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.
A TRUE CONVERSION IS ONE THAT SEVERS ALL TIES
WITH ALL PREVIOUS RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS. [Part II]
"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will
hate the one and love the other, or else, he will be
loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon" [Luke 16:13].
It is common understanding that loyalty cannot be divided. A person, who is struggling spiritually, seeks fulfilment, stability, continuity and consistency in earnest, God, in a non-intrusive manner, will come to his/her aid. The Almighty God knows our thoughts and what is in our hearts. The psalmist writes, "O God,You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You" (Psalm 69[68):5. There are no secrets from God but all are known by Him. We all know how very important it is to pray to Him and ask for His guidance to avoid making a serious mistake and finding what we are looking for.
Searching for the truth is not at all easy. Everyone claims to possess it. A believer must have discernment and to carefully investigate and compare one with the other objectively and wisely. No one should rush into anything unknown but take his/her time and patiently consider the options before him/her. Once a person is certain about it then the choice is made. This means entirely a new relationship and a new commitment. Naturally this means that we cannot carry with us the old baggage or maintain all past beliefs, i.e. customs, practices, way of thinking, interpretations and understandings. We must see it as a new beginning and free from past experiences.
When anyone sincerely becomes Orthodox it should be with no strings attached. No one can hold back and enter the Orthodox Church with conditions of his/her own. The convert to Orthodox Christianity cannot and must not be selective of what he or she accepts or doesn't. The Orthodox Church does not conform to your demands but you must conform and totally and willingly accept the faith as is. Sadly,however, there are some converts that will convert to
Orthodoxy but have a problem accepting certain teachings of the Church, i.e., the Mother of God (Theotokos), the Divine Eucharist, veneration of the holy icons, fasting, Saints and holy relics, confession before the priest etc. Such an attitude is completely wrong and unacceptable. That, my friend, is not a true conversion but hypocrisy. It is best for this person to move on and find where he/she belongs but clearly he/she does not belong in the Orthodox Church.
Honesty is indispensable when one chooses to become an Orthodox.Christian. A person who is interested in converting and has had catechism by a theologian or a parish priest had between a year to three years of instruction. plenty of time to consider whether to convert or not. There is no pressure for one to convert if he or she disagrees with the Orthodox theology, traditions and liturgical practices of the Church. No one can become a member of the Church when the fundamental teachings of the faith are questioned or are in doubt.
A catechumen who has been tested for his integrity and commitment to the faith enters the Church through either the Sacrament of Baptism or the Sacrament of Chrismation. It is, therefore, necessary to understand the significance of these two Mysteries (Sacraments). Let us begin first with the Mystery of Baptism.
In the series of Mysteries (Sacraments) of our Holy Orthodox Church stands the Mystery of Baptism. It serves as the door leading into the Kingdom of grace, or the Church, and it grants access to participation in the other Mysteries or Sacraments. Even before the establishment of the Mystery of Baptism, our Lord Jesus Christ in His conversation with Nicodemus indicated the absolute necessity of it for salvation. "Truly, truly, I say unto thee, except a man be born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven." When Nicodemus expressed his perplexity, "How can a man be born when he is old?", Our Savior replied that the NEW BIRTH would be accomplished by WATER and the SPIRIT: "Truly, truly, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" [John 3:3-6].
In our Holy Orthodox Tradition the Mystery (Sacrament) of CHRISMATION is conducted usually immediately after the Mystery of Baptism, comprising together with it a single church rite. The performance of the Mystery, the bishop or priest, "anoints the one who has been baptized with Holy Myrrh, making the sign of the Cross on the brow and eyes, the nostrils, the lips, both ears, the breast, and the hands and feet; while signing each part of the body he pronounces the words, "THE SEAL OF THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT." This Mystery (Sacrament is also performed ON THOSE UNITED WHO ARE UNITED TO THE CHURCH FROM HERETICAL COMMUNITIES AS ONE OF THE MEANS OF THEIR BEING UNITED TO THE CHURCH. The words by which the Mystery is performed, "the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit," indicate its significance and effect the culminating act of BEING UNITED to the Church, the confirmation or SEAL OF UNION; and (b) "THE SEAL OF THE GRACE GIVEN POWERS which are bestowed in it for strengthening and growth in spiritual life. [Orthodox Dogmatic Theology]
The surge of so many entering the Orthodox Church is inspiring and gratifying. We are most thankful to our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for directing and guiding all these souls to the Mother Church of Christianity. We welcome and embrace all of them with genuine agape and with the prayer that all of them will now have a true spiritual home and a loving family.
____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in Christ’s Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 