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Words of Wisdom, Life-Changing Insights & Inspiring Teachings for A Fuller Life
11 July 2011
Father Zosima on Repentance, Forgiveness of Sins and the Infinite Love of God
From The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fear nothing and never be afraid; and don't fret. If only your penitence fail not, God will forgive all. There is no sin, and there can be no sin on all the earth, which the Lord will not forgive to the truly repentant! Man cannot commit a sin so great as to exhaust the infinite love of God. Can there be a sin which could exceed the love of God? Think only of repentance, continual repentance, but dismiss fear altogether. Believe that God loves you as you cannot conceive; that He loves you with your sin, in your sin. It has been said of old that over one repentant sinner there is more joy in heaven than over ten righteous men. Go, and fear not. Be not bitter against men. Be not angry if you are wronged. Forgive the dead man in your heart what wrong he did you. Be reconciled with him in truth. If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by love. If I, a sinner, even as you are, am tender with you and have pity on you, how much more will God. Love is such a priceless treasure that you can redeem the whole world by it, and expiate not only your own sins but the sins of others.
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1 comments:
Thank you for this :) It's really beautiful. Can I just say, I'm a student at a University right now and I have oral exams for Philosophy; In all the years that I've been studying philosophy, they all - in the end - point out to love as the ultimate goal of reaching out to God and to others. And so, I'd just like to say that what Father Zosima's saying truly is relevant, and I feel like I will end my Philosophy of Religion class in such a great coincidence; that I chose Father Zosima and his teachings. Thank you.
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