Sayings by St. Philaret of Moscow,Hieromartyr Onuphry Gagaluk ~ The purpose of life

  Every Christian should find for himself the imperative and incentive to become holy. If you live without struggle and without hope of becoming holy, then you are Christians only in name and not in essence. But without holiness, no one shall see the Lord, that is to say they will not attain eternal blessedness. It is a trustworthy saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (I Tim. 1:15). But we deceive ourselves if we think that we are saved while remaining sinners. Christ saves those sinners by giving them the means to become saints.


(St. Philaret of Moscow, Sermon of September 23, 1847)


   The acquisition of of holiness is not the exclusive business of monks, as certain people think. People with families are also called to holiness, as are those in all kinds of professions, who live in the world, since the commandment about perfection and holiness is given not only to monks, but to all people.


(Hieromartyr Onuphry Gagaluk)


Source:

http://orthodox.cn/patristics/300sayings_en.htm