“GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD” 2 Peter 3:18

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

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

"GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD"
[2 Peter 3:18].

The Orthodox Christian is never content and satisfied spiritually but continues to grow and strives to reach spiritual maturity in Christ. There is always a need to improve one’s spiritual daily life and by the grace of the Holy Spirit to come to a better understanding of God’s Holy Gospel and Divine commandments. Life on earth is brief and there is no one who knows when his/her life will come to the end. It is therefore necessary to use the gift of life wisely and realistically. It is easy for people to be distracted and preoccupy themselves with the routine responsibilities, problems and challenges of daily life but life is fleeting and unpredictable. The wise Christian sets certain spiritual priorities for himself or herself and works diligently to obtain them. Our most important priority ought to be our salvation and inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven and Eternal Life.

The defense against the world’s deceptions and allurements is to stay connected with our Holy Orthodox Church which is there to nourish us spiritually, to guide us, to encourage us, to inspire us, and protect us and to support us to continue growing in faith and knowledge of our Lord. We cannot permit our life to become static and unproductive. The Church, in which Christian life develops, is not primarily an organization, but an organism whose parts on themselves receive their edifying power from Christ TO GROW UP INTO CHRIST. The Holy Apostle Paul does not look a the Christian as an isolated individual walking towards perfection, but as A MEMBER OF THE BODY, STRIVING TO REACH THE PERFECT FAITH AND FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD. Thus unity of faith cannot be separated from knowledge of the Son of God [cf. Ephesians 4:11-16].

The procedure or process of Christian growth requires OUR FREE WILL COMMITMENT to walk in "righteousness and holiness" [Ephesians 4:17-24]. A CHILD OF LIGHT CAN NO LONGER ACT AS A CHILD OF DARKNESS. A change of LIFE-STYLE IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF CHRIST, THE ORIGINAL "NEW MAN" (v. 24). So Christ must be "learned," and relationship with Him must "be renewed," a process implying INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP. Further, Christ must be "put on", a clothing metaphor, an allusion to baptism and the baptismal robe. In the Mysterion of holy Baptism and at its conclusion the priest chants, "As many of you have been baptized into Christ HAVE PUT ON CHRIST. Alleluia." While SPIRITUAL GRACE MAKES MAN HEAVENLY, RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BOTH A GIFT AND A GOAL, A PRESENT REALITY AND A PROMISE TO BE STRIVEN FOR.

The way we live affects our relationship not only with God but also with each other–for in Christ WE ARE "MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER" [Ephesians 4:25]. The MORAL STANDARD for the New Humanity is the life appropriate to a child of God–of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Such A CHILD FULFILLS THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS [1] LOVE OF MAN, DEMONSTRATED IN SELF-SACRIFICING SERVICE "given Himself for us;" and (2) LOVE OF GOD, MANIFESTED IN WORSHIP (AN OFFERING AND A SACRIFICE TO GOD).

Saint Paul especially emphasizes that Christians must avoid sexual immorality, not just the act but thinking and talking about it also, and greed, which treats things as gods. Ungodly thoughts as well as behaviour can keep believers out of the Kingdom. Lying hurts the entire body of the Church. It is as if the eye were to see a trap and to tell the foot, or the tongue to taste poison and not spit out. Saint John Chrysostom states, "If you fail to master (control) your ANGER on the first day, then on the next day and even sometimes for a whole year you will still be dragging it out…Anger will cause us to suspect that words spoken in one sense were meant in another. And we will even do the same with gestures and every little thing… Be ANGRY WITH THE DEVIL AND NOT YOUR OWN MEMBER. This is why God has armed us with anger. Not that we should thrust the sword AGAINST OUR OWN BODIES, but that we should baptize the whole blade in the devil’s breast."

If we are to accomplish the renewing of our soul and body we must free ourselves first of all infirmities and sinful acts, feelings, and thoughts. There is got to be a complete and total katharsis or cleansing of soul and body. One cannot grow spiritually carrying the heavy burden of sins committed over many years. Along with the filth there is a stench that is an offensive odor which prevents anyone who wishes to approach you. Our sins also produce an appalling spiritual stench which prevents us from coming close to our Savior Jesus Christ. But those who have repented of their sins and forgiven by Him, emanate a sweet spiritual fragrance such as the holy relics of our Saints. What follows is heavenly joy and gladness. Ungodly thoughts as well as conduct can keep believers out of the Kingdom.

The Holy Apostle exhorts all believers, "And do not be conformed to this world, but BE TRANSFORMED TO THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD" [Romans 12:2]. Faithful relationship to God changes our relationship to the world. We RENOUNCE THE PROTENSES OF "THIS PRESENT AGE" [Galatians 1:4]. "Conformed to this world" is to be IDENTIFIED WITH AND SHAPED BY THE WORLD’S VALUES AND PLEASURES. We ARE "TRANSFORMED" starting with the INWARD MAN, the "mind" by VIRTUE, THE KEEPING OF GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. MIND (NOUS) here is more than the rational faculty; IT IS THE HIGHER FACULTY OF HUMAN NATURE: THE EYES OF YOUR HEART" [Ephesians 1:18 literal translation], BY WHICH ONE SEES AND COMPREHENDS GOD.

If a believer is not growing spiritually it means that he or she is either spiritually dead or dying. It means that the believer lacks the grace of the Holy Spirit, the necessary energy which bestowes life and the ability to grow in Christ. The grace of God is a Life-Giving energy and without it leaves one in darkness and eventual death. Pray that the Almighty God be merciful to you beginning with a renewed mind and integrity to worshipping the Creator in all we do. [Resources: Old and New Testaments]

_____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George