St Peter of Damaskos | ...best of all is active spiritual knowledge...

There is such a thing as true spiritual knowledge, and there is total ignorance; but best of all is active spiritual knowledge. For of what use is it to possess all knowledge, or, rather, to receive it from God by grace, as did Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:12) - and there will never be another man like him - and yet go into agelong punishment?

What good is such knowledge to you unless, as a result of your actions and firm faith, your conscience assures you that you are delivered from future punishment, and that you have no reason to condemn yourself for neglecting anything you should and could have done?

As St John the Theologian says: ‘If our heart does not condemn us, then we can approach God with confidence’ (1 John 3:21).
But it may be, St Neilos says, that our conscience itself deceives us, overcome by the darkening of the passions, as St John Klimakos observes.

’For evil can by itself darken the intellect', as St Basil the Great puts it, and presumption can make it blind, not allowing it to become what it supposes itself to be.

What, then, shall we say of those who are enslaved to the passions, and yet think they have a clear conscience?

Even the Apostle Paul, in whom Christ dwelt in word and act, said: ‘Though I have nothing on my conscience’ -no sin, that is to say -‘yet I am not thereby acquitted’ (1 Cor. 4:4).

St Peter of Damaskos