthened their arms, and they plotted evil against me” (Hosea 7:15). He urges us to We strengthen ourselves He said: “Strengthen the feeble hands, and strengthen the trembling knees” (Isaiah 35:3). AndHe shouts Jesus the lord: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). as The Prophet shouts to him: “I'm tired of screaming, my throat is dry. My eyes fail for waiting for my God” (Psalm 69:3).
The Lord is seeking us When he says: “I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me” (Song of Songs 5:6). And the bride too You ask for itAs she wept with tears, saying: “In the night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him” (Song of Songs 3:1).
13- Jihad does not cause grace to lose its free nature
Thus, grace always cooperates with our will for its benefit, helps it in everything, protects it, and defends it, in such a way that it appears to be looking for some struggle for the good will, so that it does not seem to give its gifts to the inactive and indolent person. It searches for opportunities to reveal to the inactive person that by being complacent he loses the goodness of grace. Yet grace is considered free, because for a trivial effort it is richly granted the inestimable glories of immortality and the blessings of eternity.
Not because The faith of the thief First came someone saying that the gift of dwelling in Paradise was not given to him freely. We cannot say that it is because Words of King David Which he uttered repentantly, saying: “I have sinned against the Lord,” because apart from God’s (free) mercies, he granted him forgiveness for two serious sins, as he was granted to hear from the Prophet Nathan: “The Lord also has taken away your sin from you” (2 Samuel 12:13). The fact is that he added murder to adultery, and this was certainly of his own free will, but the Prophet’s rebuke of him was out of compassion for God’s grace. Likewise, his contrition and admission of error are his own work, but forgiveness for these sins in a moment of time is a gift from the merciful Lord.
What do we say about this brief confession uttered by David and about the eternal and unparalleled divine reward, as we see the blessed Messenger easily fixating his eyes on the greatness of the future reward, despising his countless persecutions, saying: “For the lightness of our temporary affliction is producing for us more and more an eternal weight of glory” (2 Colossians 4:17). This is what he confirms in another place, saying: “For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Thus, no matter how great the effort of human weakness, it will not (by itself) lead to the coming reward. The existence of his struggle does not negate the fact that divine grace is free.
Therefore, the Teacher of the Nations has reached the level of apostleship by the grace of God, as he says: “By the grace of God, I am what I am,” and at the same time he declares that he has approved of divine grace, saying: “And the grace that was given to me was not in vain, but I labored more than all of them” (1 Corinthians 15:10). ). When he says: “I am tired,” he shows the struggle of his will, and when he says: “But not I, but the grace of God,” he indicates the value of divine protection. When he says: “She who is with me,” he confirms the cooperation of grace with him when he is not lazily or negligent, but rather a worker and a striver.
14. How does God test man’s willpower through temptation?[3]
a. This is also what we read about, that divine righteousness has helped Ayoub Al-Amin was right in wrestling with him, when Satan confronted him in a unique battle. But if Job advanced against his enemy, not by his own strength, but by the protection of God’s grace, supported by divine help, without any resistance on his part, then in submitting to these multiple temptations... how righteous would it be for Satan to utter slanderous words about what he had already said before: “Does Job fear God for nothing?” ! Didn't you fence him around him... around everything he had on every side?! But stretch out your hand now” meaning allow me to fight him “for he will blaspheme to your face” (Job 1:9-11).
But since the slanderous enemy could not use this as evidence after the battle, Because he was defeated by the power of Job and not by the power of God[4], Not in the sense that God's grace left Job, because it was what was given The tempter had the authority to test within the limits within which Job was deemed able to resist them, and at the same time grace did not protect him from the enemy’s attacks in a way that would take away his virtue and effort, but rather it only helped him. Meaning that it does not allow that enemy, who is extremely cruel, to strip him of his mind or drown him during his weakness by spreading thoughts beyond his capacity or engaging in an unequal conflict with him.
B. Sometimes the Lord wants to test our faith so that it may be strengthened and glorified more, as in Example of a centurion What is mentioned in the Gospel, when the Lord knew that his servant would be healed by his uttering a word, yet the Lord chose to provide him with this means, which was to go to him physically, saying: “I will come and heal him” (Matthew 8:7). When the centurion was defeated by this offer made by the Lord, he said with faith full of zeal and fervor: “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof, but speak the word, and my servant (my servant) will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). The Lord marveled at him and praised him... and it was not possible. That there would be a basis for praise and merit for him if the Lord Christ had distinguished him in this way from those who believed in what he had given him (that is, if the centurion had not had a share in the struggle on his part).
C. We read about the temptation that was intended to test the faith that divine righteousness brought upon great in fathers, It was said: “And it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham” (Genesis 22:1), because divine righteousness wanted to test not only the faith that God had inspired in him...but also to demonstrate the freedom of his will. Therefore, the steadfastness of his faith was not approved in vain, and the grace of God, which departed from him for a moment, came to approve him. It came to help him when it was said to him: “Do not lay your hand on the boy, nor do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, and you have not withheld your only son from me” (Genesis 22:12). ).
Dr.. This is the kind of experience that can befall us for the sake of our approval The giver of the law told us about him in the Book of Deuteronomy. “If a prophet or a dreamer of a dream arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and if the sign or wonder about which he spoke to you comes to pass, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them,’ then do not listen to the words of that prophet or the dreamer of that dream, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord.” Your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). When God allows such a prophet to arise or such a dream to occur, do we say that He will protect those who are tested in their faith in such a way that they have no free will, as they fight the tempter with their own strength? What is the need to tempt them if God knows that they are so weak and feeble that they cannot with their strength resist the tempter? Certainly, divine righteousness would not have allowed them to be tempted unless He knew that they possessed an equivalent power of resistance, with which He could judge them justly if they were found worthy of punishment or honor.
The Apostle also speaks of the same effect, saying: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has befallen you except human. But God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also make a way of escape so that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13). Because when he said, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall,” he gave free will on his part, knowing certainly that after he had received grace he could stand by struggle or fall through neglect. But when he added: “He will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able,” he rebukes their weakness and the faintness of their heart that has not yet been strengthened, since they are not yet able to resist the attacks of the spiritual forces of evil, those forces against which he and other perfect people fight every day, as he says to the Ephesians: “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). When he added: “But God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able,” he certainly does not mean that He does not let them be tempted, but rather that they should not be tempted beyond what they are able. The first phrase refers to human free will, and the other refers to the grace of God, which moderates the violence of temptations.
So, in all of these expressions, there is evidence that divine grace works on the human will, not to protect it and defend it in all matters, in a way that makes it not defend itself through its struggle against spiritual enemies, so victory is attributed to God’s grace, and defeat is attributed to weakness of will...
An illustrative example
If we want to explain the unparalleled mercies of our Creator regarding earthly matters, they are not equal to them in tenderness, but merely in clarification, then they are like a very caring nanny who carries a child in her lap for a long period of time, teaching him to walk instead of crawling, helping him by extending her right hand so that he can lean on it while... She switches his feet, and in a moment leaves him for a little while, and if she sees him toppling violently, she quickly catches him, and when she sees him falling, she grabs him and picks him up and protects him from falling, or she allows him to fall lightly, so she picks him up after he falls. But when she raises him even to boyhood, youthful strength, or early manhood, she gives him some loads and weights, not to destroy him, but to train him, and allow him to compete with those of his age.
How much more does the Heavenly Father, who is the Father of all, know how to hold a person in the embrace of His grace in order to train him in virtue before His eyes by training his free will, and yet he helps him in his struggle and listens to him when he calls him, and sometimes he rescues him from dangers even without his knowledge.
15- Types of the call of grace to humanity
Thus, it is clearly evident that God, through His unsearchable judgments and unsearchable ways (Romans 11:33), draws humanity to salvation. We can prove this with examples of invitations contained in the Gospels.
· The Lord chose Andrew, Peter, and the rest of the disciples Through the compassion of His free grace, While they were not thinking about their recovery and salvation.
· When Zacchaeus sought - before his faith - to see the Lord Treating his short stature by ascending a sycamore tree, the Lord not only received him, but also honored and honored him by going with him to his abode.
· Paul also against his will and in his resistance The Lord drew him to Him.
Finally, the Lord commanded him to follow Him and adhere to Him completely. Even when He asked him to postpone that for a little while to bury his father, he did not allow him to do so.
· For Cornelius, it was always there Persevere in prayers and alms. Show him the way of salvation as his reward. Through the angel’s visit to him, he commanded him to summon Peter and learn from him the words of salvation by which he and his entire household could be saved.
Thus God's wisdom from many aspects brings salvation to mankind in diverse ways and His unsearchable compassion, He announces to each one according to his ability the grace of his goodness, so that he wants to grant his healing not according to a specific measure of the power of his majesty, but according to the standards of faith that he finds in each one, or according to what he himself gives to each one. Because when a person believed that he was healed of leprosy The will of Christ is sufficient for him Alone to heal him, the Lord said: “I am willing and be cleansed” (Matthew 8:3). And when another begged that the Lord would come and raise his dead daughter through... To hold her in his hand, The Lord entered his house as he had hoped and granted him what he had asked for. Another believed that what was essential to his salvation depended on Just a command (word) from the mouth of the Lord And He answered: “Speak the word, and my servant (my servant) will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). He said to him: “Go, and as you have believed, be it done to you” (Matthew 8:13). And others then They hoped for recovery from touching the hem of his garment He gave them the great gift of healing.
Some when They asked him He granted them healing from their diseases. Others received healing Without asking him,et al Urge them to ask for it Saying: “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6), and others when they were without hope He helped them on his own initiative. He asks for the will of some before satisfying their needs, saying: “What do you want me to do for you” (Matthew 20:32). As for another woman who did not know the way to achieve what she desired, he showed her the way in compassion, saying: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (John 11:40).
He poured out his healing works on some, as the Evangelist said: “And he healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14). But for others, God’s limitless gifts stopped, as it was said: “And he was not able to do any power there...and he marveled at their unbelief” (Mark 6:5,6). Thus, it appears that God’s goodness actually depends on the energy of faith, so much so that it was said: “According to your faith, be it done to you” (Matthew 9:29), and to another it was said: “Go, and as you have believed, be it done to you” (Matthew 8:13), and to another: “Let it be done to you as you wish.” (Matthew 15:28), and also: “Your faith has made you well” (Luke 18:42).
16- Divine grace transcends the narrow limits of human faith
I wish no one would imagine that we have presented these examples in order to attribute the largest share of our salvation to our own faith, as some people think with earthly notions, those who attribute everything to freedom of will, saying that God’s grace is distributed according to each person’s merits. Rather, we clearly affirm our opinion, which clearly and unambiguously declares that God’s grace is extremely sublime and abundant, and sometimes expands the narrow limits of human lack of faith.
We mention what happened in the case of the ruler mentioned in the Gospel, who believed that it was easier for his son to be cured of his illness than to raise him from the dead, urging the Lord to go to him immediately, saying: “Lord, come down before my son dies” (John 4:48). Even if the Lord rebuked him for his lack of faith with these words: “You will not believe unless you see signs and wonders,” he did not proclaim the grace of his divinity as much as the man’s faith was weak, nor did he remove the deadly illness of fever with the physical presence of the Lord as the man wanted, but rather with the word of his power he said to him: “Go. Your son lives” (John 4:50).
We also read That the Lord poured out of the wealth of His rich grace in the case of healing the paralytic. Even though he had asked for the healing of his body, he granted him the healing of the soul first. By saying: “Be confident, my son. Your sins are forgiven you” (Matthew 9:2). When the scribes did not believe him that he could forgive human sins, he healed the man’s limbs with the power of his word, removing his paralysis by saying: “Why do you think evil in your hearts? Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven?” Or to say get up and walk. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, then he said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed and go to your house’” (Matthew 9:4-6).
In the same way, in the case of the man who had been lying for 38 years by the edge of the pond, begging for recovery from the movement of the water, He revealed the riches of His goodness to him without asking Him. When he wanted to resurrect him, he said to him: “Do you want to be made whole?” (John 5:6). When he complained about the inability of human help, saying: “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred” (John 5:7), the Lord in His compassion granted him pardon for his unbelief and ignorance, healed him, and restored him to his former health, not as he expected, but as the Lord Himself wanted. Saying to him: “Get up. “Take up your bed and walk” (John 5:8)[5].
Summary of principles
Inner purity is a free gift granted by divine grace, and it is only given to persevering strivers with a contrite heart.
The grace of Jesus Christ is present in our hands every day...its purpose and function is to attract all people so that they may be saved.
Jihad and grace are one path... They are interconnected and cannot be separated, because true jihad cannot be carried out without grace, and grace does not work in those who are negligent... It is no wonder that we see God commanding us with certain commandments to implement them... At the same time, we ask in our struggle for God to carry out what He has commanded us to do. in our lives. We mention the following examples:
1- God commands us: “Draw close to God” (James 4:8), and “Come to me, all you who labor” (Matthew 11:28), and at the same time no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him (John 6:44).
2- The will says: “Pave the way for your feet” (Proverbs 4:26), and we ask God to make the way easy for us (Psalm 5:8).
3- The will commands: “Put away all your transgressions.” (Ezekiel 18:31) We seek the work of God who alone is able to remove from us the heart of stone (Ezekiel 11:19,20)
4- The Lord commands: “Wash your heart from evil.” (Jer. 4:14), and we cry out to Him: “Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean” (Psalm 51:7).
5- The will says: “Cultivate for yourselves the light of knowledge.” (Hosea 10:12), and the Bible teaches us that God is “the one who teaches man knowledge” (Psalm 94:10).
6- The will requires: “Above all caution, guard your heart.” (Proverbs 4:23), although “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts” (Philippians 4:7).
7- The commandment calls: “Remove your ties” (Isaiah 52:2), although “the Lord sets the captives free” (Psalm 146:7).
8- In short, the Lord demands from us through His Apostle: “Run that you may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24), and at the same time He says: “No one can receive anything unless it has been given from heaven.”
In any case, God’s work is not restricted, far from examination and beyond all investigation, and we cannot say which begins first, struggle or grace, and God’s grace in its generosity does not stop in one way, as there are many ways, including:
1- God’s choice - through the tenderness of His free grace - Andrew and Peter.. Without thinking about their recovery And their salvation.
2- He chose Zacchaeus Because he was opposed He searches to see who Jesus is.
3- Paul was attracted against his will He is resistant to the Lord.
4- He attracted another to follow him, preventing him from going and burying his father.
5- He announced himself and his message to Cornelius for his perseverance in prayers and alms.
Divine grace bestows upon man according to the energy of his faith.
1- Whoever he was It suffices to want the Lord For him to be healed, he used to say to him: “I want to be cleansed.”
2- And who was he? He asks for a word From the mouth of God He says to him: “As you have believed, it will be done to you.”
3- And who He believes in touching the hem of his garment He is healed, so according to his faith he is healed.
4- And whoever asks for the Lord to come to his house and hold the hand of his sick person...this is what his faith will be granted to him.
Sometimes grace expands the narrow boundaries of our faith:
1- The man who asked the Lord to hasten to his house so that his son would not die... He granted him the healing of his son without going with him.
2- Martha, who said to him: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21), Lazarus raised her brother for her after explaining to her his capabilities that he is the resurrection.
Sometimes the Lord gives His grace Without asking him...as he did with the patient in Bethesda who went to him himself and asked him: “Do you want to be healed?”
and sometimes He refrains from offering his blessing Because of lack of faith.
Finally, God's grace works in the strivers and helps them, without making them lose their freedom of will until they are crowned. This struggle, no matter how great it is, does not negate the freeness of the grace.
(*) Important note: Please read this article after referring to its introduction to the Life of Cassian. It caused a problem for Cassian and he was accused of semi-pelagianism, as it was feared that it would be a path for the followers of Pelagius who would ignore God's grace to some extent, focusing more on works. [This paragraph was at the top of the page, but we decided to make it a footnote with a note of this... (Al-Shabaka)]
[1] The locust is the locust when it first emerges from the egg, and after it begins to crawl it is called “the creeper,” and after it grows wings it is called “the locust,” and when it becomes fully mature it is called “the flyer.”
[2] Beirut text: “Sow for yourselves righteousness.”
[3] Some of the expressions carried exaggeration regarding human will and its relationship with God’s grace.
[4] This text is among the texts that made some accuse him of semi-pelagianism, but it appears from the article as a whole that he does not intend to ignore God’s grace and power. But some were afraid that the Pelagians would not quote some of his phrases separately from the article and rely on them to confirm their reliance on human actions alone.
[5] He then talked about God's unsearchable providence and how He searches for man, seeks him, and defends him through various methods and unsearchable judgments. This is considered a summary of the entire debate, which is why I did not translate it to prevent prolongation and repetition.