Steadfast Life in God

The lecture calls for a spiritual life steadfast in God that does not sway between love of the world and the desire for closeness to God. Whoever abides in divine love lives continually with the Lord and cannot combine worship of two masters or divide the heart between the world and God.

Key elements:

• A description of the state of spiritual oscillation where a person lives “an eye in heaven and an eye in hell” and does not remain on one path.
• Biblical and historical examples (such as the rich young man, Lot’s wife, the Israelites in the wilderness, Solomon, Samson) illustrate the failure to combine God and the world.
• The importance that the believer’s goal be clear: God is the end, not a means, and the inner love is what binds the person to God.
• The distinction between outward ritual appearance and the inner reality: the Lord wants the heart, not mere rituals or appearances.
• Steadfastness means the continuity of spiritual warmth — a life of prayer and love that does not fade but increases day by day.
• Causes of instability: a pressuring environment, inner weakness, a wavering nature, and attempting to make the relationship with God a means to worldly ends.
• Ways to grow in steadfastness: ask for steadiness in prayer, resist the cultural current, deepen inner love instead of superficiality, and persevere in works of love and service to the Lord.

The Coptic Orthodox spiritual dimension:
The lecture emphasizes a traditional Coptic Orthodox faith understanding: a holy life requires true repentance and a heart given to God, and the correct spiritual means (prayer, fasting, reading, the Eucharistic sacrament) are the fruit of a giving heart with no substitutes. Abiding in divine love is the salvation of the soul and the distinguishing feature of the children of God.

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