The main commandments of Christ. Two main commandments

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"Let's enjoy the fruitfulness of the Divine commandments of Christ"

(Canon on Wednesday of the 1st week of V. Lent)

About love for God and neighbor

In order to assimilate and fulfill the commandments of Christ, it is necessary to know: what exactly are these commandments and how many are there? No one can give a precise and definite answer to this question. Our catechisms only deal in detail with the 10 commandments of the Old Testament; and of the commandments of the New Testament, only 9 promises about the so-called beatitudes are mentioned. Meanwhile, there are many New Testament Christ's commandments, as can be seen from the Gospel history throughout its entire space. There are many commandments given by example and spoken by the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ; but they are still, for some reason, not collected together - for a more convenient and constant remembrance of them. To see them all, for this you need to constantly read all the Gospels; and this, obviously, is not always possible and not for everyone. And the commandments are forgotten! From St. Fathers and teachers of the Church, it seems, only St. Maximus the Confessor said something about this to his colleague. “Although,” he said, “there are many commandments, but they are all combined in one word - the following: love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as unto thyself»(). The brother asked the Confessor: “If there are many commandments, what are they, and who can fulfill all the commandments?” St. Maxim answered: “All commandments can be fulfilled by those who imitate the Lord and follow Him step by step. Who will follow the Lord - step by step - he will see all His commandments, given by Him both in word and example; and whoever imitates the Lord will fulfill all His commandments.” To the question: “Who can imitate the Lord?” St. Maximus said: “Of those who are enslaved to the world and its vanities, no one can imitate the Lord; those who can say: Behold, we will leave everything, and after You we will go(), will receive strength - to imitate the Lord, and to follow all His commandments. And the angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, stand before God, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring this good news to you. (). Be like us, brethren, and look like those who walk, as if you had an image of us (). There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (). And those who are Christ's are, crucifying the flesh with passions and lusts () But let me not boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (). Whoever loves a father or mother more than Me, is worthy of Me; and whoever loves a son or daughter more than Me, is worthy of Me (). Both are My enemies, even though they did not desire Me, but the king was over them, bring this and cut it before Me(). So, let us follow the Lord step by step, mentally at first, according to the direction of the Holy Gospel History, in order to see and enumerate all the commandments of Christ; and then let us take care and actually fulfill them, so that we love the Lord God and our Savior with all our heart and soul, and, thus, inherit an eternally blessed life. Without sincere love for the Lord and the fulfillment of His commandments, it is impossible to be saved.

The first of all commandments: Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy Lord is One: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy thought, and with all thy mind yours, and with all your strength (; ). This is the first and great commandment. The second is similar to it: love your neighbor - your sincere, as if to yourself (). There is no big commandment to bear (). In this two commandment all the law and the prophets hang(): on these two commandments all the law and the prophets are established. So, the main, fundamental, universal and eternally unchanging Divine commandment of the Old and New Testament is the commandment about love for God and neighbor. The commandment to love God and neighbor is intended to root in us the seed of a new life, holy and God-pleasing, and to bring into us the union of perfection (). to God, according to the teachings of the Gospel, should be: the most sincere, complete and perfect (), - and therefore cannot be combined with love for the world - (); should be expressed in obedience to the will of God, in the fulfillment of the commandments (; ); should strive to imitate the perfections of the Supreme Being and have the goal of His glory (; ); finally, it must be so deep and unshakable that we are ready for all sacrifices for the sake of the name of God (: demolished.). Love for neighbors, inextricably linked with love for God (), embraces all people, friends and enemies (). She is everywhere non-hypocritical, zealous, from a pure heart (), and is certainly expressed in deeds (;). One who is imbued with Christian love does not offend his neighbor, not only in deed, but even in word and thought (); on the contrary, he himself generously endures all insults, and forgives all insults (). He is always merciful and generous to his neighbors (; ); he cares not only about their external well-being, but also about the salvation of the soul (;), and in general he is so devoted to his neighbors that he is ready to lay down his very soul for them - (). See intro. in the Theological Macarius (Bulgakov). How to acquire such complete love for God and neighbor? See Life in Christ book, ed. Athos. PM 1899. The universal commandment to love God and neighbor is, as it were, a solar center in which all the commandments of Christ come together and from which follow.

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About being in God and in everything Divine

What is it like iskasta Mene; is it not news, as in those who are my Father, it is worthy to be Mi(). “Why were you looking for Me? Or did you not know that I must be in that which belongs to my Father?” This is the answer of the Savior to His Most Pure Mother and St. Her betrothed, Joseph, who sought and found Him in the temple of Jerusalem, when He was only 12 years old, and talked there with the Jewish teachers. These first words of the Lord, recorded in the Gospel of Luke, obviously contain the commandment of Christ, given to us in His example, that every Christian, as a follower of Him, must be completely devoted to God, and throughout his life constantly abide in God. and in everything Divine, always think of God, always learn from His law, always strive to do His will. In a word, it is a complete and perfect devotion to the will of God, for which the hedgehog to live is Christ, and the hedgehog to die – acquisition(). It has neither its own will nor its own wisdom, it does not seek anything, it does not fear anything, and it does not grieve for anything, it does not fear any disasters, it does not grieve for any loss, it rejoices and thanks God in the very suffering. This virtue the Lord Himself magnified in His face when He said: descended from heaven, let me not do my will, but the will of the Father who sent me(); and considered the creation of the will of God to be His longed-for brush. All the saints were completely devoted to the will of God; and all true Christians cannot find for themselves a more desirable and comforting virtue, for the one who has completely surrendered to God rests in the arms of God, like a baby in the arms of his mother, and all worldly worries are not terrible for him: he is in a quiet haven. But how to acquire devotion to the will of God? To do this, you need to be firmly convinced that we are fully dependent on God, and that He cares about us more than the most compassionate parents about children - so make sure and pray: “You, Lord, know what is useful for me, do with me according to your will! I am yours, Savior, save me!

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About the fulfillment of all righteousness

Taco befits us to fulfill all righteousness(). “Thus it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness.” These words were spoken by the Lord to St. John the Baptist, at His baptism in the Jordan, when the Baptist was afraid to baptize the Lord, knowing who He was, and himself asked Him for baptism.

In these words is a new great commandment given, in the example of the Savior, to His followers. According to this commandment, every true Christian, in his life and work, must always fulfill all righteousness. For if he allows himself to lie and deceive, then he will no longer be a son of light, but will be a son of darkness—he will be a son of the devil, who is the father of lies.

The commandment to do what is right is nothing else than sincere, heartfelt obedience and submission to the Law of God, united with the fear of God, for there is truth in the law, and falsehood in lawlessness.

Convinced that the truth is in the Law of God, the Christian should no longer try why this or that is commanded, and why something is forbidden; but with unconditional humility of mind and heart, fulfill the commanded and run away from the forbidden. This great virtue attracts the eyes of the Lord Himself on the one who possesses it, saying: on whom shall I look, but on the meek and silent and trembling of My words?!(). What a great mercy of God to the Christian, devoted to God and obedient to the Law of God!

But even this attractive virtue is difficult to acquire and not soon possible. Our inquisitive pride wants to know everything: why and for what this or that is required, or forbidden - everything wants to be decided and defined in its own way. Meanwhile, due to his limitations and weakness, he often gets entangled in untruth and lies. And how many of these false self-legalists are among us! Therefore, it is necessary to sigh diligently to the Lord: “Give me, Lord, obedience, give me unconditional obedience to Your law, so that I will not go astray from the path of truth on the path of falsehood!”

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On Repentance and Faith in the Gospel

From there Jesus began to preach and say: repent, draw near, for the kingdom of heaven (); Fulfilled time and draw near the kingdom of God: repent and believe in the gospel(). With these words the Lord began His sermon to the human race. In these words is a universally binding commandment to all Christians: repent and believe in the Gospel teaching. This is how you begin and throughout your life continue the work of your salvation. A true Christian must always be at peace with God. But it is impossible to be at peace with God without continuous repentance. This repentance does not consist only in the words: “Forgive me, Lord, have mercy, Lord!” But at the same time, all actions that condition the remission of sins are inevitable, i.e.: a certain consciousness of the impurity of a thought, look, word, temptation, or something else - the consciousness of one’s guilt and irresponsibility in this - without self-justification, and a prayer for the forgiveness of sins for the sake of the Lord. Faith in the Gospel is the same as faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior, in His person and deed depicted in the Gospel. The Lord Himself said about Himself to Nicodemus: He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life(). This faith must be alive, firm, unshakable, active, guided by love, expressed in good deeds. Repentance and faith are inextricably linked, and separately, in the true sense, cannot exist; but the combination of them is the mystery is great(). Those. when in one and the same spirit the knowledge of one's poverty, given by repentance, and the knowledge of the Savior, given by faith, meet, then the riches of Christ and the repentance of the penitent are combined together, and from this combination a new creature is born - a new man.

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On Self-Sacrifice and Crucifixion

If anyone wants to follow Me, deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Me. ().

Here is another double commandment of Christ for those who wish to follow Him: deny yourself and take up your cross.

To reject oneself means to leave everything sinful that lives in a person; and to take up one's cross means to decide to meekly endure all the disasters and misfortunes that constantly happen in our life.

Thus, to reject oneself already means to take up one's cross, and to take one's cross is the same as to reject oneself. Self-denial without the cross and the cross without self-denial are unthinkable. Accepted in conjunction, self-denial and the cross put the Christian on the path of Christ.

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Of the strait and narrow path

Enter through the narrow gate; because the wide gate and the broad way lead into destruction... but the narrow gate and the narrow way lead into life(). According to this commandment, the narrow gate and the narrow path through which the Lord Himself passed in His earthly life constitute the only entrance to the realm of glory and eternal bliss. And how many among us are those who carelessly and fearlessly walk the wide paths, and do not think of themselves that they are going to perdition, either not knowing, or forgetting this commandment! And how few are the chosen ones who firmly remember the narrow path indicated by the Savior - both in deed and in word, and strive to follow it to the kingdom of heaven!

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About meekness and humility

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.(). How touching is this commandment, by which the Lord, the Way and the Life, calls to Himself all those who labor and are burdened, and promises to give them rest! He seems to be asking and begging them: take my yoke upon you: it is good; learn meekness and humility from me: the burden is easy. And the beloved disciple of Christ, St. The Evangelist John the Theologian, of course, says from experience that commandments Christ's not heavy(). How happy is he who keeps these commandments! Meekness and humility are also inseparable: where meekness is, there is humility; and where there is humility, there is meekness.

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About mercy

Be merciful as your Father is merciful(). This is such a commandment that the whole being of a true Christian should be imbued with, because even at the universal judgment of Christ, only the merciful will stand at His right hand, they will be recognized as blessed by the Heavenly Father, and they will inherit the kingdom of heaven prepared for them. Our Lord and Savior is the real mercy and the source of mercy; therefore, His merciful follower is likened to Him and to our merciful Heavenly Father, Who is all love.

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About improvement in life

Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect(). This commandment indicates the main goal, which every true Christian must constantly keep in mind and to which he is obliged, throughout his life, to strive with all his strength and measures in order to achieve it, constantly improving himself more and more in his religious and moral life. Having no or lost sight of this goal, he begins to wander around in different directions, finally loses the path to his destination for blissfully eternal life, and perishes.

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About the beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and slander you in every way unrighteously for me: Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven(; ). Every true Christian, in order to actually be a son of God and heir to the kingdom of heaven, must certainly, during his earthly life, adorn his soul with these virtues, determined by well-known promises - that is: humility, weeping and contrition for sins, meekness and without anger. love of truth, mercy, purity, peacefulness, patience of insults, enduring persecution for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and thus acquire the "heavenly heart", which is depicted in the sayings of the Lord about the beatitudes. Without these virtues, it is impossible to obtain eternal bliss.

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About the light of good deeds

So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven ().

These words, first of all, refer to the Apostles and their successors - the pastors and teachers of the holy Church of Christ, who before that were called the salt of the earth and the light of the World. But every true Christian, illuminated and enlightened by the light of Christ and possessing a heavenly heart, must be in his midst a lamp burning and shining for all those around him, so that everyone can see his good deeds, imitate them, and thus glorify our Father in heaven.

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About peacefulness

You heard what the ancients said: do not kill, whoever kills is subject to judgment (). But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother in vain will be subject to judgment. That's why make peace with your rival brother quickly, while you are still on the way with him in this life (). With this commandment, the Lord plucks out from the hearts of His followers the very root of the murder forbidden by the law – anger and malice, and, thus, gives this commandment the most perfect form, elevating it to the highest principle of spiritual life.

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About chastity

You have heard what the ancients said: do not commit adultery (). But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.. That's why if your right eye offends you, tear it out and throw it away from you; and if your right hand offends you, cut it off and throw it away from you; lest your whole body be cast into hell(). This commandment is necessary in order to protect the Christian from all fornication by the act itself, and to keep him at the height of pure chastity.

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About the oath

Have you heard what the ancients said: do not break your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord (). But I say to you: do not swear at all ... but let your word be: yes, yes; no no(). This commandment was given to Christians because no one has the right to swear either by heaven, or by earth, or by his own head, for all this is not his, and everything except “yes” and “no” is from the evil one; and in the hostel no one loses confidence so much as one who often swears or swears. But the sworn oath has a special meaning.

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About non-anger

You heard what it said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (). But I say to you: do not resist evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; and whoever wants to sue you, and take your shirt, give him your coat as well; and whoever compels you to go with him one race, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(). Here, according to St. I. Chrysostom, high Christian wisdom, whose first degree is not to start offending; the second - when it has already been caused - not to repay the offender with equal evil; the third is not only not to do to the offender what you suffered from him, but also to remain calm; the fourth is to betray oneself to misery; the fifth is to give more than the offender wants to take; the sixth is not to hate him; the seventh is even to love him; the eighth is to do good to him; the ninth is to pray for him, as the next commandment says. (See the interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew John Chrysostom).

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About love for enemies

Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (). Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked(). The one who loves the enemy is a kind of miracle worker, says St. Dimitri Rostovsky. He makes meek lambs from beasts. Enemies are of great benefit to us, for they watch our shortcomings and make us cautious and more perfect; but with their tongues cleanse us from sins.

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About charity

Be careful not to do your charity before people so that they can see you: otherwise you will not be rewarded from your Father in heaven. When you give charity, let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing, so that your charity may be in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.(). With this commandment and the following two, the Lord destroys the passion of vanity, a passion all the more dangerous because it secretly creeps into the soul of even other pious people, and everything good that is in it imperceptibly disperses and insensibly carries away.

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About prayer

When you pray, go into your room and, shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when praying, do not say too much, like the pagans, for they think that in their verbosity they will be heard. Don't be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray like this: who art in heaven! hallowed be thy name. May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today. And leave us our debts, and we also leave our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever, amen (). For if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses, the Lord added in an explanation of the 5th petition of the Lord's Prayer. On prayer there is a wonderful teaching of St. Demetrius of Rostov in the book - "The Inner Man Secretly Praying." And the Lord's Prayer is explained in the teaching of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk in the book "On Prayer, or Invoking God". See also Teachings on the Lord's Prayer, ed. Athos. P. M. 1898

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About post

When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may appear fasting not before men, but before your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.(). The Lord orders us to give alms, to pray and fast secretly, warning against our evil inclination - to console ourselves and enjoy human praises, and fearing that this inclination, carefully hidden, not only from people, but also from ourselves, would lead us to pharisaical hypocrisy. who is content with the praises of men, not caring or thinking about the reward of our heavenly Father. It is clear how insulting to God and harmful to us!

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On Hope in God and Surrendering Yourself to the Will of God

Don't care and tell us what to eat? or what to drink? Or what to wear? Because the Gentiles are looking for all this, and because your Heavenly Father knows that you need all this. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this will be added to you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of its own: enough for each day of its own care(). It is unreasonable and incompatible to collect earthly and heavenly treasures at the same time. It is unreasonable to collect earthly treasures, because they often perish: to collect both of them together is incompatible, because the heart cannot be divided into two, it will certainly adhere to one thing: either heavenly or earthly; just as it is impossible to serve two masters at the same time, because the servant will certainly love one master and begin to neglect the other. Moreover, if a person’s heart lies close to earthly treasures, then the eye of his mind will darken, and everything will be dark with him, while the heart that loves the treasures of heaven will also make the eye of its mind bright, and everything will be light with it. There must be one thing; for it is impossible to serve God and mammon. And to take care of collecting food, drink and clothing for many years is a sign of feeble-mindedness and lack of faith, offensive to God, Who nourishes everyone so richly - even to the smallest creatures living in the universe, so luxuriously dresses all plants down to the grass of the field! It turns out that a Christian who believes and hopes in God must direct all his cares mainly towards the search for the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and everything else that is necessary for him will be added to him from God the Father and his Provider.

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About non-judgment of neighbors

Judge not lest ye be judged; For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you use, it will be measured to you again.(). A righteous judgment is a work of God, and not a human one: whoever condemns his neighbor admires the judgment of God, and, moreover, distorts it - he almost always judges incorrectly. “When you judge your neighbor, you do not judge him,” says St. John Chrysostom, - but you expose yourself, and yourself, to a terrible judgment and severe torture. And how will you begin to heal your neighbor when you yourself need healing more than him?! The one who is guilty of the same should not judge, and does not care about correcting himself and his neighbor.

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On Treating Neighbors as Treating Yourself

As you want people to do to you, so do you to them; for in this is the law and the prophets(). This is a world commandment about mutual relations between people. In keeping with this commandment, we, as human beings, know from ourselves what we must do to others. So, if we want to be done well, then we ourselves must do good; if we want everyone to love us, then we ourselves must love everyone, and in general, what we do not love ourselves, we must not do to others. By this commandment, Christ the Savior showed that the Divine teaching on virtue in general is both brief and convenient for fulfillment, because it is close to us by nature and is known to everyone, so that no one can apologize for ignorance of it.

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About non-possessiveness

See, beware of covetousness; for the life of a man does not depend on the abundance of his possessions(). This commandment is explained by the Lord by the parable of a rich man who had a good harvest, and he settled down for many years to live for his own pleasure: drink, eat, be merry all day long; but in his cares about gathering a rich harvest and keeping it, he suddenly died, and rightly called from the Lord foolish.

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About vigilance

Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and you be like people who are waiting for the return of their master from marriage, so that when he comes and knocks, immediately open to him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, finds awake ... Be ready, too, for at what hour you do not think, the Son of Man will come (). Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I tell you, I tell everyone, stay awake(). This most important of the commandments is explained in the Gospel of Luke () and Matthew ().

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On patience and other private commandments

By your patience save your souls (). He who endures to the end will be saved ().

Unshakable patience consists in the fact that a person not only does not get irritated, does not get angry, does not indulge in cowardly grumbling, but endures everything bitter, mournful, painful in his life, with humility and self-condemnation, as if standing before the Most High Judge Himself and accepting torture from Him for their sins.

In patience, all Christian deeds and virtues are accomplished and completed in patience. Without patience, nothing good, especially difficult, and nothing can be done in ordinary life; especially in the life of a Christian, one cannot take a single step without patience.

But how to learn patience? It is necessary, with the help of God, to decide - to endure everything that happens to us silently and meekly endure, in anticipation of a change for the better. The experiences of life will teach and show how patience is necessary for us, useful and beneficial in all respects; and having learned this, a person will no longer part with patience, will get used to it, and, finally, will feel that with patience it is easier to endure all worldly hardships, especially Christian exploits, and reach a quiet haven, where there is no sickness, no sadness, no sighing. How free, how gratifying, how merrily he will breathe then, having crossed the stormy and many-poor sea of life, when all his qualities and virtues and complete love for God, and deep humility, and heartfelt obedience to the Law of God, and perfect devotion to the will of God, and amiable To God, purity of soul and heart, and true love for neighbors, and in general the whole-hearted desire to fulfill the commandments of Christ, will be preserved in him and brought up by nothing unshakable patience! An example of patience is the Lord Himself and all the saints.

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In addition to the obligatory commandments of Christ, there are also His more particular commandments.

1) On Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth ().

2) About the preservation of the shrine- the sacraments of faith "from enemies" ().

3) On Perseverance in Prayer ().

4) On Caution from False Prophets ().

5) On Hearing the Word of God (; ).

6) About confession ().

7) About spiritual food ().

8) On the dignity and non-seduction of children (; ).

9) About sound reasoning and the peace of Christians among themselves ().

10) About Christian Judgment ().

11) About forgiveness (; ).

12) About spiritual thirst ().

13) About the knowledge of truth, and about freedom from slavery to sin ().

14) About the divorce of spouses (; ).

15) About virginity ().

16) About not giving temptation to your neighbor ().

17) About the power of faith ().

18) On the preservation of the soul for eternal life(; demolished. ).

19) Salvation from the temptations of false teachers (; ; ).

20) On imitating the example of the Savior ().

21) On the modesty of the executors of everything commanded ().

22) About the retribution of Caesar's to Caesar, and God's to God ().

23) About communion (; ; ).

24) Love following the example of Christ the Savior is the Christian banner ().

25) About being in Christ the Savior.

Abide in Me and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit of its own accord unless it is in the vine, so neither can you unless you are in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in Me will be cast out like a branch and wither; but such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, then ask whatever you want, and it will be yours. My Father will be glorified by this, if you bear much fruit, and you will be My disciples. Remain in My love. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. You are My friends if you do what I command you (). Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned (). Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you all the days, to the end of the age. Amen ().

Having given to His disciples all the above commandments, and in His word and example, the Lord and our God at the last supper with them said to them: I gave you an example for you to do as I did for you.(), and thereby obligated all His faithful and true followers to fulfill all His commandments steadily. It is absolutely necessary for us to fulfill the commandments and commands of our Lord and Savior, because He is our Lord and Savior. It is necessary to fulfill His commandments in order to know by experience the life-giving power and their Divine significance for our life: Whoever wants to do the will of God will know about this teaching, is it from God?- said the Lord Himself (). It is absolutely necessary to fulfill the commandments of Christ in order to enter into the spirit of Christ, to cleave to Him with all one's being: “he who cleaves,” it is said, “to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord,” and thus becomes a true Christian, and who cares little about fulfillment, or and does not fulfill them at all, he can never acquire the Spirit of Christ, and, therefore, he will wear the title of Christian in vain: Whoever does not have the spirit of Christ is not His, not Christ's(), not a Christian. So, my beloved brother in the Lord! Turn all your attention to the commandments of Christ, always have them before your eyes and in your hands until you study them, assimilate them for yourself so that they become your eternal possession, they turn into your flesh and blood. Then it will be easy for you to fulfill them in all the necessary cases of your life, and by fulfilling them, you will be a true follower of your Savior and will undoubtedly receive salvation.

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"Follow me." There is another commandment of the Lord in the Gospel, short in expression, but comprehensive in meaning, a commandment that calls upon His followers: follow me. In conclusion, we draw attention to it, according to St. Tikhon of Zadonsky.

Follow me, - our Lord said to the apostle Peter (). This word applies to every follower of Christ. The word is very important and impressive because it alone came out of the mouth of our Savior Himself.

The importance and power of this word was revealed by St. Tikhon in the second part of his “Spiritual Treasure Gathered from the World”, in Article 46, under the title: “Follow Me.” It happens, he says, that one to another, on various occasions, says: "follow me."

Christian! thus Christ the Lord says to each of us: follow me. Read St. Gospel, listen to Him, and you will hear His sweetest voice: follow me. I am your Creator, and you are My creation: follow me. I am your King, and you are my subject: follow me. I am yours, clothed in your obedient flesh: follow me. I came into the world for you follow me. I came to you and for you; I, invisible, for the sake of you and everyone appeared on earth: follow me. I, inaccessible to Cherubim and Seraphim, became accessible to sinners and you: follow me. I, the King of Heaven, have lived on earth for your sake: follow me. I, the omnipotent and omnipotent, for your sake became weak: follow me. I, being rich, became poor for you, so that you may be enriched by My poverty (): follow me. I, the Lord of glory, have been mocked and dishonored for your sake: follow me. I, eternal and everlasting life, have tasted death for you, the death of the cross: follow me. I, sitting on the throne of glory and worshiped by the angels, praised and glorified, for your sake was blasphemed from sinners: follow me. I, who alone have immortality and live in unapproachable light, for your sake was imputed to the dead and laid in a dark tomb: follow me. I, your Redeemer, your Redeemer, your Savior, Who, not with silver and gold, but with My own blood, redeemed you from the devil, death and hell: follow me. You see My love for you: show your love to your Lover, and lovingly: follow me. Your love benefits you, not Me; just as your dislike harms you, and not Me: follow me.

God! what is a man, as if you were known to him? Or the son of man, as if you sane him– do you think about him? Man is like vanity(). “I sing to Thee: by hearing, O Lord, I heard and was horrified. Thou hast come before me, seeking me for the lost. That much is Your condescension, hedgehog to me, I glorify, Many-merciful! Ready heart, God, ready my heart. “Help me, Lord my God, and save me by Your mercy!”

What a Christian! Would you like to renounce such your Lord and Benefactor, Who calls you to Himself and not follow Him? It's scary and shameless! terrible, so as not to move Him to righteous anger, not to fall into His righteous judgment and thus perish. Shamelessly: for He is your highest Lover and Benefactor. Tell me, perhaps, if the king of the earth called you to follow him, would you not hurry after him with joy, leaving everything for the sake of a small and temporary honor and self-interest? And here is the King of kings and the Lord of lords - the King of heaven calls you to follow Him: follow me! and calls not to temporary honor, glory and self-interest, but to the eternal life and kingdom, to eternal honor and glory: follow me, follow me and I will bring you into my eternal kingdom, to my heavenly and eternal Father: no one will come to the Father, only me(). Sinner! won't you leave everything after this and follow Him?! But, after all, He continues to call all sinners: a fornicator, an adulterer and a lover of uncleanness! listen to the voice of the Lord: repent and follow me. Evil avenger and murderer! listen to the voice of the Lord: repent and follow me. Thief, predator, robber and covetous! listen to the voice of the Lord: repent and follow me. Reproacher, scolder, slanderer and every slanderer! listen to the voice of the Lord: repent and follow me. Liar, deceiver, deceiver and hypocrite! listen to the voice of the Lord (): repent and follow me. Every sinner who lives in impenitence! listen to the voice of the Lord: repent and follow me. Hear the voice that calls you, listen to the voice of Him Who so loved you, and such a merciful, philanthropic and wonderful providence showed for you, listen to His voice: repent and follow me.

The Lord calls every person: man is My beloved creation! I came down from heaven to take you to heaven: follow me. I lived on earth to make you a citizen of heaven: follow me. I had no place to bend my head to bring you to the house of my Heavenly Father: follow me. I have labored to bring you into eternal rest: follow me. I became poor in order to enrich you: follow me. I wept, ill, mourned and grieved to give you consolation, joy and merriment: follow me. I was blasphemed, reviled and dishonored, so that you, My dishonored creation, could be honored and glorified: follow me. I was bound to release you from the bonds of sin: follow me. I - the Judge of the living and the dead - was judged and condemned in order to deliver you from eternal judgment: follow me. I was imputed with the lawless to justify you: follow me. I tasted death, the death of the Cross, to revive you, - My creation, mortified by the venom of the snake: follow me. I ascended to heaven so that you may also ascend: follow me. I sat down at the right hand of God and the Father so that you may be glorified: follow me. I have become like you in every way, except for sin, so that you also can be like Me: follow me. I have taken upon myself your image, that you also may be conformable to Me: follow me. I have come to you in order to draw you, My dear, fallen creation, to Me: follow me. You see, man, my love for you is shown; you also see My providence for you; For all this I do not demand anything from you, except that you be grateful to Me and follow Me, and thus receive salvation with eternal glory. I want this from you, so be your desire for this. Follow Me who hunger and thirst for your salvation, and I will give you my salvation.

Love My poverty, and you will be truly rich. Love My humility, and you will be truly glorious and great. Love My meekness and patience, and you will be truly calm and peaceful by them. Leave the earth and you will have heaven. Leave the world, and you will have God within you. Deny yourself, and you will truly possess yourself. Leave the comforts of the flesh and the world, and you will have true comfort. Leave perishable wealth, and you will have incorruptible wealth. Leave earthly honor and glory, and you will have heavenly. Follow me, - and you will have everything that your soul desires, but everything true, incomparably better than what you leave.

So, sinful soul! listen and heed the voice of your Lover and Redeemer Jesus; and follow Him, that you may comprehend. Hurry, beloved, hurry while He calls and the doors are open. The sky is open; and publicans, adulterers, and all penitent sinners enter into it. Hurry there you too, poor sinner, and you will receive the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostles, Martyrs, Hierarchs, Saints and all the Saints of God entered there, and now they are settling in the abodes of the Heavenly Father. Many are going there even now, and those who come and all those who follow their sweet Jesus, by His grace, dwell in eternal rest.

My soul! listen to the voice of the Lord, and cleave to that holy squad: go with them for the Faithful leader Jesus, so that at the hour of your departure you will hear His voice: come and enjoy, they have prepared for you honors and crowns of heaven.” Christ suffered for us, leave an image for us, so that we follow His footsteps. Thou shalt not commit sin, nor find deceit in His mouth. Even we reproach the opposition not reproachfully, the suffering does not stop, but we hand over to the one who judges righteously, says St. app. Peter (). And the Lord Himself said: If anyone serves me, let him follow me, and where Az is, there my servant will be (). Whoever does not accept his cross and comes after me, is worthy to carry me (). I am the light of the world: walk in Me, do not have to walk in darkness, but have the light of the animal ().

But it also happens that one calls a person, saying: “follow me”; and the other, recalling him to himself, says to him also: "Follow me." Thus Christ says to every Christian: follow me, as mentioned above; and Satan, the enemy of the human race, calls a person to himself and whispers in his ears: “follow me.” A man hears his whispering so many times, how many times he feels in his heart the rising evil and ungodly thoughts: all this is his vile whispering. Oh man! who would you rather listen to? Is it Christ your Lord, who showed you such a wonderful providence and wants to save you and lead you into His eternal Kingdom, as you saw above? Or an evil whisperer-devil who wants to lead you away from Christ, your Savior, and lead you into eternal perdition?

Christ is Light; the devil is darkness. Christ is Life, the devil is death. Christ is Truth; the devil is a lie and the father of lies. Christ is your Lover; the devil is your enemy. Christ is your benefactor; the devil is your evildoer. Christ is the true and highest good; the devil is the ultimate evil. Christ is your Savior; the devil is your destroyer. Christ wants to save you, because for this he came into the world, for your sake; the devil wants to destroy you forever. Christ wants to give you eternal life; the devil wants to kill you forever. Christ wants to bring you into His eternal kingdom; The devil wants to bring you with him into eternal torment. Christ wants to enrich you forever; the devil wants to make you a beggar forever. Christ wants to glorify you forever; the devil wants to shame you. Christ wants to honor you forever; the devil wants to dishonor you forever.

You see what Christ is and what the devil is; and - for the sake of which he whispers to you, and - withdraws from Christ - your Lord - in the wake of himself. He wants to destroy you forever, just as he himself is in perdition. This is his trick! This is his intent against us! renounce, renounce, beloved, this evil whisperer, and spit on him, as you did at holy baptism. And, having turned away from that charmer, turn to Christ your Lord, and follow Him faithfully and faithfully, as He was promised in baptism. - He is your God, your Lord, your Lover, your Benefactor, your eternal Life, your everlasting Light, your true and eternal bliss, without which we cannot be blessed either in this age or in the future. “Come and cleave to your Lord, as they say: I should cling to God's blessing! ().

But, despite the fact that the devil is a destroyer, many listen to him and follow him in great crowds. Fornicators, adulterers and all lovers of uncleanness are coming. The memory-hating, misanthropic, murderers and shedding human blood are coming. Those who oppose their parents, do not honor them, gossip about them. There are thieves, predators, robbers, venal judges, withholding the payment of mercenaries and stealing someone else's property - with all kinds of lies and flattery. There are slanderers, scoffers and all, with their tongue, like a sword, beating and wounding their neighbor, Drunkards and voluptuaries are walking. There come the wicked, the sly, the deceivers, and all who deceive their neighbor. All kinds of lawless people come, corrupted by their lives, opposing the word of God. Finally, those who love this age are coming, wise earthly, not heavenly who love to live in the pride and splendor of this world. In a word: all those who neglect God and the word of God go - cling to earthly things in their hearts, but neglect their eternal salvation, acquired by the blood of Christ: all such follow in the footsteps of Satan. To all such, this Apostolic word befits: all some depraved after satan() For all such are ashamed (confounded) by the words of Christ and Christ Himself, - they are afraid (terrified) of Him - humble, desecrated, dishonored, and move away from Him; but they want to be with the famous. They do not want to be with Him here in this world and follow Him; however, they want to be participants in His Kingdom, which is an impossible thing. – Whoever is here in the world will be with him in the next century.

Oh, man, who bear the name of Christ on you, but follow Satan! Remember what denials and vows you made in baptism - how you denied Satan and all his deeds, and all his pride - how you spat on him - how you departed from him; and how he stuck to Christ, - as he promised and swore - to work for Him in faith and truth, - to follow Him - with humility and love, as the bride follows the groom. Where are your denials now? where are the vows? where is the oath? where is the work of Christ? Where is the obedience to Him? You lied to God, not to man. You left God, not man. You left the light and loved the darkness. You left your belly and loved (chosen) death.

Remember this and turn to Christ your Savior. Flee from the deceiver like Israel from Pharaoh. And although he will chase after you, because he has lost his prey; but you dare, and from the depths of your heart sigh to the all-powerful Jesus, may He not remember your iniquities, and help you. He, who died for you, is waiting for you, and with joy - with merciful embraces - will embrace you, like a prodigal son (). And when you are freed from the hard work of your tormentor, with joy you will sing a song of victory to your Helper: Helper and Protector be my salvation: this is my God, and I will glorify Him, God my Father, and I will exalt Him(). And the angels in heaven will rejoice over you: joy is before the angels of God about the only penitent sinner ().

Ten commandments of God

And God spoke to Moses all these words, saying (Exodus, ch.20):

1. I, the LORD, YOUR GOD; MAY YOU HAVE NO OTHER GODS BUT ME.

Sins against this commandment: godlessness, superstition, fortune-telling, turning to "grandmothers" and psychics.

2. DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF AN ICON AND ANY IMAGE OF WHAT IS ABOVE IN HEAVEN AND WHAT IS ON EARTH BELOW AND WHAT IS IN WATER BELOW THE EARTH; DO NOT WORSHIP THEM AND SERVE THEM.

In addition to gross idolatry, there is a more subtle one: a passion for acquiring money and various property, gluttony, pride. " Covetousness is idolatry”(The message of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians, ch.3, v.5).

3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

In vain means without need, in empty and vain conversations.

4. remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; work six days, and do all your work in them; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.

In the Christian Church, not Saturday is celebrated, but Sunday. In addition, other holidays and fasts must be observed (they are marked in the church calendar).

5. Honor your father and your mother, that you may be well and that your days on earth may be long.

6. don't kill.

This sin also includes abortion, striking, hatred of one's neighbor: Whoever hates his brother is a murderer”(1st Conciliar Epistle of the Apostle John the Theologian, ch. 3, article 15). There is spiritual murder - when someone seduces a neighbor into unbelief and sins. " Fathers who do not care to give a Christian upbringing to their children are child-killers, murderers of their own children."(St. John Chrysostom).

7. do not commit adultery.

Sins against this commandment: fornication (carnal love between people who are not married), adultery (adultery) and other sins. " 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"(1st Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 6, article 9). " Carnal lust in chaste people is kept in bondage through willpower and is weakened only for the purpose of procreation.(St. Gregory Palamas).

8. don't steal.

9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. do not covet your neighbor's house; Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

Not only sinful deeds, but also evil desires and thoughts make the soul unclean before God and unworthy of him.

The Lord Jesus Christ commanded to keep these commandments in order to receive eternal life (Gospel of Matthew ch.19, v.17), taught to understand and fulfill them more perfectly than before Him they were understood (Gospel of Matthew ch.5).

He summed up these commandments as follows:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. the second is like it: love thy neighbor as thyself. (Gospel of Matthew, ch.22, st.37-39).

THE COMMANDMENTS OF BLESS

(an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount - the Gospel of Matthew, ch. 5) with comments from the "Catechism" of St. Philaret (Drozdov)

Seeing the people, He went up the mountain; and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

To be poor in spirit means to understand that we have nothing of our own, but only what God grants, and that we cannot do anything good without God's help and grace. This is the virtue of humility.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

The word lamentation here means sorrow for sins, which God alleviates with grace-filled consolation.

3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Meekness is a quiet disposition of the spirit, combined with caution so as not to irritate anyone and not be irritated by anything.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

These are those who, like food and drink, hunger and thirst for grace-filled justification through Jesus Christ.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Bodily acts of mercy: to feed the hungry, to give clothes to the needy, to visit those who are in the hospital or in prison, to take a stranger into their home, to participate in the burial. Spiritual works of mercy: to turn a sinner onto the path of salvation, to give useful advice to a neighbor, to pray to God for him, to console the sad, to forgive insults from the heart. Whoever does this will receive pardon from eternal condemnation for sins at the Last Judgment of God.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

The heart becomes pure when a person tries to reject sinful thoughts, desires and feelings and forces himself to unceasing prayer (for example: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner"). As a pure eye is able to see the light, so a pure heart is able to contemplate God.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Here Christ not only condemns the mutual disagreement and hatred of people among themselves, but demands even more, namely, that we reconcile the disagreements of others. "They shall be called sons of God," since the work of the Only Begotten Son of God was to reconcile a sinning person with the justice of God.

8. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Righteousness here means life according to the commandments of God; that means, blessed are those who are persecuted for faith and piety, for their good deeds, for constancy and steadfastness in faith.

9. Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and slander you in every way unrighteously for me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Those who desire blessedness must be ready to gladly accept insults, persecution, calamity, and death itself for the name of Christ and for the true Orthodox faith.

“Although Christ describes the rewards in different ways, he brings everyone into the kingdom. And when He says that those who mourn will be comforted, and the merciful will have mercy, and the pure in heart will see God, and the peacemakers will be called the sons of God — by all this He means nothing but the kingdom of heaven” (St. John Chrysostom).

Other commandments of God (from the Gospel of Matthew):

Anyone who is angry with his brother in vain is subject to judgment (Matt. 5:21).

Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28).

Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and find; knock and it will be opened to you (Matt. 7:7) - commandment to pray.

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go by it; because narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

Before starting discussions on the topic of Christ's commandments, we first determine that the law of God is like that guiding star that shows a person traveling his way, and a man of God - the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. The law of God has always meant the light that warms the heart, comforts the soul, and consecrates the mind. What are they - the 10 commandments of Christ - and what they teach, let's try to figure it out briefly.

Commandments of Jesus Christ

The commandments provide the main moral basis for the human soul. What are the commandments of Jesus Christ? It is noteworthy that a person always has the freedom to obey them or not - the great mercy of God. It gives a person the opportunity to spiritually grow and improve, but also imposes on him responsibility for his actions. Violation of even one commandment of Christ leads to suffering, slavery and degeneration, in general, to disaster.

Let us remember that when God created our earthly world, a tragedy occurred in the angelic world. The proud angel Dennitsa rebelled against God and wanted to create his own kingdom, which is now called Hell.

The next tragedy happened when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and their lives experienced death, suffering, and poverty.

Another tragedy happened at the time of the Flood, when God punished people - Noah's contemporaries - for unbelief and violation of God's laws. This event is followed by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, also for the sins of the inhabitants of these cities. Then comes the destruction of Israel, followed by the Kingdom of Judah. Then Byzantium and the Russian Empire will fall, and after them there will be other misfortunes and calamities that will fall upon God's wrath for sins. Moral laws are eternal and unchanging, and whoever does not keep the commandments of Christ will be destroyed.

Story

The most important event in the Old Testament is when people received the Ten Commandments from God. Moses brought them from Mount Sinai, where God taught him, and they were carved on two stone tablets, and not on perishable paper or other substance.

Until that moment, the Jewish people were disenfranchised slaves working for the Egyptian kingdom. After the emergence of the Sinai legislation, a people is created, which is called to serve God. Great holy people later came out of this people, and the Savior Jesus Christ himself was born from it.

Ten Commandments of Christ

Having become acquainted with the commandments, one can see a certain sequence in them. So, the commandments of Christ (the first four) speak of human duties towards God. The next five define human relationships. And the latter calls people to the purity of thoughts and desires.

The Ten Commandments of Christ are expressed very briefly and with minimal requirements. They define the boundaries that a person should not cross in public and private life.

First Commandment

The first sounds: "I am your Lord, may you have no other Gods but me." This means that God is the source of all blessings and the director of all human actions. And therefore, a person should direct his whole life to the knowledge of God and glorify his name with his pious deeds. This commandment states that God is one in the whole wide world and it is unacceptable to have other gods.

Second Commandment

The second commandment says: “Do not make an idol for yourself…” God forbids a person to create imaginary or material idols for himself and bow before them. Earthly happiness, wealth, physical pleasure and fanatical admiration for their leaders and leaders have become idols for modern man.

Third Commandment

The third says, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." A person is forbidden to use the name of the Lord irreverently in worldly fuss, in jokes or empty talk. The sins are blasphemy, blasphemy, perjury, breaking vows given to the Lord, etc.

Fourth Commandment

The fourth tells us to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. You have to work for six days, and dedicate the seventh to your God. This means that a person works six days a week, and on the seventh day (Saturday), he must study the word of God, pray in the temple, and therefore devote the day to the Lord. These days you need to take care of the salvation of your soul, conduct pious conversations, enlighten the mind with religious knowledge, visit the sick and prisoners, help the poor, etc.

Fifth Commandment

The fifth one says: “Honor your father and mother…” God commands to always take care, respect and love your parents, not offend them in word or deed. The great sin is disrespect for father and mother. In the Old Testament, this sin was punished by death.

sixth commandment

The sixth reads: "Thou shalt not kill." This commandment forbids taking life from others and from oneself. Life is a great gift of God, and only it sets the limits of earthly life for a person. Therefore, suicide is the most serious sin. In suicide, in addition to the murder itself, there are also sins of lack of faith, despair, grumbling against the Lord and rebellion against his providence. Anyone who harbors a feeling of hatred for others, wishes the death of their neighbors, starts quarrels and fights, he sins against this commandment.

seventh commandment

In the seventh it is written: "Do not commit adultery." It states that a person needs to be chaste if he is not married, and if he is married, be faithful to his husband or wife. In order not to sin, you do not need to arrange shameless songs and dances, look at seductive photos and films, listen to spicy jokes, etc.

eighth commandment

The eighth says: "Do not steal." God forbids us to appropriate the property of another. It is forbidden to engage in theft, robbery, parasitism, bribery, covetousness, as well as to evade debts, outweigh the buyer, hide what is found, deceive, withhold the salary of an employee, etc.

ninth commandment

The ninth indicates: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." The Lord forbids a person to give false evidence against another in court, to make denunciations, to slander, to gossip and to slander. This is the work of the devil, because the word "devil" means "slanderer."

tenth commandment

In the tenth commandment, the Lord teaches: “Do not covet your neighbor’s wife and do not covet your neighbor’s house, neither his field, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox ...” Here people are pointed out that they must learn to refrain from envy and not have bad desires.

All the previous commandments of Christ taught mainly correct behavior, but the last one refers to what can happen inside a person, to his feelings, thoughts and desires. A person always needs to take care of the purity of spiritual thoughts, because any sin begins with an unkind thought, on which he can stop, and then a sinful desire will arise that will push him to unfavorable actions. Therefore, you need to learn how to stop your bad thoughts so as not to sin.

New Testament. Commandments of Christ

Briefly, the essence of one of the commandments Jesus Christ stated as follows: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." The second, similar to it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This is the most important commandment of Christ. It gives that deep awareness of all those ten, which clearly and clearly help to understand what expresses human love for the Lord and what contradicts this love.

In order for the new commandments of Jesus Christ to benefit a person, it is necessary to make sure that they guide our thoughts and actions. They must penetrate into our worldview and subconsciousness and always be on the tablets of our soul and heart.

The 10 commandments of Christ are the basic moral guidance needed for building up in life. Otherwise, everything will be doomed to destruction.

Righteous King David wrote that blessed is the person who fulfills the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. He will be like a tree planted in streams of water, which will bear its fruit in its own time and will not wither.

The Gospel commandments are: The commandments of Christ are the commandments set forth in the framework of the New Testament, given to the disciples by Jesus Christ. These commandments are the basis of Christian morality and of the Christian doctrine itself. The most important part of these commandments are the Beatitudes given in the Sermon on the Mount.

Commandments of love.

The commandments of love are two commandments of the Old Testament, declared in the Gospel as the basis for the entire Divine Law and as predetermining all other commandments. Both commandments are declared by Jesus Christ to be the most important in response to the question about the highest law for man. The entire Gospel is permeated with the spirit of these two canons.
The New Testament tells how a Pharisee lawyer asked Christ: “Which is the first of all the commandments?”, to which he received an answer from him:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is similar to it: Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments all the law and the prophets are established. (Matthew 22:37-40)"

In answer to the scribe's question about the greatest, most important, of all the commandments, Jesus Christ calls the greatest two commandments, about love for God and about love for one's neighbor as for oneself. The spirit of these two commandments permeates the entire messianic teaching of Christ.

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40

Beatitude Commandments.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and speak evil of every kind for me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Gospel of Matthew. Chapter 5, verses 3-12.)

Other commandments of the Sermon on the Mount.

The Sermon on the Mount is sometimes thought to be analogous to Moses proclaiming the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Christians believe that Jesus Christ brought the New Testament to the people (Heb.8:6).
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, mainly reflecting the moral teachings of Christ.
The most famous part of the Sermon on the Mount is the Beatitudes, placed at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount also includes the Lord's Prayer, the commandment "not to resist evil" (Matthew 5:39), "turn the other cheek", and the Golden Rule. Also often quoted are words about "salt of the earth", "light of the world", and "judge not, lest ye be judged".
Many Christians consider the Sermon on the Mount to be a commentary on the Ten Commandments. Christ appears as the true interpreter of the law of Moses. It is also believed that the main content of Christian teaching is concentrated in the Sermon on the Mount.

21 You have heard what the ancients said: Thou shalt not kill, but whoever kills is subject to judgment.
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother in vain is subject to judgment; whoever says * to his brother: "cancer", is subject to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says: "insane", is subject to fiery hell.
23 So if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something* against you,
24 Leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Make peace with your rival quickly, while you are still on the way with him, lest your rival hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to a servant and throw you into prison;
26 Truly I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid every last penny.
27 You have heard what the ancients said, Do not commit adultery.
28 But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 But if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, and not your whole body be cast into hell.
30 And if your right hand offends you, cut it off and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, and not your whole body be cast into hell.
31 It is also said that if a man divorces his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.
32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of adultery, gives her an occasion to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 You also heard what was said of the ancients: Do not transgress your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord.
34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
35 nor the earth, for it is his footstool; nor Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;
36 Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
37 But let your word be, yes, yes; no no; and what is more than this is from the evil one.
38 You heard what was said: an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say to you, resist not evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;
40 And whoever wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your coat as well.
41 And whoever forces you to go one race with him, go two runs with him.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,
45 May you be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not the publicans do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing do you do? Don't the pagans do the same?
48 Therefore be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Matthew 5:21-48)

1 Be careful not to do your charity in front of people so that they can see you: otherwise you will not be rewarded from your Father in heaven.
3 But when you do charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
6 But when you pray, go into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15 But if you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
16 Also, when you fast, do not be despondent like the hypocrites, for they put on gloomy faces in order to appear to people who are fasting. I tell you truly, they already receive their reward.
17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 to appear to those who fast, not before men, but before your Father who is in the secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal,
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
24 No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or he will be zealous for one, and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say to you, worry not for your soul what you should eat or drink, nor for your body what you should wear. Is not the soul more than food, and the body more than clothes?
(Mt 6, 1, 3, 6, 14-21, 24-25)
1 Judge not, lest you be judged,
2 For by what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you use, it will be measured to you again.
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not feel the beam in your eye?
4 Or how will you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” but behold, there is a log in your eye?
5 Hypocrite! first take the log out of your eye, and then you will see how to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
21 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.
(Mt 7:1-5, 21)

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"Let's enjoy the fruitfulness of the Divine commandments of Christ"

(Canon on Wednesday of the 1st week of V. Lent)

About love for God and neighbor

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About being in God and in everything Divine

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About the fulfillment of all righteousness

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On Repentance and Faith in the Gospel

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On Self-Sacrifice and Crucifixion

If anyone wants to follow Me, deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Me. ().

Here is another double commandment of Christ for those who wish to follow Him: deny yourself and take up your cross.

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Of the strait and narrow path

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About meekness and humility

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About mercy

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About improvement in life

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About the beatitudes

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About the light of good deeds

So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven ().

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About peacefulness

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About chastity

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About the oath

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About non-anger

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About love for enemies

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About charity

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About prayer

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About post

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On Hope in God and Surrendering Yourself to the Will of God

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About non-judgment of neighbors

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On Treating Neighbors as Treating Yourself

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About non-possessiveness

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About vigilance

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On patience and other private commandments

By your patience save your souls (). He who endures to the end will be saved ().

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In addition to the obligatory commandments of Christ, there are also His more particular commandments.

1) On Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth ().

2) About the preservation of the shrine- the sacraments of faith "from enemies" ().

3) On Perseverance in Prayer ().

4) On Caution from False Prophets ().

5) On Hearing the Word of God (; ).

6) About confession ().

7) About spiritual food ().

8) On the dignity and non-seduction of children (; ).

9) About sound reasoning and the peace of Christians among themselves ().

10) About Christian Judgment ().

11) About forgiveness (; ).

12) About spiritual thirst ().

13) About the knowledge of truth, and about freedom from slavery to sin ().

14) About the divorce of spouses (; ).

15) About virginity ().

16) About not giving temptation to your neighbor ().

17) About the power of faith ().

18) On the preservation of the soul for eternal life(; demolished. ).

19) Salvation from the temptations of false teachers (; ; ).

20) On imitating the example of the Savior ().

21) On the modesty of the executors of everything commanded ().

22) About the retribution of Caesar's to Caesar, and God's to God ().

23) About communion (; ; ).

24) Love following the example of Christ the Savior is the Christian banner ().

25) About being in Christ the Savior.

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All-night vigil, or all-night vigil

The main commandments of Christ. Two main commandments