Orthodox teachings are we should focus on our own shortcomings, rather than other people's shortcomings. Who are we to judge?  In my walk in Orthodoxy there has been a propensity for me to share my faith, but other people tend to see it as judging them.  It is hard not to appear to be in a "holier than thou" attitude when declaring, "This is the True Faith," which it is, but a person needs to come to this conclusion on their own.  It seems to be easier to just patiently answer their questions, and try to study as much as possible so the answers are correct.  In my walk in Orthodoxy, I do have a long way to go, and a lot more study, and continued daily prayers.

People also see my sins, and say to themselves that, "If that is Orthodoxy, then I want nothing to do with it."  On the other hand, Orthodoxy accepts the unworthy, otherwise none of us could be saved.  Do not follow me; follow Christ.  The Orthodox faith is the hospital to heal our brokenness.  We need to be continually aware of our sinfulness.  Reading the Book of James told me long ago that we must, "work out our salvation with fear and trembling," which is diametrically opposed to Calvinist theories, or doctrines.  This is one of the things that I began searching for decades ago, because any church that I became a member of did not seem to adhere to all parts of the Scriptures, only a small portion, and ignored the rest.  Going onto yet another church, and they did the same thing, only it was other parts, and ignored what the previous church held onto, and so on.  I figured the church was so splintered that it was unrepairable.  I, too, had come to the conclusion that the original Christian Church had died out in the first century, and Hades had prevailed.  What an epiphany to find out that it had not!  The Church the Apostles had handed to us was the Orthodox faith.

Perhaps my path of life is a crooked path with a lot of twists and turns, but throughout my life God was always leading me to Orthodoxy.  The struggle is to make straight paths to The Way, but sometimes we get side-tracked, and go off the straight path to The Way.  The Holy Spirit always leads us back to the right path.  We have a life to live, and the mistakes always seem to teach us something.  The mercy of God always shows through when we follow Him by the Holy Spirit. He picks us up again, and sets us to direction we should go, and His grace and mercy always protect us and keep us.

My personal beliefs are there are many very nice people who are Christians, and some of my best friends are of either of the Catholic or Protestant faiths.  My criticisms are not directed at them at all, and it is up to God to judge them.  My criticisms are directed at the organizations, and the ones in power within that have sometimes proved to be unholy, and unChristian throughout the centuries.  They have much to repent of, and this is what repentance is, to "turn around" and not do it again. 

May God be with us all.

In Christ,
Amen

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 12:4-5, 15-21

"BRETHREN, for as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited."

"Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. "

Updated on: August 15, 2010 4:09 PM

Are You Saved? An Orthodox view.

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