Orthodoxy And The Religion Of The Future

[Mary Lyn]

I see the Orthodox church as in a serious condition. And it is because of secularism which has invaded the true church even, and hollowed it out from the inside which is what Fr Seraphim Rose warned about in his Survival book.

We can see the results of it as the hierachy are bowing down to the great deception taking place today. Unless it gets back to the teaching of the early fathers on purity, which has been neglected I can see very grave results. I heard in those videos that over 50 % of Orthodox do not read their Bibles. This should be totally alarming as it shows that a high percentage of the people are lukewarm or at least secular.

 

[Mary Lyn]

"CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA ON HOLINESS

Free from All Sin He believed that a man could be freed from all sin, but thought that it would be done at baptism. In his Instructor, Book I, chapter 6, he says:

Thus also we who are baptized, have wiped off the sins which obscure the light of the divine Spirit, and have the eye of the Spirit free and unimpaired, full of light, by which we contemplate the divine, the Holy Spirit flowing down from above. This is the eternal adjustment of vision, which is able to see the eternal light, since like loves like; and that which is holy loves that from which holiness proceeds, which has appropriately been termed light. Still Carnal A little further on in the chapter he sees a distinction between the spiritual and the carnal Christian, for he says:

For he called those who had already believed, spiritual, and those newly instructed and not yet purified, carnal, whom with justice he calls still carnal, as minding equally with the heathen the things of the flesh. Perfect Women In Book 4, chapter 19, he shows that woman is capable of perfection as well as man. In chapters 20 and 21 he gives a description of the perfect man. "Who then is perfect? He who professes abstinence from what is bad." He shows that the Spirit distributes the gifts of the Spirit that each may be perfect in his own place of service. And the same Spirit, distributing to each according to His will. Such being the case, the prophets are perfect in prophecy, the righteous in righteousness, the martyrs in confession, and others in preaching, not that they are not sharers in the common virtues, but are proficient in those to which they are appointed. Holy Thoughts In chapter 22 he says:

We ought to go washed to the sacrifices and prayers, clean and bright; that this external adornment and purification are practiced for a sign. Now purity is to think holy thoughts . . . . For purity, as I conceive it, is perfect pureness in mind, and deeds and thoughts, and words too" from A Study on Holiness from Early Church Fathers by JB Gallaway.

 

[Waynish]

Hard to take Christians seriously until they start training seriously again. "The kingdom of heaven is within." Go to any Orthodox cathedral and you see halos on all icons & saints - and you see many holding mudras... They trained hard and they got results. No mystery why Jesus only let 12 train under him; most can't make the cut or even comprehend straightforward words: "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." If you think he was talking about himself personally, then you're gonna miss everything else too. "No one comes to the father except through me..." Haha! Think he's guarding heaven with Uzis? Mental...

 

[marcar72]

"The kingdom of heaven is within."

The kingdom of heaven is the future millennial reign of Christ Jesus here on earth. It's a physical kingdom with renewal and regeneration occurring in the physical creation. You've paraphrased the scripture incorrectly.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

[Gone Peating]

Orthodoxy is eastern guru worship westernized.

Sadly, this is true with most of the false neo-Orthodox elders we have seen arise over the past few decades. All part of the Apostasy, and the false church that is arising. Father Seraphim wrote extensively about this, but sadly his old monastery and many in the Orthodox churches today have censored him and anyone else who tried to warn us about these problems

 

[Gone Peating]

The kingdom of heaven is the future millennial reign of Christ Jesus here on earth. It's a physical kingdom with renewal and regeneration occurring in the physical creation. You've paraphrased the scripture incorrectly.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

This is the deception that was foretold would happen during the end times. Christ is not interested in an earthly reign. He already is King of the universe as its Creator. He calls us to the Kingdom not of this world, of heaven. Satan is the one who wants to rule this world and be worshipped by us.

“I came in My Father’s Name and you received me not. Another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.” The one that virtually all of humanity will soon bow down to, thinking it is God, will actually be the Antichrist.

 

[marcar72]

This is the deception that was foretold would happen during the end times. Christ is not interested in an earthly reign.

It's not deception it's the biblical truth. Revelation 20 summarizes it and there's still quite a lot of Old Testament prophecies that have yet to be fufilled. There's Daniel's 70th week coming soon to a worldview near you then Christ comes back and defeats the Antichrist in the Battle of Armageddon. After that the Millennial Kingdom is set up just as Revelation 20 prophesied.

 

[Gone Peating]

It's not deception it's the biblical truth. Revelation 20 summarizes it and there's still quite a lot of Old Testament prophecies that have yet to be fufilled. There's Daniel's 70th week coming soon to a worldview near you then Christ comes back and defeats the Antichrist in the Battle of Armageddon. After that the Millennial Kingdom is set up just as Revelation 20 prophesied.

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.†
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”

It’s clear that Christ will come, and the end of the universe will immediately follow. There will not be an earthly reign of God on earth. The millenial reign in Revelations is talking about the reign of the Church from Pentecost until the end of the age. The millenium is symbolic, it’s not to be understood as a literal thousand years. The new millenium signifies the new age of eternal life, not another thousand years of this present age.

 

[Recoen]

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.†
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”

It’s clear that Christ will come, and the end of the universe will immediately follow. There will not be an earthly reign of God on earth. The millenial reign in Revelations is talking about the reign of the Church from Pentecost until the end of the age. The millenium is symbolic, it’s not to be understood as a literal thousand years. The new millenium signifies the new age of eternal life, not another thousand years of this present age.

Thank you, this is what the church fathers teach. Many don’t realize that parts of Revelation have already occurred.

 

[marcar72]

Many don’t realize that parts of Revelation have already occurred.

Which parts? Do tell!! Can you tell me which parts on your own or do you have to go consult the "church fathers" first?

 

[Gone Peating]

Which parts? Do tell!! Can you tell me which parts on your own or do you have to go consult the "church fathers" first?

First it would probably be best for you to understand that Christ did in fact found one Church, which St. Paul says is His body, before diving into the grace filled teachings of the Church’s Fathers.

“For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

St. Paul refers to the Corinthians as his spiritual children, himself being their spiritual father. Timothy, spiritual son of Paul, was made Bishop of Ephesus by St. Paul. He was to continue the work started by him, and then when he reposed, another was to consecrated bishop in his place. Bishops were to be the successors of the Apostles, endowed with the same Apostolic grace. To this day we have true Orthodox bishops who are heirs to the Apostles as Christ promised His Church that “the gates of hell will not prevail against it”.

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.†
16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.†
18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.†”

If someone doesn’t listen to THE CHURCH, not just any “church”, people in the Church are to not even consider such a one as being a Christian! This is straight from God Himself. I would think carefully about disagreeing or arguing. Also, He says the Apostles (and the bishops who the Apostles consecrated as their successors) have the power to bind or loose sins!

I hope this clears things up

 

[Waynish]

The kingdom of heaven is the future millennial reign of Christ Jesus here on earth. It's a physical kingdom with renewal and regeneration occurring in the physical creation. You've paraphrased the scripture incorrectly.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

I don't debate with Churchians. You have faith in a book; not in God. Nothing more Talmudic than biblical litigation.

 

[marcar72]

I don't debate with Churchians. You have faith in a book; not in God. Nothing more Talmudic than biblical litigation.

God takes his word very seriously.

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Word.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The word of God is part of the whole armour of God.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Being born again into the kingdom of God precedes from the word of God.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God bless!!

 

[snacks]

I see the Orthodox church as in a serious condition. And it is because of secularism which has invaded the true church even, and hollowed it out from the inside which is what Fr Seraphim Rose warned about in his Survival book.

We can see the results of it as the hierachy are bowing down to the great deception taking place today. Unless it gets back to the teaching of the early fathers on purity, which has been neglected I can see very grave results. I heard in those videos that over 50 % of Orthodox do not read their Bibles. This should be totally alarming as it shows that a high percentage of the people are lukewarm or at least secular.

It seems to me like at least part of the serious condition of the Orthodox Church has to do with the de facto captivity of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Everything else including the state dept Ukrainian Orthodox Church would be impossible without the EP in a stranglehold and Russia disinterested in its old role

Just recent thinking but if enough of us pray for God to deal with this covid stuff.... maybe it will change the direction we are going in? Maybe something happens to those trying to force vaccines and the Beast System on us..?? God can do anything He wills...

It may sound stupid/willfully ignorant but I think the demonic side is doing their best with the fear of the current situation and if enough of us not only wake up but reach out to God/Jesus Christ for help, this would end sooner then we know. I know all of us are expecting end times to come out of this but I was listening to something the other day that made sense. The end could be 1000 years from now for all we know.. 10000 years. I know that there are plenty of loving people on this earth, religious or not and God is with us all. One thing is certain and it is that we are falling away from God and our protection. Again just thinking out loud and mainly for those that believe in Christ (my message)

Not a Christian but I found it highly interesting that the first thing and the most zealous thing covid retards went after in the US was shutting off ALL religious services. I don't think we'll ever really be able to fathom the consequences of lowering this kind of bulwark even for a time.

 

[Whichway?]

I don't debate with Churchians. You have faith in a book; not in God. Nothing more Talmudic than biblical litigation.

I agree. Too often people mistake the finger pointing to the moon (the Bible) for the moon (God).

I believe a lot of the Bible is really just talking about the experience of being human and the psychology of human experience. People read all sorts of other things into it, much like they do with Rorschach diagrams. They see what they want see. Whose to say what if any of it is right? There are so many Christian sects now because all of them believe they have the true and correct interpretation.

You really just have to work on having a personal relationship with God.

 

[Blossom]

In reference to earlier discussions in this thread about the rapture. From the book Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Andrew Stephen Damick.

 

[marcar72]

From the book Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Andrew Stephen Damick.

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

I do believe I'll stick with the King James Bible and not pay much heed to the endless ramblings of men.

From what I've come to understand the term "rapture" is the English translation of the Latin word "rapturo" which is in the Roman Catholic's very own Latin Vulgate. The original Greek word is "harpazo" and it basically means to be "caught up" or "snatched away". The King James Bible uses the phrase "caught up". So there it is, right there in the Bible.

The pre-tribulational rapture view of eschatology is the biblically sound doctrine one comes to the CONCLUSION of in the studying of the Bible.

God bless!!

 

[Blossom]

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

I do believe I'll stick with the King James Bible and not pay much heed to the endless ramblings of men.

From what I've come to understand the term "rapture" is the English translation of the Latin word "rapturo" which is in the Roman Catholic's very own Latin Vulgate. The original Greek word is "harpazo" and it basically means to be "caught up" or "snatched away". The King James Bible uses the phrase "caught up". So there it is, right there in the Bible.

The pre-tribulational rapture view of eschatology is the biblically sound doctrine one comes to the CONCLUSION of in the studying of the Bible.

God bless!!

God Bless you too sir.

 

[Inaut]

Not really related to the OP but I found this very interesting and ties into Genesis (that's my segue)

 

[Inaut]

I heard an extremely interesting concept of Heaven/Hell from the Orthodox perspective today. I have not read enough of the Saints to have a good handle on these concepts but essentially Heaven is the blessing of those welcomed by God into His uncreated/eternal light. Hell is just that uncreated light which the forsaken cannot bear—-hence burning from His presence.
I’ve never thought of it in such a way but it makes the most sense I’ve heard on this realm.