“Even if we cannot find much assistance in a culture of self-indulgence, comfort and luxury, finding little help from others, at least “I will behave in my home with heartfelt integrity…Heartfelt integrity” means one doesn’t play head games with those we claim to love. Integrity means honesty and more—a person whose whole self is filled with inner peace, openness and unity in mind, soul and body. He or she radiates sincerity without a trace of doubt or duplicity. To be sincere is to be entirely of one piece, from the Latin sin=without; ceros=wax. Holes in marble were filled with wax, but a perfect piece was without a flaw. This must be the condition of happy, genuine persons of God.” (Fr. Vladimir Berzonsky)
“God needs nothing we have to give Him, and this especially proves sincere love, when one who needs nothing and is not in any necessity, does everything for the sake of being loved by us. So when He bids you to love Him, He then most of all shows He loves you. For nothing secures our salvation more than loving Him.” (St. John Chrysostom)
“With sincere Christians prayer is continual, because we continually sin; gratitude is perpetual, because every day, every moment we receive fresh mercies from God, besides the old mercies which are numberless. Praise is also perpetual, because we perpetually see the glory of our God’s works in ourselves and in the world, especially the glory of His infinite love to us.” (St. John of Kronstadt)
“God our Creator and Redeemer is not an impersonal force, not an intangible source of being, not an abstract concept, and not a projection of our imagination. God is a personal being who seeks a personal relationship with us, his creation. We are made in His image so that we might know, love, and worship Him. Therefore, in true repentance, we seek the Lord’s forgiveness. At the deepest level, our contrition is our sorrow that we have offended our Heavenly Father, who gives us life and every blessing. And our plea is that our loving God would pardon our affront against Him. Repentance is a matter of the heart. Our fellow members may not know whether our change of mind and heart is sincere or insincere. But our Heavenly Father knows the state of our souls. He does not pardon insincerity but waits for us to come to him in unfeigned penitence. He waits for our true repentance so that He might forgive us and bring us back into the blessings of abiding in Him.” (Fr. Basil)
“...God acts graciously and saves his people. He will not withhold salvation from anyone who sincerely comes to Him.’ (Life Application Study Bible, Luke 1:13)