The Book of Steps

...your salvation. And again he taught us in these words: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God original: "Hebr. x, 31". And also the blessed apostles proclaimed: Through much tribulation it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God original: "Act. XIV, 21". And again he says: Terrible is the day of the Lord, and who can endure it? original: "Ioel. II, 11". His wrath is stubborn and fervent, and He will make the earth a desolation and destroy the sinners from it original: "Is. XIII, 9".

3. For because the first man gave a hearing to the serpent's command, he gave the serpent a listening ear; and he took the entire curse of evil from him; and the serpent became a snare; and the curse descended in all its descent upon his descendants. Because he ate from the tree of knowledge, he was prevented from the fruits of the tree of life, so that he might not eat from it and live forever. In this, when we know that because man transgressed the commandment in the boundary of the Creator and became arrogant, he took for himself a high-mindedness to be an equal in knowledge; and the distinction of the knowledge of good and evil became a hedge between him and the tree of life; and through the trickery of the wicked enemy, he was prevented from its fruits. And the tree was set apart from the great commandment by a new spear original: "rhomphaea" / "sword" and flame that turns and is guarded. And also man, because he learned and knew the way to walk to that tree, but because of his weakness...

vate. And he teaches us again in these words: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The blessed apostles also preached: Through much tribulation it is necessary to enter into the kingdom of God.

And again he says: Terrible is the day of the Lord, and who can endure it? Pervicacious and fervent is His wrath, and He will make the earth a desolation, and He will destroy the sinners from it.

3. Because the first man gave a hearing to the serpent, he received the sentence of a curse, by which he fell as prey to the serpent; and the curse descended upon all his descendants. Because he ate from the tree of knowledge, he was prohibited from the fruits of the tree of life, so that by eating from it, he would not live forever. From these things, therefore, we know that when man, through the circumvention of the wicked one, had transgressed the commandment, and had proudly presumed to be made equal to his Creator, he obtained the discernment of knowledge, and a hedge was established between him and the tree of life, the fruits of which he was defrauded by the craft of the wicked one; and the tree, by the command of the Most High, was protected by a fearful sword and a flame turning in a circle. And although man, having been experienced of old and taught, knew the path to that tree, yet to cross the barrier, because of his own infirmity...