“If we truly want to relate seriously to the question of how we should live, then we simply cannot pass over the Gospel. For only in it can we find the answer to the question of the meaning of life. Christianity shocked the Judeo-pagan world with the novelty of its moral teaching. The novelty consists in the fact that Christianity shows the only way to obtain salvation—a righteous life as the necessary condition. But this righteous life depends upon faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, belief in His redemptive service, which the Lord carried out by His suffering on the Cross, and His light-bearing Resurrection. Without this no human righteousness can give us salvation. There were also righteous ones in the Old Testament, before the coming of Christ. They also sought salvation, strove for salvation and did good works. But they did not receive salvation. Salvation came only with the coming of Christ the Savior to the world. Without the sufferings on the Cross there could not have been any remission of sins for people. Only after the sufferings on the Cross, only after the glorious Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord to Heaven, only from that moment were people granted eternal life, and were delivered from the danger of eternal death.

Therefore if we wish ourselves good, if we seek salvation for ourselves, then first of all we need to be true followers of Christ. And for this we need to fulfill His commandments. And in order to fulfill His commandments we have to know Christ’s teaching; that is, the Gospel teaching, and be faithful, constant, and worthy disciples of Christ. We have to have a constant thirst to seek divine truth. If we will constantly and persistently strive toward Christ, seek justification with Him, and do His will—this is what will number us among His disciples, His chosen. Becoming a disciple of Christ means taking on a great responsibility and seriously, scrupulously relating to your entire life and your every deed.”

– Homily in pravoslavie.ru

***Now and then we include a particularly thought provoking or inspiring excerpt not from one of our regular ‘Elders’***