Are You a Good Person? Beware!

Thinking of oneself as a good person can lead to deception. If your idea of being good is about following the rules given to you through your church or society, even if you say you believe in Jesus Christ, you may be on the wrong path. How can this be? It depends on the source of you inner disposition. If you are adhering to an orderly life through your own efforts then you are most likely in deception. To live a Christian life cannot be based on your efforts alone. Your choices must be based on your relationship with God, on the zeal and divine grace you receive from Him. There must be the sense in every act that you are cooperating with His will. Salvation cannot be gained through your own efforts.

Saint Theophan says,

This good order in one's conduct more than anything else can lead one into deception. Its true significance depends upon one's inward disposition, where it is possible that there are significant deviations from real righteousness in one’s righteous deeds. Thus, while refraining outwardly from sinful deeds, one may have an attraction for them or a delight from them in one's heart; so also, doing righteous deeds ourwardly, one's heart may not be in them. Only true zeal both wishes to do good in all fulness and purity, and persecutes sin in its smallest forms. it seeks the good as its daily bread, and with sin it fights as with a mortal enemy.

Our self-centerness blocks us from God and we are blind to the grace that God gives us. While our efforts to do good help us survive in the physical world and give us the necessary discipline needed for a more spiritual life, they are not sufficient when done only out of our own will. They are also most likely tinged with an underling sinfulness that is hidden. We need to give priority to developing a deep faith that is based on a pure heart open to grace. Then we will be on the right path to doing His will in cooperation with our own efforts.

When we think we are good people we are suffering from pride and probably unaware of our sinfulness. Beware!

Reference: Path to Salvation by Saint Theophan the Recluse, p 29

When Does Christian Life Begin?

A Christian life begins when we have overwhelming energy to fulfill a desire to be united with Jesus Christ.  This is called zeal.

Saint Theophan says,

Christian life is zeal and strength to remain in communion with God by means of an active fulfillment of His holy will, according to our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the help of the grace of God, to the glory of His most holy name.

This zeal is evident to others as well. Others can observe the peacefulness they exhibit, the steadfastness they exhibit, and the sacrifices they are willing to make to live in a Christian way.

Saint Theophan says,

The person in whom this ardor is constantly active is one who is living in a Christian way.

This is about more than just trying to live by the rules of the church and commandments given to us by Christ out of obligation or fear. It's more than just tying to be a "good" person. The true Christian life is based on zeal, an inward awareness of God, a sense of communion and love with Him. The Spirit must be alive within and burning like a fire.

Saint Theophan says,

All this is good, but as long as it does not bear in itself the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, it has no value at all before God. Such things would be like soulless statues.

The beginning of Christian life begins with the inner working of divine grace. The first step to receiving this grace is Holy Baptism.

Reference: Path to Salvation by Saint Theophan the Recluse, pp 27,29

Maintaining our Zeal

To live an Orthodox Christian Life we must fulfill God's Commandments.  We must love Him with our whole heart and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  This involves a life of repentance and humility.  Key to our adopting an Orthodox Way of Life is the zeal we have been given.  The Lord told us "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Lk 12:49)  Paul continually reminds us to press toward the mark (Phil 3:24).  The Church Fathers also remind us of this with words such as "seeking, proposing, fervor, diligence, warmth of spirit, burning, and simply zeal."


This zeal we are speaking of is one combined with love.

St. Nectarios of Aegina tells us,
"The zealot according to knowledge, motivated by the love of God and his neighbor, does all things with charity and self-effacement; he does nothing that might bring sorrow to his neighbor; such a zealot is enlightened by knowledge and nothing prompts him to deviate from what is morally right" (Self-Knowledge, pp. 135-136).

Saint Symeon the New Theologian says,

"For every pursuit and every endeavor involving great toil that does not end up in love and a contrite spirit is futile, and yields no profitable result" (Catechesis I, Sources Chretiennes, Vol. 96, pp. 143-145).


Saint Theophan emphasizes that preserving this zeal is our first priority.
The first job of the Christian ascetic should be the preservation of this zeal and fervor as the source of power for living a God-pleasing life.

Apostle Peter teaches, 
"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge self-control, and to self-control, perseverance" (2 Peter 1:5-6).

How do we do this?  It requires an inward journey to the heart.  Just like our awakening to Christ was transforming, we must continually transform our worldly view into a celestial one.


Saint Theophan advises as follows:
Whoever wishes to preserve an undying zeal should: 
     a) go within, 
     b) view the new world and 
     c) stand in those feelings and thoughts by which he ascend as on 
         the steps of ladder to the foot stool of the Lord's throne.


In the following posts I will expand on these three ideas as taught to us by Saint Theophan the Recluse.


Be zealous, therefore, and repent! (Apoc. 3:19)


Ref: Path to Salvation, pp 221-222

Slumber of Sin - Absence of Zeal

Frequently after our Baptism, especially if our Baptism occurred as an infant or in childhood, we will fall into what Saint Theophan calls the "Slumber of Sin".

"For the most part, the word of God depicts the sinner, who is faced with the necessity of renewal in repentance, as being submerged in deep slumber.  The distinguishing characteristic of such people is not always outright depravity, but rather the absence in the strictest sense of inspired, selfless zeal for pleasing God, together with a decided aversion for everything sinful.  devotion is not the main concern  of their cares and labors; they are attentive about many other things, but are completely indifferent to their salvation, and do not sense what danger they are in.  The lead the good life and lead a life that is cold in faith, though it be occasionally righteous and outwardly irreproachable."
Saint Theophan (Path to Salvation, p. 95)


How critical it is to have this zeal that Saint Theophan talks about.  With it we are transformed and filled with unlimited energy to do His will.  Without it we are only going through the motions of a righteous life.  Doing good sometimes but mostly erring based on self-centered needs and desires.  The person who lacks grace "dwells on himself, and makes self the main goal of his life and activity.... He busies himself with various occupations in which he hopes to find a way to quench his unquenchable thirst."


As we examine our lives do we find ourselves busy with many activities yet sense an inner emptiness?  Do we find ourselves with many cares and troubled by many things?  Do we profess to have the confidence in our current life that this is what is proper, that we have all we want and do not see any need for change?

Saint Theophan says,
The sinner is like a person who is sunk in a deep slumber.  Just as a person who is fast asleep will not stir and get up on his own in spite of approaching danger unless someone comes and rouses him, so will the person who is sunk in the slumber of sin not come to his senses and awaken unless divine grace comes to his aid. (Path to Salvation p 101)

Why is "Zeal" Necessary to Do Good?

It is not difficult to do something which is quite good.... But let someone intentionally define a course for himself of a continuous doing of good, and define the order of it according to what is indicated in the word of God––and this not for one month or for a year, but for one's whole life––and place as a rule to remain in this order unwaveringly; and then, when he remains faithful to this, let him boast of his own power. But without this it is better to close one's mouth.  How many cases there have been in the past and in the present of a self-trusting beginning and building of a Christian life!  And they have all ended and continue to end in nothing.  A man builds a little in his now order of life––and the throws it away.  How can it be otherwise?  There is no strength.  It is characteristic only of the eternal power of God to support us unchanging in our disposition in the midst of the unceasing waver of temporal changes.  Therefore one must be filled abundantly with this power; one must ask for an receive it in order––and it will raise us up and draw us out of the great agitation of temporal life.
Saint Theophan the Recluse      Reference: Path To Salvation, p. 32


Without this Zeal, which involves an intense desire to do His will that comes with a relationship with God, no matter how good intentioned we are, we will find it difficult to keep up doing good by using only our own will and effort.  Saint Theophan points out that continual good works come from God Himself.  For this we need Zeal and must learn how to gain it and nurture it.

How many times have you set your goals at the beginning of a new year, or at any time for that matter, and failed to keep them throughout the year? When you do succeed how often do you then boast about your self-efforts and begin to think of yourself as self-righteous?  What happens then?  Typically, we lose whatever zeal we have and struggle.  For me I can think of many good intentions I have had and have, yet find how difficult it is to continually do His will. I often have difficulty in discerning whether my efforts are the result of my will or His Will. How about you?

How is Fire of Zeal Ignited?

Such zeal is produced by the action of grace.  However it does not occur without the participation of our free will.  Christian life is not a natural life. This should be the way it begins or is first aroused: As in a seed, growth is aroused when moisture and warmth penetrate to the sprout which is hidden within, and through these the all-restoring power of life comes.  So also in us, the divine life is aroused when the Spirit of God penetrates into the heart and places there the beginning of life according to the Spirit, and cleanses and gathers into one darkened and broken features of the image of God.  A desire and fee seeking are aroused (by an action from without); then grace descends (through the Mysteries) and, uniting with our freedom, produces mighty zeal.  But let no one thing that he himself can give birth to such a power of life; one must pray for this and be ready to receive it.  the fire of zeal with power––this is the grace of the Lord. The Spirit of God descending into our heart, begins to act in it with a zeal that is both devouring and all-active.
Saint Theophan the Recluse

Reference: Path to Salvation pp. 31-32


Saint Theophan on Prayer

Writings of Saint Theophan
Life of Saint Theophan

Christian Life is Zeal?

"Christian life is zeal and the strength to remain in communion with God by means of an active fulfillment of His holy will, according to our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the help of the Grace of God, to the glory of His most holy name."
Saint Theophan the Recluse 


If Christian life is "zeal", what is it?  Saint Theophan says it comes from a "communion with God."  It is something that may remain hidden from us in the beginning.  It is an inner feeling of wanting to please God above all else in a Christian way.  When we have this feeling we can say that our Christian life begins.


Christian life is not about obeying rules or following traditions.  Although both of these may be of help to us.  It is about a true love of God based on an inner relationship with Him (consciously known or unknown) that constantly nudges us to want to please Him.  It's an inner drive. A force that motivates us.


This is a quite different motivation than what we get from all the self-help approaches.  It is not a self-induced motivation that comes from setting goals and then achieving them.  It's not about visioning a better future and having this guide us.  It's not motivation that comes from any form of self-affirmation.  It's not one that comes from the silence or spiritual experience of a far eastern meditation technique.  It's a force from God Himself.


Jesus likens it to fire.  He says, 
“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (Lk 12:49)
"For everyone will be seasoned with fire," (Mark 9:49)


Paul also describes it as fire and as being fervent in spirit, or the call of God.
"Do not put out the Spirit's fire" (1Thess 5:19)
"not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;" (Rom 12:11)
"forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. " (Phil 3:13-14)


He also advises us to pursue with all our effort to obtain it.
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." (1Cor 9:24)


Saint Theophan advises,
This means that in Christian life the result of the fervor of zeal is a certain quickness and liveliness of spirit, with which people undertake God-pleasing works, trampling upon oneself and willingly offering as a sacrifice to God every kind of labor, without sparing oneself. 


Ref: Path to Salvation pp 27-29