Friday, December 13, 2013

PROTESTANT GREAT ERRORS AND GREATER HERESIES

PROTESTANT GREAT ERRORS
AND GREATER HERESIES

Part One of a Series

     The purpose of this treatise is not to criticize but to speak the truth to anyone who is interested, and  our motivation for doing so is love. The  meaning of love is to give all the good you possess to those whom you love. There is nothing we can give that is more precious and beautiful than the true Christ and His true Church – holy Orthodoxy!  She is the continuation of the ancient Church founded by Christ and the Apostles, she is one and the same throughout the world, and the true faith has been preserved in all her churches, not by the rule of a central man, but by the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent as Comforter and Guide of His Church. We desire the salvation and eternal life of every man, but especially for those who will see their errors or heresy and abandoning their sinking ships, come  into the arms of holy Orthodoxy, wherein there is certain salvation.


    The fundamental Protestant error is their belief that they are in an imaginary church but they are far outside the true Church.  Because the plurality of many differing factions does not constitute the church for in the Church everyone must have the mind of Christ.  All those who are outside of the Orthodox Church, are not walking on the path of salvation. Christ established His Church on the fundamental doctrinal fact, which was uttered by Peter and confirmed by the other disciples: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mat. 16:16). It is important to note, that this is the fundamental law upon which the Church is built, the belief that  Christ is the Son of the Living God. The fundamental law of the papacy is that the Pope is the head, and all must recognize his authority and infallibility. The Baptists who do not want to be called Protestants have also formed other churches leaving them outside the true church. The fundamental law of most of  Protestantism is Sola Scriptura or Scriptures alone.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

CHRISTMAS IS ONLY ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

CHRISTMAS IS ONLY ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

      During this holy season we hear some Christmas songs like Silent Night, Holy Night, Away in A Manger, Come All You Faithful, Jingle Bells, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, Santa Claus is coming, and others which after a few days are soon forgotten by most people.  There is a difference in how divinely inspired Orthodox hymns reach the depths of minds and hearts, filling them with  the good news of the Birth of Christ, not easy to forget. Orthodox hymnology is a special grace, and is the  richest source of hymns of praise which narrate, all the aspects and events of the Nativity of Christ. Orthodox Christmas hymns are filled with the spirit of Christmas and remain indelibly written in many hearts.  Also, the fact that the Spirit inspires many hymn-writers is another reason for their beauty; here are a few samples.



Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Christ comes  from the heaven,
Go to meet Him!
Christ is on earth; Be exalted; 
Sing unto the Lord all the earth;
Praise Him in gladness O people, 
For He has been glorified!


   This Christ-centered hymn is used in Orthodoxy from mid November until Christmas, the Feast of Christ’s Birth.  Orthodox Christians observe a moderate fast beginning on November 15th and ending with the Feast Day of Christmas. This hymn begins November 21, which is the Feast of the Entrance of the Virgin  into the temple and the holy of holies where, at the tender age of three, she begins preparation that will be completed when she is betrothed to Joseph. By prayer and fasting, rejoicing in the Lord, by communion with angels, she  prepared to fulfill her awesome destiny which will cause her to become the best and  greatest person ever to come from the human race.  The greatness of her birthgiving can best be expressed in these words.  Our Father who is in heaven is giving birth and the Virgin gave birth to the same Son, our God, Jesus Christ!  At the Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel joyfully bestowed upon her a new name saying Rejoice: “Full of Grace” and in her wondrous birthgiving she receives another name, the Ever-virgin Theotokos, for she gave  birth to God in the flesh, our Savior Jesus Christ!