His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the spiritual danger of being lost while a person is still inside the Church or even while serving in ministry. Being in a holy place or carrying spiritual responsibility does not guarantee salvation unless one walks with awareness, humility, and real spiritual struggle.

First: Signs of being lost inside the Church or ministry

• Many have a name that they are alive while they are dead, meaning they appear spiritual while their hearts are far.

• Biblical and ecclesiastical examples fell although they were inside service: the elder son, Arius, King Saul, scribes and Pharisees, and the angels of the churches in Revelation.

• Some servants lose their spirituality because of overfamiliarity with holy places and rites until everything becomes “ordinary.”

Second: Reasons for falling while serving

1. Habit and loss of spiritual sensitivity

Becoming accustomed to church, sacraments, and sermons makes one lose reverence and the effect of grace.
His Holiness explains that losing respect for holy places makes a person act with harshness, anger, shouting, or control instead of humility.

2. Keeping old sins inside the heart

Some enter service without removing old habits such as:

• Anger (calling it “holy anger”).

• Criticism and judgment.

• Love of melodies or fame covered with a spiritual appearance.

• Suspicion, harshness, pride, and love of authority.
  These sins take religious clothing and deceive the person.

3. Stumbling blocks inside ministry

When someone encounters weaknesses in servants or leaders, he may stumble and leave.
The advice:

Love ideals, but do not fall if you see faults… pray instead of judging.

4. Being occupied with negatives rather than spiritual growth

Whoever focuses on collecting “the tares” rather than growing as wheat will lose peace, and anger, judgment, and disturbance enter his heart, and he may become like the tares himself.

5. Pride and a sense of greatness inside service

This may come from:

• Talents.

• Achievements.

• Good administration.

• A comforting voice in prayer or preaching.
  The spiritual work turns into a field of display rather than glorifying God.

6. Wrong teachings and strange readings

Straying from the Church’s teaching and following new or modern ideas leads to deviation even if the person is a servant with a position.

Third: General spiritual message

• Ministry is not a guarantee of salvation; it is a place of struggle and responsibility.

• A person must humble himself and examine his heart so that “the Canaanites” are not left within.

• Focusing on one’s spiritual growth and avoiding judging others is the way to remain steadfast.

• The Church is a place of healing, not of stumbling or judging.

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