The Epistle of our Father among the Saints Athanasius to the Monks [1]
Beloved and greatly desired
brothers in the Lord, who labor in the solitary life and are established in the
faith in God, rejoice!
I thank the Lord that He has
granted you to believe in Him, so that you too may have, together with the
Saints, eternal life. But since there are some who hold to the opinions of
Arius, who go around the monasteries for no other reason than to deceive the
innocent (the simple), as though they were coming to you and turning away from
us—and there are others who assure you that they do not hold to the teachings
of Arius, yet out of condescension pray together with them, at the urging of
some very sincere brothers—I have made it my earnest duty to write to you
without fail, so that, preserving the right-glorifying faith, unstained and
without deceit, which the grace of God is working in you, you may give no cause
for scandal to the brethren. For if some were to see that you, the faithful in
Christ, gather and have communion with them, they would fall into the mire of
unbelief (lawlessness), assuming that such a thing is altogether indifferent.
Therefore, in order that this may not happen, be willing, beloved, to turn away
from those who openly hold the thoughts of unbelief, and guard yourselves from
those who think they do not hold the teachings of Arius, yet maintain communion
with the unbelievers. And it is fitting, above all, to flee communion with
those whose mind we ourselves have rejected. And if someone pretends to confess
the right faith, yet is seen in communion (as a partaker) with such men, exhort
him to refrain from such a custom. And if he promises to do so, regard him as a
brother. But if he persists with a love of contention, avoid such a one. By
doing this, you will keep the faith pure. And they, seeing you, will be
edified, fearing lest they be reckoned as unbelievers and as those who think
the same as those others.
[1] PG 26, 1188.
Romanian source: https://theodosie.ro/2019/11/01/dreapta-credinta-in-vietile-sfintilor-7-sf-atanasie-cel-mare/
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