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Teaching on the One and Only Foundation of Salvation (Saint Nicholas of Serbia)



For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ ( 1 Cor. 3:11 )

The Jews say, "Moses is the foundation." The Muslims say, "Mohammed is the foundation." Short-sighted naturalists say, "Nature is the foundation." But we ask, "Did Moses rise from the grave? Did Mohammed ascend to heaven? Does nature provide the Holy Spirit, the Comforter?" Moses did not rise; Mohammed did not ascend to heaven; and nature not only does not provide the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to man, but breathes malice toward him, growls at him, and shows its claws.

He who was conceived in sin, who sinned himself, who erred and sought the advice of women, who accomplished things with the help of someone else's power, who rotted in the grave, and whose name arouses doubts in people about the path, truth, and life, cannot be the foundation of the world. But Moses and Muhammad were conceived in sin, sinned, sought the advice of women, accomplished things with the help of someone else's power, rotted in the grave, and their names arouse doubts in people about the path, truth, and life.

Therefore, brothers, there is no need for us to look into history and seek some other foundation than the Lord Jesus Christ, who was conceived without sin, who did not commit a single sin, who did not wander and did not seek advice from anyone, who by his own power accomplished great things, who did not rot in the grave and whose name does not cause people to doubt about the way, the truth and the life.

The apostle does not say that Christ laid a foundation, but that He Himself is the foundation. He is all righteousness, therefore He is the foundation of all righteousness. He is all truth, therefore He is the foundation of all truth. He is all wisdom, therefore He is the foundation of all wisdom. He is all power, therefore He is the foundation of all power. He is all goodness, therefore He is the foundation of all goodness. He is all life, therefore He is the foundation of life in both worlds, in this world and in the next.

O Risen Lord, You are the foundation of our salvation and eternal life. To You be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Nikolaj_Serbskij/pouchenija-svjatitelja-nikolaja-serbskogo-na-kazhdyj-den-goda-iz-ohridskogo-prologa-chast-1/124