Bible lessons
Published November 28, 2013
So, the devil's machinations - what is it? In 2 Corinthians 2:11, Paul writes that Satan can do no harm if we know his devices. In any war, when the enemy is preparing an attack, the other side must prepare and prepare a counterattack. Information about everything that is planned against them is always very important, and therefore the best intelligence officers and spies are trained to obtain valuable information. If the attack occurs unexpectedly, and it is unknown on which front line, the battle can easily be lost. But if you prepare well, you can easily hold off one attack after another.
We know that there is a very serious spiritual war going on between Satan and the evil forces on the one hand, and God, His army and us on the other. In order for us to resist the devil, we need to become well aware of his goals, methods and where he intends to attack. By studying the Bible, we will be able to see that he does not have thousands of different ways and methods that we cannot even prepare for, but only 3 main plans that he uses throughout history. Just as Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), just as he tempted Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4), so he tempts each of us (John 2:16). The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are 3 areas in which we can always expect attack, but let's study them well and prepare for battle.
How to fight
The best remedy in the fight against lust of any nature has always been prayer. A person who lives according to the will of God will always be able to find the strength to fight sinful desires.
A Christian Should Fight Lust Through Prayer
Consciously protecting yourself from the flow of unnecessary information from the outside will also be useful. It is better to read spiritual literature in the evening than to spend time watching another film of dubious content. It is better to play educational games with your child than to sit him down watching TV and go into the virtual reality of his own smartphone.
Advice! When starting a new day, it is best to first pray and ask for guidance from the Almighty. Everything is possible with God's help!
Orthodox Life
After victory over gross carnal passions, every Christian, and especially those who zealously strive in virtues, is subjected to subtle spiritual temptations: love of money, covetousness, spiritual insensibility, excessive sleep, timidity, vanity and pride.
The love of money among non-church people is not considered a vice. On the contrary, many people look at people who are successful in material terms with envy. Among Protestants, wealth is perceived as a special blessing from God. Usually only government officials and clergy are harshly condemned for this passion. What is the danger of this passion and why does the holy Apostle Paul call the love of money the root of all evil: “The love of money is the root of all evil, to which, having given themselves over, some have wandered away from the faith and subjected themselves to many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10), and the holy Apostle John The theologian is concerned with lust: “For everything that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but from this world?” (1 John 2:16).
Saint Theophan the Recluse, relying on the opinion of other ascetics, writes that “the love of money is the root of all evil, because it provides ways to live according to lusts that are unkind and do not lead to good, as was said before, and because in order to satisfy this passion, the one who possesses it , without hesitation, he is ready “for every atrocity, every crime and obscenity, and actually commits them” (Ambrosiastes). “From this root grow murder, sorcery, theft, lies, breaking an oath and all kinds of crimes” (Blessed Theodoret). “It does not spare the living, nor does it spare the dead, but it robs them too; rebels against parents and brothers and sacrilegiously steals God's property. Drive out the love of money - and there will be no wars, no enmity, no fornication; for a harlot gives herself over to lewdness for money” (Blessed Theophylact).”
“The lover of money,” says St. John, “is a blasphemer of the Gospel,” which, like the entire Word of God, calls every Christian to non-covetousness, and even more so a monk who has pledged to seek the highest perfection and has taken a vow of poverty (see Matt. 6:20 ; Mark 4:19; Luke 12:21, 33; 1 Tim. 6:7–10, 18, 19). The love of money is the daughter of unbelief in God’s Providence, which gives everything necessary not only to man, but also to the last of creatures. The love of money is idolatry, since the one blinded by this passion honors soulless metal, giving it his whole heart and his whole soul: “The love of money is the worship of idols, the daughter of unbelief, excusing oneself by one’s infirmities, a predictor of old age, a harbinger of famine, a fortuneteller about lack of rain.”
The love of money suppresses the good seeds of good deeds in the ascetic and predisposes him to a countless number of the worst dispositions and actions. Its immediate consequences are the loss of pure, undisturbed prayer: “A non-covetous man prays with a pure mind, and a covetous man imagines images of matter during prayer,” anger: “A hoarder and a money-lover met each other, and the second called the first reckless,” sadness: “The waves are not they will leave the seas, but anger and sadness will not leave the lover of money”, grumpiness, hatred: “He who despises substance has gotten rid of justifications and contradictions, but the covetous is ready to compete for a needle to death”, discord, memory malice and hard-heartedness: “Love of money begins under the guise of giving alms, and ends in hatred of the poor. The lover of money is merciful while he collects money; and as soon as he accumulated them, he clasped his hands.” “He who acquired love squandered money; and whoever says that he has both is deceiving himself.” “Just as those who have shackles on their feet cannot walk comfortably, so those who collect money cannot ascend to heaven.”
The same should be said about covetousness, since it differs from the love of money only in that the covetous object of unreasonable attachment is not only money, but also other things that make up a person’s wealth.
Was it not such mercantile commodity-money relations that became one of the reasons that destroyed the once great Russian state? Look at what private marriage advertisements were published in newspapers at the beginning of the 20th century:
- “The non-commissioned officer would like to marry a girl who has her own capital. Wedding at the expense of the bride.
- A girl who has just graduated from high school wants to marry a single and childless widower with a fortune. Don't be shy about your age.
– A young man of 19 years old with the title of prince has 100 thousand capital, wants to find himself a young girl, intelligent, with a capital of 50 thousand.
“21 years old, of simple rank, with an unblemished past, with a dowry of 800 rubles, a good worker and a cheerful disposition, having quarreled with her fiancé Alexei, she definitely wants to marry a respectable man who doesn’t drink.”
The greatest exposer of the passion for money and the social inequality associated with it before St. John was St. John Chrysostom. In the 12th discourse of the commentary on the First Epistle to Timothy, he writes: “This passion is destructive, and it is impossible for one who does not do injustice to become rich. Christ points to this when he says: Make friends with unrighteous wealth (Luke 16:9). But what, you say, if someone received an inheritance from their father? He received what he had collected through untruth. After all, without a doubt, his ancestor was rich not from Adam, but, of course, many others were born before him, and among many there could be one who illegally stole and took advantage of what belonged to others... Therefore, tell me where you come from acquired wealth? Who did you get it from? Where did you get the other one? From grandfather, you say, from father. But can you, going back through a long series of generations, prove in this way that this property was legally acquired? There's no way you can do this. On the contrary, its beginning and root must certainly be hidden in some kind of injustice. Why is that? Because at first God did not make one rich and another poor, and, having brought (people), did not show one many golden treasures, and deprived another of this acquisition, but provided everyone with the same land for cultivation. How then, when it is common property, do you own so many and so many plots, while your neighbor does not have a single piece of land? You will say: my father gave it to me. Who did he get it from? Also from our ancestors. But, constantly rising higher, you certainly need to find the beginning. Jacob became rich, but receiving a reward for his labors. However, I will not engage in detailed research into this. Let us assume that wealth is legal, acquired without the slightest admixture of robbery. It is not your fault that your father stole; True, you own what was acquired through robbery, but you yourself did not rob. Let us even agree, however, that he did not rob, but owned gold mined from somewhere on the ground. What of this? Is wealth really a good thing? Not at all. But it’s not evil, you say. If it is not the fruit of covetousness, then it is not evil, even if it is distributed to those in need; if they do not distribute it, it becomes evil and deceit. But you will say: as long as a person has not done evil, he is not evil, even if he has not done good. Wonderful. But is it not evil that one person owns what belongs to the Lord, and that one person enjoys the common property? Isn’t it God’s earth and its fulfillment (see Ps. 23:1)? Therefore, if our goods belong to the common Master, then they equally constitute the property of our fellow slaves: what belongs to the Master belongs to everyone in general. Don't we see such a device in large houses? Namely, everyone is given a certain amount of bread equally, because it comes from the householder’s granaries: the master’s house is open to everyone. And everything royal belongs to everyone: cities, squares, streets belong to everyone; we all use them equally. Look at the construction of God. He created some objects common to everyone, in order, although in this way, to shame the human race, such as: air, sun, water, earth, sky, sea, light, stars - he divided equally among everyone, as if between brothers. For everyone He created the same eyes, the same body, the same soul; He gave everyone the same structure, he (produced) everyone from the earth, everyone from one husband, he placed everyone in the same house. But all this did not contribute at all to our conversion. And He made other things common, such as baths, cities, squares, streets. And note that regarding what belongs to everyone, there is not the slightest strife, but everything is done peacefully. If someone attempts to take something away and turn it into his own property, then a quarrel occurs, as if due to the fact that nature itself is indignant at the fact that at a time when God is gathering us from everywhere, we are trying with special zeal to separate ourselves from each other. themselves, separate from each other, forming a private property, and say these cold words: “This is yours, and this is mine.” Then disputes arise, then grief arises. And where there is nothing of the kind, neither disputes nor strife arise. Consequently, we are destined for a common rather than a separate possession (of things), and it is more in accordance with nature itself. Why does no one ever start litigation over the ownership of space? Is it because it belongs to everyone? Meanwhile, we see that everyone is starting litigation about houses and estates. And despite the fact that the necessary things are in the common possession of everyone, we do not observe communication in the possession of even the most insignificant objects. Meanwhile, this is why God gave us the first for common use, so that we could learn from this that the latter should also be common to us with everyone. But even in this way we are not brought to our senses. However, I return to what I already spoke about before: how can one who owns wealth be good? Of course, he is not good, but he becomes good when he distributes (his wealth) to others. When he does not have it, then he is good; and when he gives it to others, then it is also good; and as long as he keeps it to himself, he is not good. So, is it good that with the acquisition of which people become evil, and with the deprivation of which people become good? Therefore, goodness does not consist in having money; on the contrary, not having money is a sign of a good person. Therefore, goodness does not consist in wealth. If, having the opportunity to receive it, you do not take it, then again you will become good. Therefore, if, having wealth, we distribute it to others or do not take what is offered to us, we are kind; on the contrary, if we take or acquire it and become unkind, then how can wealth be recognized as good? So, don't call wealth a blessing. You do not have wealth because you consider it a blessing, because you are too surprised by it. Purify your thoughts, acquire a sound judgment about things, and then you will be good. Find out what constitutes true blessings. What are these benefits? Virtue, philanthropy. This is a blessing, not wealth.”
In his conversation on the psalms, St. John even more vividly depicts the disasters that arise due to the passions of love of money and covetousness: “One captured another’s field, this one stole that one’s servants, one is suing a neighbor over water, another is at enmity with a partner over air. . Some dishonor each other over an inch of land, others oppress each other over a house; this one seeks to take what he did not give, the other one goes to court so as not to give back what he took. One greedily demands extra income, the other tries to take away the capital itself. This one grieves from lack, and that one is oppressed by abundance; whoever does not have suffers humiliation, and whoever has is the object of envy. He who is invested with power arouses anger against himself; whoever rules is hated; whoever belongs to the nobility is armed against him. Wars are constant, envy is continuous, greed tyrannizes, selfishness prevails, lies are exalted, mutual trust is lost, truth has left the earth, friendship is only at meals. All have lost their strength; the earth is finally unable to bear evil; the air is polluted right down to the ether. Because of money, life is not lived; We are ready to sell even free elements for money; outposts are erected on the roads, lands are divided by lot, waters are at the disposal of the masters, air is farmed out; tithes, tax collectors and farmers captured the cities; the rich are worn out by worries; moneylenders burn with anxiety; robbers ruin lives; covetous people corrupt the courts; merchants benefit from disasters; informers sell lies. By deceiving each other, we destroyed the sanctity of the oath; We know God only to swear."
According to St. John Climacus, the love of money and covetousness is opposed to non-covetousness, which “is the putting aside of earthly cares, carelessness about life, unforbidden travel, faith in the commandments of the Savior; it is alien to sadness. A non-covetous monk is the ruler of the world, who has entrusted God with the care of himself and by faith has acquired everyone as his slaves. He will not tell a person about his need; and what comes, he accepts as from the hand of the Lord. The non-acquisitive ascetic is the son of impartiality, and what he receives he considers as nothing. If he happens to go somewhere, he blames everything for his skill. If he grieves about something, he has not yet become non-covetous.
According to the thought of St. John Climacus, the essence of the feat against the passion of love of money and covetousness consists not in not having any property, but in not tying your heart to any acquisition. A non-covetous monk does not tell everyone about his needs - when God sends him something, he accepts it; He only thinks about the property he has received and has in his possession as if he did not have it at all. However, in the teaching about these exploits one cannot find encouragement for idleness and complete carelessness about one’s livelihood. “If anyone does not want to work, let him not eat,” says the apostle (2 Thess. 3:10), whose own hands “served not only his needs, but also the needs of those who were with him” (see Acts 20:34 ).
As a remedy against the love of money and covetousness, St. John Climacus points out:
1. Obedience: “Great is he who piously denies his own possessions, but holy is he who denies his own will. The first will be enriched a hundredfold in property or talents, and the last will inherit eternal life,” “Those who remain in obedience are alien to the love of money, for when they betrayed their body, what will they consider their property? They only lose the benefit of being comfortable and ready to move from place to place. I saw that the substance gave the monks the patience to remain in one place; but more than these I have blessed those who wander for the Lord’s sake.”
2. Firm faith and remembrance of death: “Faith and withdrawal from the world is the death of the love of money; mercy and love are given for the sake of one’s neighbor and the body itself.”
3. Acquiring the grace of the Holy Spirit: “He who has tasted the highest blessings easily despises earthly ones; he who has not tasted the former rejoices in acquiring the latter.”
Archimandrite Markell (Pavuk), confessor of the Kyiv theological schools
Lust of the eyes
Genesis 3:6 tells how Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was pleasing to the eyes. That is, the devil tempted and aroused desire through visual images. When Eve looked at the forbidden fruit for a long time, she could no longer resist the strong temptation, and forgot all the prohibitions and warnings of God about all the negative consequences.
It seems that modern advertising works: the more often we see certain things, the more we want them. It often happens that people buy some very expensive things that they don’t need, and then regret the money they wasted.
Scientists have proven that hypnosis works in a similar way. The researchers attached small electrical meters to the entire surface of the brain. When a person was put into a state of hypnosis, either by monotonous words or by various taps or clicks, they began to measure various electrical impulses throughout the surface. Interestingly, in some areas the pulses became very small, leading to the conclusion that some parts of the brain had shut down.
They decided to conduct the same experiment with a person who was watching television. In some parts of the brain, the electrical impulses also decreased very much, so some parts of the brain also shut down. Scientists have realized that due to the fact that on TV we see thousands of monotonous pictures in 1 minute, we seem to fall into a state of hypnosis. They also saw that a person can only be critical of the information presented for a minute and a half, and then the brain simply gives up and switches off. That is, when we start watching or listening to something, we need to quickly decide whether to continue or not, otherwise we may succumb to Satan's attacks on our brain.
In Matthew 4:8-10 it is written how the devil shows Christ all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and says: “I will give all this to you, if you fall, you will worship me,” but Jesus answered: “Worship the Lord God and serve him only.” " Then Satan departed, and the Angels came to Jesus and began to serve Him.
In the same way, the devil comes to us, shows us something, and offers us various rewards if we compromise with the Word of God. He can offer us money, power, satisfaction of all our needs, but for this he will ask for some small favor. We may have to deceive a little (or not tell the truth), steal a little (or take our own), violate someone’s interests (just to achieve our goal), but we will always have to make a choice: either worship the devil or worship God. No matter how hard it is for us, when we make decisions in favor of God, help immediately comes to us, and heavenly forces begin to help us!
