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

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 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.

Saint George

I suppose the  most common objection other than the Orthodox belief about the Theotokos is the veneration of saints.

 

We don’t know why St George should be considered so special. We are to worship ONLY the three in one God., God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

 

   Matt.4:10   Then Jesus saith unto him,” Get thee hence , Satan: for it is written:   Thou shalt worship the Lord they God, and him only shalt thy serve.”   

 

             

 

So, it comes that most people believe that the Orthodox Church teaches people to worship saints.  That is aboslutely not the case.  We give honor to saints as holy people who have served God.  Just as God asks us to honor our parents, we should also honor our spiritual parents. 

 

As for the objection: Why do you pray to saints?  We ask them for their prayers for us.  They are actively worshipping before the throne of God, and that includes prayer.  Why would I want them to not pray for me?  If someone asks you to pray for them, are you really going to refuse and tell them that since they have direct access to God, they can pray for themselves?  It’s the same thing, the saints just happen to be dead, but they are much closer to God than we are, so that’s got to count for something.

It is Truly Meet to Bless Thee, Theotokos

I have an opportunity to quietly explain some things against some accusations of my grandparents, which you can tell from my grandmother’s discourse, I have inadequately explained it… either that or she didn’t hear (or understand) me.

 

You mentioned to us that you questioned their idea that Mary had been miraculously born and for that reason was special.  She is special only because God chose her to be the mother of Jesus.

 

   John 2:4   “Jesus saith unto her woman what have I to do with thee?  Mine hour is not yet come.”

 

   Mark 3:33 ,34, 35  “And he answered them saying,” Who is my mother or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, “Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.”      

 

There have been many people who were born miraculously:  Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Joseph, Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.  Who isn’t special who has been born from a barren woman?  But not only did God choose her to be the Mother of Christ, but she found favor with God:

 

Luke 1:28 “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

 

Other people recognized this as well.

 

Luke 1:41-42 “and it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

 

Luke 1: 48 “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.”

 

To address the proof-texts set forth:  John 2:4 – the wedding at Cana.  The translation should be: “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?  My hour has not yet come.” or “What to Me and to you?”  After all, it’s not Jesus’ wedding.  It seems that by quoting the verse, it would seem that Christ was not honoring his mother, which would be a very serious sin, and since we know Christ is without sin, we can rule that one out.  

 

Mark 3:33-35: The Orthodox Study Bible gives a wonderful explanation of this verse.

 

“Jesus is not necessarily belittling His mother and relatives.  Who was more obedient to the will of God than Mary who said, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38)?  In effect Jesus is saying, “Be like My mother.  Do the will of God as she does.”  In obeying God we become sons of God and brothers with other Christians – spiritual relationships which are more valuable than natural ones.”

 

 

To be the Mother of God, the Theotokos, what kind of honor is this that God would take flesh from Mary?  There is no other honor for a woman.  Since she contained the uncontainable, she is more spacious than the heavens.  The burning bush typified her in that she bore the all-consuming fire, yet was not consumed. We should honor the mother of our God.

 

Read this.