Beware that no one deceive you

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (+386)

 

Wickedness imitates virtue, and the weed tries to present itself as wheat. Outwardly, indeed, it resembles the wheat, but the experienced distinguish it by its taste. And the devil appears as an angel of light, not because he wants to return to where he once was (for, like the anvil, he has a hardened heart and his will is unrepentant), but in order to envelop in the darkness of blindness and the infectious condition of unbelief those who live an angel-like life. Many wolves roam in sheep’s clothing, who indeed wear the garments of sheep, but also have claws and teeth. And thus, wearing the skin of the guileless animal and deceiving the innocent with their appearance, they pour forth with their teeth the destructive poison of impiety.

We therefore have need of Divine Grace, of a sober mind, and of watchful eyes, so that we neither eat the weed thinking it is wheat and suffer harm from our ignorance, nor take the wolf for a sheep and be seized by him, nor be deceived and consider the destroying devil to be a good angel and let him devour us. For “he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” This is why the Church gives counsel, this is why these schools exist, this is why the readings take place.

The God-revering life consists of two things: of pious dogmas and of good deeds. Neither the dogmas without good works are acceptable to God, nor are the works that are not accompanied by pious dogmas received by God. The idolaters lead astray with their eloquence, for “honey drips from the lips of the harlot woman” (Prov. 5:3), while the Hebrews with the Holy Scripture, which they woefully misinterpret, deceive those who approach them. From childhood to old age, they study and grow old in ignorance.

The followers of the heresies, again, with their moralizing and eloquence, deceive the hearts of unsuspecting people, hiding under their Christian name—like under honey—the poisonous arrows of impious dogmas. Concerning all these together, the Lord says: “Beware that no one deceive you” (Matt. 24:4). This is precisely why the teaching of the faith and the explanations concerning it are given.

 

Greek source: https://agiazoni.gr/%cf%80%cf%81%ce%bf%cf%83%ce%ad%cf%87%ce%b5%cf%84%ce%b5-%ce%bd%e1%bd%b0-%ce%bc%e1%bd%b4-%cf%83%e1%be%b6%cf%82-%cf%80%ce%b1%cf%81%ce%b1%cf%80%ce%bb%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%ae%cf%83%ce%b5%ce%b9-%ce%ba%ce%b1%ce%bd/