Library › Metropolitan Platon of Moscow › Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
16. Part 1, Section 16: Man is Guilty Before God
Therefore man, as a wilful transgressor of the law, remains subjected to all the weight of divine wrath.
It has been said above, that the worship of God cannot remain altogether without its reward: and also, that man, under the weight of his diseased nature, is unable to render unto God an acceptable worship: accordingly, there remains nothing for him, but to await the just wrath of God. For what can man deserve by his iniquities, but that the most righteous God should shut him out from his mercy; and after this every evil must follow. But we ought not from this to conclude, that God has no pity, and no mercy upon mankind in their misery. And again, we cannot suppose, that man of himself can merit divine mercy, otherwise we must conclude, that in God there is no justice; or that his mercy is blind, and therefore the righteous and the wicked are both alike to him. Such a supposition respecting God is awful. But through what means man is made a partaker of the mercy of God, we shall afterwards point out. The following words contain the testimony of the Holy Scriptures on this subject: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” Gal. iii. 10.—“Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil.” Rom. ii. 8, 9.