Two Battles in the War

Satan has two battles going in his war against God.  He battles against the Church, and he battles against our individual souls.  It is necessary for us to fight both battles.  If we only fight the battle against the Church, then we get the super-correct disease which is characterized by hard-heartedness.  If we only fight the battle against our souls, then we get the world-orthodoxy disease which is characterized by sentimentality.

Attending to both these battles is necessary for our salvation.  The exercise we get in one battle strengthens us for victory in the other battle.  This is because we are individuals with individual souls, and we are also [members of] a body, i.e. the Church.   We will not make spiritual progress without attending to both battles.

In practice what this means is that if we pay great attention to our personal sins [judging, gossip, gluttony, etc.] while ignoring the fact that our Church is in the W.C.C.; then we are not attending to Satan's battle against the Church.  And, conversely, if we steadfastly support our Church in keeping the laws [spiritual purity, canons, fasts, etc.], but go home and abuse our wives; then we are not attending to Satan's battle against our soul.

Proper attention to both battles is walking the Royal Path.