“CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” Hebrews 13:8.

My beloved brothers and sisters Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

"CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER" [Hebrews 13:8]

It is the constant profession of Orthodox Christianity and every Orthodox Christian that the One and ONLY True God does not change, His Divine Gospel does not change. The Holy Orthodox Church is the only authentic Church established by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and has fought against the various heresies that sought to undermine and change the truth. Countless Orthodox Christian have given their lives defending the true and unadulterated faith entrusted to us by our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Since Christians in the past attained the Eternal Kingdom through faith, so can we. Thus, the Orthodox Church strives and is loyal to her Divine Founder Jesus Christ to keep her Doctrine pure and WITHOUT CHANGE.

The holy Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrews, says, "Do NOT be carried about with various AND STRANGE DOCTRINES" [Hebrews 13:9]. "Strange doctrines" are "FOREIGN" ones, those not coming from the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. In Malachi 3:6 we are told by God Himself, "For I am the Lord your God, I HAVE NOT CHANGED." God has NOT changed and does NOT CHANGE. The Sacred Scripture (Hebrews 13:8) and the Holy Church Fathers apply this vese to Christ. Another source is Isaiah 40:7-8 states: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but THE WORD OF OUR GOD ABIDES FOREVER." Furthermore, the holy Apostle Peter writes, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you" [1 Peter 1:24-25]. Unlike our God and Creator, our present human condition will have an end, of course, as witnessed by the ever presence of corruption, and will meet that end in death. But in the glorified, incarnate Son of God, "the word of the Lord, we gain incorrupt and immortal humanity, both in body and soul.

It is foolish and wrong for anyone to attempt to change anything related to God and His divine word. The human creature has absolutely no power to change anything at all but especially of what is of God. Mankind, although foolish and obstinate, dilutes himself to believe that he is able to do so. We have witnessed the heterodox Christians who introduced "foreign doctrines" or heresies and their only accomplishment was to create thousands of denominations, divisions, confusion, fragmentation, and to undermine the true Gospel message. The holy Apostle Peter writes, "But there were also FALSE PROPHETS among the people, EVEN AS THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, WHO WILL SECRETLY BRING IN DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES, EVEN DENYING THE LORD WHO BOUGHT THEM, AND BRING ON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION. And many will follow thei destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be BLASPHEMED. By covetousness they will exploit you with DECEPTIVE WORDS; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber" [2 Peter 2:1-3].

The Holy Orthodox Church convened SEVEN ECUMENICAL COUNCILS (SYNODS) TO DEFEND AND PRESERVE the Truth over the centuries. The holy Apostle anticipated what would happen in the future and warned the Christians of what was to come. These heretics were, and still are, arrogant, corrupt, wicked and full of deception, isolating themselves from Apostolic Doctrine concerning Christ, THEY HOLD THEIR OWN "PRIVATE INTERPRETATIONS," MISCONSTRUING DOCTRINES ABOUT THE SECOND COMING AND THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST OVER US. But as deceivers, they teach as though they possess true apostolicity. God’s past judgment indicates what awaits the heretics. He will divide the holy from the unholy in the life to come. We already have the example of the "Angels who sinned." "For God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment" [2 Peter 2:4]. False teachers and heretics are condemned for both their words and their actions.

True Christians must remain steadfast in their faith in Christ and His Divine Gospel of salvation. Heresy has never been tolerated or defended as a right to disagree with the Holy Church. 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 as some Protestant denominations have declared. True Christian freedom begins with FREEDOM FROM SIN, FREEDOM FROM IMMORAL ACTIVITY. Christianity is NOT all inclusive. In other words no matter what one’s lifestyle is, and no matter if it is contrary to teachings of Christ, and Commandments of God, the Church will justify and accept it. The Holy Scripture both the Old and New Testaments are unambiguous of what is right and what is wrong and what is holy and what is evil. A genuine Christian is called to live in purity IN AN IMPURE WORLD.

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George