“Christianity teaches us that life on earth is a time of trial (podvig), a time of preparation for a future, eternal life. Consequently, the problem of our life on earth is to properly prepare ourselves for the coming eternity. Earthly life is short and does not repeat itself, for man lives only once on earth. He must thus work hard in this earthly life, doing good, if he does not wish to destroy his soul.”
(Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) , ‘Moral Theology’)