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.

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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.

Today we commemorate Hieromartyr Haralampos

Readings for today:

Wisdom 3:1-9

1: But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.
2: In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,
3: And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.
4: For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.
5: And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.
6: As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.
7: And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.
8: They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.
9: They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

2 Peter 2:9-22

9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.17 These are wells without water, clouds^[b] carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.^[c]
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped^[d] from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,”^[e] and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

“A common misunderstanding of liberty or freedom is to see it as standing apart from all moral restraints, to say there is no such thing as sin.  But this results in slavery of the worst kind, bondage to egotistic and sensual passions. True Christian freedom begins with freedom from sin, freedom from immoral activity. A Christian is called to live in purity in an impure world.”

“The attraction of this approach [rationalizations supporting lewdness, perversity, and indulgence] for the unwary is a permissiveness that makes no demands for purity, holiness, or struggle. The true Faith teaches otherwise, as St. Thalassios describes: “…the keeping of God’s commandments generates dispassion. The soul’s dispassion The soul’s dispassion preserves spiritual knowledge.

In addition to blatant self-indulgence that attracts some to heresy, there is the appeal of “self-will” and “freedom” promised by despising authority (see vs. 10). If one chooses to be “free” of direction and rightful authority, then the spiritual, moral, and reasonable safety provided by Holy Tradition and the Fathers is removed. Recall the bumper stickers that invite you to “Question Authority.” Beloved of Christ, affirm and seek the godly protection and shelter of wise pastoral authority, following in the footsteps of the Holy Fathers.” – from Dynamis

John 15:17-16:2

17 These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’^[c]
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. 1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

“While, with respect to God’s work in the world, the Son will give or send…the Spirit…from the Father, with respect to His divinity, the Spirit originates or proceeds from the Father alone: The Spirit receives His eternal existence only from the Father. In conformity with Christ’s words, the Nicene Creed confesses belief “in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.” By contrast, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father. The source, the fountainhead, of both is the Father.”

2 Tim 2:1-10

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure^[a] hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may^[b] the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

“The gift of God is the grace of the Holy Spirit, or charism, given to Timothy at his ordination. This grace fills up that which is lacking and gives authenticity to the priesthood. But it is not automatic. We must stir up and rekindle it.”

“Our salvation and calling are based on His grace and love, not on anything we have done to merit God’s favor.”

“The second-century Letter of Barnabas notes that: “He submitted [to suffering] so that he might break the power of Death and demonstrate the resurrection from the dead- thus it was necessary for him to be manifested in flesh. Also [he submitted] so that he might fulfill the promise to the fathers and, while he was preparing the new people for himself and while he was still on earth, to prove that after he has brought about the resurrection he will judge” (Barn. 5:6,7).”

Saint Haralampos, intercede to Christ our God for us, that our souls be saved.

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 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 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 2

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Through adoption we become children of God.  This adoption isn’t applied in just a symbolic way, but truly means that we become almost like biological children.  We can become like our Father in Heaven by his grace, the only restriction being that we can’t be like Him by nature.  We partake in the sufferings of Christ and we are glorified with Him.  Through baptism, confession, communion, chrismation, and all other sacraments and life lived within the Church, we can become like God.  I want to stress further that it’s not a state of being, and being within the body of Christ can fluctuate from time to time.  After all, no one is ever really constantly the same in their spiritual life from one day to the next.  May we all strive to grow and increase in our adoption as sons and daughters of God.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Commentary on verse 22: “The groaning is a desire for greater things, the transformation of all creation to be eternally in harmony with God’s sovereign rule.”

Verse 23 reveals that we, as humans, desire the same thing for ourselves.  We have already been adopted, yet we wait for it, making ‘our calling and election sure,’ we are saved in Christ’s Incarnation, His Passion, and His Resurrection by baptism and chrismation, the Eucharist, and our bodily resurrection at the last day.  This Hope that we have is confident…

O Lord our God, who didst bow the heavens and come down for the salvation of mankind: Look upon thy servants and thine inheritance; for unto thee, the fearful Judge who yet lovest mankind, have thy servants bowed their heads and submissively inclined their necks, awaiting not help from men, but entreating thy mercy and looking confidently for thy salvation. Guard them at all times, both during this present evening and in the ap­proaching night, from every foe, from all adverse powers of the devil, and from vain thoughts and from evil imaginations. (Prayer at the Bowing of the Heads)

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.

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 2

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

“For Adam, sin came first… and then death. For us, it is the opposite: death, mortality, we inherit from Adam, and sin follows after.”

15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

“As immortality is not the opposite and equal of mortality but far outstrips it, so that grace of Christ far excels our inheritance from Adam. For by grace not only is Adam’s offense covered and our bondage to death overthrown, but the sins of the whole world are covered as well.  Justification through Christ far exceeds condemnation through Adam. As we all inherit Adam’s mortality, we all shall be raised to immortality.  But  the saving gift of Jesus Christ, though it is free, must be received through the life of faith.  Thus, some shall be raised to life, others to condemnation.”

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Paul contrasts Adam’s disobedience with Christ’s obedience. Mnay were made sinners refers to mortality and subjection to the law of sin, not to an inherited guilt or an inevitability of sin. However, the first thing damaged in Adam’s nature was his will, and in the death and corruption we inherit our will is also weakened.

In Christ are two wills, human and divine; His human will is obedient to His divine will.  Through His obedience, His salvation brings healing to our will.  Therefore, many – that is, those who believe in Christ – are made righteous and able by grace to participate willfully by faith in God’s righteousness.”

I have not put my words to this topic mostly because I’m sure I would cause more confusion than clarity, and also because it’s a fairly touchy topic, especially considering my background with reformed theology.  I’m going to be posting another note in justification from an Orthodox perspective… a complete quotation from the Orthodox Study Bible in a little while.

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!

Romans 3

Saint Paul

Romans 3

1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:

“ That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”^[a]

5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

Verses 1 & 2 demonstrate the validity of the point I made in the last post about the goodness of external piety even if it doesn’t always touch a person deeply.  We can’t scrap everything in the Old Covenant just because there is a new one, after all, the Jews knew God through the Old Covenant.

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:

“ There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”^[b]
13 “ Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;^[c]

“ The poison of asps is under their lips”;^[d]
14 “ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”^[e]
15 “ Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”^[f]
18 “ There is no fear of God before their eyes.”^[g]

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

At one time in my life I used this passage to proclaim the bondage of the human will, that it is actively against God.  I no longer hold that position.  This passage shows that we, as humans, are not equal to God and we have not achieved Theosis.  No one can justify themselves.

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all^[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

This note says it better than I could: “The ultimate purpose of man’s existence is to attain the glory of God.  Even if we should keep the law, we would still fall short of God’s glory, for we would still die and need salvation.  The way to God is both perfect righteousness and eternal life.  But how can we attain that?  Jesus Christ alone lived in complete righteousness, He alone was resurrected to eternal life.  Therefore, He alone is our way to God; He is the glory of God.”  This is not to say that I believe in the Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness or Anselm’s Theory of the Substitutionary atonement.  Another note, “Righteousness is not credited, as money to a bank account.  Why?  God’s righteousness is Christ Himself.  To have His righteousness is to have Christ living within us, to be in union with Him, a relationship that is dynamic and substantial.  It is personal: a relationship between Shepherd and sheep, Master and friend, Father and child – not judge and defendant.”

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Okay, I have to say this note is really good.  This chapter is full of theological distinctives that can and are taken in many non-traditional ways, so I’m just going to quote it.  “What, then, does the law teach us? (1) Attaining righteousness through works, human effort alone, is impossible. (2) Righteousness is attained only on the basis of faith, which is given to man [not an individual, but the whole race]* as a gift. (3) God is impartial; Jews and Gentiles are justified on the same basis, faith in Christ. By faith and through faith are synonymous.  (4) Justification by faith in Christ fulfills the law, for Christ’s faithfulness in doing His works satisfies the law. Those who have true faith in Christ are made truly righteous.”

*insertion mine

Comment on Nature and Grace by Fr. Maximus on Energetic Procession

The distinction between nature and grace is very easy: nature is created while grace is uncreated. That means that grace is not an effect or habit, but is God’s uncreated energies. So when God grants us His grace, he is not implanting a particular quality in us, but is rather working within us, as we work with Him; hence the concept of synergy, which is impossible on the Latin view in any real sense. If you do not distingush between essence and energy in God your concept of grace will always be extrinsic to the human person, a mere add-on to whatever humans “really” are (unless you choose the other side of the Latin coin, and opt for pantheism).

The basic paradigm you seem to be working from is the division into nature, preternatural gifts, and supernatural gifts, all of which are created. But from the Orthodox point of view, nature can never exist apart from grace: grace sustains and saturates nature, so that God is always working in creation on different levels. The division into natural, preternatural, and supernatural is artificial, because man in his natural state always partakes of God’s grace to the maximum extent possible for him; and even when in his unnatural state he partakes of God’s grace to the extent that he chooses.