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.

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 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.

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.