THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD

THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD

　

     "Search the Scriptures," advises the Lord. The Scriptures not only testify that Jesus is the awaited Messiah, but they are also filled with eternal life and wisdom. As St. Peter testifies, "all Scripture are inspired by God." For God inspired the evangelists and Saints as they wrote. Many of us at one time or another, have overlooked or misread things in Scripture, which makes it important to read them frequently, or to bring errors that have become common, to the attention of everyone, for the words of Scripture are the sacred teachings of God, who speaks to us through the Bible. However, the Bible needs to be understood according to right reason and in agreement with the interpretations of the Church and the Church Fathers.
     It is also good when quoting the Bible, to be as accurate as possible, thus avoid changing the meaning or the words, which is sometimes due to poor translation. Here is a particular misreading of Scriptures that occurs frequently in the Orthodox Church in this statement: "Man is created in the image and likeness of God."

THE ANONYMOUS PROPHECY (1053 AD

THE ANONYMOUS PROPHECY  (1053 AD)

From the Library of the Holy Koutloumousiou Monastery

Mt. Athos, Greece.

1.   Great European War

      2.   Defeat of Germany, Catastrophe of Russia and Austria
3.   Defeat of the Hagarenes (Turks) by the Hellenes (Greeks)

     4.   Reinforcement of the  Hagarenes  (Turks)
    5.  Slaughter of the Orthodox peoples
6.   And great anxiety in the Orthodox peoples.  
7.   Invasion  of  foreign troops  from the  Adriatic Sea.
         Woe unto  those  who live  on earth;  for Hades is ready.
8.   The Hagarene is great for a moment. 
9.   A new European War
10.  Union of Orthodox peoples with Germany.  
11.  Defeat of the French by the Germans.  
12.  Revolution in India and its separation from England  
13.  England left to the Saxons alone. 
14.  Victory to the Orthodox peoples and general slaughter of  
            the Hagarenes by the Orthodox.                                                                                                                                
15.  The world in anxiety. 
16. General despair on earth. 
17.  A battle of seven states in Constantinople. Slaughter for                   three days and three nights. Victory of the largest state over the  six states
18.  Alliance of six states against the seventh one; slaughter for   three days and for three nights.
19.  Cessation of the war by an angel (of God and of Christ), and delivery of the city to the Hellenes.
20.  Submission of the Latins to the faultless Faith of the Orthodox believers.
21.  The Orthodox Faith shall move outward from East far into the West
22.  The barbarians fearing and trembling at it.
23.  Discharge of the Pope, and proclamation of one Patriarch for all Europe.

PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS

PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS

Zacharias 14:12

And this shall be the calamity with which the Lord will smite the nations, as many as have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall be dissolved while they are still standing on their feet, and their eyes will pour out of their sockets, and their tongue shall melt in their mouth. And there shall be in that day a great ecstasy from the Lord upon them. 

PROTESTANT PREACHERS OF PAN-HERESIES

PROTESTANT PREACHERS OF PAN-HERESIES

 MARTIN LUTHER AND OTHER REFORMERS  THREW OUT THE BABY 

AND KEPT THE BATH WATER

   The reformers and all those who placed their hope of salvation in Scriptures alone,  by their actions, threw out the true Church, and kept the Bible, not realizing that the Bible by itself cannot save a single soul, being the inspired written tradition of the Church. For without oral tradition no one can understand the real meaning of the Bible (The reformers met with Orthodox Bishops but did not seek to enter the Church)  FN *.  St. Paul warns the sola scriptura advocates in advance: “Stand firmly in the traditions which you have been taught, whether by  word or by  epistle” (2 Thes. 2:15).  Preservation of written tradition without oral tradition will not lead to unity with Christ.   Even more serious, in  remaining outside the Church,  where and to whom can they go? It is impossible for there to be a second church, for Christ is only present in His Church. Christ, being the Head never leaves the Church, confirming this He says: “Lo, I am with you until the close of the age.” He is the Head of the True Church, which is His own body.  He will never go to another Church other than the one He dwells in which He founded and heads.  Christ cannot be divided and is at the helm of Orthodoxy. Luther’s people showed no interest in  the True Church,  when they were  approached  by members of  Orthodox  Church. FN *  The Church always welcomes those who sincerely search for the truth of the Church, and to this day  Protestants who want the truth will always be welcomed in the  love of Jesus Christ.