On the day of judgement when the Lord will place us before Him, some will have the boldness to say, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?’. And, ‘We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou has taught in our streets,’  And the Lord will answer, ‘I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 

How can it be that people perform miracles in His name and yet the Lord does not recognize them?

Any one of us, be it for several years on end, or for just one day or even a single moment, can surely muster enough strength to believe in God with all our heart and enter into this spirit of faith, and to know the almighty power of God by which even we might perform a miracle. God, however, does not set much store by this, because He seeks greater things for us. If we want to be just and well-pleasing unto the Lord – for, as the Apostle says, ‘the just shall live by faith’  – then our faith must be in CONSTANT DYNAMIC INCREASE, that in believing, we might ascend ‘from faith to faith’.

In other words, the just will be steadfast in the degree of charismatic faith which is accompanied by charismatic despair. They will hang everything on God’s mercy, risking everything for HIS SAKE in order to gain everything. The just shall live unwaveringly by this kind of faith FOR THE WHOLE OF THEIR LIVES (not just for one season or even multiple seasons and discontinued). But the apostle adds a fearful warning: If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. To ‘draw back’ is to give way to SLOTHFULNESS and PRIDE, to enter into LAX way of life, to SLACKEN in spiritual courage. The path of faith, however, is the path of DYNAMIC INCREASE in our life in God, leading as it does from faith to faith. Our faith must continually grow in strength until it attains a high degree of faith.

The Epistle to the Hebrews has much to say about those who have received great gifts, who have known the power of the word of God as well as the renewal of their being, only to fall by the way. Above all, we read that, it is difficult ‘to renew them again into repentance, that is to be restored by God yet again. In other words, the nearer we draw to God, the more demanding the Spirit of God becomes, that we may live the closer to Him and be united with Him eternally.  As we have said God wants to treat man as His equal, His image, for He has endowed him with great gifts and possibilities so that he can stand before God and embrace the entire wealth of divine life. This is our one and only true calling: to become LIKE unto Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Excerpt taken from a book

‘Remember Thy first love’

By Archimandrite Zecharias 

The story of the ten virgins of whom 5 found themselves outside is because they discontinued their zeal. They are Christians like the other 5 but because of sloth or pride they fall away and they not faithful to the end of this lives.

Matt 25:1 – 13

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 
“And at midnight a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, “No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.