Man is not saved without a wilful struggle
The seed does not grow without water or earth and man is not saved without wilful struggles. Like rain does not fall without clouds, neither man cannot be pleasing to God and be saved without a clean conscience and good deeds.
Don’t be boastful and don’t love the rich, but neither hate them. Just avoid them, especially the churlish, unrighteous and greedy.
Let us clean ourselves from everything that is earthly, consecrate everything to God and make ourselves burnt offering offered whole to God.
Like fire in water so the evil thought cannot be in the right heart, for the one that loves God, the justice and the struggle to good deeds becomes God’s friend and the demon cannot enter him.
The seed does not grow without water or earth and man is not saved without wilful struggles.
Like rain does not fall without clouds, neither man cannot be pleasing to God and be saved without a clean conscience and good deeds.
(Translated from Sfântul Teofan Zăvorâtul, Patericul Lavrei Sfântului Sava, Editura Egumenița, 2010, pp. 150-151)
