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 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 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 10

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

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

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

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

Romans 9: part 2

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”^[f] 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”^[g] 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As He says also in Hosea:

“ I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”^[h]
26 “ And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘ You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”^[i]

27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:^[j]

“ Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.”^[k]

29 And as Isaiah said before:

“ Unless the LORD of Sabaoth^[l]had left us a seed,
We would have become like Sodom,
And we would have been made like Gomorrah.”^[m]

I was reading a note on these verses, and was surprised to find something I had never thought of before.  The vessels of mercy are the believing Jews and Gentiles, and the vessels of wrath are the unbelieving Jews.  Now that I think about it, that makes a whole lot more sense than thinking that each individual person is elected to go to heaven or hell (vessels of mercy and wrath respectively).

30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.^[n] 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.^[o] For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:

“ Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”^[p]

“The first answer to the paradox of Jewish unbelief is from God’s standpoint: His sovereign will. The second answer to the paradox is from humanity’s standpoint: faith. For “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith”, equally for Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles, who had been unconcerned about righteousness, now attain it by their faith in Christ. God mercifully overlooks their former unrighteousness practiced in ignorance. By contrast the Jews fail to attain even the righteousness of the law, for they do not pursue the law by faith but by works. Seeing only the letter of the law, not its spirit, they miss Christ in the law and try to keep the commandments apart from Him. They substitute what was “shadow” for substance. Jesus Christ becomes their stumbling block.”

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 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.

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 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

Romans 1

It has been a very long time since I have read the Holy Scriptures in a non-liturgical setting.  I first decided to stop reading the Scriptures because it was a cause of confusion for me.  I was in the process of changing my theological paradigm, but I was unable to read the Scriptures without thinking of every possible interpretation I could think of with either a Calvinistic background or a Fundamental Baptist one.  I’ve taken this sin of neglecting the reading of the Scriptures to confession, and I hope with this blog I will be motivated to read and write what I find.  Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

I’ll be posting in the New King James Version only for the reason that it is the translation used by the Orthodox Study Bible, which I’ll probably be quoting as well.

Romans 1

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, I have to point out the order in which Paul recites the Holy Trinity in this passage.  God the Father is the fountainhead of the Trinity, from whom the Son is begotten, and from whom the Spirit proceeds – the same order which our Holy Fathers have set the Nicene Creed.  Secondly, obedience to the faith means that faith must have works to accompany it.  But through apostleship, the episcopacy and the Church, and grace we have the strength to be obedient and live out our calling from God to be saints.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

Saint Paul is not setting one group of Christians above another in his encouragement to the Christians in Rome.  All have the same Lord, and all Christians can encourage one another with the amount of faith that they have.  No matter the whether a person has the rank of an apostle or priest or bishop.  (Just in case anyone was wondering, I’m saying this in the context of history of the early Church.  It gets a little sticky when heresies get involved, and such big controversies like the Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation.  I am purposely not addressing it to any kind of modern church but the Orthodox Church.  Please do not try to apply it to any other situation.  Thanks.)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”^[b]

In salvation, the righteousness of God is revealed because Christian live by faith.  This means obedience, as I stated previously.  The Orthodox Study Bible has this as a note: “Christ’s righteousness is given to us, and by our own cooperation with God we continue to grow in it.  This is revealed from faith to faith: we receive the incarnate Son through faith, and then live by faith. Humanity has always, in the OT and the NT, participated in God’s righteousness on the basis of faith.”

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

The wrath of God, I think, is largely over-preached in many churches today.  The most common thing I have ever heard is that you have to convince men that they’re sinners before they can know God.  I guess that’s true, but I have a hard time believing that anyone would think that they don’t sin (even if they don’t use that terminology).  However, when a person actively rejects the love of God and participates in things contrary to nature and God’s will, that is when God will reveal His wrath.  I want to stress that God’s mercy endures forever, and to those who repent and ask for God’s mercy will be granted it, continually.

The most common argument I’ve heard during some evangelistic monologue I’ve held in the past has been the following:  How can God condemn a person (who lives in the middle of a jungle) who has never heard the gospel and believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins?  At the time when I was confronted with that question, I never had an answer.  But now, I think I might have one:  I don’t know.  I think I have finally learned to not judge someone’s salvation.  It is possible for God to have mercy on someone who has never heard about Him.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,^[c] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,^[d] unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

God respects our freedom of will.  That is one part of us that is like God, made in His image.  It’s not in God’s nature to do away with it.  Another common concern is the existence of evil in the world, if in fact, God is a good God.  He lets people freely come to Him, by His grace – and he lets others freely stray.  The existence of evil in the world is only a reflection of God in the sense that he did not create Adam and Eve to be Gods themselves in the beginning.  He created them to freely participate in His goodness and in His Godliness.  I’m not going further into speculation about what would have been, minus the fall.  We were all created for Theosis and to become by grace what God is by nature.

Salvation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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