"A true Christian is made by faith and
love toward Christ. Our sins do not in the least hinder our
Christianity, according to the word of the Saviour Himself. He deigned
to say: not the righteous have I come to call, but sinners to salvation;
there is more joy in heaven over one who repents then over ninety
righteous ones. Likewise concerning the sinful woman who touched His
feet, He deigned to say to the the Pharisee Simon: to one who has love, a
great debt is forgiven, but from one who has no love, even a small debt
will be demanded. From these judgments a Christian should bring himself
to hope and joy, and not in the least accept an inflicted despair. Here
one needs the shield of faith.
Sin, to one who loves God, is nothing
other than an arrow from the enemy in battle. The true Christian is a
warrior fighting his way through the regiments of the unseen enemy to
his heavenly homeland. According to the word of the Apostles, our
homeland is in heaven; and about the warrior he says: 'our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of wickedness under heaven'" (Ephesians 6:12). - St. Herman of Alaska
More on St. Herman's life can be read here.
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