St. Philaret the New Confessor (+1985): On How a Person Attains Salvation

 

The Holy Fathers are unanimous in saying that man is saved by a combination of both God’s grace and one’s own efforts. Of course, the most important factor is Divine grace, as Apostle Peter said at the apostolic council, “We hope to be saved by God’s grace.” Without God’s grace all our human efforts are in vain. Man is powerless, unbalanced, inconsistent, and under the influence of sin. When he tries to struggle with his own failings and sins, thinking that he is able to overcome sin by himself, it turns out that just at the crucial moment of struggle, his sin-loving heart yields to that sin, and he is not the victor, but instead is overcome and gives in to the very sin against which he was struggling. Generally speaking, without God’s grace none of our efforts bring any kind of fruit. On the other hand, Divine grace alone does not save a person without his individual efforts.

The Lord did everything necessary for our salvation. He took care of everything on His end to save us, and if it were up to Him Alone, we would all be saved without exception. But at the same time, He wished that man would avail himself of the fruits of the mission that He accomplished, so that besides the gift of His grace, man would bring to bear his own efforts as well. And so, when a person labors and tries to follow a Christian way of life and, realizing his weakness, does not depend exclusively on his own efforts, but calls upon God’s grace for help, then he is saved. Salvation is accomplished through his struggles and efforts together with the indispensable action of God’s grace. We must remember one thing that the Holy Fathers always emphasized: help from God’s grace does not PRECEDE our labors, but follows AFTER them. As long as man himself does not make an effort, the Lord will not act either. But when a man starts making an effort, then the Lord will help him. For good reason, the Lord says through His Old Testament prophet, “Son, bring forth your effort, and I will bring Mine.” When a man becomes weak from struggling, then God’s grace makes up for what is lacking and supports him when the person feels powerless.

As St. Theophan the Recluse says, ultimately it is up to the person himself and the use of his free will. Once before we brought up the example of St. Theophan writing to a person who said, “Vladyka, I realize that I am sinful, and I want to correct myself. Pray that I can begin to improve.” St. Theophan replied, “My friend, unless you make the effort and take the resolve, it will not help if not only I, a sinner, but even the whole universe prays for you. You yourself have to turn away from sin and do good. When you embark upon this path, then the Lord will help and our prayers will support you. The grace of God will renew you, but not in such a way that it acts in your stead. It will follow your efforts and act inconspicuously, in a hidden way, helping you when you start getting weak.”

And so, remember that the salvation of the human soul is attained by the combination of a person’s own efforts and struggles and Divine grace. Without grace, his efforts give him nothing in return. He cannot persevere without the help of grace. However, unless a person makes an effort, the Lord is not going to force salvation on him. He will help only when a person himself works for the salvation of his soul. Amen.

 

Original Russian source: Sermons and Teachings of Metropolitan Philaret, Volume I (Flushing: Russian Orthodox Youth Committee, 1989), 237–238.

English source: Saint Philaret of New York: His Collected Works, compiled by Subdeacon Nektarios Harrison, Orthodox Traditionalist Publications, 2024, pp. 294-295.