Prologue in Sermons: November 3

 

It Is Necessary To Obey Shepherds and Spiritual Teachers

November 3

(Saint Basil the Great on Obedience)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

There are people who, while considering themselves children of the Orthodox Church, pay no attention to the exhortations offered to them by its shepherds. "What good are these exhortations?" they say, "God gave us reason and free will — so be guided by them."

But the question is: who appointed the shepherds and teachers of the Church? God, says the Apostle, gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-12). And if so, then, in going against the spiritual shepherds and teachers, against whom do those who disobey them go? Obviously, against the One who gave them. So it is indeed. "He who hears you," says Jesus Christ, "hears Me; and he who rejects you, rejects Me" (Luke 10:16).

Furthermore, those who reject the duty of obedience to shepherds hope to profitably guide their salvation by their own reason and will. Need we prove the groundlessness of such a judgment? The first man's reason was purer than ours, and his will was more inclined toward goodness than ours, yet even then, without obedience, he perished. What then shall we do with our darkened reason, a will more inclined toward evil than good? What shall we do with our reason alone, without experienced guides, when our terrible enemies — the world, the flesh, and the devil — assault us constantly, when we see thousands of people with extraordinary yet unruly reason perish irrevocably, when thousands, guided by reason alone, instead of being friends of the Church, have become her enemies and persecutors? What then? Is there hope for salvation from our reason alone? Clearly not.

Finally, regarding the strict, though easily fulfilled, pastoral instructions, many say: "They are beyond our strength, we cannot fulfill them." But if so, then what do they want? That the Kingdom of God be given to them freely? But this, brethren, is impossible. "The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matt. 11:12). "Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24). The Savior also says: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matt. 7:13). This means that even in this case, those who do not submit to the shepherds of the Church are not justified, and by citing their own weaknesses they do not bring themselves closer to salvation.

Therefore, brethren, obey your leaders and submit yourselves: "for they watch over your souls" (Heb. 13:17), and if you sit in subjection to a spiritual father, do not make a rule for yourselves, saying: “It is weak to do this or that.” For unless you do obedience, you will not escape judgment (Prologue, November 3, Homily of Saint Basil on Obedience). Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.