ORTHODOX TEACHING ABOUT GOD 

     There is only one God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in nature and essence. We Orthodox repeatedly confess in our Creed that there is only one God, the Creator of all that exists. The foolish idea replacing God with “Mother Nature” is a modern hoax conceived by unbelievers who in their imaginations invented a fictional character in the attempt to justify their denial of the true God, and Creator of heaven and earth. We also realize that God does everything with a perfect purpose,  most especially His wonderful formation of mankind in His own image, and the freedom for us  to attain to the perfection of His likeness. These thoughts should arouse in our minds the purpose for which God created us, and this in turn should arouse in our hearts extreme love and respect for our God and admiration for all His works, further  it will inspire us to greatly honor and care for all of the Lord’s creation. In turn, we will observe more of the beauty that surrounds us, but we will especially observe  the extreme beauty of our Creator which His creation slightly proclaims and which reveals  some of His eternal beauty. 

     Because God never ceases to be one in three, God is a monad which is important for if the monad did not exist, there could be no numbers nor anything else, for the monad is necessary for additional  numbers to exist; and without numbers there would be no God or creation, in addition everything God made is necessary and  there is nothing superfluous. The firm belief in the oneness of God we Orthodox proclaim in saying the Creed of ourHoly Church: “I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten . . . ” All creation by its countless visible wonders, repeatedly proclaims God’s innermost divine beauty.

ORTHODOX VIEWS OF GOD

ORTHODOX VIEWS OF GOD

      We apply the name “God” to the foremost, the most high and self-existent supreme Being, who is the source of everything that exists. God created everything from nothing and thus is the only source of everything.  He is self-sufficient having no needs, and everything that has existence receives it from God.

     God (Theos) exists forever not in time for He is eternity having neither beginning nor end, but He gives existence to everything that exists. When God spoke to Moses he declared His existence to him, saying: "I Am who  I am, or I Am the Being." The Being is a more descriptive name for God for He is the Being from whom everything that exists comes to be.

     God has eternal perfect existence and there is no other god but the Being and Creator of all that exists. Reason testifies that there can only be one God, and it is impossible for any other god to exist. Christianity teaches more about God than Moses and the Prophets, due to increased divine revelation.

     Christ revealed His Father in heaven from whom He is eternally begotten and the Spirit who eternally proceeds from the Father. Therefore Christianity teaches that the one God is a Trinity, three hypostases and one God, or one in three and three in one – Father Son and Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. The teaching that God is one was taught by God himself in the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods beside me” (Exodus 20:2-3). When addressing Moses, God spoke as an individual, not as a plurality: “I Am who I Am”   “Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord” (Deut. 6:4) “Before me there was no other God. And after me there shall be none” (Isaiah 43:10). God is one in nature and in essence, and being self-existent He is perfect in every way. 

     This doctrine means that God is the one who establishes to the potential unity and peace of the human race, for w He made us one in Christ, united in the Church which is Christ’s Body and the Church is one there being no other church. We continually confess this oneness and unity of our Church each time we say in the Creed: “I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.”

     The perfect life that God planned for man has been maliciously affected by Satan who sneakily introduced violation of God’ law causing  sin to enter the lives of man, followed by the many ills stemming from inevitable death.  Crimes, murder, wars and every ill that afflicts man are not the creation of God. But God permits this condition for a time but in time will destroy them and they will never return. But God’s plans are being fulfilled in the holy Church, wherein are those who seek love and peace with God and with each other, are sanctified.

PROPHECIES OF REVELATION 6

PROPHECIES OF REVELATION 6

Chapter 17 (this chapter continued from previous issue)

     “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast full of the names of blasphemy and having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color and  decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of  the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with   great astonishment.”

     "And the angel said unto me, For what reason did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw was, is not and shall ascend out of the abyss and go to perdition. And they who dwell on earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, yet is.  And here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he comes, he must continue for a short while. And the beast that was and is not, even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goes into perdition And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom yet; but receive authority for one hour with the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen and faithful. And he said unto me, the waters which you saw where the whore sits, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate, and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city that reigns over the kings of the earth.”

     “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drink of the wine of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are increasingly enriched through the abundance of her delicacies.  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that you not be partakers  of her sins and that you not receive her plagues.  For her sins have reached unto heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she has filled fill to her double. How much she has glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give to her, for she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and I am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judges her.”

      “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH". The whore  is a mystery because men cannot really see who she is, instead they see the Pope and his super power and divine authority. "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of  the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with   great astonishment.”