POWER OF WEAKNESS OVER STRENGTH

POWER OF WEAKNESS OVER STRENGTH 

     In this fallen world the strong rule over the weak who are compelled to submit to their authority because of their lack of power. The sword is a powerful weapon used by the strong but it became feeble and weak when used to oppose Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. One reason for this is that although truth may appear to be weak it can never be defeated, for after being maligned and defeated it will always remain being truth. Lies always die but truth is forever.For example, the truth is that the crucified Jesus Christ is almighty God. Death cannot grasp Him, rather He puts death to death. The contradictory lie which distorts this truth is that bad men crucified the Lord thus putting Him to death and He remains dead as Jews believe. The truth is that by death He destroyed death’s authority and power but He arose from the dead on the third day and will never die again. Christ’s apparent weakness is followed by the truth of His godly all-powerfulness.

     Also the enemies of Christ achieve results directly opposite those which they would expect. When they tried to silence the Apostles in order to prevent the growth of Christianity, their efforts  caused Christianity to widen and deepen like a fast flowing river with its roar being heard everywhere, for “their sound went out to the whole universe.”  They tried to dry up Christianity and encountered a flood of believers and martyrs throughout the world.  

     When Christians were seized and held as weak and maligned prisoners, many were mercilessly slaughtered by fire and sword, by torture and hanging. But as each martyr was put to to death for the sake of Christ, they really went to the heavenly kingdom to receive their reward, and each death of martyrs resulted in the countless increase of new Christians, who rushed to be baptized, and became martyrs, thus greatly increasing the size of the Church.  When they attacked the churches in order to do away with Christianity, the Church grew stronger and spread further into many countries.. 

    Julian the apostate killed the Persian Christians, Manuel, Sabel and Ishmael and this action of the apostate caused the number of Christians and martyrs to increase, but Julian was killed in battle and paganism diminished. Apostates who abandoned the Orthodox faith and preached against Christ were the cause of the triumphant victories of Christianity. To the Christian believers, the sword is weak but their faith in Christ always triumphs over the sword, for every martyr does through death by martyrdom into the eternal kingdom never to die again. 

      The power of God and His goodness is the power that supercedes all other powers. The evil done against Christians always, in the end, resulted in spreading knowledge of Christ, His Church and salvation over the earth!  It is not surprising when we understand the power of God, of truth and of justice. With the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Christ until this day is not accepted by the Jews because of His apparent weakness as a crucified one. They fail to take into account the Lord’s disciples preaching the Gospel and the preaching   of many to expand the Church.The Church constantly increased, becoming Greek, Roman, Albanian, Romanian, Bulgarian. Ukrainian, Russian, Japanese. American, Egyptian, and many others all over the earth! 

     Twelve and then seventy started the flow of knowledge of the crucifixion of Christ and His third day resurrection, which the Church commemorates every year on Holy Pascha! God and His goodness are always triumph over the devil and his evil accomplices and in the end evil will be completely destroyed everywhere.

     Orthodox Christianity is never increased by use of the sword (as the Papacy and protestants) or any weapon, but always by the foolishness of preaching the truth. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men.

     How will we escape if we fail do what the believing Christians mentioned here did? They did not just believe, accept baptism and then live good lives to the end. They became activated and according to their means, spread knowledge of the true faith wherever and whenever possible, to their acquaintances, their neighbors and friends, to Greeks, the pagans and Jews, who believed and were baptized, being energized in the waters of baptism, wherein they spiritually died into the death of Christ and rose into His resurrection.

     Perhaps some will say, that they cannot bring others into the Church by preaching the Gospel, which is understandable but it is possible to live according to the Gospel and imperative if they wish to gain eternal life. For Christ did not preach to the Jews alone but to the entire human race. All mankind is being called to be baptized and live their lives according to Christ ‘s command-ments. Faithfulness and obedience to the will of God, keeping all of Christ’s words and commandments must adorn the life of every Christian. God glorifies the faithful and obedient and loves all men desiring they all come into His Holy Orthodoxy.