Yet I think we must examine exactly and in detail the aim and meaning of the saying: “If you abide,” He says, “in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” Indeed, can one not admit the possibility of abiding in Christ and yet not having His words in oneself? Certainly yes, as those distinguished by discernment will rightly say.
Let the lover of inquiry recall what we said when investigating the form of love for Christ and carefully defining what it is and how it is manifested. We spoke of a twofold path: the path of faith, perfect in every respect, and the path of active life, which is accomplished through pure love.
If one believes that this is truly so, then those who have a not very firm and unstable communion or union with Him, confessing faith only in words but not acquiring love perfected through struggles, certainly abide in Christ. They do so by communion with Him through faith, and because they do not turn aside to some other religion. Yet they will not be found to have the words of Christ in themselves.
We do not mean that, having forgotten the evangelical preaching, they have no memory at all of the Savior’s words. Rather, we mean that they give no attention to life in Christ. They hand everything over to their own pleasures and have an unbridled impulse toward thoughts only of earthly things.
Because of this they are torn away from the spiritual and holy vine, and by their love of passions they themselves thrust away from themselves the grace of communion with Christ. Concerning all this Christ Himself said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 7:21).
That faith alone, by itself and without the accompaniment of good works, will not be able to provide communion with God, the disciple of Christ also indicates in the words: “You believe that God is one; even the demons believe, and tremble” (Jas 2:19).
In that case one may say to those who think that mere empty faith will suffice for acquiring communion from on high: will the assembly of demons itself also rise to communion with God as soon as it acknowledges and believes that He alone exists? But how could this be? For it is useless merely to know that God is the one Creator and Maker of all.
Rather, I think, faith must also be accompanied by the adornment of reverence toward Him. Such a person both abides in Christ and will be found to have His words, according to what is said to God, as it were, in the book of Psalms: “I have hidden Thy words in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Ps 118:11).
If someone hides fire in a copper vessel, he will certainly make the vessel share in the warmth that proceeds from it. So also the mind that holds the divine and heavenly word in soul and heart is always warmed by it toward every virtue. For it is written: “Thy word is exceedingly refined, and Thy servant has loved it” (Ps 118:140).
Therefore, He says, whoever has set himself in such a condition and has already risen to so praiseworthy a height that he both abides in Me and at the same time has My words in himself, let him immediately approach. Then let him ask with great boldness for what he finds pleasing to himself, and it will be given him without delay, for I will be well pleased with him, He says.
But if someone asks for something evil, will he receive it at once? Will the Lover of virtue be the giver of this evil too? Away with such madness, O man! Nothing is more impossible than that God should give anything shameful.
On the contrary, we must think in this way. Will this not be just and right? The one who abides in Christ and has His words in himself, being evidently good and well-disposed, can think only of what is wholly pleasing to God.
He permitted those who have the divine word in their heart to ask for all proper things they might desire. He clearly was not ignorant that they strive to obtain spiritual and divine blessings.
Since in these words our Savior Jesus Christ has clearly defined who the one who prays must be, what his manner of life must be, and whom He deems worthy to receive what he desires from God, we must conform our life to this if we wish to obtain favor from on high.
But if you do not recognize yourself as the kind of person Christ has just shown us, then do not labor in vain. Yet if this matter seems important to you, then join praiseworthy good works to faith. For this is what it means to abide in Christ and to have His words in oneself. Approach boldly, and without delay you will receive everything you ask of God.
THEOSIS