But the Apostle teaches not only quick movement, but also diligence in the work. Someone may act quickly, yet without any attention to the work. He hurries in order to get the matter off his hands sooner, and it is done carelessly. This is another side of laziness, which does nothing.
Against this the Apostle commands us to do our works with all diligence and all attention to the task, taking every care that the work come out wholly perfect, such as it ought to be.
How wisely the Apostle joined the words: "not slothful in diligence." So that no one should justify his slowness by diligence, saying, "The work must be done as it should," he commands us to be not slothful while being diligent. And lest someone, out of the same laziness, hurry the work and try to be rid of it quickly, doing it carelessly, he commands diligence while commanding freedom from sloth.
On both sides he guards right energy. But what is the object of this unslothful diligence? If these words are placed in connection with what precedes, then it is the works of love toward neighbors.
Blessed Theophylact writes: "Since many apparently honor and love one another inwardly, but do not stretch out their hands to them, the Apostle teaches us to care for one another and to help others by deed."
He borrowed this statement from Saint Chrysostom, who speaks more fully in the same sense: "The Apostle requires from us not only honor, but something still greater, saying: 'not slothful in diligence.' This also gives birth to love, when one offers services together with honor.
"Nothing so causes love as honor and respect. It is not enough to love. One must also have this. Or rather, as this comes from love, so love becomes warmer from this. One supports the other. Many love one another from the heart, yet they will not offer one another help. Therefore the Apostle strengthens love from every side." So also Oecumenius.
But nothing prevents us from recognizing as the object of unslothful diligence activity in the spirit of faith in general, everything good, pleasing to God, and saving. This will include works of love toward the brethren. For unslothful diligence is required not only in these works, but in all Christian works generally. They must be directed exclusively toward pleasing God and offered to Him as service.
Ambrosiaster writes: "In the words, 'not slothful in diligence,' the same thing is said as the prophet Jeremiah says: 'Cursed is everyone who does the work of God negligently' cf. Jer 48:10. The slothful man in the works of pleasing God is without hope. He has no boldness toward God now, and in the future he can expect nothing bright."
Blessed Theodoret understands it in the same way: "The Apostle says, be 'not slothful in diligence,' showing living zeal for what is good and completely avoiding laziness."
"Fervent in spirit," that is, be burning in spirit. He indicates the source of unslothful diligence. In the one who burns in spirit, all works burn in his hands, that is, they are done quickly and well, because they are done with all zeal and ardor.
Saint Chrysostom says: "Notice that the Apostle requires intensity in everything. He said: do not merely give, but give without meanness. Do not merely lead, but with zeal. Do not merely perform works of mercy, but with joy. Do not merely be respectful, but anticipate others in honor. Do not merely love, but love without hypocrisy. Do not merely abstain from evil, but hate it. Do not merely hold to the good, but cling to it. Do not merely be brother-loving, but with tenderness. Do not merely be diligent, but without slackening. Do not merely have the spirit, but blaze with the spirit, that is, be zealous and ardent."
Spirit is the power, or the side of our inner life, that is turned toward God, virtue, heaven, and eternity. In the fall it weakened and was suppressed. But when grace comes, it gives life to it, and man begins to be zealous for what is divine, holy, and not earthly.
To burn in spirit means to be fiery in zeal for pleasing God, for salvation, and for acquiring the Kingdom of Heaven. The soul also has zeal, but only for the ordering of earthly life. Toward the spiritual it is cold.
The whole man remains cold toward this while the psychic side predominates in him. But when the spirit is awakened by grace, then it not only does spiritual things zealously. It also directs and spiritualizes everything psychic, bodily, familial, and civic toward the same end.
We all received grace in Baptism and Chrismation. Therefore we ought to burn in spirit, which is made alive by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Why then can we not say that we burn in spirit? Because we occupy ourselves more, or exclusively, with psychic, everyday, and civic matters. The spirit has become choked, though it still makes itself known.
To kindle the spirit, one must recognize the insufficiency of the direction of our activity, especially toward earthly and everyday things. One must deepen oneself by reflection in the contemplation of what is divine, holy, heavenly, and eternal. Above all, one must begin to walk in deeds called spiritual.
Then the spirit will catch fire, for by all this the gift of grace living in us will be warmed. This is how our holy Fathers and teachers interpret it.
Saint Chrysostom, after enumerating the kinds of intensified activity cited above, then adds: "If you have everything now enumerated, you will attract the Spirit. And if the Spirit abides in you, He will make you zealous for everything enumerated. When you are set aflame by the Spirit and by love, then everything will become easy for you.
"Have you never seen how terrible an ox becomes to all when fire is kindled on its back? So also you will become unbearable to the devil if you take up both these torches, that is, the grace of the Spirit and love."
Ambrosiaster writes: "To burn in spirit means not to be either lukewarm or cold in the work of God. Saint John speaks of such a state in the Apocalypse: 'Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth' cf. Rev 3:16. If you wish to avoid this, meditate on divine things. Constant meditation on them drives away sleep and gives life-giving wakefulness."
Blessed Theodoret speaks more fully about this: "By spirit the Apostle named the gift of grace, which stirs up our spirit, and commanded that our zeal supply it with food, as wood supplies fire. The things meant are meditation on the divine and spiritual works. He says the same elsewhere: 'Do not quench the Spirit' 1 Thess 5:19.
"The Spirit is quenched by those unworthy of grace, because, lacking a pure eye of the mind, they do not receive that ray. So also for those who are bodily blind, even light becomes darkness, and at midday they serve darkness. Therefore the Apostle commands us to burn in spirit and to have a warm love for divine things."
"Serving the Lord," that is, be the Lord's workers. Work for the Lord, and not for anyone else, neither for yourself nor for the world. From this word, and through the whole following verse, the Apostle defines the direction of the burning spirit.
The first thing in its consciousness and striving is the Lord, living union with Him, every manner of pleasing Him, and not departing from His will in anything, small or great, in word, deed, or thought.
The spirit by its nature is divine. Therefore, when it awakens, it strives toward God, clings to God, lives by God, and wants to live by Him. In the faith of Christ, there is added to this in man the consciousness that he has been bought by the priceless cost of the Lord's blood.
With this consciousness the feeling of obligation is inseparably joined: one must work tirelessly for Him Who bought him, and for Him alone. Therefore he directs everything toward this work, even if he eats or drinks cf. 1 Cor 10:31, remembering the Apostle's teaching: "You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your souls, which are God's" cf. 1 Cor 6:20.
By this sign everyone can determine without error whether his spirit has come alive and lives in him. If he zealously directs all his activity toward the Lord, then his spirit lives. If not, it does not live. Therefore he must take care to enliven it, and the means are at hand for everyone.
THEOSIS