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.
The Glorious and Life-Giving Resurrection of
Our Lord, God and Savior JESUS CHRIST.
The Holy Orthodox Church considers the highest event in the life of Christ to be His Glorious Resurrection. It is pronounced as the GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST, touching upon the scope and the nature of Christ’s Divine Mission, which has been a part of the Everlasting Christ. Christ presented Himself, as "THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE" {John 11:25). Without this belief in the Resurrection the Holy Apostle Paul proclaims "And if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching empty, and your faith is also empty" (1 Corinthians 15:14). Also, "And if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye ye are yet in your sins. Then they also who reposed in Christ did perish. Ifin this life we have hoped in Christ only, we are of all lmen the most pitiable. But now Christ HATH BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP DID HE BECOME. FOR SINCE BY A MAN CAME DEATH, ALSO BY A Man came a resurrection of the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:17-21). The belief of the Church is that, on the third day, Jesus Christ ROSE AGAIN. The Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ IS CONSIDERED BY THE ORTHODOX CHURCH TO BE THE SUPREME DECLARATION OF FAITH. The Lord’s Day, Sunday, IS DEDICATED TO HIS RESURRECTION. For this reason, the celebration of Pascha (Easter) in the Orthodox Church is called the "FEAST OF FEASTS."
The Church believes that "He shall come again with glory to judge" the world and everyone on earth, to "RENDER TO EVERY MAN (PERSON) ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS" (Romans 2:6) of faith in Christ and His Gospel, his love expressed in good works, and in helping other, described as the "least," as explicit witnesses to the steadfastness of his faith in Him. In the Orthodox Church, the justification and salvation of man depends ON THE STANDARD OF "FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE" (Galatians 5:6).
THE THIRD PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY
The Orthodox Church believes "in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life" (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed or Symbol of faith). The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, Who PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER ONLY (cf. John 15:26). The Church firmly opposed the opinion that the Holy Spirit was created by the Son, and it pronounced the correct belief in the Nicene Creed at the Second Ecumenical Synod. The Orthodox Church DOES NOT USE THE PHRASE FILIOQUE, "AND OF THE SON," wrongly adhered to by Roman Catholic theology. According to the Holy Scripture, the Son Jesus Christ only SENDS the Holy Spirit in time, saing: "I WILL SEND THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHICH PROCEEDETH FROM THE FATHER" (John 15:26).
It is evident from the Holy Scripture that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father ONLY; this was the belief from the very beginning of the ONE UNDIVIDED CHURCH. When the church in the West (Roman Catholic) INSERTED THE "FILIOQUE" clause or phrase into the Creed, THIS INNOVATION precipitated the Great Schism of the Undivided Church. The "filioque" clause is a heresy. It is NOT found in the Holy Scripture and it violates the Creed of the Church. It was NOT believed by the Undivided Church for 8 centuries, including the church in the West (Latin). It introduces a STRANGE TEACHING OF A DOUBLE PROCESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND REFERS TO TWO ORIGINS OF THE SPIRIT’S EXISTENCE , THUS DENYING THE UNITY OF THE GODHEAD.
The Fall and Regeneration of Man
Almighty God created man after His own image and likeness (cf. Genesis 1:26), and bestowed upon him endowments to fulfill his destiny. God instructed the First created human beings, Adam and Eve, in what they ought not to do. They failed to obey God;s Commandment and fell into sin, through ARROGANCE and DISOBEDIENCE which deprived them of God’s Grace. With them, "THE WHOLE CREATION GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH IN PAIN TOGETHER UNTIL NOW" (Romans 8:22). The Holy Orthodox Church believes that THE CORRUPTION OF THE GOD-LIKE IMAGE OF MAN WAS NOT COMPLETE, THAT MAN;S WILL BECOME BLURRED, BUT DID NOT DISAPPEAR. Man’s desire for salvation implies that man feels HIS INNER EMPTINESS AND TURNS TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION. Almighty God in His compassion and agape prepared for this REGENERATION OF MAN BY SENDING His Son, Jesus Christ the Savior.
BAPTISM – THE SANCTIFICATION OF MAN
The Holy Orthodox Church invokes God’s Grace for the SANCTIFICATION OF ITS MEMBERS. For this reason, the Church uses the Sacred Mysteries (Sacraments) instituted by Christ or His Holy Apostles. The Mystery (Sacrament) of Baptism with that of Chrismaton and the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist with that of Confession are the SACRED MYSTERIA (SACRAMENTS) WHICH EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD RECEIVE AS AN ACTIVE COMMUNICANT OF DIVINE GRACE. There are three other Mysteries (sacraments): ORDINATION, MARRIAGE AND UNCTION (EFCHAILEON). They are granted to man, but are not obligatory, if not so desired.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commissioned His Holy Apostles to "go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). The Church of Christ from the beginning baptized its members by a priest IMMERSING THEM THRICE IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. IMMERSION BAPTISM WAS THE PRACTICE OF THE EARLY CHURCH. ONLY ONE BAPTISM IS ALLOWED. The Chrismation of a newly baptized person is the CONFIRMATION OF HIS/HER FAITH WHICH IS "THE SEAL OF THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."
(To be continued)
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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
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 