I was raised a Protestant but have been interested in orthodoxy for some years. In the past year I have begun watching your channel and have read some of your books. I am feeling more and more compelled to follow the Orthodox path. How do I do so? I have considered myself Christian for many years but fear I may be living in apostasy! I have in the last few months been doing my best to spend time in prayer using the Jesus Prayer how should I proceed father? Please advise and pray for me!
Hello Dan, it is good to take it slowly, don't feel pressured to rush things. Look up your local Orthodox churches on the internet - find one that worships in your language. Go along and start worshipping. Introduce yourself by email to the priest and explain your position -ask if you can meet to ask any questions you have. If the parish doesn't suit you, don't be afraid to try another one - it's important to feel comfortable. God bless you Dan, I will pray for you at this Sunday's Divine Liturgy.
Dan, please do as Father suggests. My family and I converted in 2006 from Lutheranism, Divine Liturgy and Ortho, Matins, especially teaches you, explain to you what you need to learn/know. May the Lord bless your journey.
Hello Dan, the most important step is approaching a local parish and talking to the the priest there. It normally takes at least six months to be prepared for chrismation. God bless you.
In his book "Orthodoxy and the religion of future" Fr. Seraphim Rose has notably adressed this issue as well as fiercely exposed the danger of ecumenical movement, protestant revivalism and eastern spiritualities.
Indeed he does, especially in the introduction. Fr. Seraphim also correctly touches on the falsehood of Zen, Transcendental meditation, the New age movement, and the effect of the so called Toronto blessing. It's a great book.
Thank you Father. Amen! Unity can only be achieved if it's foundation is the solid and absolute TRUTH of the pure, unpolluted, ORTHODOX FAITH once delivered! ☺🙏
Thank you so much, Fr. Spyidon, for this particular video. I was having a discussion about ecumenism with a Protestant friend of mine and I couldn't have answered his questions as well as you did in this video. May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry of making these great videos of instruction and learning!
This video is very relevant in these pre-apocalyptic times. Satan's heresies against Christ's Orthodox Church have attacked the tenets of the Creed in almost the same exact order in which they appear. In this final onslaught the attack is against the words "I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." Through ecumenism Satan is inviting every last heresy to honor itself in place of the Church, so it's hell's most virulent heresy to date. It's been stated that once the one-world government is ushered in, anyone who speaks against ecumenism will be imprisoned.
My heart is saddened. Eccumanism has poisoned the Church. With good reason the books of eccumanists were condemned as heretical burned by a bishop in Russia. With sorrow we should grieve that the rest of the Church has not followed the bishop's example and those on Mount Athos. Instead we have itching ears, and have build parishes and seminaries on the doctines of men; a foundation of heresy. These shepard's will have to give an account to God. Let us pray for mercy, for the illumination of their hearts and minds as well as our own, that the Light of Christ will wake us up from slumber.
Is it okay for the Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians to pray together? I'm not Orthodox, but frequently pray and worship with my Orthodox brother and sisters in Christ.
Would like to hear what the Fr. thinks about primitive Christian groups who adhere to orthodoxy in the doctrinal sense, but not Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Protestant traditions. Those doctrines in the Apostles Creed let's say, and New Testament style, credo baptism. Without getting specific, I 'belong' to one of these.
It is interesting that Constantinople fell to the Turks seven years after the end of the Council of Florence was rejected. Also, it is interesting that when Constantinople did fall, Our Lady ostentatiously left Hagia Sophia on May 28th, 1453. Also, it is interesting that Constantinople was willing to melt down all it's holy relics into coinage to pay the Genoese mercenaries... but it was too much to keep their word and continue in Christian unity, for they had since rejected that Council. Also, it is interesting that after the fall of Constantinople, the Turks encouraged anti-reunification clerics anyway they could to keep Christianity/Europe divided... and the Orthodox collaborated and obeyed. It is interesting,, that Catholic corruption and arrogance made the reformation so viable. It seems both were punished.Interesting that it wasn't until Catholic resistance in the Bloc countries began that the USSR began to become dissolute... though a mostly Orthodox domain. Interesting that Our Lady has put so much effort into Russia and it's conversion. The end of time is coming. The Churches must listen to the Holy Spirit, yield to the historical admonitions, and seek reunification. The end of time is approaching. The Churches must unite.
There is only one Church, the Orthodox. Ours is the Church founded by our Lord. There is no other. In nearby Exeter I'm often confronted by the statue of Richard Hooker who propounded the "branch" theory. This man was a heretic, his ideas were heretical. We can never accept a substitute for the one, true, Holy and Apostolic Church ☦
my brother, there is no such thing as the "Genuine Orthodox Church", it is a group of schismatic pseudo-zealots who have cut themselves off from the true vine and are plagued by further financial/moral scandals and schisms. They broke away because of a calendar change, or rather calendar fix, (inappropriate as it was), which most of the Orthodox have not adopted. They claim they are the only ones with Grace, when they themselves constantly break into more and more groups and anathematize each other. They display completely unchristianlike behavior, with one of their "bishops" slapping a fellow Orthodox Priest in a church. They are outside the church and themselves graceless, having what many call zeal without knowledge. Put yourself far away from them my friend lest they lure you in with their vague accusations of heresy. God willing, they will be back soon, as the ROCOR has already.
Panayiotis Xenakis talk to one, and then form your opinion. I do believe that we will reunite soon. Please work in your community to fight ecumenism, and soon, we will be able to come back. Any day, we could come back, but morally, cannot.
@@Православл My friend, your intentions are pure and your thoughts correct, however, Schism is as great as any heresy. When the Orthodox world fell under the temptation of Florence, did Saint Mark Ephesus form his own church? No, he worked inside the one with Apostolic Succession to rid it of its illness. Today, we face an equally scary yet different temptation, ecumenism. We must not separate ourselves from the true vine or the consequences could be bad. That being said, I have spoken to old calendarists, most of them are nice people, but many lacking any knowledge of their own history and how the church works. The GOC has split into 10s of competing groups all anathematizing each other and saying they are the only true Orthodox. All I know is the Holy Fire still goes off every year in Jerusalem. God bless
Panayiotis Xenakis but are we schismatic? Do we not have the exact same faith? Which one of us changed? The ROCOR lifted an anathema, placed by the church fathers, we stuck by it. Who is schismatic?
Православље Maxboy50 it was not an anathema to the current Orthodox Church, it was one to ecumenism, which is hard to identify specifically. And furthermore, the “GOC” wasn’t founded on anti ecumenist ideals, but only the calendar issue. They only added it when convenient for them in the 70s. Blessed Seraphim Rose believed in grace in “worldwide orthodoxy” and even the renovationists, and now the ROCOR is in full communion with the Russian Church who is led by a Holy Hierarchs. And yes, they broke away from the canonical church if Greece and stopped commemorating canonical bishops who can trace back to the Apostles, marking a schism.
This is the explanation of the truncated 'Revelation' of St John the Divine. BTW does anyone in the orthodox Church recall their people in Alberta, late 1970's? Specifically, the Priest who roamed downtown Edmonton.
@@MikesBibleNotes My understanding from u-tube submissions that Revelation in the Orthodox scripture does not include chapters 21&22 and ends with the Devil being cast into the bottomless pit. Also in the late 70's, 77-78 to be specific a certain Saint from the local Orthodox church near Edmonton Alberta roamed the downtown for a period of time until he disappeared in front of me an incident I included in my short story 'Anecdotes of the Night ' that is in my only collection of short stories that I self-published 1994.
Mark 9. 37-41 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us."Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." Jesus is much more lenient than most know.
The problem is this: The devil hides in the interpretation. To be FOR and WITH JESUS, you have to fulfill his demands on us - only the Orthodox church has the wisdom of the right interpretation to understand HIS demands and the authority to fulfill HIS sacraments - so to understand and fulfill @-41 you have to be Orthodox. GOD bless you.
I am a protestant and I recited the Nicean creed before being baptised. I think that makes me part of the universal church of Christ. Anybody here that disagrees?
The Church teaches that there are no sacraments outside the Church itself. Just because someone stands at an altar and prays over bread and wine doesn't make it the Body and Blood of Christ unless it is withing the Church. However, you will find some modernist thinkers who would accept your baptism but as being incomplete. The Church has always baptised and chrismated. It is a modern error to divide the two.
We protest againt the authority of the Bishop of Rome. We do not object against the universality of the church. Although we follow Christ differently, I recognise you as my christian brothers.
@@Bojanglesz89 This is disturbing. I was baptized in the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church as a baby yet none of my family of origin were Christians. No Bible in the house. I became an actual Christian when I was a child. Reading the scriptures is how you learn about salvation also if you were not in a Church. It is the blood of Christ that saves you. Having faith in Christ saves you. Not a dead faith but a living faith in the living Christ. The Catholic Church that I know of teaches that there is no salvation outside of them and if the Orthodox Church is going to do the same then that is disturbing. Jesus Christ is the one who saves. There were different Churches. The early believers were mainly Jewish and members of a sect called the Way. This is indisputable because it is history. It is also in the Bible. Believer's were first called Christians in Antioch which can also be proven in the Bible. The letter to the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. Those Churches were all different in some ways. And not all in good ways. Christ is the rock. Christ is the foundation. Sound doctrine must be based on scripture and not wholly on tradition. I'm a tad disappointed. I kind of like Father Spyridon but I don't agree with everything he says.
the church cannot save you. For it is not the flock the lost return to, but it is the shepherd they return to. 1Pe 2:25 NHEB For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. And the church is not the door, the Savior is the door. Joh 10:8-10 NHEB All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. Woe to you 'holy teachers'. For you take away the key of knowledge. You are not entering in yourselves, and those who are entering in, you hinder!
@@ellastrantellenas278 nonsense. 1Ti 3:15 NHEB but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. His instructions were about good Christian conduct (how people are to behave). These instructions are for God's people (the church). The church is made up of people who uphold the truth like a pillar upholds a building. Jesus Christ alone is the way the truth and the life.
@@williambrewer nice taking the verse into another sense it clearly states that the house of God is the church and that the church is the pillar and ground of truth. It tells how we have to behave in the house of god ( the church) and that it is the PILLAR and GROUND of truth. One Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church!
Branches don't mean separation. By definition, they all belong to the tree. Consider the Lord's teaching concerning the Vine. Now, branches cut off because of apostasy, that's another matter. That's the ecumenism problem, separation from Christ through union with those who reject doctrines of the Creed.
Don't disagree with the saints who have experienced GOD one to one - who are you to know better. JESUS meant very particular things in his teachings, not as any church wishes - and only the first, oldest and unchanged church has the right understanding, which is the Orthodox church!
Ex catholic, converted to Coptic Orthodoxy. 100% agree. I love how you explain things like this. The Church is going through bad times and there are enemies from the within. Let’s pray for the Church.
my friend, coptic "orthodoxy" is a misnomer. Their congregation is anti-chalcedonian and miaphite, being separated from the true vine many years ago. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the Church Christ established, and the so-called "Oriental Orthodox", though much closer in belief to us, are actually outside the church themselves.
Dear Pietro del Franco, the belief of the Coptics is wrong ! They believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was only GOD not GOD and human being in the same time ! So they do not believe that The Lord Jesus Christ suffered on the Cross !!!!!!!!
@@mircea293 Why are we so quick to judge? It is one thing to condemn others based on truth, but it is not the spirit of Christianity to judge others based on our ego. We do not believe like that. Never. As for Father Spyridon, I like what he is teaching here and I follow it, and I respect his view on Ecumenism. But I feel there were many divisions which were not due to real theological differences and I hope and pray the Church of Christ be united one day. Not of course based on compromise and man made beliefs, but based on the one true faith.
Translation: My church is the only valid church, everything else is apocryphal, blasphemy.. The Father's words contribute to the wounding (division) of the Church (all Christians)
You are not the Church if you are out of the Church. Simple as that. There can't be more division than Schism so he is not dividing anyone. Orthodoxy stayed since its foundation, take your talk to those who separated from the Truth.
@@JP-rf8rr The problem is this: The devil hides in the interpretation. To be FOR and WITH JESUS, you have to fulfill his demands on us - only the Orthodox church has the wisdom of the right interpretation to understand HIS demands and the authority to fulfill HIS sacraments - so to understand and fulfill 9:37-41 you have to be Orthodox. GOD bless you.
@@shabrour The problem with this is that Catholics could also easily say "only our church has the wisdom of the right interpretation" what stopping any other church or group from saying the same? The key to interpreting the bible is reason, reason and faith. You can't just claim the devil is hiding in interpretation, you have to point out where and why the interpretation fails either through scripture or reason. “Whoever welcomes one of these children in My name, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.” John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward." To me the scripture is clear. This man wasn't part of the early church, or at the very least wasn't following the apostles. Yet Jesus not only validates his spiritual works, but even promotes it. Justifying it by saying it is done in his name and thus cannot speak evil against him. This to me makes it clear that you don't have to join any specific group, to not lose your reward. If you have an issue with my interpretation please specify where and how I got messed up.
I was with you until this talk. "My Father's House has many mansions." You have views on some issues I disagree with but I have been saved. The Lord pulled me from sin and I know my Savior personally.
Hello, it is hard for modern people to grasp how individualised our thinking has become. A personal faith in and relationship with Christ is essential. But when we make it matter of our own personal beliefs alone, we lose the authentic means to salvation. Christ said openly that unless we eat His Body and drink His Blood there is no salvation in us. Belonging to the Church is not an optional extra. The sacramental life of the Church is the means by which God permits us grace. Trying to live outside this we dry up and die spiritually. The individualised faith that is presented as Christianity today is Satan's trick. We need to embrace the whole of the faith and become part of Christ's Body. God bless you.
And bless you too. Your talks are excellent, If we were sitting on a sunny patio on a small island in Greece with an excellent lunch of dry cheeses and bread, wine and good company, we could have a wonderful discussion on the Lord. In the meantime, I hope this finds you well.
@@BlindTom61 You see, some things you can't discuss about - you just accept them, because GOD revealed them to us this way, finished, we like it or not. GOD bless you.
It is His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.It is not correct to refer so rudely a hierarch, as unfortunate as many of his actions today are. Saint Paisios and Justic Popovic, talked the great errors the schismatic Old-Calendarists have, foremost that they separated themselves from the true vine of the church for a calendar change that only a fraction of the Orthodox world accepted. They then split and anathematized each other into more squabbling groups, until there were more bishops than laymen. Then, vague accusations of ecumenism were made, and suddenly everyone else is graceless except for the community of
As a priest I pray every day that the heresy of the ecumenical movement will disappeare. And yet it gains strength every day even among bishops. I recently saw a video in which Callistos Ware said that union with Rome is sure to happen eventually and that the only one who can lead a unified church is the pope. How.sick and depressing is that! Such people are doing the Devil's work while believing themselves to be Christians.
I thank God everyday for making me part of such a genuine body of believers in His Church! I absolutely love our bishop and our priests for their wholehearted commitment in keeping our Holy Faith pure! Praises and glory to our God forever! Thank you Fr. Spyridon! 🙏
I am an Ethiopian orthodox and; these new age movement ideas are all around us bombarding us with these fancy ideas and leading as stray; i must say thank you father for not keeping silent and watch this madness while children of God are lost in vein.we need more people like you my God give you long life and health.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church anti-ecumenists tend to hate us Oriental Orthodox. They think they’re fighting heresy, ignoring God’s commandment to love one another, the parable of the Good Samaritan, and the fact that we believe pretty much the exact same things anyway
@@tomkunnel411 No, friend that's completely wrong. The only ones that speak about same faith either don't know what the other side believes or are just ignoring the differences on purpose. Have a look at the Orthodox Theologians like (Maximus the Confessor and John of Damascus) and then have a look at Severus (who is not a theologian but a philosopher like Arius) and you'll understand that the fundamentals are completely different. That's why Orthodox Saints were completely opposed to any kind of union with the Monophysites, because we don't have the same faith.
No, friend you are wrong here. There is no consesus between the Orthodox Church and Monophysites. There is only consesus between Ecumenists and Monophysites, not Orthodox. Every single Orthodox Saint is clear in this, the Orthodox Faith is completely different to the faith of the Monophysites. There can be no union with heretics except if they return to Orthodoxy, that's the Orthodox Consesus Patrum. Whatever the Orthodox hierarchy claims, it has zero value, if it is against the Consesus Patrum of the Orthodox Saints and the Ecumenical Councils.
Great message 👍. When The Lord saved me, almost 5 years now.. yes The" Lord " and baptized me and sealed me with His Holy Spirit and called me beloved, I knew whom I belonged to for eternity. I guess here is my point and question. I first went to an orthodox priest when I was saved, and he said he was a former Catholic priest, he said either the Orthodox or Catholic Church are pretty much the same? So I went to the Catholic Church simply because it was closer to my home. However, after going through all there training and being confirmed the Lord chastened me and showed me that there is something sinister about that church as a whole (not the people). To be honest I believe there is a demonic entity running things in that system. Ecuminism is evil. I agree and that is exactly what the black pope is promoting. I turned to scripture alone because of what the Lord showed me, very scary stuff. I feel alone and fearful because of the high level of deceit that is going on. Catholic (behind scenes) Protestant and Evangelical churches in America are a joke. With homosexuality being accepted as good and right. However, in there defense I believe there is a biological reason for this. A different topic. It is appearing the Lord is bringing me full circle. So my friend and brother in Christ, is the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church equal and the same? If they are not, can you recommend a book, or something to describe those differences. I agree that the Bible says Antioch is where we are first called Christians, and that is probably the only reason I'm even considering looking at the Orthodox faith again. I am no scholar but can hold my on with scripture, specifically The King James Bible. What is your advice and recommendation?
Father bless. Thank you for the exposing us to the wisdom of the Church Lord Jesus Christ the son of God have mercy on the Orthodox Christians everywhere. Thomas a sinner.
You speak the truth so eloquently, God love you Father Spyridon, I absolutely love your orthodox teachings that we are one church as such from the apostles.
Aloha from Hawai'i. Christ is Risen!! Thank you Father for your assessment and defence of the Orthodox Faith and His Church. What I find lamentable, among other things, is that during the Pandemic the Church led by Her Hierarches bowed to the secular authorities and suspended the Holy Mysteries, or with Innovation, disguised as health concerns changed the reception of the above. Baptism, Charismation, Marriages, and worst of all, if I can say it, demanded change in the Divine Liturgy by interjecting the aspect of fear and trepidation at coming to the Chalice/Poterion. These same Hierarches hobnobed, and worse, prayed with the Papists, Protestants, and in some cases with other exotic religions. As a convert to Orthodoxy from the Anglicans I have not experienced this so blatantly till now. In the "Church of England" ecumenism is common, as you know. I blindly followed it. Now, how do Orthodox priests react and respond to their Hierarches directives? I do really want your thoughts and guidance on this horrible matter. Mahalo nui loa.
@@kylebrogmus8847 Im baptist as a Orthodox but I don’t believe in what you just said, Jesus is the Way almost every church agree on who he was, the rest is just different ways of worship. I was filled with the hope and Love from God and I became really religious and started to learn more and repent but the second I started thinking and focus on what Church was right or wrong that Hope was not in my heart. I believe unity is the way brother. We are to call ourselves followers of Christ not divide ourselfs in groups and saying theyre wrong. Jesus said he is the way the truth and the Life and when I focus on God my relationship becomes real and strong. God Bless❤️
Bravo Father, it is wise of you to discern the danger of ecumenism and one-world-religion. I personally do not believe that being a part of any institution (call it church if you want) is necessary for salvation, but then again my doctrine is sola scriptura. Keep the videos coming, this non-denominational Christian (Acts 11:26) appreciates your Orthodox teachings!
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and we come to the Father through Him. We may have some differences in minor doctrine, but that does not make any one church the true church. If we get hung up on such things we will loose the most important thing, which is faith that comes by hearing by the word of God, and the fruits of the Spirit that come to us as we seek the Lord in prayer, fasting and other spiritual disciplines. Also without the Protestants and their focus on taking the Great Commission seriously, and taking the gospel to the darkest corners of the Earth, many countries would have never heard the gospel and never received Christ. In my humble opinion, the OC saying they are the only true church makes them Pharisaic and also you seem to look dowm at other Christians.
Orthodoxy it self is not united. Scattered and very often tightly coupled to nationalism. Just as protestantism, it's separated from Roman Catholic Church, but still it retained almost all of Church's original teachings and most importantly, the sacraments. Peter is the rock, not unity of faith as mentioned at the end of the video. One authority, one faith, one baptism, one body of Christ. I believe that one day Catholic Chruc and Eastern will unite.
Blessings to you Father Spyridon👏❤ Lord is with you always. One question, if the churches are closed, how can I have holy bread? Can I make my own at home?
Hi father, if you have time at some point can you please recommend me which is the most accurate English translation (old or new English) just after accuracy over ease of reading 😊.. also is it true the 1611 King James Bible is the most faithful translation of the NT in English
The Orthodox Study Bible is really good. Fr John Whiteford recommends the Ancient Faith edition rather than the standard Thomas Nelson edition (though I own the latter 😆)
Friendship i would put outside of the church because to found a friend means to find someone with simmilar interests what can be outside of the church. More important that echimenical council is what relationship do you have with Christ. Do you live every day trying to be more like him? When you open yourself to the Christ, Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth and he may show you the way you should be going.
Fr. Greetings from the Bronx N.Y., I have a major problem and I need some advice as I have a whole hearted respect fo you and the way you teach the Orthodox faith. I have been faithful to the Greek Orthodox church since I was baptized in 1959, however it appears my church and most other Greek Orthodox churches are ecumenical churches, including the new archbishop of America and the patriarch of Constantinople. I'm a believer of the old calendar and NOT a subscriber of the ecumenical movement and my question to you is since I can't find any non ecumenical Greek Orthodox churches, I'm seriously considering going to and converting to Russian Orthodoxy, what would I have to do to make this transition possible.
There is only one God, and thus one likeness. We are created in the image of God. That means we are created by God to be in his likeness, the one likeness revealed by the law and shown perfectly and completely through the life of Christ. Likeness means to take the form of a thing. We are therefore to think, talk and Act like God, but as man. How? God revealed how; he showed us with his life, word and law. But to Act right, to Live right, one must first Believe right. Correct Belief leads to Correct Behaviour, a Correct Life. If there is one God and one image of God-as-Man (Christ), there is only one way for correct behaviour, a correct life. And if there is one way of correct life, there is only one set of correct beliefs, one correct dogma. That's not to say there aren't different roles within that one, correct life. But they are all revealed in God, in his life, words or through the Prophets and Saints who were guided by God: fatherhood, motherhood, parenthood, marriage, teaching, Preist hood. The difference is, as mortal men with one life and limited abilities, we can usually only take on a few of these roles, not all. But there is one correct way within all of these roles; one correct way to be married, one correct way to be a parent. Therefore the Ecumenical movement that promotes different dogma, different correct beliefs are promoting a contradiction. And that is why there is no mystery; they promote many beliefs, and so we get so many behaviours and lives claiming to be "Christian". Within all of the roles God has shown us as the way to unite with him, experience him and express Love and Goodness, be it marriage or Preisthood, the Ecumenicals promote multiple, contradictory, versions when there is just one. And thus, with multiple lives comes multiple Spirits. One life for there is only one Holy Spirit to guide us. Ans if there is no union of Spirit, there is no union of Body and no union with God.
Hi Fr Spyridon. Thank you for all your videos i find them very insightful. I would disagree with you only on two points the Filoque and about Peter not being the Rock. Peter clearly was not perfect in the New Testament or in even in modern times, but his authority is very clearly outlined as the apostles and St Paul respected his judgment. Though they did challenge him they did not deny the Albiete. Just like David did not kill Saul when he had a chance in the cave, he only challenged him until Gods favor shifted to him. Ultimately Christ is King, but he is building a kingdom on earth in his churches. Not a one with imperfections but one with pure joy and love. The greatest weakness of any tradition is the sinfulness of its members. And this sinfulness has led to many divisions. Yet by faith, in the end we know Christ brings heaven to earth in the last judgement. God’s many gifts can be found in each of us but our divisions in teaching are simply not possible. I think on this point we would agree. Fortunately God is far greater than us and so is Christ’s physical testament to our Father at this point... as billions of people know Jesus and his words about the Father. Thanks be to God for our mission to keep sharing this good news. No one is greater than the master, but through forgiveness we are friends. In the past I was a great sinner, Fr Spyridon and by God’s grace and mercy I have started to see the light so to speak and change my heart. I come from multiple traditions and I find tradition hard at times. My mission is more like John the Baptist a calling to repentance perhaps. I’m not sure yet. But I do know that this Spirit we each have, we do somehow share, and it proceeds from the Father and in the incarnation, the Son. If I did not know Christ I wouldn’t be able to truly comprehend our Father. The Father is best for sure but a true Father wants everything He has to be His Son’s and His Daughter’s. And All Her Children to the ends of the earth. We each are somehow uniquely important, especially the most wounded. I think all we can do as a church is go lower Fr Spyridon, this is what Ecumenism means to me. And as our crosses rise together we can be confident in the great humbling that is coming upon the world. Christ’s final victory. Keep challenging Peter to go lower, but don’t deny the Albiete. I pray that the Orthodox churches maybe able to call a council and more powerfully unify their traditions throughout the world. And may God’s favor rest upon you. A fisherman with two strong lungs is always best. I like to think that I’m named after a strong man who proclaimed the Christ and got no authority at all except to serve the Lord and share in his bread. But even when he died on a cross too he knew that he had picked up his younger brother and threw him into service of the Lord with the modern day goliaths’ to bring them both as low as they could go.
Father Spyridon, I am a former demoniac, five years ago the name of Jesus liberated me. I am not of any church. An orthodox monk has told me that he can set up a meeting between a "clairvoyant cleric" and myself. I should go meet this man, yes?
Spend time repenting of sins as in deuteronomy and commandments that moses gave and rest of time in Matthew, mark, Luke, and John ( gospels of new testament) reading how Jesus forgave your sins on the cross. That will break the devil's power. Seek to know GOD every day
@@melanieclinkston9114 I have read the entirety of the scriptures four times since 2015. I have not been inhabited or attacked by unclean spirits since I called on the name of the Lord in 2015. However, my eyes percieve spiritual things still from time to time and I am often aware of the presence of spiritual beings even if I cannot see them. I have had these experiences since I was a child and I have been searching for years for a fellow Christian who understands these things better than I do. Instead I am constantly met with fear or trepidation because people who hear my testimony are frightened that I will infect them somehow. Church keeps telling me its behind me. But I'm not content sitting in there listening to short soundbites that focus on a particular passage and then try to apply it to American life. I want to be around like minded Christian's who have at least some understanding of what I went through so that we can help people who struggle with demonic attacks.
This is excellent, Father. It is so critical in our times to deal head on with the modern day brood of vipers, clothed in a form of religion but spouting lies and living hypocrisy... preparing for the welcoming of a false christ, a false reign, and a false kingdom.
"New age" Doesnt this come from Blavatsky? Isn't she an apostate from the Church? She wrote about "lucifer" as our savior and wrote about uniting with lucifer's energy. The bible teaches that there are demonic energies, Blavatsky's teachings seemed to be a mirror inversion of Orthodoxy combined with sethian gnosticism, kabala and a little vedanta. If you listen to the newagers they sound very much like us when they talk about energy. I would find it all niave but harmless if i was not aware of Blavatsky's writings and influence.
Not to disagree so much as seek clarification, but when you dismiss this branch theory on the basis that making divisions in the church is blasphemy, I think you could look at it instead as recognising different parts of one body, which Paul talks about. I'd be interested in how you might parse ecumenism with this in mind.
As long as Christ is preached! But what of the 'grape juice drinkers', ordination of women, trans, openly gay, blessing gay marriage, etc. Are there any limits? How do we judge heresy, as we ourselves would be judged? Just some issues that make me wonder. Oh, and that rapture thing. Love!
@@noway165 I know, yes - there has to be some boundary of the body. I would point out though, that like Paul explains in Romans 2, their own standards are more than enough to damn them. Sola scriptura, most of those things (not sure about unfermented grape juice being a serious lapse lol) put them beyond that boundary. For sure, Christ might be preached by the selfish men Paul mentions in Philippians 1 but there's a good chance those who listen will be let in while those preachers will be told "I never knew you." Only God knows the heart, and it might not be that many who are willing in these churches are yet established, but I cannot help seeing the gifts of the Spirit in many. I could be wrong but I see the groups of "those who..." embody certain gifts more expressed in some denominations than others and I suspect we are supposed to gather them into the fullness of the faith so that we also can be a fully embodied church, if that makes sense? If so, it will be and in God's eyes has already come to pass but I would worry if from our perspective we might ourselves slip away should we do nothing to love them even now while they are lapsed, just as Jesus died for us when we were at our worst.
Yes, the Orthodox "Catholic" Church. Not Roman. You must know that the Nicene Creed is not referring to Roman Catholicism which developed centuries later.
@@MikesBibleNotes Pope St. Gregory the Great and Pope St. Leo the Great both taught papal primacy in the late 400s, early 500s. So, we'd have to be saying that the Roman Church has been off the rails since 500AD... If that's the case, why did it take an additional 500-700 years for the Eastern Churches to finally consider the papal primacy of Rome to be schism worthy? For what it's worth, I attend an Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic parish to give you context. I am, essentially, Orthodox in communion with Rome. I do not have issues whatsoever with Orthodoxy, except for their objection to papal primacy.
deep thing is it’s almost like the schism was useless because now I’ve seen so many catholic priests (eastern and Latin rite) who sometimes don’t include the Filioque when reciting the creed and some who do, it’s almost optional now lol.
This is absolutely correct. The Holy Spirit baptizes membership in the church of Christ. It's not by saying the right words or attending the right ceremony. God decides and He baptizes membership via direct communion with His Holy Spirit. There are "members" of the catholic and orthodox churches who have never truly received the Holy Spirit. And there are protestants who have absolutely received Christ and been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Also, go read what Jesus said to his disciples who wanted to reprimand the "non-Christians" who were healing and casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Read what the Lord God Jesus Christ spoke in response about those who are not against us. Trying to be a "gatekeeper" of salvation is absurd. Christ alone is the gatekeeper and the gate. Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life. It's not the pope, not a specific priest, and not a specific sect or denomination. It isnt through the right ceremony or incantation or spashing of oil. It is through Jesus Christ alone.
You said “the church is the body of Christ, it cannot be divided”. But Matthew 26:26 says: “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” Is this not the body of Christ being divided?
Hello Father Spyridon, I'm sorry if this question misses the nuances of this talk, but I feel a need for clarity, so, to be blunt, do you view Catholics as part of the one church?
I wish you could speak with Pope Francis and his Curia...you have a wonderful demeanor. So sad how the See of St Peter has been entangled in so many problems.
The Disunity of Christians is in itself a great sin. "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." -1 Corinthians 1:10-
Father how I do become a member of the Orthodox church I pray everyday and read the Bible and listen to gods signs how do I become a legit member I just started in my faith in Christ because I grew up so confused and lead astray please hear me
Cutting of ecclesiastical communion with the heretic archbishops(or walling if im not mistaken, I'm not very familiar with the term in English) and having communion only with priests who have done the same is the only correct reaction,as the 15th canon of the First-Second council of 861 stated
JEsus said that whosoever believes in Him would not perish buthave eternal life, the thief on the the Cross wasn ot even baptized, and Jesus said tonot forbid someone who cast out demons in Jesus' Name but didn't follow with Him and His disciples who is not against us is on our side. The protestants consider they are the conintuation not a new church and have connection to the original church through baptism admministered bay baptized people back to them, like some schismatics in Orthodoxy they figure the other churches went into apostasy they are the real remnant church. which is sort of silly. all that said, I know the true church is the ORthodox, I converted from what I call generic protestantsim to Orthodoxy, but I know there were answered prayers and action of God in my life before that. I thinkthe people who believe in Jesus but have confused notions are like beginner catechumens spiritually. Not damned but I doubt they'd be ruling with Jesus more like a second class citizen? As for chiliasm, the 1,000 year limit to His reign on earth is what is repudiated, not His physical return and physical rule, "He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead and His Kingdom shall have NO END." the idea of the churches building the kingdom on earth, instead of being outposts and foretastes of it is of course wrong, JEsus will establish it. protestants especially the dominionists and joel's army sort have warped things a lot. the pre tribulation rapture is probably about the most unbiblical notion of all. Ecumenism obscures all these issues, and is a serious error, one writer online said it is potentially the sum of all heresies. That said, I think that it is not total loss of grace but sharply reduced grace that is operating in non ORthodox Christianity and the churches of such.
THE HOLY CHRIST OUR GOD......HAVE UNIQUE ONE ORGANIC BODY......NOT MUTILATION CONNECTED COORDINATION......GLORY TO MOST HOLY TRIUNE GOD.....FOR ALL OF HIS MEMBERS
2:21, the church is not many but one, etc. That’s a true statement because Christ Himself said that, “I will build my church...” not churches (Matt.16)!
God bless you dear Fr. Greetings from Pakistan.
I was raised a Protestant but have been interested in orthodoxy for some years. In the past year I have begun watching your channel and have read some of your books. I am feeling more and more compelled to follow the Orthodox path. How do I do so? I have considered myself Christian for many years but fear I may be living in apostasy! I have in the last few months been doing my best to spend time in prayer using the Jesus Prayer how should I proceed father? Please advise and pray for me!
Hello Dan, it is good to take it slowly, don't feel pressured to rush things. Look up your local Orthodox churches on the internet - find one that worships in your language. Go along and start worshipping. Introduce yourself by email to the priest and explain your position -ask if you can meet to ask any questions you have. If the parish doesn't suit you, don't be afraid to try another one - it's important to feel comfortable. God bless you Dan, I will pray for you at this Sunday's Divine Liturgy.
Thank you so much Father for your counsel and prayer!
Dan, please do as Father suggests.
My family and I converted in 2006 from Lutheranism, Divine Liturgy and Ortho, Matins, especially teaches you, explain to you what you need to learn/know.
May the Lord bless your journey.
I hope that things are going well for you Dan.
Hello Dan, the most important step is approaching a local parish and talking to the the priest there. It normally takes at least six months to be prepared for chrismation. God bless you.
This is very fine, bold and clear teaching. Thank you Father.
In his book "Orthodoxy and the religion of future" Fr. Seraphim Rose has notably adressed this issue as well as fiercely exposed the danger of ecumenical movement, protestant revivalism and eastern spiritualities.
Father Spyridon has a follow up book to Fr. Seraphim Rose's.
@@JonahInWales
what is the title of that book ?
@@c.d.3230 ORTHODOXY AND THE KINGDOM OF SATAN
Indeed he does, especially in the introduction. Fr. Seraphim also correctly touches on the falsehood of Zen, Transcendental meditation, the New age movement, and the effect of the so called Toronto blessing. It's a great book.
@@JonahInWales Both books are excellent and quite relevant.
God bless you Fr.Spyridon ,all the videos are so true and divine.Thank you .Greetings from Greece.
Thank you Father. Amen! Unity can only be achieved if it's foundation is the solid and absolute TRUTH of the pure, unpolluted, ORTHODOX FAITH once delivered! ☺🙏
Thank you so much, Fr. Spyidon, for this particular video. I was having a discussion about ecumenism with a Protestant friend of mine and I couldn't have answered his questions as well as you did in this video. May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry of making these great videos of instruction and learning!
Me too, Wade. I find myself trying to explain Orthodoxy in terms non Orthodox would understand, without offense. But in the heart it is inexplicable.
Excellent explanation !
Thank you Father !
Greetings from Bulgaria !
Thank you Father.
Continue to pray for us, as we pray for you.
Excellent. Watering down the truth in the name of unity is a terrible deception.
This message by brother Spyridon is what historic orthodoxy believes!
This video is very relevant in these pre-apocalyptic times. Satan's heresies against Christ's Orthodox Church have attacked the tenets of the Creed in almost the same exact order in which they appear. In this final onslaught the attack is against the words "I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." Through ecumenism Satan is inviting every last heresy to honor itself in place of the Church, so it's hell's most virulent heresy to date. It's been stated that once the one-world government is ushered in, anyone who speaks against ecumenism will be imprisoned.
Thank you Father.
The true Love, is the Love from the Orthodox heart, is the Love in Truth ! Is the Love for the soul !!!!!!!
My heart is saddened. Eccumanism has poisoned the Church. With good reason the books of eccumanists were condemned as heretical burned by a bishop in Russia. With sorrow we should grieve that the rest of the Church has not followed the bishop's example and those on Mount Athos. Instead we have itching ears, and have build parishes and seminaries on the doctines of men; a foundation of heresy. These shepard's will have to give an account to God. Let us pray for mercy, for the illumination of their hearts and minds as well as our own, that the Light of Christ will wake us up from slumber.
Is it okay for the Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians to pray together? I'm not Orthodox, but frequently pray and worship with my Orthodox brother and sisters in Christ.
3:12, the ecumenical movement.
Is Globalism not the same thing standing for one currency one system one centralized power one church.?
Would like to hear what the Fr. thinks about primitive Christian groups who adhere to orthodoxy in the doctrinal sense, but not Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Protestant traditions. Those doctrines in the Apostles Creed let's say, and New Testament style, credo baptism. Without getting specific, I 'belong' to one of these.
It is interesting that Constantinople fell to the Turks seven years after the end of the Council of Florence was rejected. Also, it is interesting that when Constantinople did fall, Our Lady ostentatiously left Hagia Sophia on May 28th, 1453. Also, it is interesting that Constantinople was willing to melt down all it's holy relics into coinage to pay the Genoese mercenaries... but it was too much to keep their word and continue in Christian unity, for they had since rejected that Council. Also, it is interesting that after the fall of Constantinople, the Turks encouraged anti-reunification clerics anyway they could to keep Christianity/Europe divided... and the Orthodox collaborated and obeyed. It is interesting,, that Catholic corruption and arrogance made the reformation so viable. It seems both were punished.Interesting that it wasn't until Catholic resistance in the Bloc countries began that the USSR began to become dissolute... though a mostly Orthodox domain. Interesting that Our Lady has put so much effort into Russia and it's conversion. The end of time is coming. The Churches must listen to the Holy Spirit, yield to the historical admonitions, and seek reunification. The end of time is approaching. The Churches must unite.
There is only one Church, the Orthodox. Ours is the Church founded by our Lord. There is no other. In nearby Exeter I'm often confronted by the statue of Richard Hooker who propounded the "branch" theory. This man was a heretic, his ideas were heretical. We can never accept a substitute for the one, true, Holy and Apostolic Church ☦
I am confused. Can someone help me: what is Western Rite Orthodoxy? Is it different from orthodoxy is western countries?
3:58, Chiliasm, the Millennial.
Beautiful! I will be joining the GOC of greece.
my brother, there is no such thing as the "Genuine Orthodox Church", it is a group of schismatic pseudo-zealots who have cut themselves off from the true vine and are plagued by further financial/moral scandals and schisms. They broke away because of a calendar change, or rather calendar fix, (inappropriate as it was), which most of the Orthodox have not adopted. They claim they are the only ones with Grace, when they themselves constantly break into more and more groups and anathematize each other. They display completely unchristianlike behavior, with one of their "bishops" slapping a fellow Orthodox Priest in a church. They are outside the church and themselves graceless, having what many call zeal without knowledge. Put yourself far away from them my friend lest they lure you in with their vague accusations of heresy. God willing, they will be back soon, as the ROCOR has already.
Panayiotis Xenakis talk to one, and then form your opinion. I do believe that we will reunite soon. Please work in your community to fight ecumenism, and soon, we will be able to come back. Any day, we could come back, but morally, cannot.
@@Православл My friend, your intentions are pure and your thoughts correct, however, Schism is as great as any heresy. When the Orthodox world fell under the temptation of Florence, did Saint Mark Ephesus form his own church? No, he worked inside the one with Apostolic Succession to rid it of its illness. Today, we face an equally scary yet different temptation, ecumenism. We must not separate ourselves from the true vine or the consequences could be bad. That being said, I have spoken to old calendarists, most of them are nice people, but many lacking any knowledge of their own history and how the church works. The GOC has split into 10s of competing groups all anathematizing each other and saying they are the only true Orthodox. All I know is the Holy Fire still goes off every year in Jerusalem. God bless
Panayiotis Xenakis but are we schismatic? Do we not have the exact same faith? Which one of us changed? The ROCOR lifted an anathema, placed by the church fathers, we stuck by it. Who is schismatic?
Православље Maxboy50 it was not an anathema to the current Orthodox Church, it was one to ecumenism, which is hard to identify specifically. And furthermore, the “GOC” wasn’t founded on anti ecumenist ideals, but only the calendar issue. They only added it when convenient for them in the 70s. Blessed Seraphim Rose believed in grace in “worldwide orthodoxy” and even the renovationists, and now the ROCOR is in full communion with the Russian Church who is led by a Holy Hierarchs. And yes, they broke away from the canonical church if Greece and stopped commemorating canonical bishops who can trace back to the Apostles, marking a schism.
This is the explanation of the truncated 'Revelation' of St John the Divine. BTW does anyone in the orthodox Church recall their people in Alberta, late 1970's? Specifically, the Priest who roamed downtown Edmonton.
Please expound. Thanks.
@@MikesBibleNotes My understanding from u-tube submissions that Revelation in the Orthodox scripture does not include chapters 21&22 and ends with the Devil being cast into the bottomless pit. Also in the late 70's, 77-78 to be specific a certain Saint from the local Orthodox church near Edmonton Alberta roamed the downtown for a period of time until he disappeared in front of me an incident I included in my short story 'Anecdotes of the Night ' that is in my only collection of short stories that I self-published 1994.
Mark 9. 37-41 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us."Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." Jesus is much more lenient than most know.
The problem is this: The devil hides in the interpretation. To be FOR and WITH JESUS, you have to fulfill his demands on us - only the Orthodox church has the wisdom of the right interpretation to understand HIS demands and the authority to fulfill HIS sacraments - so to understand and fulfill @-41 you have to be Orthodox. GOD bless you.
I am a protestant and I recited the Nicean creed before being baptised. I think that makes me part of the universal church of Christ. Anybody here that disagrees?
The Church teaches that there are no sacraments outside the Church itself. Just because someone stands at an altar and prays over bread and wine doesn't make it the Body and Blood of Christ unless it is withing the Church. However, you will find some modernist thinkers who would accept your baptism but as being incomplete. The Church has always baptised and chrismated. It is a modern error to divide the two.
Bojanglesz89 No, you’re not in the Church. The Creed states that there’s one church, so saying it as a Protestant is contradictory.
We protest againt the authority of the Bishop of Rome. We do not object against the universality of the church. Although we follow Christ differently, I recognise you as my christian brothers.
Mysteries are only present in Orthodoxy
@@Bojanglesz89 This is disturbing. I was baptized in the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church as a baby yet none of my family of origin were Christians. No Bible in the house. I became an actual Christian when I was a child. Reading the scriptures is how you learn about salvation also if you were not in a Church. It is the blood of Christ that saves you. Having faith in Christ saves you. Not a dead faith but a living faith in the living Christ.
The Catholic Church that I know of teaches that there is no salvation outside of them and if the Orthodox Church is going to do the same then that is disturbing. Jesus Christ is the one who saves.
There were different Churches. The early believers were mainly Jewish and members of a sect called the Way. This is indisputable because it is history. It is also in the Bible. Believer's were first called Christians in Antioch which can also be proven in the Bible.
The letter to the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. Those Churches were all different in some ways. And not all in good ways.
Christ is the rock. Christ is the foundation. Sound doctrine must be based on scripture and not wholly on tradition.
I'm a tad disappointed. I kind of like Father Spyridon but I don't agree with everything he says.
I do not believe either taht Pope John 23 should have been canonized.
the church cannot save you. For it is not the flock the lost return to, but it is the shepherd they return to.
1Pe 2:25 NHEB For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
And the church is not the door, the Savior is the door.
Joh 10:8-10 NHEB All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
Woe to you 'holy teachers'. For you take away the key of knowledge. You are not entering in yourselves, and those who are entering in, you hinder!
1 Timothy 3:15 tells something different 🤔🤔🤔
@@ellastrantellenas278 nonsense.
1Ti 3:15 NHEB but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
His instructions were about good Christian conduct (how people are to behave). These instructions are for God's people (the church). The church is made up of people who uphold the truth like a pillar upholds a building.
Jesus Christ alone is the way the truth and the life.
@@williambrewer nice taking the verse into another sense it clearly states that the house of God is the church and that the church is the pillar and ground of truth. It tells how we have to behave in the house of god ( the church) and that it is the PILLAR and GROUND of truth. One Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church!
@@ellastrantellenas278 I never said it wasn't one holy apostolic church.
@@williambrewer *and catholic but anyways thats not the topic here
Branches don't mean separation. By definition, they all belong to the tree. Consider the Lord's teaching concerning the Vine. Now, branches cut off because of apostasy, that's another matter. That's the ecumenism problem, separation from Christ through union with those who reject doctrines of the Creed.
Don't disagree with the saints who have experienced GOD one to one - who are you to know better. JESUS meant very particular things in his teachings, not as any church wishes - and only the first, oldest and unchanged church has the right understanding, which is the Orthodox church!
Ex catholic, converted to Coptic Orthodoxy. 100% agree. I love how you explain things like this. The Church is going through bad times and there are enemies from the within. Let’s pray for the Church.
my friend, coptic "orthodoxy" is a misnomer. Their congregation is anti-chalcedonian and miaphite, being separated from the true vine many years ago. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the Church Christ established, and the so-called "Oriental Orthodox", though much closer in belief to us, are actually outside the church themselves.
The Copts are Monophysites which make them be alien to the real Orthodox Church of GOD. GOD bless you.
Dear Pietro del Franco, the belief of the Coptics is wrong ! They believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was only GOD not GOD and human being in the same time ! So they do not believe that The Lord Jesus Christ suffered on the Cross !!!!!!!!
@@mircea293 Why are we so quick to judge? It is one thing to condemn others based on truth, but it is not the spirit of Christianity to judge others based on our ego. We do not believe like that. Never. As for Father Spyridon, I like what he is teaching here and I follow it, and I respect his view on Ecumenism. But I feel there were many divisions which were not due to real theological differences and I hope and pray the Church of Christ be united one day. Not of course based on compromise and man made beliefs, but based on the one true faith.
Translation: My church is the only valid church, everything else is apocryphal, blasphemy..
The Father's words contribute to the wounding (division) of the Church (all Christians)
The Church is the Body of Christ, it is not nor will it ever be divided. You either belong to Christ's Church or you don't.
You are not the Church if you are out of the Church. Simple as that. There can't be more division than Schism so he is not dividing anyone. Orthodoxy stayed since its foundation, take your talk to those who separated from the Truth.
Father Spyridon
Mark 9:37-41
@@JP-rf8rr The problem is this: The devil hides in the interpretation. To be FOR and WITH JESUS, you have to fulfill his demands on us - only the Orthodox church has the wisdom of the right interpretation to understand HIS demands and the authority to fulfill HIS sacraments - so to understand and fulfill 9:37-41 you have to be Orthodox. GOD bless you.
@@shabrour
The problem with this is that Catholics could also easily say "only our church has the wisdom of the right interpretation" what stopping any other church or group from saying the same? The key to interpreting the bible is reason, reason and faith.
You can't just claim the devil is hiding in interpretation, you have to point out where and why the interpretation fails either through scripture or reason.
“Whoever welcomes one of these children in My name, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.”
John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”
But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.
For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward."
To me the scripture is clear. This man wasn't part of the early church, or at the very least wasn't following the apostles. Yet Jesus not only validates his spiritual works, but even promotes it. Justifying it by saying it is done in his name and thus cannot speak evil against him. This to me makes it clear that you don't have to join any specific group, to not lose your reward.
If you have an issue with my interpretation please specify where and how I got messed up.
I was with you until this talk. "My Father's House has many mansions." You have views on some issues I disagree with but I have been saved. The Lord pulled me from sin and I know my Savior personally.
Hello, it is hard for modern people to grasp how individualised our thinking has become. A personal faith in and relationship with Christ is essential. But when we make it matter of our own personal beliefs alone, we lose the authentic means to salvation. Christ said openly that unless we eat His Body and drink His Blood there is no salvation in us. Belonging to the Church is not an optional extra. The sacramental life of the Church is the means by which God permits us grace. Trying to live outside this we dry up and die spiritually. The individualised faith that is presented as Christianity today is Satan's trick. We need to embrace the whole of the faith and become part of Christ's Body. God bless you.
And bless you too. Your talks are excellent, If we were sitting on a sunny patio on a small island in Greece with an excellent lunch of dry cheeses and bread, wine and good company, we could have a wonderful discussion on the Lord. In the meantime, I hope this finds you well.
@@BlindTom61 You see, some things you can't discuss about - you just accept them, because GOD revealed them to us this way, finished, we like it or not. GOD bless you.
@@shabrour Show some grace.
You're under Bartholomew and your talking about ecumenism?....REALLY?
It is His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.It is not correct to refer so rudely a hierarch, as unfortunate as many of his actions today are. Saint Paisios and Justic Popovic, talked the great errors the schismatic Old-Calendarists have, foremost that they separated themselves from the true vine of the church for a calendar change that only a fraction of the Orthodox world accepted. They then split and anathematized each other into more squabbling groups, until there were more bishops than laymen. Then, vague accusations of ecumenism were made, and suddenly everyone else is graceless except for the community of
Kevin Walker No he is not.
@@panayiotisxenakis277 "All Holiness Patriarch Bartolomew" ?! This is the true servant of the satan !!!!!!!!
@@mircea293 Why?
"In comparison to all other heresies, humanistic ecumenism is a pan-heresy" - St. Iustin Popovich
Father you are very wise.May God keep you well :)
The wisdom is from the Church fathers, not from me.
Excellent! Thank you Father.
Love from Serbia , to you Father and all our brothers and sisters all over the world.❤️❤️❤️☦️
❤❤❤
As a priest I pray every day that the heresy of the ecumenical movement will disappeare. And yet it gains strength every day even among bishops. I recently saw a video in which Callistos Ware said that union with Rome is sure to happen eventually and that the only one who can lead a unified church is the pope. How.sick and depressing is that! Such people are doing the Devil's work while believing themselves to be Christians.
I thank God everyday for making me part of such a genuine body of believers in His Church! I absolutely love our bishop and our priests for their wholehearted commitment in keeping our Holy Faith pure! Praises and glory to our God forever! Thank you Fr. Spyridon! 🙏
Lord Jesus Christ , Son of God ,have mercy on me , a sinner.
Thank you for your words Father.
Why would you be asking a human being to have mercy on you instead of praying to god? What’s a mortal that’s dead gonna do for you?
I am an Ethiopian orthodox and; these new age movement ideas are all around us bombarding us with these fancy ideas and leading as stray; i must say thank you father for not keeping silent and watch this madness while children of God are lost in vein.we need more people like you my God give you long life and health.
bereket biru if you don’t agree the ecumenism, then you’re right.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church anti-ecumenists tend to hate us Oriental Orthodox. They think they’re fighting heresy, ignoring God’s commandment to love one another, the parable of the Good Samaritan, and the fact that we believe pretty much the exact same things anyway
@@masterspark9880 Sorry friend we don't believe the same things at all. Our faiths are completely different.
@@tomkunnel411 No, friend that's completely wrong. The only ones that speak about same faith either don't know what the other side believes or are just ignoring the differences on purpose.
Have a look at the Orthodox Theologians like (Maximus the Confessor and John of Damascus) and then have a look at Severus (who is not a theologian but a philosopher like Arius) and you'll understand that the fundamentals are completely different. That's why Orthodox Saints were completely opposed to any kind of union with the Monophysites, because we don't have the same faith.
No, friend you are wrong here. There is no consesus between the Orthodox Church and Monophysites. There is only consesus between Ecumenists and Monophysites, not Orthodox.
Every single Orthodox Saint is clear in this, the Orthodox Faith is completely different to the faith of the Monophysites.
There can be no union with heretics except if they return to Orthodoxy, that's the Orthodox Consesus Patrum.
Whatever the Orthodox hierarchy claims, it has zero value, if it is against the Consesus Patrum of the Orthodox Saints and the Ecumenical Councils.
If I'm not mistaken majority of our top bishops have bought into the ecumenist movement
Father, please, pray for this sinner. My name in the Church is Thaddeus.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EXPLAINING EVIL ECUMENISM IN SUCH CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDING WORDS !!
Great message 👍. When The Lord saved me, almost 5 years now.. yes The" Lord " and baptized me and sealed me with His Holy Spirit and called me beloved, I knew whom I belonged to for eternity. I guess here is my point and question. I first went to an orthodox priest when I was saved, and he said he was a former Catholic priest, he said either the Orthodox or Catholic Church are pretty much the same? So I went to the Catholic Church simply because it was closer to my home. However, after going through all there training and being confirmed the Lord chastened me and showed me that there is something sinister about that church as a whole (not the people). To be honest I believe there is a demonic entity running things in that system. Ecuminism is evil. I agree and that is exactly what the black pope is promoting. I turned to scripture alone because of what the Lord showed me, very scary stuff. I feel alone and fearful because of the high level of deceit that is going on. Catholic (behind scenes) Protestant and Evangelical churches in America are a joke. With homosexuality being accepted as good and right. However, in there defense I believe there is a biological reason for this. A different topic. It is appearing the Lord is bringing me full circle. So my friend and brother in Christ, is the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church equal and the same? If they are not, can you recommend a book, or something to describe those differences. I agree that the Bible says Antioch is where we are first called Christians, and that is probably the only reason I'm even considering looking at the Orthodox faith again. I am no scholar but can hold my on with scripture, specifically The King James Bible. What is your advice and recommendation?
Brother, Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy are very, very different.
You can, for example, watch Fr. Josiah Trenham youtube videos on this topic.
Father bless.
Thank you for the exposing us to the wisdom of the Church
Lord Jesus Christ the son of God have mercy on the Orthodox Christians everywhere.
Thomas a sinner.
You speak the truth so eloquently, God love you Father Spyridon, I absolutely love your orthodox teachings that we are one church as such from the apostles.
Aloha from Hawai'i. Christ is Risen!! Thank you Father for your assessment and defence of the Orthodox Faith and His Church. What I find lamentable, among other things, is that during the Pandemic the Church led by Her Hierarches bowed to the secular authorities and suspended the Holy Mysteries, or with Innovation, disguised as health concerns changed the reception of the above. Baptism, Charismation, Marriages, and worst of all, if I can say it, demanded change in the Divine Liturgy by interjecting the aspect of fear and trepidation at coming to the Chalice/Poterion. These same Hierarches hobnobed, and worse, prayed with the Papists, Protestants, and in some cases with other exotic religions. As a convert to Orthodoxy from the Anglicans I have not experienced this so blatantly till now. In the "Church of England" ecumenism is common, as you know. I blindly followed it. Now, how do Orthodox priests react and respond to their Hierarches directives? I do really want your thoughts and guidance on this horrible matter. Mahalo nui loa.
Amen!! Well said, Father!
I was born again in a evangelical protestant church, which I left roughly 9 years ago. And I gotta tell ya, I liked what this guy had to say.
You can only be "born again" if you have been baptized in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Orthodox Church.
Two thousand years of continuity and history convinced me there is one holy catholic and apostolic orthodox church
@@kylebrogmus8847Explain please, how God's grace is limited.
@@MikesBibleNotes Who said God's grace is limited?
@@kylebrogmus8847 Im baptist as a Orthodox but I don’t believe in what you just said, Jesus is the Way almost every church agree on who he was, the rest is just different ways of worship. I was filled with the hope and Love from God and I became really religious and started to learn more and repent but the second I started thinking and focus on what Church was right or wrong that Hope was not in my heart. I believe unity is the way brother. We are to call ourselves followers of Christ not divide ourselfs in groups and saying theyre wrong. Jesus said he is the way the truth and the Life and when I focus on God my relationship becomes real and strong. God Bless❤️
I am catholic. I learn something here every time. Thanks
Another great message, Father. You are truly blessed with Godly wisdom!
THAT WOULD BE AN ECUMENICAL MATTER.
False ecumenism is Vatican 2
Bravo Father, it is wise of you to discern the danger of ecumenism and one-world-religion. I personally do not believe that being a part of any institution (call it church if you want) is necessary for salvation, but then again my doctrine is sola scriptura. Keep the videos coming, this non-denominational Christian (Acts 11:26) appreciates your Orthodox teachings!
Right!Slava Bogu za vsë.
Господи Исусе Христе, Cыне Божий, помилуй мя грешнаго, Аминь
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and we come to the Father through Him. We may have some differences in minor doctrine, but that does not make any one church the true church.
If we get hung up on such things we will loose the most important thing, which is faith that comes by hearing by the word of God, and the fruits of the Spirit that come to us as we seek the Lord in prayer, fasting and other spiritual disciplines.
Also without the Protestants and their focus on taking the Great Commission seriously, and taking the gospel to the darkest corners of the Earth, many countries would have never heard the gospel and never received Christ.
In my humble opinion, the OC saying they are the only true church makes them Pharisaic and also you seem to look dowm at other Christians.
As a Catholic, I always never believed that ecumenism is good, the Church should be united under 1 Body, not 3.
Orthodoxy it self is not united. Scattered and very often tightly coupled to nationalism. Just as protestantism, it's separated from Roman Catholic Church, but still it retained almost all of Church's original teachings and most importantly, the sacraments.
Peter is the rock, not unity of faith as mentioned at the end of the video. One authority, one faith, one baptism, one body of Christ. I believe that one day Catholic Chruc and Eastern will unite.
Blessings to you Father Spyridon👏❤ Lord is with you always. One question, if the churches are closed, how can I have holy bread? Can I make my own at home?
Well, at least you have one more member on board - Bobby's perspective. Have fun with him... Hahahahaha
So wanting unity for the church like it was after Ephesus and before Chalcedon is heresy
Hi father, if you have time at some point can you please recommend me which is the most accurate English translation (old or new English) just after accuracy over ease of reading 😊.. also is it true the 1611 King James Bible is the most faithful translation of the NT in English
The Orthodox Study Bible is really good. Fr John Whiteford recommends the Ancient Faith edition rather than the standard Thomas Nelson edition (though I own the latter 😆)
Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal Son and Word of God, have mercy upon me a sinner, and save me.
Friendship is more important than eucumenism, especially between Catholics and Orthodox. Correct me if I am wrong. 😊
Friendship i would put outside of the church because to found a friend means to find someone with simmilar interests what can be outside of the church.
More important that echimenical council is what relationship do you have with Christ. Do you live every day trying to be more like him? When you open yourself to the Christ, Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth and he may show you the way you should be going.
Thanks, Fr. A saying I read which is appropriate: there is only one Church because only one Church is needed.
Fr. Greetings from the Bronx N.Y., I have a major problem and I need some advice as I have a whole hearted respect fo you and the way you teach the Orthodox faith. I have been faithful to the Greek Orthodox church since I was baptized in 1959, however it appears my church and most other Greek Orthodox churches are ecumenical churches, including the new archbishop of America and the patriarch of Constantinople. I'm a believer of the old calendar and NOT a subscriber of the ecumenical movement and my question to you is since I can't find any non ecumenical Greek Orthodox churches, I'm seriously considering going to and converting to Russian Orthodoxy, what would I have to do to make this transition possible.
Did you ever get an answer?
There is only one God, and thus one likeness. We are created in the image of God. That means we are created by God to be in his likeness, the one likeness revealed by the law and shown perfectly and completely through the life of Christ.
Likeness means to take the form of a thing. We are therefore to think, talk and Act like God, but as man. How? God revealed how; he showed us with his life, word and law.
But to Act right, to Live right, one must first Believe right. Correct Belief leads to Correct Behaviour, a Correct Life. If there is one God and one image of God-as-Man (Christ), there is only one way for correct behaviour, a correct life. And if there is one way of correct life, there is only one set of correct beliefs, one correct dogma.
That's not to say there aren't different roles within that one, correct life. But they are all revealed in God, in his life, words or through the Prophets and Saints who were guided by God: fatherhood, motherhood, parenthood, marriage, teaching, Preist hood. The difference is, as mortal men with one life and limited abilities, we can usually only take on a few of these roles, not all. But there is one correct way within all of these roles; one correct way to be married, one correct way to be a parent.
Therefore the Ecumenical movement that promotes different dogma, different correct beliefs are promoting a contradiction. And that is why there is no mystery; they promote many beliefs, and so we get so many behaviours and lives claiming to be "Christian". Within all of the roles God has shown us as the way to unite with him, experience him and express Love and Goodness, be it marriage or Preisthood, the Ecumenicals promote multiple, contradictory, versions when there is just one.
And thus, with multiple lives comes multiple Spirits. One life for there is only one Holy Spirit to guide us. Ans if there is no union of Spirit, there is no union of Body and no union with God.
Hi Fr Spyridon. Thank you for all your videos i find them very insightful. I would disagree with you only on two points the Filoque and about Peter not being the Rock. Peter clearly was not perfect in the New Testament or in even in modern times, but his authority is very clearly outlined as the apostles and St Paul respected his judgment. Though they did challenge him they did not deny the Albiete. Just like David did not kill Saul when he had a chance in the cave, he only challenged him until Gods favor shifted to him. Ultimately Christ is King, but he is building a kingdom on earth in his churches. Not a one with imperfections but one with pure joy and love. The greatest weakness of any tradition is the sinfulness of its members. And this sinfulness has led to many divisions. Yet by faith, in the end we know Christ brings heaven to earth in the last judgement. God’s many gifts can be found in each of us but our divisions in teaching are simply not possible. I think on this point we would agree. Fortunately God is far greater than us and so is Christ’s physical testament to our Father at this point... as billions of people know Jesus and his words about the Father. Thanks be to God for our mission to keep sharing this good news. No one is greater than the master, but through forgiveness we are friends. In the past I was a great sinner, Fr Spyridon and by God’s grace and mercy I have started to see the light so to speak and change my heart. I come from multiple traditions and I find tradition hard at times. My mission is more like John the Baptist a calling to repentance perhaps. I’m not sure yet. But I do know that this Spirit we each have, we do somehow share, and it proceeds from the Father and in the incarnation, the Son. If I did not know Christ I wouldn’t be able to truly comprehend our Father. The Father is best for sure but a true Father wants everything He has to be His Son’s and His Daughter’s. And All Her Children to the ends of the earth. We each are somehow uniquely important, especially the most wounded. I think all we can do as a church is go lower Fr Spyridon, this is what Ecumenism means to me. And as our crosses rise together we can be confident in the great humbling that is coming upon the world. Christ’s final victory. Keep challenging Peter to go lower, but don’t deny the Albiete. I pray that the Orthodox churches maybe able to call a council and more powerfully unify their traditions throughout the world. And may God’s favor rest upon you. A fisherman with two strong lungs is always best. I like to think that I’m named after a strong man who proclaimed the Christ and got no authority at all except to serve the Lord and share in his bread. But even when he died on a cross too he knew that he had picked up his younger brother and threw him into service of the Lord with the modern day goliaths’ to bring them both as low as they could go.
Father Spyridon, I am a former demoniac, five years ago the name of Jesus liberated me. I am not of any church. An orthodox monk has told me that he can set up a meeting between a "clairvoyant cleric" and myself. I should go meet this man, yes?
No never
@@melanieclinkston9114 Thanks
Spend time repenting of sins as in deuteronomy and commandments that moses gave and rest of time in Matthew, mark, Luke, and John ( gospels of new testament) reading how Jesus forgave your sins on the cross. That will break the devil's power. Seek to know GOD every day
@@melanieclinkston9114 I have read the entirety of the scriptures four times since 2015. I have not been inhabited or attacked by unclean spirits since I called on the name of the Lord in 2015. However, my eyes percieve spiritual things still from time to time and I am often aware of the presence of spiritual beings even if I cannot see them. I have had these experiences since I was a child and I have been searching for years for a fellow Christian who understands these things better than I do. Instead I am constantly met with fear or trepidation because people who hear my testimony are frightened that I will infect them somehow. Church keeps telling me its behind me. But I'm not content sitting in there listening to short soundbites that focus on a particular passage and then try to apply it to American life. I want to be around like minded Christian's who have at least some understanding of what I went through so that we can help people who struggle with demonic attacks.
Such a good point: "christ didnt establish churchs"
This is excellent, Father. It is so critical in our times to deal head on with the modern day brood of vipers, clothed in a form of religion but spouting lies and living hypocrisy... preparing for the welcoming of a false christ, a false reign, and a false kingdom.
Thank you for this message.
the word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart.
"New age" Doesnt this come from Blavatsky? Isn't she an apostate from the Church? She wrote about "lucifer" as our savior and wrote about uniting with lucifer's energy. The bible teaches that there are demonic energies, Blavatsky's teachings seemed to be a mirror inversion of Orthodoxy combined with sethian gnosticism, kabala and a little vedanta. If you listen to the newagers they sound very much like us when they talk about energy. I would find it all niave but harmless if i was not aware of Blavatsky's writings and influence.
5:50, the purpose of the Church.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAITHFUL WORDS ...MAY GOD PROTECT HIS CHURCH FROM WITHIN AND FROM WITHOUT. AMEN
Not to disagree so much as seek clarification, but when you dismiss this branch theory on the basis that making divisions in the church is blasphemy, I think you could look at it instead as recognising different parts of one body, which Paul talks about. I'd be interested in how you might parse ecumenism with this in mind.
As long as Christ is preached! But what of the 'grape juice drinkers', ordination of women, trans, openly gay, blessing gay marriage, etc. Are there any limits? How do we judge heresy, as we ourselves would be judged? Just some issues that make me wonder. Oh, and that rapture thing. Love!
@@noway165 I know, yes - there has to be some boundary of the body. I would point out though, that like Paul explains in Romans 2, their own standards are more than enough to damn them. Sola scriptura, most of those things (not sure about unfermented grape juice being a serious lapse lol) put them beyond that boundary. For sure, Christ might be preached by the selfish men Paul mentions in Philippians 1 but there's a good chance those who listen will be let in while those preachers will be told "I never knew you." Only God knows the heart, and it might not be that many who are willing in these churches are yet established, but I cannot help seeing the gifts of the Spirit in many. I could be wrong but I see the groups of "those who..." embody certain gifts more expressed in some denominations than others and I suspect we are supposed to gather them into the fullness of the faith so that we also can be a fully embodied church, if that makes sense? If so, it will be and in God's eyes has already come to pass but I would worry if from our perspective we might ourselves slip away should we do nothing to love them even now while they are lapsed, just as Jesus died for us when we were at our worst.
The true Church is One, Holy, CATHOLIC and Apostolic! !!
Yes, the Orthodox "Catholic" Church. Not Roman. You must know that the Nicene Creed is not referring to Roman Catholicism which developed centuries later.
@@MikesBibleNotes Pope St. Gregory the Great and Pope St. Leo the Great both taught papal primacy in the late 400s, early 500s. So, we'd have to be saying that the Roman Church has been off the rails since 500AD... If that's the case, why did it take an additional 500-700 years for the Eastern Churches to finally consider the papal primacy of Rome to be schism worthy?
For what it's worth, I attend an Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic parish to give you context. I am, essentially, Orthodox in communion with Rome. I do not have issues whatsoever with Orthodoxy, except for their objection to papal primacy.
deep thing is it’s almost like the schism was useless because now I’ve seen so many catholic priests (eastern and Latin rite) who sometimes don’t include the Filioque when reciting the creed and some who do, it’s almost optional now lol.
Truth. May our Lord keep and protect our Catholic church.
As always father your words are healing God bless you
Thank you, dear Father.
Very true.Thank you father.
This is absolutely correct. The Holy Spirit baptizes membership in the church of Christ. It's not by saying the right words or attending the right ceremony. God decides and He baptizes membership via direct communion with His Holy Spirit.
There are "members" of the catholic and orthodox churches who have never truly received the Holy Spirit. And there are protestants who have absolutely received Christ and been baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Also, go read what Jesus said to his disciples who wanted to reprimand the "non-Christians" who were healing and casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Read what the Lord God Jesus Christ spoke in response about those who are not against us.
Trying to be a "gatekeeper" of salvation is absurd. Christ alone is the gatekeeper and the gate. Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life. It's not the pope, not a specific priest, and not a specific sect or denomination. It isnt through the right ceremony or incantation or spashing of oil. It is through Jesus Christ alone.
You said “the church is the body of Christ, it cannot be divided”. But Matthew 26:26 says:
“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
Is this not the body of Christ being divided?
Hello Father Spyridon, I'm sorry if this question misses the nuances of this talk, but I feel a need for clarity, so, to be blunt, do you view Catholics as part of the one church?
I wish you could speak with Pope Francis and his Curia...you have a wonderful demeanor. So sad how the See of St Peter has been entangled in so many problems.
The Disunity of Christians is in itself a great sin.
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
-1 Corinthians 1:10-
in one word ecumenism is humanism and putting MAN IN PLACE OF GOD/17 december 2021
6:15, quotations of the saints.
Father how I do become a member of the Orthodox church I pray everyday and read the Bible and listen to gods signs how do I become a legit member I just started in my faith in Christ because I grew up so confused and lead astray please hear me
Cutting of ecclesiastical communion with the heretic archbishops(or walling if im not mistaken, I'm not very familiar with the term in English) and having communion only with priests who have done the same is the only correct reaction,as the 15th canon of the First-Second council of 861 stated
One cannot read Ephesians 4:4-5 and John 17:21 and claim the branch theory is valid.
JEsus said that whosoever believes in Him would not perish buthave eternal life, the thief on the the Cross wasn ot even baptized, and Jesus said tonot forbid someone who cast out demons in Jesus' Name but didn't follow with Him and His disciples who is not against us is on our side. The protestants consider they are the conintuation not a new church and have connection to the original church through baptism admministered bay baptized people back to them, like some schismatics in Orthodoxy they figure the other churches went into apostasy they are the real remnant church. which is sort of silly.
all that said, I know the true church is the ORthodox, I converted from what I call generic protestantsim to Orthodoxy, but I know there were answered prayers and action of God in my life before that. I thinkthe people who believe in Jesus but have confused notions are like beginner catechumens spiritually. Not damned but I doubt they'd be ruling with Jesus more like a second class citizen?
As for chiliasm, the 1,000 year limit to His reign on earth is what is repudiated, not His physical return and physical rule, "He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead and His Kingdom shall have NO END." the idea of the churches building the kingdom on earth, instead of being outposts and foretastes of it is of course wrong, JEsus will establish it. protestants especially the dominionists and joel's army sort have warped things a lot. the pre tribulation rapture is probably about the most unbiblical notion of all.
Ecumenism obscures all these issues, and is a serious error, one writer online said it is potentially the sum of all heresies. That said, I think that it is not total loss of grace but sharply reduced grace that is operating in non ORthodox Christianity and the churches of such.
Thank you! The truth!
THE HOLY CHRIST OUR GOD......HAVE UNIQUE ONE ORGANIC BODY......NOT MUTILATION CONNECTED COORDINATION......GLORY TO MOST HOLY TRIUNE GOD.....FOR ALL OF HIS MEMBERS
Qhat is this for? Martin luyher King is Nabucdenser from hell,not heaven.
2:21, the church is not many but one, etc.
That’s a true statement because Christ Himself said that, “I will build my church...” not churches (Matt.16)!