This is so good, I have to post it.

When I go back to the question of what I want, I find that all answers fall short in some way unless the answer I give is “God.”  I want God. I don’t want to figure out His will, I don’t want to figure out eternity, I don’t want to add stuff to my life in order to deepen my relationship with God. No. I want God. That’s right, I said I don’t want to deepen my relationship with God. Pursuing a relationship with God and pursuing God Himself are often very different things. Of course, when we go to church in order to deepen on our relationship with God, we do in fact find it deeper for the effort. But the church is not God. We must go to the church, an external behavior, in order to help us draw near to God, an inner reality.

I must be careful in making this point. History has seen religious movements that take what I have just said to mean that the external realities of the Christian faith are discretionary. They might say, “We don’t need to go to church as long as we seek after God,” or, “We don’t need to be baptized as long as we’re born again in our hearts,” or, “Holy Communion is not important because I can commune with God in other ways.”  This is silly. It makes God – forgive me for saying – into nothing but a function of the mind. It’s like a friend who doesn’t call or write for years and then says, “Sorry I haven’t called or written, but I’ve thought about you often.” What can you say? Hearing those words does little to renew the relationship that was destroyed when you realized that your friend was ignoring your calls and letters, it does little to sooth the old pain of rejection. Thinking about God is useless as the sole pathway to knowing God. Many pathways, the church and the disciplines of the church, have been established and used by Christians for hundreds of years. Suddenly, the last two hundred years, we assume that we are good enough that we can skip over them and arrive at the same destination? We can’t.

Do you want God? Use the church to find Him. Don’t forget the church, the way, and don’t forget God, the destination.

-from Christianity and Pleasure by Fr. David R. Smith

Shocked Reactions

I’m reading a book outside of my religious paradigm, and more than half-way through, it dawned on me that I should write some of my reactions down, which I decided to start today.  Don’t you just love run-on sentences?

Here’s the first “note”:

In the Protestant Church, it is true that a pastor is “only as good as his last sermon.” It always made me wonder, as a former protestant, what they do in their off hours (when they’re not giving sermons).  Maybe some counseling here and there – but not much – isn’t that what “Christian counselors” are for? Maybe some administrative duties. But it seems as though there’s nothing for a pastor to do but make his next sermon.  It’s all about teaching, learning, intellectualizing.  I didn’t realize or necessarily have a problem with this when I was a protestant, but during my searching and conversion to Orthodoxy, it was wonderful to not have my value placed on how well I could do intellectually, but in what place my heart was.  (Note that I am not perfect, or even try to be some days.)

However, in the Orthodox Church, the real admiration for a priest comes from who he is as a person. We interact more deeply with a priest (than I ever did with a protestant pastor – and sometimes it wasn’t even for a lack of my trying). We have Confession, where we offer our sins and brokenness to God in the presence of a priest, and he gives encouragement and council.  Granted, there are few who take advantage of this sacrament, but it’s wonderful.  We are aware of holiness because it’s around us all the time – in icons – and in the people around us. We have monastics in our midst, those who strive after God their entire lives. No, they’re not perfect, that’s not exactly the point, but they love God and desire communion with Him. They make little improvements here and there and eventually they will be a little closer to God. And isn’t that what we all want?

Second more shocking reaction:

The most horrible, well, maybe not the MOST, thing is that some people, some protestants see the heart as a bad thing. We need to understand that our temptations and our passions are corrupt, yes, but it is not who we are.  This is not what God meant for us. To be truly free is to be free from the things that enslave us and be in freedom in communion with God.  The nous is commonly translated “heart” and sometimes “intellect” and is the deepest part of a person (see other posts on nous).  This is where we commune with God.

Part of what I had written before was about how the western half of the world separates heart and mind because the concept of nous is very foreign to them… which I’m sure I’ve talked about elsewhere and leave that to your own reflection and infer whatever you will.

The book I was reading mentioned that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?’  which is Jeremiah 17:9, I found out as I searched for it in the ESV.  I went downstairs and got my roommate’s Orthodox Study Bible, hoping to find some sort of study note that would explain that verse.  To my surprise and utter shock, I found that Jeremiah 17:9 (17:5)says this, “the heart is deep beyond all things, and it is the man. Even so who can know him?”  I sat there in utter shock, not even knowing what to say or what I would post here.  I will leave that to your own interpretation, I suppose.  But I will add two things that might help you, if indeed anyone reads this.  The note says, “St. John Chrysostom labors the point that only God  an know men’s hearts, citing Psalm. 7:9; 1 Kings 16:7, 2 Chronicles 6:30, and Matthew 9:3,4.”  Also I should mention that the Orthodox Study Bible is using the first English translation of the Septuagint, translated by St. Athanasius Academy.  I’m not going to comment further on that because it’s complicated and I’m sure if someone wanted to know there are plenty of resources out there that are more reliable than a blog.

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son

1 Kingdoms 14:16-30

¹⁶ Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. ¹⁸ And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark^[b] of God here” (for at that time the ark^[c] of God was with the children of Israel). ¹⁹ Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” ²⁰ Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion. ²¹ Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. ²³ So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.
²⁴ And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. ²⁵ Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened. ²⁸ Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint.
²⁹ But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

1 Corinthhians 6:12-20

¹² All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. ¹³ Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”^{[b] 17} But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
¹⁸ Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body^[c] and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Luke 15:11-32

¹¹ Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. ¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring^[b] out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Today we commemorate St. Cyril, Apostle to the Slavs

1 Kingdoms 13:19-14:15

¹⁹ Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” ²⁰ But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; ²¹ and the charge for a sharpening was a pim^[d] for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. ²² So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.
²³ And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

¹ Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. ² And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. ³ Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
⁴ Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. ⁵ The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.
⁶ Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” ⁷ So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”
⁸ Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.”
¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” ¹² Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” ¹³ And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. ¹⁴ That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.^{[a] 15} And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.

2 Timothy 3:1-9

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Luke 20:46-21:4

⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, ⁴⁷ who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

¹ And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, ² and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. ³ So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; ⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,^[a] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Today we commemorate St. Simeon of Serbia

1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 13:1-18

¹ Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,^{[a] 2} Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.
³ And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.
⁵ Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty^[b] thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. ⁷ And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. ⁸ Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
¹¹ And Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, ¹² then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
¹⁵ Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.^[c] And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men.
¹⁶ Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. ¹⁷ Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, ¹⁸ another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

You must be faithful to God and he will be faithful to you.  Do what God commands and you’ll be alright.

1 John 2:7-17

⁷ Brethren,^[a] I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.^{[b] 8} Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹² I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
¹³ I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

“These verses (12-14) are a poem of comfort and encouragement. John addresses three stages of Christian growth (1) Little children are the newly converted, who see clearly that their sins are forgiven and who know the Father. (2) Fathers, are the mature in understanding who know Christ. (3) Young men are those who war against the devil, who are strong and who have the word of God living in them.”

Mark 14:3-9

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ⁷ For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

“Knowledge of religious things is good, but devotion to Christ is more important. Here a woman who knows less about religion than her critics expresses her deep love and devotion to Christ, devotion He accepts with gratitude.”

“Often we do not fully understand the implications of what we do for Christ. This woman was expressing her love for Jesus; she may or may not have known that she was anointing the body of Jesus for burial.”

Today we commemorate Melitios of Antioch

1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 12:16-25

¹⁶ “Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes: ¹⁷ Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.”
¹⁸ So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
¹⁹ And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.”
²⁰ Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. ²¹ And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. ²² For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. ²³ Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. ²⁴ Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. ²⁵ But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

The message is still the same: repent and turn from your wickedness.  The Lord is merciful.

1 John 1:8-2:6

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. ¹ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

“John addresses three false gnostic teachings on “sin.” Their intertwined errors are that: (1) union with God is indifferent to sin; (2) sin does not exist; (3) one in union with God cannot sin.

John answers by saying: (1) Faith must be seen in works, that is, it must produce moral purity. To have a right relationship with God includes living a holy and righteous life. And faith must seek forgiveness and cleansing for sin. (2) Sin does exist, and teh practice of confession is the established basis for growth toward righteousness. (3) Though we do sin, we should strive not to sin. Salvation in Christ is a process of growth into sinlessness.”

I thank God that the Church has the office of Confession.

Mark 13:31-14:2

³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
³² “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. ³⁴ It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ³⁵ Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” ¹ After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. ² But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”

Summary: be a faithful Christian. 

Today we commemorate Heiromartyr Blaise

Wisdom 5:15-6:3

[15] But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High.
[16] Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them.
[17] He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies.
[18] He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet.
[19] He shall take holiness for an invincible shield.
[20] His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise.
[21] Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark.
[22] And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them.
[23] Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

---

Wis.6

[1] Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.
[2] Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.
[3] For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

2 Peter 3:1-10

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,^[b] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. – verse 9

This verse is one that pierces my heart.  Every time that I sin and fall short by coming subject to my habitual passions, I have a tendency to think that I’m too sinful to come back to God.  But this verse gets me every time.  I thank God for his great mercy, love, compassion, and forgiveness.  Lord, be gracious unto me, a sinner.

Mark 13:24-31

I will not comment about the end times.

Romans 16

1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia^[a] to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman.^[b] Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The^[c] churches of Christ greet you.

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus^[d] Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Even at the beginning of the Church, it’s as if Paul’s talking to the Church like they have everything they need in the Christian Faith.  There is nothing to add to it or subtracting from it.   We must be faithful to the holy Orthodox Faith.

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.^[e]
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.^[f]

I love benedictions. 

Romans 15

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”^[a] 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us,^[b] to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
“ For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.”^[c]

10 And again he says:
“ Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”^[d]

11 And again:
“ Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”^[e]

12 And again, Isaiah says:
“ There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”^[f]
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Paul addresses Jewish and Gentile Christians on their cultural differences regarding foods and festivals. Both are exhorted to mutual acceptance, just as both are accepted by Christ for the glory of God.  The OT had foreseen the unity of faith and joy of believing Jews and Gentiles joined in Christ for the glory of God.”

14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.^[g] 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written:

“ To whom He was not announced, they shall see;
And those who have not heard shall understand.”^[h]

“Minister is literally “liturgist” (Gr. leitourgos); ministering is doing the work of a priest. offering is the word that came to be used for the bread of the Eucharist (Gr. prosphora). Sanctified by the Holy Spirit is the action called for in the epiclesis, the invocation for the sending down of the Holy Spirit upon the eucharistic gifts of bread and wine.” – from the Orthodox Study Bible.

Whoever thought the early Christians didn’t have liturgy were wrong.

22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.^[i] For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel^[j] of Christ.
30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

How different is Paul’s language than what I hear spoken in mainstream Christianity.  That a service will be acceptable to the saints! that we pray together, delievered from unbelief!  Let us have our refreshment in the Church.

Romans 14

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord;^[a] and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose^[b] and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.^[c] 11 For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”^[d]
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

It is important not to judge others, especially in my experience, other Christians.  If we see that others aren’t fasting like “the rule” says to, or if we see people not praying, or not asking their priest for advice, i find it really difficult not to pronounce a judgement on them or say that that’s the reason why they’re having such a hard time.  I was reminded by my priest at Confession that I must remind myself every time I feel some sort of intellectual pride (and I could apply that to spiritual pride as well) of my failings, which are many (that part he didn’t tell me, or have to).  Every person is at a different point in their spiritual life and each of us has different temptations and weaknesses that the devil likes to exploit.  We must be understanding and show the grace and mercy of God to those whom God does show mercy.

14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things^[e]is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.^[f] 22 Do you have faith?^[g] Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.^[h]

Let your life be about Christ.  Walk with Him.  Do not tear others down for the sake of your convictions -  which may be over grey areas.

Romans 13

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

from the Orthodox Study Bible: Paul calls Christians to submit to good government, to obey both God and man. The Kingdom of Heaven and earthly kingdoms are called to work together. The Church and state for Paul are certainly distinct, but they are not separated or isolated from one another. On the other hand, a government that upholds evil, forcing it on her people, is an abusive authority and in such cases, “we ought to obey God rather than men.”

This is a rather unpopular statement, especially for the Kingdom of Heaven and earth to work together.  I’m not sure that the commentator is talking about the separation of Church and state, but I’m going to talk about that a little.  I think there might be a problem when people start to think of their country as a representation of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Certainly people thought that about the Byzantine empire, and some even of the Russian empire, at least before the rise of communism and marxism.  It might not be such a good thing to equate your national status with the Church.  We’ve seen this happen in the Byzantine empire, the Russian state, Greek Churches, etc.  One needs to be able to distinguish between Church and state so that when another country attacks another for non-religious reasons, you won’t take it as an attack on your entire way of life.  The Mongols, for example, were pretty tolerant of Christianity when they were taking what are now Russian lands, even though they were Muslim.  The Greek civil war, from what I understand, had a lot to do with the Church and a lot of people in the Church were killed during that time.  In America, it’s easier for Orthodox Christians to not identify the Church with the state because it’s pretty secular in the first place.  However, this is a  real danger for protestant christians.  Pray, take heed that you avoid civil religion.  Indeed, take heed that you know what is good and what is evil… as the government seems to not know…. and obey God rather than men.  Don’t take your cues for what to do in the church from advertising or legislation, but rather from the word of God and from Christian history.

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”^[a] “You shall not covet,”^[b] and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”^[c] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

This is very difficult to do, and I make no pretentions to say much about this.  It’s pretty self-explanatory.

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

This is an amazing application of the principle of theosis.  How indeed can salvation be nearer than when we first believed?  It’s because salvation is a process.  We need to continually put on Christ.  Sometimes we forget and we sin and we don’t act like Christ, but it is time (indeed it’s always time) to repent and walk as Christ walked.  Let us become like Christ by grace through working out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Romans 12: part 3

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”^[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”^[b]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

It is an easy thing to quote ‘love your neighbor,’ but to really know what that means… that’s a completely different story.  This passage is really just a way to live, because Christians, in general, should live a life of love.  I wish I could participate in the life of God to the extent that this passage emulates.  God help me to let my love be without hypocrisy.

Romans 12: part 1

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Service (Gr. latreia, lit. “bow down”) is better translated “worship”. This is the worship of God through the whole life of the Church, beginning with a renewed mind and integrity of heart. In union with Christ, we are brought from worshipping the creature to worshipping the Creator in all we do. This worship is:
(1) Physical: Bodies suggests both the physical aspect of human nature and human nature generally – ourselves.
(2) Living: a contrast to the Old Covenant under which sacrifices were put to death. Under the New Covenant, to die is also to be resurrected. Sacrifice is not a final act but the firstfruit, the foundation, for all other spiritual fruit.
(3) Virtuous (holy, acceptable): OT sacrifice was unacceptable and temporary. Animals are not substitutes for humanity or true holiness.
(4) Reasonable, or “spiritual” (Gr. logike): Though worship of God has its logical side, it is more than this – even as Christ, the Logos, possesses reason but is far more than reason. To be reasonable  is to live according to Christ, with renewed hearts and minds.

Faithful relationship to God changes our relationship to the world. (1) We renounce the pretenses of “this present evil age.” Conformed to this world is to be identified with and shaped by the world’s values and pleasures. (2) We are transformed, starting with the inward man, the mind, by virtue, the keeping of God’s commandments. Mind here is more than the rational faculty; it is the highest faculty of human nature: “The eyes of your heart,” by which one sees and comprehends God.

Romans 11

1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?^[a] 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^[b] 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.^[c] But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“ God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”^[d]
9 And David says:
“ Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”^[e]

God’s grace saves the willing, not the unwilling: those who will receive grace by faith and obey God. Israel is not willing, for she seeks righteousness on her own terms: through the works of the law, not through the grace of Christ. She stubbornly and freely hardens herself in unrepentance. God does not cast the people away; they remove themselves. God has given them a spirit of stupor. – from the Orthodox Study Bible

11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Has Israel stumbled that it should fall permanently? Since the people have fallen away because of Christ, are they beyond salvation? No, for through Israel’s failure to believe, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Further, through the Gentiles’ faith, Israel’s opportunity for salvation is renewed. God’s presence among the Gentiles provokes the Jews to jealousy and anger that they might believe and experience the fullness of grace. As their being cast away is caused by their own unbelief, their return through faith would be so glorious, it would be as life from the dead, the final resurrection itself.

16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,^[f] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved,^[g] as it is written:
“ The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”^[h]
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”^[i]
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”^[j]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Verse 22 is very scary, but very good motivation to continue in the grace of God.  I need to continue in repentance every day to continue living off the root of the olive tree.  God’s holiness makes me holy because he has grafted me into his family. It’s wonderful to know that even if a branch is cut off, God is able to graft it back in again.  By the way… old olive tree = Jews, branches grafted in = Gentiles, new cultivated tree = Church.

Romans 10: part 2

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 
      “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,^[h]
      Who bring glad tidings of good things!”^[i]

 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”^[j] 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: 
      “ Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
      And their words to the ends of the world.”^[k]
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: 
      “ I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
      I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”^[l]
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:
      “ I was found by those who did not seek Me;
      I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”^[m]
21 But to Israel he says:
      “ All day long I have stretched out My hands
       To a disobedient and contrary people.”^[n]

Paul has left the Jews with no excuse for rejecting the Gospel. Paul insists God fulfilled His part completely. The Jews had extraordinary opportunities to come to faith. For God sent His message through preachers and throughout all creation. Israel did indeed hear, but did not believe. Therefore, God turned to the Gentiles, who heard and believed. The Jews of Jesus’ time demanded a sign, yet they always had a higher sign than miracles; they had God’s own words, and prophecy, the conversion of the Gentiles. Jealousy is a powerful motivator. To see those deemed far inferior to you, whom you detest, adopted and inheriting your promises and dreams should arouse great indignation.

Romans 10

1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel^[a] is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

I think this may have something to say for knowing God.  If a person does not know God, then they won’t know how or what to conform their will to, or what to participate in.  Right belief is essential.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”^[b] 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[c] (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”^[d] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”^[e](that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”^[f] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”^[g]

The way of the law and the way of faith are contrasted. Whereas mere obedience to the law has always failed, faith in Christ as Lord always succeeds. For: (1) Faith does not doubt, though righteousness is beyond human possibility without Christ. (2) Faith is not a distant accomplishment but is near, having a vision of Christ as present and easily accessible. (3) Faith transforms the whole person; the soul working with the body makes it real. (4) True faith is accessible to all equally, as even the OT prophets teach.

I awaked for the Lord sustained me

Forsake me not, O Lord, O my God,
be not far from me
make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

Psalm 109:21 But you, O God my Lord,
deal on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they wag their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless!
They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Psalm 77:1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, [1] “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

Romans 8: part 3

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us^[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

“The Holy Spirit not only brings us strength, He empowers us in our weaknesses, especially helping us to pray. Prayer in the spirit, also called prayer without words, is the highest form of prayer. The Fathers identify three stages: (1) saying te words of the prayers; (2) saying the words with meaning and full concentration; (3) praying without words, when one is so filled with the Holy Spirit and so in union with God that words are inadequate.”

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

This is a section that I used to champion as very Calvinistic.  However, since relinquishing my Reformed doctrine, I have yet to quite figure out how to explain these verses in an Orthodox mindset without completely contextualizing everything that goes behind predestination.  There is absolutely no way that I can believe in predestination or total depravity in the same sense as I once did having now understood (at least partly) and by trying to see everything through the light of Trinitarian theology.  In my opinion, the best way to understand anything in Christianity is to start from the Trinity… if you start there, you might not get lost so often.

Anyways, I will quote the commentary for these verses: “For those who love God, the Scriptures and experience bear witness: all things work together for good. Setbacks and difficulties there will be, but God turns them into “loight affliction.” This passage is read on the Feasts of teh Martyrs, for being conformed to the image of His Son includes conformity to christ’s death out of His love for the Father. God foreknows all things, but He does not predetermine all. For God is free and man is free. Gof freely offers salvation to all, and man freely responds to it. All are called, but all do not respond. Those who refuse to love God are not forced to change; God compels no one. “God does not will evil to be done, nor does He force virtue” (St. John of Damascus). Based on His foreknowledge, God assures or predestines that those who choose to lvoe and obey Him will be fulfilled, being conformed to the image of His Son. The model for the creation of man is the Son incarnate, and the eternal goal of man is conformity to the incarnate Son. Thus, everything the Only Begotten Son is by nature we bec ome by the grace of the Incarnation. In relation to the Father, the Son is the Only Begotten, but in relation to us He is the firstborn of many brethren.”

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”^[c]

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Love of God is greater than anything we could possibly imagine. In my past theological intrigues I don’t think I ever realized how much rests on the love of God.  I stressed his wrath, his anger, his righteousness and forgot the love and mercy, forgiveness, and grace of God.  God does not rejoice in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live!

Romans 8: part 1

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,^[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Two ways of human existence are expounded. The “mind” here is far more than intellectual capacity. It is the highest knowing faculty of the soul (Gr. nous), the spirit behind all we think and do. To repent means to have ‘a change of mind” – not a change of intelligence, but a change of heart. To be carnally minded ( lit. “to have the mind of the flesh”) means to choose to have one’s whole existence, soul and body, captivated by sin. This is a turning against God and His righteousness, an enmity with God rather than peace with Him. The carnally minded cannot be subject to or please God.  “A bad tree [cannot] bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:18), but it can choose to become a good tree through repentance. To be spiritually minded (lit. “to have the mind of the Spirit”) means to choose to be liberated by the Holy Spirit, so that one’s whole nature becomes spiritual, body and soul. Christians are free to set their minds on the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to have His way (His things) and actively pursuing virtue and goodness.

When fire penetrates iron, the iron becomes fiery hot without ceasing to be iron. So our human nature, body and soul, in its union with Christ becomes like God without ceasing to be human; it is interpenetrated by the energy and grace of the Holy Spirit.  We become spiritual. Self-indulgence and sinful pleasure are scorned, and all the pains and sufferings of the Christian life may be endured with joy.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The gift of new life is not magical, but requires the cooperation of the believe in obedience to God. For we are His children (v. 14), as He leads us by the power of the Spirit. Therefore, the body becomes the follower, not the leader. We personally choose the way of the Spirit and deliberately put to death sinful deeds.

Romans 7

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”^[a] 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

If we were held knowledgeably under sin by the law, then by the fulfillment of the law and the Incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ, we are freed from it.  So that we may participate in the life of God.

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

This passage I think is often quoted with confusion, probably because of the play on words that St. Paul uses and its translation into English.  I also find that verse 18 is commonly used to support the belief that there’s nothing good inside a person, however, that’s complete nonsense.  The passage is depicting a contradiction within the person to will good and to do good or evil.  The task is on our part to strengthen our will so that we may overcome our fleshly desires and act on our will, which is what God wants. This is really just a summary of the Christian life.  We constantly battle against ourselves and our passions to become more Godly and participate in the life of God, the life of the Church, etc.  Indeed, we need to thank God for his grace and mercy in helping us along this path.

By the way, the word mind, in the greek, I just looked up and it’s the word Nous.

Holy Baptism

What is Baptism? Simply put, baptism is our death, burial, and resurrection in union with Jesus Christ.  It is a rite of passage, given by Christ to the Church, as an entrance into the Kingdom of God and eternal life.

The Apostle Paul describes the promise of God in this “mystery,” as most Orthodox call it, most succinctly when he writes, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). To baptize (Gr. baptizo) literally means to immerse, to put into. Historically, the Orthodox Church has baptized by triple immersion, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).

In the Old Testament, baptism was pictured by the passage of God’s people with Moses through the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10: 1, 2). John the Baptist, the last prophet of the Old Covenant, baptized in water unto repentance (Mark 1:4; Acts 19:4).  John’s baptism was received by Jesus, who thereby transformed the water and baptism itself. In the New Covenant, baptism is the means by which we enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:5), are joined to Christ (Rom. 6:3), and are granted the remission of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

What Results from Baptism? From the start, the Church has understood baptism as:

(1) A first and second dying. Our first dying with Christ in baptism was our death with Him on the Cross.  In the fourth century, Cyril of Jerusalem instructed his new converts: “You were led by the hand to the holy pool of divine baptism… and each of you was asked if he believe in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And you made that saving confession, you descended into the water and came up again three times. In the very same moment you died and were born.”

The second death of baptism is continual – dying to sin daily as we walk in newness of life. St. Paul writes to the Colossians concerning baptism (Col. 2:12) and concludes by saying, “Therefore put to death your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5).

(2) The resurrection of righteousness. This is our life in Christ, our new birth and entrance into God’s Kingdom (John 3:3), our “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). It is our being joined to Christ in His glorified humanity and indwelt by God Himself (John 14:23). Our relationship with God is not something static, a legal fiction given to us by a divine Judge. Rather this is a dynamic and real life in Christ, holding the promise of everlasting life. Our resurrection to new life now forms a prelude to the resurrection of our body at Christ’s Second Coming.

(3) An intimate and continual communion with God. We are raised to new life for a purpose: union and communion with God. In this sense baptism is the beginning of eternal life. For this reason, Peter writes that baptism now saves us (1 Pet. 3:21) – it is not the mere removal of dirt from our bodies, but it provides us with “a good conscience toward God.”

Because of these promises, the priest prays for the newly baptized, thanking God “who has given us, unworthy though we be, blessed purification through holy water, and divine sanctification through life-giving chrismation, and who now also has been pleased to bring new life to Your servant newly illuminated by water and the Spirit, and granted remission of sins – voluntary and involuntary.”

from the Orthodox Study Bible

Romans 6: part 2

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

“Baptism frees us from being slaves of sin and makes us servants of God if we continue with a willing spirit and submissiveness to God. For (1) the form of doctrine, the basic teach of the Church, calls us to love God and to obey from the heart. But (2) without the assistance of God, to whom we were delivered, we could neither understand doctrine nor do virtuous deeds.”

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Slavery to God, initiated in baptism, is true freedom. The fruit of baptism is holiness, or sanctification, and it ends in everlasting life. Thus salvation is a process of transformation from sinner to saint. We are saved through baptism, and we are being saved, that is, being transformed by the uncreated grace of God to be like Him, in anticipation of eternal life…. We cannot earn eternal life. We do, however, participate in it, and must not become listless in our Christian life.”

Oh Lord, let my will be conformed to yours.

Romans 6: part 1

More than a symbol:

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“Paul grounds freedom from sin in the Sacrament of Baptism: Do you not know? Ignorance of what happens when we are baptized is a great enemy. For because of ignorance many are miserably defeated in their battle against sin. What Christ accomplished on the Cross – an actual and real death to sin – baptism is to us: an actual and real death to sin, a liberation from it. Thus, in our union with Christ through baptism, in His death and Resurrection, lies the power for victory over the law, the power, of sin. In this sense baptism is an exact likeness to Christ’s death on the Cross. Baptism is reality! It is not something that somehow “stands for” reality.  The Cross is the power of God for overcoming sin (1Cor. 1:18), and baptism is our Cross! There we tap into the power of God to say no to sin’s commands and temptations.”

“If Christ was buried for us, how are we buried with Him? Through baptism. For what Christ accomplished in the grave – an actual and real burial of sin – baptism is to us: an actual and real burial of sin.  Our old, mortal nature is replaced by a renewed nature capable of living righteously.”

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“United together refers to being planted and growing together, clearly implying the expectation of fruit. In the likeness of His death means baptism has a real unity with Christ’s death. For the Holy Spirit unites the reality of being immersed in the water to the reality of Christ going to the Cross and the grave. Yet we are not “united together in His death,” but in the likeness of His death. We did not die in our flesh with Christ on the Cross, nor does our human nature die. We also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection is literally translated “we shall be of the resurrection.” The likeness of His resurrection is the new life received in baptism. But Paul is referring here to the future resurrection of the body. If we truly participate in baptism’s likeness to Christ’s death, then we are prepared for the resurrection of the body.”

“Knowing this is understanding baptism and its reality in the Christian life. Old man does not refer to human nature as such but to the power of sin in human nature; the body (the complete whole) of sin refers to thew hole self, body and soul, under the law of sin and of death. And so it is sin that is crucified with Him, not some kind of “sinful nature.” We and human nature are not destroyed, sin is. Not only are we dead to sin, but sin is dead to us. The law of sin is completely defeated, and we are no longer to be its servants.”

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

“Do not let sin reign implies that sin’s power over us is not inevitable; it is something we allow by our free will. Man’s will was the first aspect of human nature damaged in the Fall and, therefore, is the first thing Christ heals. His healing enables us to make right choices, especially against in. For the Christian, sin is not longer a power which reigns and puts one in bondage. Though our mortal body demands pleasures, we can direct it rather than allowing it to direct us. Lusts, the sinful passions, we can resist, for sin has no power but what we give it. Only our own listlessness, dejection, indifference or laziness can defeat us. In Christ, we have no excuses. We can “help it,” we can avoid sin. For in Christ, we are restored to what God intended human nature to be.”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Justification by Faith

from the Orthodox Study Bible

For most of Church history, salvation was seen as comprehending all of life.  Christians believe in Christ, were baptized, and were nurtured in their salvation in the Church. Key doctrines of the faith centered around the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation of the Son of God, and the atonement.

In Western Europe during the sixteenth century, however, and even before justifiable concern arose among the Reformers over a prevailing understanding that salvation depended on human works of merit, and not upon the grace and mercy of God. Many involved with the Reformation experience a rediscovery of Romans 5. Their slogan of salvation became sola fides: justification was by faith alone.

This Reformation debate in the West was late-breaking news for the Orthodox East: why this new polarization of faith and works? It had been settled since the apostolic era that   the mercy of God to righteous men and women. Those baptized into Christ were called to believe in Him and do good works. A discussion of faith versus works was unprecedented in Orthodox thought.

The Orthodox understanding of justification differs from the Protestant in several ways.

(1) Justification and the New Covenant. When orthodox Christians approach the doctrine of salvation, the discussion centers around the New Covenant. Justification (being or becoming righteous) by faith in God is part of being brought into a covenant relationship with Him. Whereas Israel was under the Old Covenant, wherein salvation came through faith as revealed in the law, the Church is under the New Covenant. Salvation comes through faith in Christ who fulfills the la, and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, leading us to the knowledge of God the Father. Whereas some Christians focus on justification as a legal acquittal before God, Orthodox believers see justification by faith as a covenant relationship with Him, centered in union with Christ (Rom. 6:1-6).

(2) Justification and God’s mercy. Orthodoxy emphasizes it is first God’s mercy – nor our faith – which saves us. “therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hop of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1,2). It is God who initiates or makes the New Covenant with us.

(3) Justification by faith is dynamic, not static. For Orthodox Christians, faith is living, dynamic, continuous – never static or merely point in time. Faith is not something a Christian exercises only at one critical moment, expecting it to cover all the rest of his life. True faith is not just a decision, it’s a way of life.

This is why the modern evangelical Protestant question, “Are you saved?” gives pause to an Orthodox  believer. As the subject of salvation is addressed in Scripture, the Orthodox Christian would see it in at least three aspects: (a) I have been saved, being joined to Christ in baptism; (b) I am being saved, growing in Christ through the sacramental life of the Church; and (c) I will be saved, by the mercy of God at the Last Judgment.

A final difficulty for Orthodox Christians is the word alone. Justification by faith, though not the major New Testament doctrinefor Orthodox as it is for Protestants, poses no problem.  But justification by faith alone brings up an objection.  It contradicts Scripture, which says: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). We are "justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law”(Rom. 3:28), but nowhere does the Bible say we are justified by faith “alone.”  On the contrary, “faith, by itself, if it does nothave works, is dead” (James 2:17).

As Christians we are no longer under the demands of the Old Testament law (Rom. 3:20), for Christ has fulfilled the law (Gal. 2:21; 3:5, 24). By God’s mercy, we are brought into a New Covenant relationship with Him.  We who believe are granted entrance into His Kingdom by His grace. Through His mercy we are justified by faith and empowered by God for good works or deeds of righteousness which bring glory to Him.

Romans 5: part 1

 

 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have^[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 From the note, of course: “Faith in Christ makes us justified – in  a right and faithful relationship with God – and therefore at peace with God. The Greek word pistis can be translated both “faith” and “faithfulness.”  Faith, therefore, is far more than possessing mental belief. 

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Praise God for our reconciliation, through which we are being saved and participating in Christ.  I kind of had a “hmmm… almost lightbulb” moment when I read “much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  I think that I really skipped over that part of the verse in my previous reflections on this chapter.  Christ really showed us the way to Himself during His life.  He showed us the way to live like Him and become part of Him, Theosis.  That is the way that we have, are, and are being reconciled to Christ.

Romans 4

 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?^[a] 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[b] 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
       7 “ Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
      And whose sins are covered;
       8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”^[c]

9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

 There is a lot of stuff here, but I will continue on with some things about imputation.  It was included in a note in my Orthodox Study Bible.  “Imputed (v.11) means “reckoned” or “rendered.” This is not merely juridicial or external for true righteousness transcends the law, as shown with boeht Abraham and David. Rather, by faith we actively participate in God’s grace given to us, His righteousness. By continuing in it we are gradually transformed internally and externally into His likeness. Those who relegate God’s righteousness to seomthing external and “spiritual” by saying righteousness is not really ours, but only “imputed” to us, miss the truth.  They externalize God’s righteousness as much as did many Jews. Faith and righteousness lead to the greater reality of internal circumcision, the life of faith, of the Spirit in us, the walk in the steps of the faith (v.12).”

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”^[d]) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”^[e] 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[f]
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Abraham is both the father of the Jews, but also of all who believe and are righteous by the grace of God.  May we all act and believe in God’s glory, mercy, and grace.

Warning: next post, romans 5, watch out sola fide!

Human Identity

Who are we as humans?  In discovering our identity, we usually dig deep into ourselves to find the answers.  But a modern person who is in the middle of a process of becoming has never participated in the beginning of manhood.  We need a beginning, middle, and an end.  Therefore, it is only proper to start with the first created beings, Adam and Eve.  In their original state, both were sinless, innocent, and free.  They had the image and likeness of God.  They walked with God in the garden and were not ashamed.  Then Adam and Eve fell from their original state, and became what we know so well.  This is the middle. 

 

Now we have a corrupted nature, we lost the likeness of God, but we still bear His image.  At Christ’s incarnation creation was renewed, in His death our human nature dies, in His resurrection our nature is renewed.  The task is now for each one of us to take hold of that potentiality and participate in Christ’s life, and in so doing renewing ourselves by the grace of God.  We must overcome our passions, not being enslaved by them, but joining ourselves to Christ, as Athanasius says that we may become like God by grace.  This is the middle journey.

 

The end is that we actually become joined to Christ.  This is what the saints have achieved.  We are fully restored to that original, being in the image and likeness of God.  But the end is infinite, as God’s holiness is eternal, so is our theosis.

 

Pascal: Reason and Heart

110. We know the truth not only through our reason but also through our heart.  It is through the latter that we know the first principles, and reason, which has nothing to do with it, tries in vain to refute them.  The sceptics have no other object than that, and they work at it to no purpose.  We know that we are not dreaming, but, however unable we may be to prove it rationally, our inability proves nothing but the weakness of our reason, and not the uncertainty of all our knowledge, as they maintain.We know the truth not only through our reason but also through our heart.  It is through the latter that we know the first principles, and reason, which has nothing to do with it, tries in vain to refute them.  The sceptics have no other object than that, and they work at it to no purpose.  We know that we are not dreaming, but, however unable we may be to prove it rationally, our inability proves nothing but the weakness of our reason, and not the uncertainty of all our knowledge, as they maintain.

Our inability must therefore serve only to humble reason, which would like to be the judge of everything, but not to confute our certainty.  As if reason were the only way we could learn!  Would to God, on the contrary, that we never needed it and knew everything  by instinct and feeling! But nature has refused us this blessing, and has instead given us only very little knowledge of this kind; all other knowledge can be acquired only by reasoning.

That is why those to whom God has given religious faith by moving their hearts are very fortunate, and feel quite legitimately convinced, but to those who do not have it we can only give such faith through reasoning, until God gives it by moving their heart, without which faith is only human and useless for salvation.

 -Pensees, Pascal

Confession

 One argument.

 

We need to confess our sins ONLY to GOD – not to a man.  Only GOD can forgive and REMEMBER no more.

   

    1Tim 2:5  For there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus.

    1 John 1:9   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    Heb.10:11-22  (verse 17)  And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.

    Heb. 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities and will remember no more.

 

And from another one of my family members:

 

Where does the Orthodox church stand on the issue of confession. I hope they agree that God alone forgives us of our sins…not a priest. Below is a quick list of some verses regarding forgiveness / confession:

Mr 11:25 -
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

Mr 11:26 -
["But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."]

Lu 5:21 -
The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

Lu 11:4 -
`And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’ “

Lu 17:3 -
“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

Lu 17:4 -
“And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, `I repent,’ forgive him.”

Lu 23:34 -
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

1Jo 1:9 -
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When I read these verses I can clearly see that their are 2 types of forgiveness we can identify in them. First, we as Christians are directed to forgive others of transgressions against us, and as we forgive others Christ then forgives us. Second, where Christ forgives us of our sins as only He can do.

I’m not sure why it is necessary in the eyes of Catholicism and Orthodoxy to utilize a man to confess our sins. The following questions are my own thoughts regarding this and things that I think you need to take a hard look at:

Don’t you think that at the moment you are aware of sin in your life you should immediately take that unconfessed sin to God and ask Him for forgiveness?

Wouldn’t you think that God would be much happier with you confessing that sin at the moment you are aware of it as opposed to waiting until you can go to confession?

Why would you want to go around with unconfessed sin burdening you, and keeping you out of fellowship with Christ until you have a chance to go to confession?

What I’m getting at is that sin grieves the Holy Spirit. We are told not to grieve the Holy Spirit in Eph. 4. We should, in my opinion do our absolute best to confess our sins at the time the Holy Spirit convicts us of them…plain and simple.

In light of this, I believe that I Tim 2:5 is clear in that we should go directly to Christ, who is our mediator between God and us. Christ is also the one who stands at the right hand of God and intercedes for us (Rom 8:27). I see no scriptural basis for us to have anyone take our confessions to God and intercede for us on our behalf. This would have been true in the Old Testament, but remember that the the temple veil was torn at Christ’s crucifixion, giving us direct access to God.

My Response:

No Orthodox priest would ever say that you can’t confess sins to God by yourself. But there is something to be said for saying your sins out loud and repenting in the presence of another person.

One ‘proof-text’ is John 20:23 “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

Secondly, a Priest is a representative of Christ (not the vicar of Christ, that whole Pope thing is totally foreign in the Orthodox Church) and so also is a Pastor, after all, he is the shepherd of the flock, Christ’s body. And so, this is what goes on in confession.

Order of Confession
- I say the Trisagion prayers and Psalm 51. and then i say:
“I have sinned, O Lord: forgive me. O God, be gracious unto me a sinner.
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I confess to thee all the hidden and open sins of my heart and mind, which I have committed unto this present day; wherefore I beg of thee, the righteous and compassionate Judge, remission of sins and grace to sin no more.

Priest says:
My sister, inasmuch as thou hast come to God, and to me, be not ashamed; for thou speakest not unto me, but unto God, before whom thou standest.
-the Priest questions me concerning my sins and afterwards says:

“My spiritual child, who hast confessed to my humble self, I, humble, and a sinner, have not power on earth to forgive sins, but God alone; yet through that divinely spoken word which came to the Apostles after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying: Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted, and whosoever ins we retain, they are retained, we too are emboldened to say: Whatsoever thou hast said to my most humble self, and whatsoever thou hast not succeeded in saying, either though ignorance, or through forgetfulness, Whatever it may bew: God forgive thee in this present world, and in that which is to come.”

-makes the sign of the cross of me and says:
“God it was who forgave David through Nathan the Prophet, when he confessed his sins, and Peter weeping bitterly for his denial, and the sinful woman in tears at his feet, and the Publican, and the Prodigal Son: May that same God forgive thee all things, through me a sinner, both in this present world, and in that which is to come, and set thee uncondemned before his dread Judgment Seat. And now, having no further care for the sins which thou hast declared, depart in peace.”

END RESPONSE

It seems to me that the Order of Confession really addresses all the objections, and satisfies them accordingly.  There are really good articles at www.stgeorgecathedral.net about confessions.

I was talking to a woman the other day at Church about Confession.  She said that it was an emptying of yourself of your sin, so that God’s grace comes in, and at the moment of absolution you are in perfect communion with God.  It’s not about saying your sins to the Priest, it’s about saying them to God.

It makes me want to cry to be faced with all the horrible things I’ve done and then be told that God forgives me.  I have my confession at 2:00 today, so maybe I’ll have an update, but then again, maybe not.

 

Beautiful: 

I behold Thy Bridal Chamber, richly adorned, O my Savior.  But I have no wedding garment to worthily enter.  Make radiant the garment of my soul, O Giver of Light, and save me.

 

Update:  I went to Confession, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be.  My whole idea about not crying though, that was a waste of time.  oh well. *shrugs*  God is good.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

“When you reach the heart of life you shall find beauty in all things, even in the eyes that are blind to beauty” – Kahlil Gibran Sand and Foam

Once more I’m reminded that a Christian must esteem others higher than themselves.  I have an awful time comparing myself to others.  So many people seem to be very good, above reproach, while others seem to be so much worse than I am.  However, a comparison between myself and other people is not a good idea.  I must remind myself that all people have some goodness in them, whether or not they are adulterers or murderers or gossipers.  All people are made in the image of God, and are therefore to be highly prized.  I must see Christ in my fellow men and stop making judgments and comparisons.  Despising men and women because they seem to not be like me is completely ridiculous.  We are all sinners and we all need God’s mercy.

 

Salvation

Holiness is difficult.  In the Protestant tradition, good works come automatically if you have faith. Good works are the evidence of faith in God.  But I discovered that struggling to do good works does not mean that my faith is weak.  St. Paul said to “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”  This is a call to be holy rather than a critique of intellectual assent or belief. 

The Protestant argument stems both from the belief that salvation is a legal aspect decreed by God – declaring one is saved – and from a misapplied Scriptural admonition.  

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18

If salvation is a one time proclamation that cannot be altered, then all Christians are at exactly the same level.  A Christian does good works because Christians have faith, but without that faith a person is not a Christian.  Many quote this verse to pit faith and works against each other.  Now within the Protestant context, these two opposed views seemingly work together.  The countless urgings of Paul, presented as a dichotomy with James, saying that works are not required for salvation are directed to Judaizers.  The works that St. Paul was referring to were to those who wanted the Gentile Christians to be subject to the old covenant.  (Side note, the fact that there were rules and rituals associated with the Old Covenant – which is still something Godly, as it looked forward to Christ – should be enough to let us believe that rules and rituals aren’t bad in and of themselves.)

But salvation does take time and work.  There is no legal declaration that a person is saved, in the Protestant sense of the term.  Salvation is being saved from our wickedness and sinfulness, by being engrafted into Christ in the most literal manner.  We participate in God’s holiness – united with him by baptism/chrismation, the eucharist and prayer.

God is not going to force us, though He does help us. “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) This is the call for Christians.  This is how we are saved.

The Christian life is living – not a legal status of being.

Works

One who performs saving works simply from the fear of hell follows the way of bondage, and he who does the same just in order to be rewarded with the kingdom of heaven follows the path of a bargainer with God. The one they call a slave, the other a hireling. But God wants us to come to Him as sons to their Father; He wants us to behave ourselves honorably from love for Him and zeal for His service; He wants us to find our happiness in uniting ourselves with Him in a saving union of mind and heart.

- The Way of a Pilgrim

A Christian needs to glorify God. Athanasius said, “God became man that man might become god.” We, and the rest of creation, were orignally created to that end. We glorify the Triune God by being one with Him: by being partakers of the divine nature of God (1 Peter 2). It is impossible to unite ourselves to God without loving Him or being enslaved to this world.  Those who think that God will reward them for good works, without the love of Christ, are not truly glorifying God. The Christian life without a love for God does not work.