Whoever says to another: do this,
and do not do that, speaks of course, to a man who can do this and not do that.
But whoever says this to one who can do neither the one nor the other, does he
not speak such words in vain? The Lord said to His disciples: Go therefore
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, the first
thing given is cleansing and power through holy Baptism. And then the Lord
says: teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you (Matthew
28:20). Therefore, everyone who, not having first been strengthened by the
power of holy Baptism, undertakes to do Christ’s commandments, will labor in
vain. And whoever commands one who is not strengthened by the power of holy Baptism
to fulfill Christ’s commandments is foolish and blind. For first it is
necessary to strengthen him in spirit by Christ’s grace, which cleanses the
soul through holy Baptism, and then to give him commandments to fulfill. For
how it is possible that earth full of thorns and thistles, having received pure
seed, should not choke it? But Christ’s divine Baptism has great power—to make
those who are not baptized and easily moved to evil unmoved to evil, as soon as
they are baptized. Or if they do not immediately become so unmoved, yet they
certainly become not easily moved. This is the sign of the power which is
received from holy Baptism. IT also makes them easily moved to good, as if they
were angels mighty in strength, who do His word (Psalm 103:20). For this
reason Christ the Lord also gave HIs divine Blood, so that believers in Him might
receive communion of it, and thereby become partakers of the divine nature (2
Peter 1:4), as those communing of God’s Blood, and then, as already divine and
having the strength of divine power, might live according to the perfect law of
Christ’s Gospel and do God’s will, as those mighty in strength. If now
one believing in Christ and confessing Him, after being strengthened by such
power and receiving the ability to do Christ’s law, despises it and does not
live according to God’s will, let such a one know that he has denied Christ, as,
according to the Apostle’s word, trampled the Son of God underfoot, and
counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing (Hebrews
10:29). (Symeon the New Theologian, Discourse 51, in The Complete Discourses
of Saint Symeon the New Theologian [trans. Dean Marais; Based Books, 2025],
462)
