Արմէն Խորհուրդ

The greatest enemy of God is sin, our sins. Satan is not a formidable enemy to God, but a toy. He walks in and out of the eternal temple of the judgement of God as a toylike creature asking to test a saint such as Job. God allows him to do so, regarding him and his attempts to test and threat and steal as simply an enabler of the exultation of his children as Job was. What is graver and more detestable is our sins against God and Christ, which brought him to his knees humiliated by soldiers who placed a robe and crown of thorns upon him. His suffering was infinite for us because of our sins. Satan can be cast away in a moment. Our sins took thousands of years of sufferings, trials, victories, and failures of humanity in preparation before the coming of the Son of God. His victory over sin is greater than his victory over Satan, because he wins us and our love, despite our sins that brought him to die in crucifixion. His victory over sin is his victory over all things, including death and all that is opposed to the original beauty and innocence of creation, to heaven, to love, to all his ways, to the light of his being.

The healed man is called like Christ to destroy sin and heal humanity and all creation with Christ. To what extent however, are we called to destroy Satan as he does and will? Hold up your cross, bear the shield of your faith, wield the word of Christ against the demons that tempt you, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in this world. We are unconquerable not through a God outside of us but God within us. The light of his being is in you.

Armen Leo Artashesian