Small Orthodox corner

[basics]

[QUOTE=Sir Adrian;16136813]No basics, it does not mean that. Salvation is not a switch you can flick and presto you get a get out of jail free card for doing anything you want. You will account for all that you did in this life, all the good you did, all the evil you did, all the good you failed to do and the evil you refused to do.

I mean the bible is extremely clear on this. See James 2:14-26 and Matthew 7:15-27


Sir Adrian,

Salvation is assured the moment a person is born again of the Spirit of God. That person now belongs to Jesus as being a new life in Christ. It is a gift or calling of God and does not require works of any sort, rather a broken and contrite heart crying out for salvation for his or her sin. Those people are called the elect of God and once saved nothing can take them from God's hands. Verse 26 reads " for the body without the Spirit is dead," as that body cannot enter heaven, " so faith without works is dead also." Faith being a gift of God to the person being born again that person has to have the Spirit of God in them to impute faith because it's the Faith of Jesus Christ that is being given and so the works James is talking of is following Christ Jesus' example.

As for Mathew 7;15-29 are you saying that I am a false prophet? You see I don't baptise babies and call them Christians, nor do I ever wear splendid robes, nor do I have images and relics as part of my church, no I was just a sinner put on his knees by God to reveal what Jesus Christ actually did for me on that cross, indeed took me back to overlook Him on that cross, something I will never forget and changed my life forever. I won't be one of them who cry out that I did this and that in Your Name because all I can do tell of the Good News to as many as I can. The Gospel is simple, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your family.....as many as the Lord God shall call." That's what Peter wrote so is he a false prophet too?

[Sir Adrian]

Read the bible passages I quoted to you. You are literally contradicting Christ here. Salvation is a process that ends when you die, no sooner nor later.

[alhoon]

Fasting is a lot more than just being a vegetarian for half the year. It's about praying more, striving to commit less sins, giving away half the food you would normally eat (or spending less on food and giving the money) and struggling with your own wickedness.

All correct BUT it is not called "fasting". We do all those during fasting periods but I don't think they are part of the fast itself. What I mean is that we are praying more and think about God more etc and donate more... and also fast.
I.e. I agree with what Adrian said but I disagree with the name given for it.

Regardless, the important point is: Yes, we're not just supposed to fast. We are also supposed to try and be better.

[Sir Adrian]

The food part is actually the least important part of the fast.

[basics]

Read the bible passages I quoted to you. You are literally contradicting Christ here. Salvation is a process that ends when you die, no sooner nor later.

Sir Adrian,

So, what you are saying is that you believe yet are not saved because when Jesus died on the cross after crying, " It is finished," did He mean that it is not finished? Now that's rather odd because the Book of Life containing the names of all the elect of God had been prepared before our time arrived as He, Christ Jesus was to be the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of the elect before the world was made. James and Mathew are talking to people that have been saved as to their conduct after being so. It is not salvation that is in question, rather sanctification which will be completed when Christ Jesus comes back to judge all things. Paul explains this as like a race, an obstacle race, where the new believer will face all sorts of temptations but that they will get through it by keeping their eyes on Jesus and doing what He would have done, why? Because Paul knew that the Devil will use any means to put doubts into your mind about your salvation like he did to Adam and Eve. If you are not born again of the Spirit of God and are not yet saved by the blood of Christ then I'm sorry but you've fallen into the same trap. The minute I was born again of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ became my Saviour and Lord so where is the contradiction there?

[alhoon]

The food part is actually the least important part of the fast.

My point was that I think "Fasting" refers ONLY to the food part. Not the prayer, charity and trying to be closer to what God wants of us part of the tradition.

[Sir Adrian]

Sir Adrian,

So, what you are saying is that you believe yet are not saved because when Jesus died on the cross after crying, " It is finished," did He mean that it is not finished? Now that's rather odd because the Book of Life containing the names of all the elect of God had been prepared before our time arrived as He, Christ Jesus was to be the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of the elect before the world was made. James and Mathew are talking to people that have been saved as to their conduct after being so. It is not salvation that is in question, rather sanctification which will be completed when Christ Jesus comes back to judge all things. Paul explains this as like a race, an obstacle race, where the new believer will face all sorts of temptations but that they will get through it by keeping their eyes on Jesus and doing what He would have done, why? Because Paul knew that the Devil will use any means to put doubts into your mind about your salvation like he did to Adam and Eve. If you are not born again of the Spirit of God and are not yet saved by the blood of Christ then I'm sorry but you've fallen into the same trap. The minute I was born again of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ became my Saviour and Lord so where is the contradiction there?

Three things.

1. Why are you discounting Christ's resurrection.

2. Demons also believe in God. Belief by itself is not enough.

3. Instead of trying to twist and interpret what Christ could have meant on the cross why not look at the actual words of Christ which I quoted to you.

Jesus clearly said that unrepentant sinners and those do not do His work will be damned. Jesus also commanded everyone to do His work if they wish to see the kingdom of God, namely feed and clothe the poor, comfort the sick, visit prisoners in jail, pray, fast, confess your sins.

You claim to be saved, therefore you have nothing to repent for or otherwise Christ is lying. To have nothing to repent for you must be sinless. Only Christ was sinless, no man can be sinless. You also claim to have not done His work. Therefore you are not saved but are in great danger due to the arrogance of claiming to be saved.

It is the nature of demons to fall and never rise. It is the nature of angels to never fall. It is the nature of man to fall and rise back up.

[Gyrosmeister]

Only discovered this thread now. Didn't expect to see many familiar faces here
Chant from a monastery in Belarus, The Beatitudes, in Old Church Slavonic. (I think Agni Parthene and the lot have already been shared here like 100 times)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQ4gjN7l64

[alhoon]

Only discovered this thread now. Didn't expect to see many familiar faces here
Chant from a monastery in Belarus, The Beatitudes, in Old Church Slavonic. (I think Agni Parthene and the lot have already been shared here like 100 times)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQ4gjN7l64

Great finding.

[basics]

Three things.

1. Why are you discounting Christ's resurrection.

2. Demons also believe in God. Belief by itself is not enough.

3. Instead of trying to twist and interpret what Christ could have meant on the cross why not look at the actual words of Christ which I quoted to you.

Jesus clearly said that unrepentant sinners and those do not do His work will be damned. Jesus also commanded everyone to do His work if they wish to see the kingdom of God, namely feed and clothe the poor, comfort the sick, visit prisoners in jail, pray, fast, confess your sins.

You claim to be saved, therefore you have nothing to repent for or otherwise Christ is lying. To have nothing to repent for you must be sinless. Only Christ was sinless, no man can be sinless. You also claim to have not done His work. Therefore you are not saved but are in great danger due to the arrogance of claiming to be saved.

It is the nature of demons to fall and never rise. It is the nature of angels to never fall. It is the nature of man to fall and rise back up.

Sir Adrian,

When a person is born again of the Spirit of God, Jesus' resurrection confirmed that not only is He God but that we too born again of His Spirit will also be resurrected with bodies fit for heaven. In other words His resurrection means nothing unless one is washed in His blood and born again of the Spirit of God. It is all a work of God by God in His Three Persons because people dead in their sin cannot by any means save themselves.

Of course demons believe there is a God because they know that God is their Creator.

As for what Christ cried out from the cross what has that to do with what you are quoting?

When Jesus Christ washed my sins away by shedding His blood as my Substitute did He leave any behind when crying out, " It is finished"? Of course He didn't but then you don't want to see that being stuck in your works for salvation religion. The problem all new believers have is that God on giving them a new heart has left them with their corrupt bodies and memories of sin so until sanctification is completed by Jesus' return the new creation in Christ will stumble and fall yet if they fix their gaze on Jesus He lifts them back onto that narrow path. So, if my sins were not washed away at the cross that would mean He died for nothing which of course He didn't.

Lastly may I say what a load of rubbish that is, why? The Devil and his mob are fallen angels and one day all of them and their demons will be gone, completely gone. As for man's nature it is one of sin and so the only rising he can do is rise back up into more sin. If anyone doesn't believe that Jesus Christ paid the price of sin for all those for whom He died they are stubbornly denying His sacrifice on that precious day. You see the difference between us is that I didn't deserve to be saved yet am whilst you think one must deserve to be saved by works. The thing is that a person is saved by Grace not works.

[Sir Adrian]

Be careful basics, you are verging very close to blasphemy. No man is God. No man becomes God. No man is above sin. The best you can hope for is theosis, union with God, but that cannot happen in this life.

Only discovered this thread now. Didn't expect to see many familiar faces here
Chant from a monastery in Belarus, The Beatitudes, in Old Church Slavonic. (I think Agni Parthene and the lot have already been shared here like 100 times)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQ4gjN7l64

Absolutely beautiful.

[basics]

Sir Adrian,

The moment a person is born again of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit being God, He enters into them becoming One with them as they are now a new creation in Christ Jesus which makes them brothers and sisters in Christ. They can now call the Father, ABBA. We become the family of God in which Jesus Christ is our Head and also become priests of the same Order. Did Jesus not say, " No man may enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born again of the Spirit," and " No man can come to the Father except by Me and no man may come to Me except the Father draws him."? It's all of God by Grace alone, why? Lest any man should boast that he played any part in it.

Concerning sin, by Faith given us by God we believe that the blood of Jesus Christ paid my dues for my sin yet I still retained my corrupt body and memory so I won't be fully sanctified until He comes back meaning that yes, I am going to stumble and fall but no-one can ever take my salvation from me so if my eyes are firmly on Jesus He will stand me back up and put me back on the narrow path. So, that union with God was accomplished at the cross when Jesus Christ stood in as my substitute to pay for my sin. Were you there when they crucified my Lord, because if you weren't then you're the one in trouble, not me?

As for the music being beautiful why not as even the Devil has good music.

[Sir Adrian]

Romans 3:23

[basics]

Sir Adrian,

Yes, all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God and that is why Jesus Christ came into the world as a man to be a Sacrifice for all those for whom His blood would eradicate their sin. Note in the next chapter how Paul explains how works saves no-one, rather by the Grace of God is a sinner saved so when Jesus cried out, " It is finished," that tells us that there is no more Sacrifice to be made meaning that sins, past, present and future were covered by His dying on the cross in their place. So much so that the Father declares in the Book to the Hebrews that once saved He doesn't even remember them as having been sinners. That's the Power of the cross.

[Sir Adrian]

Sir Adrian,

Yes, all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God and that is why Jesus Christ came into the world as a man to be a Sacrifice for all those for whom His blood would eradicate their sin. Note in the next chapter how Paul explains how works saves no-one, rather by the Grace of God is a sinner saved so when Jesus cried out, " It is finished," that tells us that there is no more Sacrifice to be made meaning that sins, past, present and future were covered by His dying on the cross in their place. So much so that the Father declares in the Book to the Hebrews that once saved He doesn't even remember them as having been sinners. That's the Power of the cross.

St Paul refers to the works of the law of the Old Testament. Christ says multiple times that faith without works in the name of God does not exist. As does James.

[basics]

St Paul refers to the works of the law of the Old Testament. Christ says multiple times that faith without works in the name of God does not exist. As does James.

Sir Adrian,

Both Paul and James are primarily talking to those that are born again of the Spirit of God simply because without the joining of the Spirit to them they couldn't have Faith, that is the Faith of Jesus Christ. The works that they are telling of is Spirit led and these works are doing what Jesus asked of them. Their salvation was assured at the cross but yet their sanctification wouldn't be fulfilled until they received their heavenly bodies and their rewards for their Faith led deeds. These are not punishments as they will be with Him in Glory.

Which brings me to all them that cry out, " we did this and that in your name, " yet He will tell them, " Depart from Me for I never knew you." why? Because they are imposters who have crowded into His Sheep's pen and left there until the Judgement Day. They were never part of His Church rather a false religion with all its anti Second Commandment ceremonies. Did Jesus Himself not say that the path to heaven is so narrow that few get in meaning that the church in any generation was never going to be big in numbers? If one is born again of the Spirit of God they will know the moment when God changed them from being a sinner to one who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and they will never forget as it becomes part of their Testimony so tell us how you were saved?

[Sir Adrian]

A blessed feast of our Lord's glorious entry into Jerusalem

[basics]

Sir Adrian,

Did Jesus Christ really look like that?

[Sir Adrian]

Sir Adrian,

Did Jesus Christ really look like that?

Probably not, but it does not matter one bit.


A blessed feast of Lord's resurrection to one an all. CHRIST IS RISEN.

The pashal homily of st John Chrysostom

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; He gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.
And He shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fated; let no one go hungry away.

Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

[basics]

Sir Adrian,

He is indeed risen yet that is nothing like described by all those that saw Him after He was risen. Indeed it is nothing like how the prophets described Him. In fact it is a complete disregard for the Second Commandment, "Thou shalt have no graven images before Me...." So, why have them if we are to believe by Faith and not sight especially imaginary sight?