The purpose of our humble Word is to indicate and explain the proper ascetic feat. The fruit of a proper ascetic struggle, preordained by the Spirit, is the renewal of the ascetic by Divine grace and the establishment of Christ with His Father and Spirit in His temple, man. "Those who do not sense the indwelling of Christ," said a certain great Father, "Holy Scripture calls inexperienced, that is, those who have no practical experience of Christianity."* The Apostle invites the servant of Christ to the right feat, as something essentially necessary: Thou therefore endure hardness, he says, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully (2 Tim. 2, 3, 5).
   Naturally, the teaching of Holy Scripture on man is proclaimed and preached unanimously by the Fathers of the Orthodox Church. "We are the house of God, according to the word of the prophets, the Gospel, and the apostles," said Venerable Mark the Ascetic.** Saint John Chrysostom says: "The grace of the Holy Spirit makes us ourselves, if we lead a pious life as the temples of God, and we receive the ability to pray in every place. Our worship is not like that of the Jews, which required a considerable amount of external ceremony and required many rites. Thus, anyone intending to offer prayer had to come to the temple, buy a turtledove, have firewood and fire in hand, invite the priest, approach the altar, and, in addition, fulfil many other regulations. There is no such thing here; wherever you are, the altar, the priest, and the sacrifice are prepared for you. You yourself are the altar, and the priest and the offering."*** Ye are the temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6, 16). Decorate this house, cast out every angry thought, so that you may become a precious member of Christ, so that you may become a temple of the Spirit.**** Nobody can lay another foundation except the laid which is Jesus Christ, in Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2, 21). The very deed, being considered with attention and accuracy, shows that the foundation may not be laid in another way but sober and regular life. The building groweth, says the Apostle, into the Holy Church in the Lord, he frequently repeats, into the holy temple, for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 3, 22). What kind of building is this? A temple intended as a dwelling place for God.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov).
A word about human