Nothing unclean will enter the kingdom of heaven. Some conditions for entering the kingdom of heaven
The book is a philosophical study on spiritualism. Explanations of the moral foundations of the teachings of Christ, their agreement with spiritualism and their application to various life situations are given.
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The following excerpt from the book The Gospel in Spiritualism Explained (Allan Kardec, 1865) provided by our book partner - the company LitRes.
Chapter 4
1. When Jesus came to the countries of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples: for whom do people revere me, the Son of Man? They said: some for John the Baptist, others for Elijah, and others for Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He says to them: And who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him: Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonas, because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Mat. 16:13-17; Mark 8:27-30)
2. Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that Jesus did, and was perplexed: for some said that it was John who had risen from the dead; others that Elijah appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. And Herod said: I beheaded John; who is this about whom I hear such things? And I was looking to see Him. (Mark 6:14,15; Luke 9:7-9)
3. And His disciples asked: How then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? Jesus answered and said to them: True, Elijah must come first and arrange everything; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wished; so the Son of Man will suffer from them. Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist. (Mat. 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13)
Resurrection and reincarnation
4. Reincarnation was part of the Jewish dogma under the name resurrection; only the Sadducees, who believed that everything ends with death, did not believe in him. The ideas of the Jews in this respect, as in many others, were not clearly defined, because they had only a vague and incomplete idea of the soul and its relation to the body. They believed that a dead person could be resurrected, but did not realize exactly how this could happen; under the word Sunday they implied what spiritualism more sensibly calls reincarnation. Indeed, under resurrection it implies the return of life to a body already dead, which, as science proves, is completely impossible, especially when the parts of the body have long been destroyed and dispersed. Reincarnation- this is the return of the soul or spirit to bodily life, but in another body, re-formed for him and having nothing in common with the former. Word Sunday could thus refer to Lazarus, but not to Elijah and the other prophets. If, then, according to their belief, John the Baptist was Elijah, then the body of John could not be the body of Elijah, because John was seen as a child and his father and mother were known. John could be Elijah reincarnated, but not resurrected.
5. Among the Pharisees was someone named Nicodemus, one of the leaders of the Jews; he came to Jesus at night and said to him: Rabbi! we know that You are a Teacher who came from God; for such miracles as you do, no one can do unless God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (again), he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Don't be surprised at what I said to you: You must be born again (again). The spirit breathes where it wants to, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes: this is the case with everyone born of the spirit. Nicodemus answered Him, “How can this be? Jesus answered and said to him, You are the teacher of Israel, and do you not know this? Truly, truly, I say to you: We speak of what we know, and testify of what we have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony; if I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (John 3:1-12)
6. The idea that John the Baptist was Elijah and that the prophets could be reborn on earth is found in many places in the Gospel, among other things in the cited vv. (p. 1, 2, 3). If this belief were a delusion, Jesus would not fail to fight against it, as He fought against others; on the contrary, He sanctioned it with all His authority and made it a principle, as necessary condition, saying: "No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again (again)"; and on this he insists, adding: "Don't be surprised at what I say, you must be born again (again)".
7. The words: " Unless one is born of water and the Spirit", were interpreted in the sense of renewal with water at baptism; the original text contains simply: " Not born of water and the Spirit", while in some translations the word "Spirit" is added " saint”, which does not at all correspond to the same idea. This basic disagreement comes from the first interpretations of the gospel, as will be positively proven in time.
8. To understand the true meaning of these words, it should be noted that the word water not understood in its true meaning.
The knowledge of the ancients in the physical sciences was very imperfect; they thought the earth came out of the water; that's why they thought water original absolute element. Thus, the Book of Genesis says: “The Spirit of God stretched over the waters; hovered over the surface of the waters”: and that the heavenly firmament was created in the midst of the waters; that the waters under the sky gathered in one place, and the dry element appeared; that water produce animals that live and swim in the water, and birds that fly above the earth and under the sky. According to this belief, water has become a symbol of material nature, just as Spirit has become a symbol of mental nature. Hence the words: unless one is born of water and the Spirit", or " from water and from Spirit” means: “unless one is born with his own body and his own soul.” In this sense, they were understood in principle.
This interpretation is confirmed by the following words: what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit". Jesus makes a positive distinction here between the spirit and the flesh. What is born of the flesh is flesh, which clearly means that only the flesh produces flesh, and therefore the spirit is independent of the flesh.
9. « The spirit breathes where it wants to, and you hear its voice, but you don’t know where it comes from and where it goes". These words may refer to Spirit of God who gives life to whom He wills, or to the human soul; in this last interpretation of the word "you do not know where it comes from or where it goes"; mean - it is not known what happened to him and what will happen. If the spirit or soul were created simultaneously with the body, then they would know where it came from, since they would know its beginning. In any case, this passage of the Gospel serves as a consecration of the principle of the pre-existence of the soul, and consequently of the plurality of existences.
10. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is taken by force, and those who use force take it by force; for all the prophets and the law had prophesied before John. And if you want to accept . Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. (Mat. 11:12-15)
11. If the principle of reincarnation expressed in the Gospel of John could, strictly speaking, be interpreted in a purely mystical sense, then the same cannot be said about the words in the Gospel of Matthew, which have a very definite meaning: “ he is Elijah who is to come»; there is no figurativeness, no allegory, this statement is positive " From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is taken by force". What do these words mean if John was still living at that time? Jesus explains them by saying, "And if you want to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come." So John was none other than Elijah; Jesus alludes to the time when John lived under the name of Elijah. “Until now, the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force” is his other allusion to the violence in the law of Moses, which demanded the destruction of the infidels in order to reach the Promised Land – the Jewish Paradise, while according to the new law, the Kingdom of Heaven is acquired by mercy and meekness.
Then He adds: Those who have ears to hear, let them hear". These words, repeated so often by Jesus, clearly prove that not everyone was able to understand certain truths.
12. Those of our people who were put to death will live again: those who were killed in my midst will rise again. Wake up, you who live in the dust, from your sleep and sing praises to God, because the dew that falls on you is the dew of light, and because you will destroy the earth and the dominion of the giants. (Isaiah 26:19)
13. This place of Isaiah is also explained. " Those of your people who were put to death will live again". If a prophet had heard about the spiritual life, if he wanted to say that those who were put to death were not dead in spirit, he would have said: still live", but not " will live again". In a spiritualistic sense, the last words would be meaningless, because they would mean a break in the life of the soul. In terms of moral rebirth, they would be a denial of eternal torment, since they make it a rule resurrection of all the dead.
14. But when a man dies once what will become of his body, separated from the spirit and decomposed? Man, being times dead, can't it come alive again? In this struggle that I am in every day of my life, I am waiting for my change to come. (Job 14:10-14)
When a person dies, he loses all his strength, he ends; where is he then? - If a person is dead will he come to life? Will I wait all the days of my struggle for change to happen to me? (Job, ch. 14).
When a man is dead, he still lives; ending days my earthly existence I'll be waiting because I will come back here again. (Same; version of the Greek Church.)
15. The principle of multiple existences is clearly expressed in these three versions. It cannot be assumed that Job was talking about being transformed by water at baptism, which he was, of course, unaware of. "Man being dead once, can come alive again? The idea of dying once and resurrecting implies the idea of dying and resurrecting several times. The version of the Greek church is even clearer. "Having ended my days earthly existence I will be waiting because I I'll be back here again”, i.e. I will return to earthly existence. It is as clear as if someone said, “I am leaving my home, but I will return to it.
"In this fight that I'm in every day of my life, I'm waiting that my change will come." Evidently, Job means to speak of the struggle he wages against the calamities of life; he waits for change, i.e. he resigns himself to his fate. in Greek version I'll be waiting rather refers to a new existence: “when my earthly existence ends, I'll be waiting because I'll be back here again." It seems that Job places himself after death in the gap separating one existence from another, and says that there he will wait for his return.
16. There is no doubt that under the name of Sunday, the principle of reincarnation was one of the main tenets of Jewish beliefs; that it is formally confirmed by Jesus and the prophets. It follows from this that to deny reincarnation is to deny the words of Christ, which in time will become an authority on this subject, as on many others, when they are comprehended without prejudice.
17. To this authority, from the point of view of religion, must be added the authority of experiments, from the point of view of philosophy, experiments that result from the observation of facts; if we ascend from the effect to the cause, then reincarnation is presented as an absolute necessity, as a property inherent in humanity, in a word, as a law of nature; it reveals itself in its results, so to speak, in a material way, like a hidden mover revealed by movement; it alone can explain to a person where he came from, where he is going, why he is on earth, and justify all anomalies and all seeming injustices in life.
Without the principle of the pre-existence of the soul and the multiplicity of existences, most of the gospel statements are incomprehensible; that is why they have been the cause of such conflicting interpretations; this principle should restore their real meaning.
Family ties strengthened by reincarnation and destroyed by the simultaneity of existence
18. Family ties are not at all destroyed by reincarnation, as some think; on the contrary, they become stronger and tighter; the denial of reincarnation destroys them. Spirits form groups or families in space, united by affections, sympathies and similarities of inclinations; these spirits, finding the happiness of being together, are looking for each other; the incarnation separates them only temporarily, because, having returned to the disembodied state, they meet as friends after a journey. Often they even follow each other during incarnation, where they unite into one family or into one circle, working together for mutual improvement. If some are embodied and others are not, then they are still bound by thoughts; the free take care of those in captivity; the more advanced try to move forward the laggards. With each existence they take a step forward on the path of perfection; they are less and less attached to matter, and therefore they mutual love stronger, because it is purer: it is no longer disturbed by egoism and passions. They can thus go through an innumerable number of bodily existences, and nothing will disturb their mutual affection.
Of course, what matters here is the actual attachment of the soul to the soul, the only one experiencing the destruction of the body, since the beings, united here only sensually, have no reason to seek each other in the world of spirits. Only spiritual attachments are strong, while bodily attachments are destroyed along with the cause that gave birth to them: this cause does not exist in the world of spirits, while the soul always exists. As for people who are moved only by interest, they really do not constitute anything for each other; death separates them on earth and in heaven.
19. The connection and affection that exist between relatives are a sign of the previous sympathy that brought them closer; therefore, they say about a person whose character, tastes and inclinations have nothing in common with those close to her, that she is not of this family. By saying this, they are saying a greater truth than they think. God permits such an incarnation of spirits that are antipathetic or alien to families for the dual purpose of serving as a means of testing for some and a means of perfection for others. Then the bad ones are corrected little by little as a result of intercourse with the good ones and thanks to their cares; their character is softened, morals are cleansed, antipathy is smoothed out; relations are established between different categories of spirits, just as they are established between races and peoples.
20. The fear of an infinite increase in relatives due to reincarnation is an egoistic fear, proving that a person does not feel in himself so much love that it is enough for a large number of people. Does a father who has several children love them less than he would love one? Let the egoists calm down; this fear is unfounded. From the fact that a person reincarnates ten times, it does not follow that he will have ten fathers, mothers, wives and a corresponding number of children and relatives in the world of spirits; but will always find on earth the same objects of affection, under different or under the same names.
21. Now consider the consequences of the contrary teaching. This doctrine, of course, denies the pre-existence of the soul. If the souls are created at the same time as the body, then there is no internal connection between them; they are completely alien to each other; the father is a stranger to his son; the connection of the family is reduced, therefore, exclusively to the connection of the body, without the slightest connection of the spiritual. Therefore, there is not the slightest motive to be proud of the ancestors who were famous personalities. During reincarnation, ancestors and descendants could know each other, live together, love each other and meet again later in order to unite more strongly by bonds of sympathy.
22. The previous words were in the past. As for the future, according to one of the main tenets of the doctrine that denies reincarnation, the fate of souls is decided irrevocably after one existence; the final determination of fate means the cessation of development, because if there is any progress, then there is no final destiny; souls, depending on whether they lived well or badly, immediately go to the home of the happy or to eternal hell; in this way they are instantly separated forever and without hope of ever approaching one another, so that fathers, mothers, children, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends can never be sure that they will see each other; this means a complete rupture of family ties. In reincarnation and the evolution of the soul that follows from it, all who love each other meet on earth and in space and move forward together in order to reach God. If among them there are delinquents on the way, they slow down the movement and happiness of the rest, but all hope is not lost; encouraged, supported and relieved by those who love them, they will someday get out of the mud in which they are stuck. In reincarnation, finally, there is an uninterrupted solidarity between the incarnated and the disembodied, which strengthens the bonds of affection.
23. In conclusion, a person is presented with four alternatives regarding his afterlife: 1) complete annihilation, according to materialistic teaching; 2) immersion in the universal whole, according to the teachings of pantheists; 3) individuality with the final determination of destiny, according to the teachings of the Church; 4) individuality with infinite progress according to spiritualistic teaching. For the first two - family bonds are torn apart after death, and there is no hope of seeing each other; at the third, there is hope of seeing each other, if the souls are in one place, whether this place will turn out to be heaven or hell; with the multiplicity of existences, which is inseparable from gradual progress, there is confidence in the continuation of intercourse between those who loved each other, which constitutes a real family.
Spirit Guidance: The Limit of Incarnation
24. What are the limits of incarnation?
The incarnation has, in fact, no pronounced limits, if by this we mean the body that serves as a shell for the spirit; the materiality of this shell decreases as the spirit is purified. In some worlds more perfect than the earth, it is already less dense, less heavy, and less coarse, and consequently less susceptible to damage; in higher grades it dematerializes and finally mingles with the perispirit. Depending on the world on which the spirit is recognized to live, it takes on a shell inherent in the nature of this world.
The perispirit itself undergoes successive changes; he becomes spiritualized more and more until the complete purification inherent in pure spirits. If the worlds are specially designed to be stops for highly developed spirits, then these spirits are not attached to them, as in the lower worlds; the free state in which they are, allows them to be transported wherever the mission entrusted to them calls them.
If we consider the incarnation from the material point of view that dominates the Earth, then we can say that the incarnation is limited to the lower worlds; therefore, it is up to the spirit to get rid of it more or less quickly, working on its purification.
It should also be noted that in a wandering state, that is, in the intervals between bodily existences, the position of the spirit corresponds to the nature of the world, to which it is tied by the degree of its development; that, therefore, in disincarnation he is more or less happy, free and enlightened, depending on the greater or lesser degree of dematerialization. (St. Louis. Paris, 1859)
The need for incarnation
25. Does the incarnation serve as a punishment, and are only guilty spirits subject to it?
It is necessary for spirits to go through bodily life so that they can fulfill, with the help of deeds of a material nature, the plan of God, who entrusted them with their fulfillment; it is necessary for themselves, since the activity they must show contributes to mental development. God, being perfectly just, must equally endow all his children; that's why He gives everyone the same essence, the same abilities, the same obligations to perform and the same freedom of action; every preference would be an advantage, and every advantage an injustice. But incarnation is for all spirits only a transitional state; it is a duty placed upon them by God at the beginning of their lives as the first test of the exercise of their free will. Those who fulfill this duty with zeal go through these first degrees of initiation more quickly and with less difficulty and enjoy the fruits of their labors earlier. Those who make a bad use out of the freedom given to them by God, slow down their movement; thus, by their perseverance, they can prolong the need for reincarnation, and then the reincarnation becomes a punishment. (St. Louis. Paris, 1859)
26. Note. An ordinary comparison will better explain this difference. The student cannot fully comprehend science unless he learns the lessons that lead to it. These lessons, whatever the labor they require, are a means to an end, not a punishment. The industrious student shortens the path and encounters fewer difficulties; it is another matter with the one who neglects and is lazy, and therefore must repeat certain lessons. Not class work serves as a punishment, but the need to do the same work again.
The same thing happens to man on earth. For a savage spirit beginning spiritual life, incarnation is a means of mental development, but for an enlightened person, whose moral sense is widely developed and who must repeat the stages of a bodily life full of languor, while he could have already reached the goal, this is a punishment consisting in the need to continue to exist in the lower and unhappy worlds. On the contrary, the person who actively works on his moral perfection can not only shorten the duration of the material incarnation, but also go through the transitional stages separating him from the higher worlds in one go.
Could not the spirits incarnate only once on one sphere and fulfill their various existences in various spheres? This opinion could be accepted if all people on Earth were at exactly the same mental and moral level of development. The differences that exist between them, from the savage down to the civilized man, indicate the degrees they are called to go through. Incarnation, moreover, must have a useful purpose: otherwise, what would be the purpose of the ephemeral incarnations of children dying in infancy? They would suffer to no avail for themselves and for others. God, whose laws are wise in perfection, does nothing useless. By means of reincarnation on the same ball, He desired that the same spirits meet again and have an opportunity to correct mutual injustices; He also desired to establish family ties on a spiritual basis and to strengthen, on the basis of the law of nature, the principle of solidarity, brotherhood and equality.
"Kingdom of Heaven to him" - it is customary to say in our society to the deceased. This refers to the wish that the soul of the deceased would certainly end up in the Kingdom of God. Let's see what Scripture says about the Kingdom of God. Where is it and how to get there?
Jesus Christ before the crucifixion said to the disciples: "I'm going to prepare a place for you. And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2, 3).
The truth about Heaven makes it one of the most amazing places imaginable. According to the testimonies of Jesus and the apostle John, the capital of the future glorious Earth will be the new Jerusalem being built in Heaven. Here's what the Bible says about it: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).
At present, the Lord is preparing monasteries for all faithful Christians. The day will come when this luminous white city will sink to the ground to become an eternal home for the saved here, and the earth itself will become part of Heavenly Kingdom. The streets of New Jerusalem will be so pure and beautiful that John compares them to pure gold.
The saved believers there will have real bodies of flesh and blood: “Our residence is in heaven, whence we also look forward to a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our humble body so that it will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20, 21). How exciting it is to know that our present physical corruptible nature will be changed to incorruptible.
Jesus said that “Many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). This indicates that we will be able to recognize these Old Testament heroes. We will forever be united not only with those whom we loved on earth, but also get acquainted with these majestic giants of the spirit, who inspired us from the pages of the Scriptures.
Most people love evenings of meetings and memories. What a joy it is to meet old friends or relatives after many years! The sky would not give joy if we could not recognize each other there.
In one of his visions, the apostle John was shown the glory of the New Jerusalem. The city shone with such a dazzling brilliance that the prophet was completely stunned. In the New Jerusalem, God Himself will dwell with the saved, and the saved will live both in the city and on the renewed earth. “And I will build houses, and dwell in them, and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit” (Isaiah 65:21).
The Lord will meet us and lead us through the Holy City. The saved will pass along the streets of gold, along the river of life, they will see the tree of life, which every month will bear new fruit, and its leaves will heal the nations. And all this splendor will be available to us only because the Son of God Jesus Christ once did not spare His life and gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sins on Calvary. Through His death and resurrection, our sins will be forgiven. Before us will be a clean and beautiful new world. There will be no more sin in him. Animals will frolic freely on the lawns, in the forest, by the river: “Then the wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the ox will be together, and the little child will lead them. And the cow will graze with the bear, and their cubs will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox” (Isaiah 11:6, 7).
It will be a world in which there is no grief and tears. AT Revelation 21:3, 4 says, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them; they will be His people, and God Himself with them will be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death; there will be no more mourning, no outcry, no sickness, for the former has passed away.”
The Bible says that there will be children in the land of the saved, they will play everywhere and in complete safety. “And the streets of this city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets” (Zechariah 8:5). Isn't that wonderful!?
With bodies that never tire, we will be able to explore the fabulously great city of God. The entire universe will be open to our contemplation and exploration. To visit the billions of extraordinary planets, star systems and galaxies that have never been defiled by sin, probably, even eternity is not enough. But we can go there.
Unimaginable beauty and happiness await us in the Kingdom of God. The Bible says: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Now let's ask ourselves a question, the answer to which is yours: "When the saved enter the kingdom of heaven, will I be among them?" Every person has the right to become residents of the Kingdom of Heaven. The main thing is that you have time to use this right while living here on earth.
Know God, repent of all the sins you have committed, and obey His Word. Come to Him, our Advocate, bow down, humble your heart and trust your life to the Lord. He will accept you, forgive you, transform your sinful heart, and when the great Day of Salvation comes, you will be able to unite with the saved people of all ages, so that together with them enter this beautiful city, New Jerusalem, and settle there forever. Don't miss this opportunity. God bless you!
Prepared by Viktor Bakhtin
Every brother and sister in the Lord has a desire: to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which the Lord promised us Jesus. But how can we enter the kingdom of heaven? The Lord Jesus said to us, “Jesus answered and said, Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left home, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for My sake and the gospel, and I would not have received today, in this time, in the midst of persecution, a hundred times more houses, and brothers and sisters, and fathers, and mothers, and children, and lands, but in the age to come, eternal life ”(Mark 10: 29-30 ). Therefore, most brothers and sisters in the Lord believe that because they leave their family, work, marriage and work for the Lord, they will enter the kingdom of heaven and gain eternal life. For this, some Christians prefer to forgo marriage in order to work for the Lord, thinking that they will thus be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; some prefer to serve the Lord all their lives, spending all their efforts and time building churches, through which, in their opinion, they will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven; some think that because they give large offerings and preach everywhere, spreading Gospel, they will be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven… In fact, most of the brothers and sisters think that all these are the fundamental criteria for entering the Kingdom of Heaven and even envy such Christians, believing that they will certainly enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But is it really so?
Recently I was studying the Bible and read the words of the Lord Jesus: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord! Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Only then did I learn that work is not a criterion for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, and only those who do the will of the Heavenly Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Doing the will of Heavenly Father means doing the words of the Lord and keeping the commandments of the Lord. When a person works and does work and at the same time realizes the Lord's words, obeys Him and reveres the Lord, loves God first of all, and also sincerely squanders himself for God, completely pleasing Him, without conditions and impure motives, such a person lives according to the heart of the Lord and will eventually enter the kingdom of heaven. Conversely, if a person simply works hard but refuses to practice the Lord's words or keep His commandments, then he is not really obeying or worshiping Him, but simply doing what pleases him. Such work is a reflection of personal character and preferences, and is in no way pleasing to the Lord. And if there is deceit, a condition, a profit and a price in hard work, and it is even used as a bargaining chip or a pledge to God for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, for making a deal with God in exchange for the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven, then this is also a great manifestation of resistance. and blasphemy before God.
Remember how the priests, scribes, and Pharisees served God in the temple for a long time. They were familiar with the Bible and well versed in the law. They burned incense, offered sacrifices, prayed, interpreted scriptures, preached in the temple, and even traveled land and sea to work and work to spread the gospel. People praised them for their own suffering, but why did the Lord Jesus condemn and curse them? The Lord Jesus said, “He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded: Honor your father and mother; and: whoever speaks evil of his father or mother, let him die by death. But you say: if someone says to his father or mother: a gift [to God] that which you would use from me, he may not honor his father or his mother; thus you have made void the commandment of God by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying, These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; but in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:3-9). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who go round the sea and the dry land in order to convert at least one; and when that happens, make him a son of hell, twice as bad as you” (Matthew 23:15). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that you close the kingdom of heaven to men, for you yourselves do not enter, and you do not allow those who want to enter” (Matthew 23:13). Reflecting on these words of the Lord, I realized that although the Pharisees went far to spread the Gospel, they did not preach anything other than the traditions of their ancestors, they did not preach God's laws and His commandments, but in reality they left God's commandments. They worked hard and paid the price, not for the love of God or obedience to Him, and not for the sake of people, to teach them to walk in the ways of God or to worship Him, nay, not for the sake of exalting God or bearing witness to Him. Instead, they exalted and showed themselves so that others would worship them, preaching the traditions of their ancestors. Therefore, the works and efforts of the Pharisees were filled with personal goals and aspirations.
When the Lord Jesus came to change everything for the new, His preaching and work were warmly received by the people, and many people followed Him. At the same time, the Pharisees were afraid of losing their influence in the hearts of the people. For the sake of maintaining their status and their activities, they resisted Him and vehemently condemned the Lord Jesus and even colluded with the Roman government to crucify Him, this revealed their nature filled with hatred of the truth and their essence as antichrists. That is why the Lord Jesus cursed them and condemned them as hypocrites. Their life was in opposition to God. Therefore, their work and deeds did not lead them to the Kingdom of Heaven. On the contrary, they were subject to God's righteous punishment.
Thus, a person cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven by outwardly wasting and creating a kind of activity, because what God desires is the sincere heart of a person. Regarding the criteria for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord Jesus also said: “Not everyone who says to Me: ‘Lord! Lord!’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day: Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and did they not cast out demons in your name? and did not many miracles work in your name? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). The Lord Jesus told us that only those who do the will of Heavenly Father can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but He did not say that those who work hard for Him can. People who can consecrate themselves to the Lord according to His requirements, practice His words and obey His commandments, and love Him with their heart, soul, mind, without opposition or betrayal, are those who follow God's will. Just as the Lord Jesus said: “Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: this is the first and greatest commandment; the second is like it: love thy neighbor as thyself…” (Matthew 22:37-39). Following God's will does not consist in the number of sacrifices made or visible difficulties suffered or in religiosity, but in deeds filled with reverence and obedience to God. People who use themselves for God out of love for Him, strive for Him and please Him without self-interest; who can cast aside their interests and all kinds of desires, who do not count on their future prospects and fully fulfill God's commission; through their work they glorify God and testify to Him, not working for their position and reputation; those who accept work and obey God's word, even if it does not agree with their own ideas, they do not distribute or judge what God gives, according to their ideas and judgments; those that all do, no matter what trials and tribulations come their way, whether near death or prison and torture..., obey God's management and His ordinances without choice. Only such people are worthy to enter the Kingdom of God.
Let's think of those apostles and prophets who were favored by God. All of them not only worked and followed the Lord, but more than that, they could apply Word of God in practice, obey His words, obey and accept everything He did, without terms and conditions. And as a result, they received the favor of God. For example, Peter followed the Lord Jesus all his life, had love for God, focused on practicing the words of the Lord, cared for His will, and pleased Him in everything. He did not look for prospects and destiny for himself, but endured all suffering because of the love of God. Even after being crucified, he was able to obey to death. He loudly testified about God before Satan, receiving God's favor. Or for example, Abraham. When God's test came, to sacrifice his only son to God, he was able to endure suffering and give up what he loved in order to please and obey God, although God's requirement was very difficult for him. By following God, he ended up being approved by Him. There is also Job. Having lost everything he had in the trial, being very grieved, he still walked in God's way, and did not sin with his mouth. He was called God - a man who fears God and shuns evil. The reason they were all able to stand firm in these great trials was because they had a heart that could endure suffering, that could deny themselves, that could reject the flesh, that could love God and please Him. All of them were living evidence of following the path of God, and therefore they received God's favor.
Obviously, if people follow the truth, practice God's Word, live the reality of God's words, and do His will, they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But the one who only works, but cannot obey God's will and has not rejected his vicious nature, the one who does not love, does not obey and does not worship God, such a person will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
St. Theophan the Recluse
Art. 9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not flatter yourselves: neither harlots, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor defilers, nor malakia, nor homosexuals, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor drunkards, nor vexatious, nor predators, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
The words: or do not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, relate to the previous one - to the conviction that those who are ready to offend should refrain from insults, and that, thus, there should be no reason for litigation. Insults, or untruths, in worldly affairs, giving rise to litigation, may seem to be not so important; but as they come from disrespect for the truth, or dislike of the truth, and thereby denounce the contortion of conscience and corruption of the heart, then, no matter how insignificant their subject is, they make them unclean and worthless into the kingdom of God; for nothing unclean will enter there. Having finished this, the Apostle turns to the denunciation of a sinful and passionate life in general.
Don't flatter yourself Do not be deceived, do not be deceived, do not flatter yourself with empty hopes, as if sin is nothing. “Here the Apostle means some who said, as many now say: God is philanthropic and good, He does not avenge crimes, we have nothing to fear, He will never punish for any sin. Therefore he says: don't flatter yourself. For it is an extreme deceit and delusion - hoping for something pleasant, to receive something contrary and to think about God in a way that one does not think about a person. Therefore, the prophet speaks on behalf of God: Thou hast rebuked iniquity, for I shall be like thee: I will reprove thee, and present thy sins before thy face(Ps. 49, 21) "(St. Chrysostom). No matter how absurd such thoughts are, yet all sinners always hold them. The enemy is already stuffing them in the head. Only when, by the grace of God, they begin to repent, they realize that they were deceived, and they clearly see that with God mercy is mercy, and truth is truth. Good is He infinitely; but no less righteous. Therefore let us fear His fear.
Having opened the eyes of sinners, closed by flattery, the Apostle now lists them by generation, just as he did above when he expelled them from Christian society (5, 10-11). And he remembers all of them again, and adds new ones, either allowing him to assume that, apart from these, the door to the kingdom will be open to other sinners, and then giving it to be understood that, like these, there will be no entry there for all other violators of the commandments.
Nor fornicators: womanless, with husbandless harlots, indulging in lust; nor idolaters who, allowing themselves to partake of things offered to idols, fall into other indecencies there, which are connected with it; nor adulterers who violate the fidelity of the marital bed; nor defilers, - this word is not in the original: it must be assumed that it is added to the incomprehensible following: malaki, - so as to read: nor defilers – Malachi, by which it seems to be understood those who defile themselves with prodigal sweets, or masturbators; nor homosexuals when a man has a man instead of a woman to satisfy prodigal lust; nor covetous, greedy for the estate, in order to have more and more, without sorting out the means, such as: exorbitant growth, deceit in trade, various tricks in turnover; among them are also the misers, who, having much, do not themselves use it as they should, nor do they share it with others in need; no tatiya- thieves stealing houses, shops, churches, secretly, hiding mostly behind the darkness of the night; no drunkard, not only those who are always drunk, or drink heavily, but also those who in general love drunken merriment, in whatever form it may be composed - condemned as an arbitrary stupefaction of oneself with a fever of blood and placing oneself in such a state in which are ready for anything; nor vexers- quarrelsome and pugnacious, scoffers and scoffers, from whom no one can live and pass, this is both in a rough and in a subtle form; nor predators who, like predatory beasts, roam the roads and sit in secret places to attack and rob someone - robbers; this also includes those who empty their pockets, and those who forcibly withhold some kind of payment. Two kinds of sins are listed - carnal lust in the most shameful forms, and covetousness with all unrighteousness. Of the sins of irritation and anger, there is only one - vexation, which, however, can also come from an unangered desire to annoy others.
Everyone is like that the kingdom of God will not inherit. And in a good society such people are intolerant, not only in the bright and most pure kingdom of God. The Apostle puts forward this, probably because many of the believing Corinthians belonged to the lower class and were formerly entangled in bad habits. The experience of the incest has shown that it is possible in other cases to fall back to the previous deeds. That is why he writes to the whole Church: to expel such people from Christian society, and he frightens those who could fall again, with hell. For nothing sobers up and turns away from the lures of habitual sin so much as the awareness of the danger of losing the kingdom and the perception of fear of falling into hell. That the aim of the Apostle is indeed to prevent, is evident from what he says after this:
The First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul, Interpreted by St. Theophan.
Shmch. Ignatius the God-bearer
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakias, nor sodomists
Don't be fooled my brothers! Decaying houses will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Messages.
Rev. Ephraim Sirin
Or do you not know that covetous and fornicators and all who commit such deeds, the kingdom of God will not receive possession (will not inherit)?
Commentary on the Epistles of the Divine Paul.
Bliss. Theophylact of Bulgaria
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God
He concludes the exhortation with a threat, amplifying the speech and asking them about a subject known to all.
Don't be fooled
Here alludes to those of the Corinthians who said that God is philanthropic and will not punish, but will lead into the Kingdom. Therefore says: don't be fooled: for in fact, it is obvious self-delusion and delusion here to expect all kinds of blessings, and there to be subjected to execution.
Nor fornicators
The one who has already been convicted is put in the first place.
Neither idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakia
Malakiy calls those over whom they commit shameful things, and then enumerates those who commit shameful things.
Neither homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous men, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor predators shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
Many ask why he placed drunkards and blasphemers along with idolaters and those who commit indecent deeds? Because Christ also recognized as guilty of Gehenna the one who says to his brother: insane(Matt. 5:22), and therefore again, because the Jews went from drunkenness to idolatry. Further, now it is not a question of punishment, but of deprivation of the Kingdom; All such sinners are equally deprived of the Kingdom, and whether there will be a difference in their punishments, this is not the place to discuss this.
Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul.
Ambrosiast
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakias, nor sodomists
By what Paul said, he points out to them that it is not out of ignorance that they sin, and therefore the punishment will be stronger for them.
On the Epistles to the Corinthians.
Origen
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakias, nor sodomists
Let no one make excuses: I was young, I was celibate, so before marriage I sinned with fornication. Why didn't you get married?
Fragments.
Lopukhin A.P.
Art. 9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakia, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor predators - will not inherit the Kingdom of God
Concerning the Corinthians' forgetfulness of their sacred duty - to love their brothers in faith, Ap. notices that, in general, among the Corinthians, a frivolous attitude towards the obligations they assumed to lead a pure and righteous life began to assert itself. They began to imagine that their religious, spiritual gifts by themselves could already open the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven for them, whatever their behavior. No, says Ap., this cannot be! In doing so, he first enumerates five types of intemperance, and then five types of violation of other people's rights, both the right to property and the right to public respect ( blasphemous they harm the honor of others, their good name).
