On Grace:
When, therefore, a man is deep and rich in grace, there still remains inside of him a remnant of evil. But he has close at hand one who can help him. Wherefore, if someone is overwhelmed by temptations, caught in the raging waves of passions, he ought not to lose hope. For if he acts in this way, sin builds up and takes over from within. If, however, one constantly puts his hope in God, like the mud and slime, evil to a certain degree diminishes and dries up...
If there is a flowing spring, the places that lie in the vicinity become wet and swampy. But when sunny weather comes, both the spring and nearby areas dry up. So also it happens to God's servants who abound in grace. For grace not only dries up the concupiscences suggested by the evil one, but also those flowing out of nature. This is because now the children of God are greater than the first Adam.
(St. Macarius, Spiritual Homily 16.3-4)
The roof of any house stands upon the foundations and the rest of the structure. The foundations themselves are laid in order to carry the roof. This is both useful and necessary, for the roof cannot stand without the foundations and the foundations are absolutely useless without the roof - no help to any living creature. In the same way the grace of God is preserved by the practice of the commandments, and the observance of these
commandments is laid down like foundations through the gift of God. The grace of the Spirit cannot remain with us without the practice of the commandments, but the practice of the commandments is of no help or advantage to us without the grace of God.
St. Symeon the New Theologian
If there is a flowing spring, the places that lie in the vicinity become wet and swampy. But when sunny weather comes, both the spring and nearby areas dry up. So also it happens to God's servants who abound in grace. For grace not only dries up the concupiscences suggested by the evil one, but also those flowing out of nature. This is because now the children of God are greater than the first Adam.
(St. Macarius, Spiritual Homily 16.3-4)
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The roof of any house stands upon the foundations and the rest of the structure. The foundations themselves are laid in order to carry the roof. This is both useful and necessary, for the roof cannot stand without the foundations and the foundations are absolutely useless without the roof - no help to any living creature. In the same way the grace of God is preserved by the practice of the commandments, and the observance of these
commandments is laid down like foundations through the gift of God. The grace of the Spirit cannot remain with us without the practice of the commandments, but the practice of the commandments is of no help or advantage to us without the grace of God.
St. Symeon the New Theologian
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