THE DIVINE NATURE OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

"Even the briefest survey of the heretical movements in Christianity from the first days of the Church’s existence is profitable in that it shows, side by side with the common teaching of the Universal Church, the "RULE OF FAITH," how various were the deviations from the TRUTH and how very often they assumed a sharply aggressive character and evoked a bitter battle within the Church. In the first three centuries of Christianity the heresies spread their influence over a comparatively small territory; but from the 4th century certain heresies seized about half the (Roman) Empire and caused an immense exertion of the Church’s strength to do battle with them; and at the same time, when certain heresies gradually died down, others arose in their place. And if the Church had remained indifferent to these deviations from the TRUTH, what-speaking according to human reasoning–would have happened to CHRISTIAN TRUTH? But the Church–with the help of the epistles of bishops, the exhortations and excommunications of Local Councils (and, beginning with the 4th century, of ECUMENICAL COUNCILS), sometimes with the cooperation and sometimes with the opposition of the governmental authorities–brought the "rule of faith" UNSHAKEN OUT OF THE BATTLE AND PRESERVED ORTHODOXY UNHARMED. Thus it was in the first thousand years." [Protopresbyter Michael Pomazanski]

One of the most dangerous heresies that the Church faced was ARIANISM. The Arian heresy, which disturbed the Church for a long time, had as its originator the Alexandrian presbyter Arius. Arius was born in Libya and had been a student in the theological school of Antioch, which avoided every kind of abstraction in interpreting the dogmas of faith (as opposed to the contemplative spirit and mystical inclination of the Alexandrian school). He interpreted the dogma of the INCARNATION in a purely RATIONAL WAY, relying on a concept of the oneness of God, and began to teach falsely of THE INEQUALITY OF THE SON OF GOD WITH THE FATHER, AND OF THE CREATED NATURE OF THE SON. His heresy seized the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, and despite its condemnation at the First Ecumenical Council, it survived almost to the end of the the century, [Orthodox Dogmatic Theology]

HERESIES, however, have never ceased to exist through the history of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and therefore our battle against them continues even today. 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 their 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]. Saint Peter the Apostle now reaches his main concern: "False teachers" who are unholyS AND COMMUNICATE HERESY. They are arrogant, sensual, and greedy, and they deny accountability in their lives isolating themselves from Apostolic Doctrines CONCERNING OUR LORD CHRIST, THEY HOLD THEIR OWN "PRIVATE INTERPRETATIONS," misconstruing Doctrines about the Second Coming and the ultimate authority of Christ over us. Being DECEIVERS, THE TEACH AS THOUGH THEY POSSESS TRUE APOSTOLICITY.

The threat of heresies is very real. Christians, and especially Orthodox Christians, must remain vigilant and always alert and to use good judgment and discernment about deception, cunning and evil surrounding us. Currently Orthodox Christianity is confronted with hereticas teachings and false interpretations of the Holy Scriptures by so-called Christian experts of the New Testament who cause confusion instead through their heresy. Again their principal target is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They tend to stress His humanity almost exclusively and ignore His Divinity. They present Him as a worldly figure, who is the founder of another of hundreds of religions; who is benevolent and promises peace, reconciliation and redemption but who is human. It is very similar to the heresy of Arianism.

We, the Orthodox Christians, believe that the center of Christianity is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In fact, He is the centerpiece of all history. But the world still struggles with His identity, Who is He? Is He God? Is He man? Both? The Holy Scripture clearly answers these crucial questions. In his Gospel, Saint John gives a specific and definitive explanation of who Christ is. "In the beginning was the Logos/Word, and the Logos/Word was with God, and the Logos/Word was God" (1:1). Saint John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ, revealed God the Logos/Word as "the Light" (1:6-7). "The Logos/Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14). Who then is Jesus Christ?

(1) He is God, for He was with God from all time. Clearly, the One born Jesus of Nazareth did not have His beginning in His earthly birth. Rather, He is the Eternal Son of God, WITHOUT BEGINNING. There was NEVER A TIME WHEN THE SON OF GOD DID NOT EXIST.
(2) He is also man, for He "BECAME FLESH." He has become one of us, being like us IN ALL THINGS BUT WITHOUT SIN.
(3) He acts BOTH AS GOD AND AS MAN, DOING WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR EACH NATURE IN THE UNITY PROVIDED BY His one Divine Person. Never does Divine Nature and activity become changed into Human Nature and activity. THE TWO ARE IN UNION WITHOUT CONFUSION. Christ does, however, "ENERGIZE" Human Nature with Divine energy so that human nature IS REDEEMED FROM SIN AND DEATH AND BROUGHT INTO UNION WITH GOD. He thus "DEIFIES" HUMANITY.

The MIRACLE of these incomparable truths IS KNOWN AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST or "CHRISTOLOGY." Many documents have expounded on Christology, but the definitive text is THE NICENE-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED (SYMBOL OF FAITH) issued by the FOURTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, A.D. 451) embodies other truths concerning the Incarnation of the Logos/Word. These creeds set the Doctrinal fences of which WE, THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, DO NOT WONDER IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.

The Holy ApostleJohn bears witness to Christ: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Logos/Word of life–the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us–that which we have seen and hear we declared to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:1-3).

We, too, bear witness to Jesus Christ. For since God BECAME MAN, and we are UNITED WITH Him in baptism, we experience His Incarnation in our lives. The miracle of Christology for us is that, as the Son of God became man, we in turn partake of God. [Orthodox Study Bible)

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"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