GRIPPED by SIN. Why doesn't Christ help?
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- We sometimes pray very hard for Christ to release us from our sin, but it feels as if He just looks away and doesn't want to help. Almost always, this betrays a much more serious sin in us, hiding underneath the one that troubles us. Pride, judgement, and condemnation of others can prevent Christ from releasing us from our sin.
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The video 'GRIPPED by SIN. Why doesn't Christ help?' was recorded by Fr Seraphim (Aldea) at Mull Monastery (The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints), on the Isle of Mull.
There is no condemnation in Christ. He is merciful. I had a nightmare where demons were dragging me by the arms to a courthouse. Right as the courtroom doors were open I said “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me” right then a tear in reality happened and light shone down and Christ grabbed me by the wrist and woke me up.
❤
I finally got out of alcoholism,Pornography and related filth by Demanding if myself change,developing a hate for what I am doing. Demanding from God his help
After years of praying nothing was happening.
I realised unless we have a BURNING desire to change,nothing is going to happen.
That is the starting point of belief and faith
Rom 8:28
I guess when we ask God for help, deep down we do not really want to give up those desires.
@@tehdreamerthats a great point, in that prayer are we subconsciously suggesting that we are incapable of letting our passion go, or that we dont want to, and that we need Christ to delete the passion our of us. It reminds me of when Fr. Spyridon Bailey talks about how through our temptations and trials we are offered a chance to struggle and battle against our flesh, which is a great gift.
i have had porn addiction for years
and i have wrestled with it so much
i hated pornography and masturbation and i hated what it was doing to me
it was only after my utter desperation i fell to my knees and prayed to whoever was out there to help me and it was christ & god who answered
that is also why i am converting
I'm guilty of the sin of judgment. This has helped me tremendously. Thank you. Please keep bringing the beautiful words of Christ in this dark world we live in.
Thank you Father. This is a struggle for me, judgement. Thank you, to the person who wrote you their question. It has helped to strengthen my heart.
I'm a capuchin friar from Barcelona (Spain). I really thank you father for your words. I'm convinced that we need in the Latin Church hear again the wise voice of the Oriental Church. God bless you!
🔴 What also should help are the followings (these can work in parallel, together, one by one or in any other order)
1. Pay attention to your heart. Do you REALLY want to get rid of that sin with all of your heart? Do you hate the sin? Or you somehow like it, even a little bit?
2. Always REMEMBER the presence of GOD almighty. Can you do the same sin in presence of other people or you cannot, and you hold back yourself from that sin in presence of people? Always call His Name when the temptation comes, ask for mercy and for delivery.
3. Pay attention to your thoughts. Especially those which can lead towards sinful thoughts ( usually they start with an innocent ideas and desires but with the intention to excite the sinful ones). Run from these!
4. Be vigorous with your fasting. This is a powerful weapon, expect the much more intensified attacks by the enemy. Don't be afraid (point 2). Keep going!
5. Pray. Pray for others too.
6. Lessen idle talk, laughing (comedy shows, modern day entertainments). Ideally bring to zero.
7. Handwork helps (also creative activities like painting, drawing etc)
9. Walking (hiking) helps.
10. As Father said in the video, DO NOT JUDGE also is important. Practical steps would be to Bless other people when you see them sinning, wrongdoing. Pray for their enlightenment and deliverance and salvation. Even if you cannot say it with your heart in the beginning. Not judging will come eventually which is a very light feeling, it is like having a stone taken away from your shoulders and heart. This will also bring the state of NOT COMPARING yourself to others.
11. REMEMBER that you ALONE CANNOT do this.
12. Remember the hell.
13. Remember the martyrs and the HEAVEN
14. Read your Bible EVERYDAY
15. Do not allow yourself to be in despair (point 2 and 4). Keep knocking the Door and keep asking for help.
ALSO IS VERY IMPORTANT to know that the spiritual life is NOT binary. This is to say, that there are no just two states of sinning and not sinning. BUT it is more like washing your hands when the process of cleaning takes time and has gradations. Thus you will see yourself sinning less and less and not frequent, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to always THANK GOD for everything. AND be prepared to see yourself falling again after you thank God for sinning less.
Be GOD with YOU!
The you brother for what you wrote down. Exactly what I needed
As someone who is exploring Orthodoxy, i am very blessed by the messages and content of this channel. I am protestant, was raised charismatic and now reformed but something has never been satisfied in me. I have struggled with carnality all my life, i hate it but can't seem to shake it. I needed to hear this, its encouraging. Thank you and God Bless
What I've been going through recently...that is exactly how it feels. I thought I was trying to just get over porn, but the pride and judgement in me...when I was blessed to see that part of me...pure terror. Utterly terrifying to see that side of me. It seems at times Christ is using my weaknesses to squeeze pride and judgement our of me.
Very much in the same position. Struggle with particular sins (it comes from a good desire, but can get me into trouble when I'm not careful), but I think Christ has used growing awareness of my own shortcomings to free me up to show more grace and understanding toward others instead of self-righteous judgment which I think has largely, although probably not entirely, been squeezed out of me.
Habitual sin is very difficult. Great video!
Many of us are gripped by sin and passions your words bring comfort and hope for honest repentance thank you father.
Thank you father. I have been filled by despair and trying to get out. It’s like being gripped by sin as you say. This video was a blessing for me. I appreciate it.
I'll have you in my prayers.
You are in my prayers. God bless you! 🙏🕊️
Thank you, Fr. Seraphim for this lecture. Please pray for me as I lived a truly sinful life and am still suffering the consequences of it.
God bless you, and all who read this.
Thank you Father.
I struggle with judging my father, who committed adultery and then remarried nearly twenty years ago. I find it so hard for to forgive him, yet I know I must , for my own salvation. But inside, I am still so deeply hurt, it’s affected my whole ontology.
I am grateful for Christ bringing me to His Church, for here I will find healing. And I know this is a cross I must bear - even so, I get so riled up inside when I think about the hypocrisy of my father’s ways. Yet, I also feel deep compassion, and know he must feel terrible inside too.
It’s a neverending elephant in the room…
It’s further difficult because he and his wife are Protestants, and they seem to have a justification for everything they’ve done (I dare not mention their condescension towards orthodoxy…).
I know I must honor my parents, but what to do when your parent has hurt you? I feel ashamed bringing it up to them, bc I want to honor the commandments. Even so, I wish he and his wife would repent and come to the true light, but I worry they may not…
Sorry to unload all this on you.
I guess in a word, I’m wondering if you could speak sometime on adultery, and how a child is supposed to forgive a parent in such a situation, without condemnation.
It’s always tempting just to “run away” emotionally and mentally, and say, “let them eat their cake.”
Yet, I pray so much they’ll repent.
Am I just being selfish?
Thank you for your videos, Father. Please pray for me (my name is Jason). Lord have mercy on us all.
I don’t think this is a selfish question at all.
I mean this with love and respect and I say this in hopes of shaking you out of all this: you have no business holding on to the resentment (or whatever it is) that you have expressed against your father. 20 years of this! No, no no!
It is absolutely not your business anymore. For a short time (a year or two) it was definitely your concern. And your emotional injuries deserved to be validated.
But you cannot take a high seat on this one. You have (certainly at this point) to let go. And don’t be so critical over him being a Protestant. People can find fault with the Orthodox Church, as well.
I hope you find peace in this. It’s impossible for your father to turn back time. All you have (including your father) is the present. You have another chance to step up to the plate.
I also say 20 years very long time. There is a time of grief of a situation not to judge anyone for sin they have commited. Love comes first you must love your father as Christ loves him. Pray for your change of heart🙏🙏🙏
This is a huge problem for me. Whenever I pass judgement on others inside my mind (often without me realising) then the fall always follows. A seemingly endless cycle but as long as we live we have the opportunity to repent sincerely and let Christ lift us up once more. Thank you Father for your insight! Sending prayers and love from Greece!
You have a view that is almost wholly absent from the world.
I am thankful that Jesus has given you this wisdom to share with us.
Father, I am judgemental. Your wise words helped me see how futile judgement is. Glory to God
He doesn't deflect. He doesn't avoid. He speaks from Truth.
Greetings, Father Seraphim. I recall a story from one of the Desert Fathers. A brother came to him judging one of the other monks. The Father tried to dissuade him but he refused to listen. The Father then turned his eyes to Heaven and said: “God, we no longer need you since we have taken judgement into our own hands.”
plz father can you talk about how to get back from atheism
You know, I live in New York City, and I am surrounded by some of the worst crime and homelessness in the world. It all seems to be getting worse, and my condemnation, judgment, and anger toward some of these "people on the street" are also getting worse by the day. Thank you, Father, for shining a discerning light on this problem. It certainly has helped me rethink my position on how I view others.
Thank you, Fr. Seraphim. I had not considered judgment as a heresy before, but you are right. I had also not considered how judging others as better than myself at resiting sin is still judgment all the same.
Thank you Father dearly for this valuable reminder / warning in regards to staying vigilant not to fall into the temptation of Judgment and Pride.
I ask the following in all humble sincerity,
Could you please do a follow up video if possible in regards to the difference between one being rightly Discerning for God and not being Judgemental hence committing a very bad sin?and on the other hand committing the sin of complacency or idleness by allowing evil to flourishes abundantly in all forms in ones country, community, church or family when one chooses to say or do nothing by hiding under the umbrella of not wanting to be judgemental?
God’s Blessing’s and Strength always,
🙏🙏🙏
This is the most wonderful question and you have stated it beautifully. I too, would love for Father to speak on this.
☦️~GLORY TO THEE O LORD OUR GOD GLORY TO THEE~
~Through the prayers of our Holy Father's ☦️ LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR GOD have mercy on us and save us Amen~
Thanks Father so many years in darkness, but now the light of Christ is shining through me ; sinful as I am 😇
I have always struggled with judgment and anger. I grew up around it in my family. I have to strive for forgiveness and discernment.
Mulțumim Părinte Serafim!
Pentru cuvântul ziditor,pentru modul cum abordați fiecare dintre..durerile noastre,pentru binecuvântările care aproape ne cutremură sufletul!
Fiți binecuvantat !
Sunteți pentru noi ,o mană cerească,cum zice romanul!
Doamne, ajută!
Straight up I struggle with substance abuse. Pride & judgement, pretty much my life, I'm such a blind fool. Thank you Fr. God bless & keep you, thank you so very much, glory to God whose mercy endures far beyond my stupidity & wicked laziness. Thank you.
Put your faith in Jesus Christ. Believe from the bottom of your heart that we are God’s creation. Read your Bible. And lastly, be patient.
You will look back in 6 months and recognize that you’re in a better place in regards to your struggle with sin. You will look back in a year, two years, etc. God will do a work in your life. Just believe.
For what it’s worth. I used to smoke 5+ cannabis joints a day. Drink alcohol regularly. Do cocaine on weekends. Lazy. Pornography. The whole 9 yards.
Slowly and gently God made it easier and easier for me to turn my head the other way.
I still have my struggles. My understanding is that it is our nature, we will never be completely free of sin. However looking back on how my battle with sin has changed is absolutely mind-blowing.
I used to think - “this is just a psychological phenomenon created by man with the intention of bettering mankind” … The longer I walk with Christ, the harder it is to deny that he is who he said he was.
@@buddyreview5017 reading what you have written here has really helped me out. Thank you brother.
Father, I am currently in the process of converting. Your talks are a great help to me. God bless you and all in your monastery.
Thank you so very much, pride and judgement has been such an evil root in our family we grew up in it thinking it was a normal occurrence. I hate it and want it out of my life forever! Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner. I received this prayer card years ago it gives me hope.
I do not know the Saints name but I pray it all the same..
"O Lord & Master of my life Take from me the spirit of sloth, despair lust of power & idle talk; But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience & love to Thy servant. Yes Lord & King, grant me to see my own transgressions & not judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages Amen."
Brilliant. Discernment is good it is necessary we don't become gullible either. However I wouldn't say judgement is a heresy Paul says we will judge the angels and Jesus says to judge righteously. If one says being a homosexual is sinful in the eyes of God and that they must repent this is a fact not a judgement of their spiritual situation.
I understand that open condemnation can be folly we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God However I do believe its more loving than anything to correct those who are on the wrong path hence street preachers are in the right for stating what they do we must be careful to introduce those boundaries with people otherwise they will simply justify their own acta with "Your a Christian your not allowed to judge"
Christians are to judge but righteously not hypocritically and only from the word
The world in which we dwell judges, many of us are at this juncture in life, incapable of stopping in us, a sinful tendency all because of our pride, as in we think we know better. WOW!
The Litany of Humility is very helpful in this area of keeping from judging others .
Very apt for me Father for pride and judgement plauge me,and I strive to battle these,your words are well heeded,thank you.
We also must be mindful that we accomplish nothing on our own but through Christ - by His will - not our own.
This was such a big revelation! Now the hard part is to not judge. It has become such an immediate and natural habit of my brain.
Thank you for these insights Father. I feel quite humbled today. Thank you.
Thank God Fr. For this blessed teaching ☦️🙏🏻❤️
Thank you father I always looking forward to hear your teaching
Thank you
Thank you for discussing the dangers of self comparison to others. It seems s exceptional advice I have only heard from one other person in this life. Grateful to see Mull of Fridays Fr. Have a great week.
Thank you, father
Again thank you so much Father for your God given insight.
Will come back FATHER
Perfect timing
If you see people like being saints, you will become a saint.
Thank you Father - praying for you!
Thank you so much father
God bless you Father 🙏🙏🙏
You're a tonic to an ailing soul
Thank you soo much.. I don't only like when you teach us, but i feel that you understand human nature.
No one of us knows even ourselves, but most of the people judge to others... I feel these days lot if judgement on myself, but i have health issues so i letting myself to pump my ego to get better. I can't explain to everyone my condition, so i keep quiet.
I have no other wish, but to die and see Christ, but it seems, it is not my time to go. So, i pray, God give me the strength to endure all this, and be of some use to You, others and myself.
Thank you...
THANK YOU FATHER SERAFIM !
OHH! I did not know you were posting videos again. Yay! I just checked this channel a couple months ago. So glad to see this today. I have missed these videos. So, thank you 🙏.
Amen, awesome explanation as always thank you Father and May Almighty God bless you always
Thank you . . .
It is always a joy to listen to you! Greetings from austria and god bless you! :)
Beautiful soul, I thank you for these wise words. They have blessed me.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, God bless you 🙏🏻
Bless you Father. I come from a family of alcoholics & praise God I managed to stop drinking 14 years ago after decades of awful alcoholism and people did judge me at times
Interesting. Pride and judgement are countering the teachings you have shared about humility and gratitude. I pray that I can get the wisdom to recognize my pride and judgement in myself and others
Thank you.
Fr. Seraphim utilizes a marvelous combination of logic, reason, and spiritual wisdom.
I'm not sure about the judgment being heretical... I think it's not heresy unless it's hypocritical... Because how else you should know them by their fruits if you don't make judgments in your mind which are the next verses that you didn't mention when Jesus said do not judge, how else you would know who is pig or dog to not spread your pearls before him?
The Permission is Given by Christ himself, also i don't think Paul was a heretic , because he sure was judging others...
Judgment Comes from Christ , and belongs to him, but as long as you are one with him then that judgment is shared with you, just as he is one with the Father then you too have the authority of judging the wicked in his name.. Just as he is given eternal authority by the Father to judge all.
I talked about this with my spiritual father lately. It's very different to judge self-righteously or in pride and to judge righteously by keeping to truth.
Without judgement there is no shame and without shame there are no limits, you can see exactly where that leads in today's society.
We should judge harshly but ultimately lovingly, not out of a sense of self but out of a love for truth. As Christ said "judge not, lest you be judged", but I definitely wish to be judged by others when I'm doing wrong so I don't fall into delusion. As you said, hypocrisy and also a feeling of superiority and self-validation is when it becomes a problem.
Indifference to someone you see living in sin is worse than anything else you could do to them, in the same vein God leaving you to your sin would be worse than any other punishment. One disapproving or scandalized voice can be enough to sow a seed of doubt into their sin, which can ultimately be salvific.
Thank you so very much, Father! Your stories of what others have been through is accounted for by Christ. I keep thinking, as I compare myself to the world, that I will never get into Heaven, but you remind me, and others, that Christ knows every influence that has shaped us, and that He will judge from that viewpoint alone. You have helped me so much to understand that I am going to be judged on the whole truth! Thank you.
This was very helpful, God bless!
This is an incredible video. It's an absolute joy to listen to you.
Father bless. Thank you for this homily! In Christ Nina Dewberry
Thank you. father . I will fight too the end. I love orthodox church ☦️
Yeah judgements bad. Even if you're sometimes good at it and particularly angry. The best you can do sometimes is push against polarity. Which can leave you trapped.
After the covid crises it's taking me a fair amount of kenosis to re-establish the relationship I had with God before hand.
I was raised unapologetically with crises thinking and pandemics cause this. There is so much pride and judgement to think that I can stop microbes and bacteria and virus, when we have no concept of how they truly are.
"With the proud it is always so"
I love turning to you for help Fr. Aldea, don't wear yourself out.
Crises Etymology:
late Middle English (denoting the turning point of a disease): medical Latin, from Greek krisis ‘decision’, from krinein ‘decide’. The general sense ‘decisive point’ dates from the early 17th century.
Thank you very much brother may God bless you
Thank You for teaching- it is like manna to the soul.
I thank the Lord for His patience toward a sinner like myself.
I see some spiritual changes in my life for the better, but I as well see areas of my life where I fail due to particular sin, lust being a big one.
Praise God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, they are always faithful
Pray for me brother, I have l5 s1 disc bulge aggravated sciatica, left foot drop 8 weeks ago, can't stand or walk, sleep 👈😢☦️🙏❤️😭
Listening to you, blessed Father, is like listening to Saint John Chrysostom! We love you dearly! ❤️
Bless Father
It is wonderful having you back in my life again 🙏🙏🙏
Father you have such deep insight that has moved me and helped me a lot. I only discovered your channel just yesterday. I used to do evangelism to people in gangs years ago. Some were trapped in sins with legal ramifications or maybe even death if they were to leave a gang. Some did leave but it often involved having to hide and waiting for the people they were involved with to die of natural causes or get killed because of their bad lifestyle. But what about someone who is a believer who finds themselves caught in some trap that they can’t get out of and to make it right would bring on death or some other type of dire repercussion? The person wants to live for God only and repent but they are still trapped by he sin because to right it would destroy them. It is a most evil Satanic trap.
Thank you father for these words,you are truly an inspiration in these times. Hopelessness is a powerful tactic of the enemy.
Благодаримо!!
Thank you so much for this valuable teaching 🙏
Sarutam dreapta parinte, Doamne ajuta 🙏
Hello Fr Seraphim! I love your talks. Thank you so much 😊. I see some people here have resistance to the idea that judgment is a heresy. I would like to say that I visit St Anthony’s monastery in Arizona frequently because it’s a few hours away and the Fathers there would agree with your teaching, Fr Seraphim. If someone is experiencing lust they will ask the person if they’ve been judging. There’s a direct link there that they are pointing to.
Also, I took a class this summer from an Orthodox theologian and she shared some stories from the early Desert fathers that were so special on this topic. Basically, a monk/nun would rather take the fall and the blame and look bad themselves, then to judge one of his/her brothers. That is how allergic they were to judgment. Judgement without compassion is coming from our ignorance of the full picture of someone’s life and we don’t stand in Christ in that moment. Discernment is necessary for our spiritual survival but we can be anchored in Christ consciousness where there is peace love and forgiveness in the heart.
One is cold and war- like, the other sees the truth but doesn’t leave the warmth of the heart.
Bless!
Never judge another man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins. - Native American Proverb. Remember that it is elementary to judge someone from a certain viewpoint without sufficient data. What do you think?
thank you fr , please pray for me the sinner!
Thank you Father Seraphim. You have given me a clearer picture of judgement of others. Without the Lord's help who could hope to even come close.
Father, I have never had anyone explain this subject in such an amazing way that itnhas impacted me very deeply and now I understand completely.. Thank you for this and I thank God for you
✝️✝️✝️
This is a very good discussion about the sin of judgment. Thank you so much for digging down into the dirt to reveal why this human tendency is so rotten and evil. I pray that Christ will deliver me from the tendency to judge
In the words of someone that says this a lot
Let go and let God
Be still and he will fight for you
Thank you, Father. This makes a lot of sense to me.
Wow, just wow. You have no idea how powerful this video is. THANK YOU Father.
Fr. Seraphim, you are a light in the darkness, thank you and God bless you a nd pray for me.
I need to listen to this every day Father. Thank you.
My prayers for all. This subject is something that is so close to home it still causes me to be humbled by my inability to fully defeat it, but perhaps by my last breathe I may fully be redeemed. I would not write but for a little something that I learned through my years of struggling with a torment of lust. The Lord has so kindly relieved the greatest of this burden from my heart. These sins, that seem as mountains to overcome, they are the backbone of our salvation. When this burden was lifted from me, through confession of this torment that I lived with for my whole life, I will always remember, that in the peace and joy that followed this miracle, I felt gratitude and thanks for that wretchedness. This awful sin always made me pray.
May God bless you all and forgive me.
🕊✨🙏🛡⚔
Dear monk I’m sorry for judging you But I’ve guessed why you never take your hat off. That were you’ve hidden your sweeties Good man👍
Thank you Fr Seraphim. Your words are like gemstones. Precious and beautiful. I will pray for my release from pride and judging others and myself.
Thank you Father. I really needed to hear this. May the Holy Trinity bless you and all those at the Monastery.
Very uplifting,Fr.!Thanks a lot!God bless!🙏❤
Respect from saqartvelo (georgia) 🇬🇪🇬🇪📿📿🇬🇪
Thank you so much. God bless you.
Thank you father so much, from the depths of my heart and soul. I am 74 and yes I have been struggling for so many years from a specific sin. I have tried everything I could think of but it kept returning. Now I know why from your explanation. I have now realized I immediately judge others that I do not know just by looking at them. Now I know what I need to work on. I will pray for you during my Rosary today. Thank you again for putting a different perspective on this.