Holy Orthodox Church

[puppyshoes]

I grew up i an evangelical church. Then I came face to face with the truth, a truth I didn't want to see. I visited an Orthodox Church (litagy in English) I never went back to my own church. How could I? There it was, plain as day, THE CHURCH. Not a church among the many but the original Church. There is only one Church, Jesus said so Himself. "Upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell eillnot prvail against it." This doesn't mean that those outside of the Church can't be saved, they don't have the fullnes of the truth, but those who do know and don't follow will have to explain to God why they went their own way instead of His.

[brian66]

are you saying then,that the pentecostals,methodists,baptists ,christadelpians,greek orthodox ,and so on ,are not true churches?..that there is just ONE church, would you then advise all the people in all other churches to leave their churches ,and be joined to the ONE true church ???

[andrewblow]

I was told - having visited Chernivtsi Othodox catherdal - by a guy outside that becasue I did not regularly visit HIS church - then I was doomed to hell. I asked him if this meant everyone - christian believers from other branches of the christian church - what about other countries, etc. : YOU ARE ALL DOOMED !!

This is neither factual, logical or biblical. I personally have my life in God's hands and my Saviour is making a home for me in heaven - Jesus said so - and to be told I COULD NOT be a true believer was laughable. Unfortunately.

The narrow-mindedness of the orthodox teaching is so wrong, but their people are being held together by fear. When I asked my friend to read his bible and see "Whoever comes to me - I shall never cast out" (Jesus) he said he didn't have a bible - not allowed. I asked "so who gives you this teaching "? "The Priest - he tells us everything". That answers it all.

There are many branches of the christian faith in the world - and many denominations. NONE of them have got it ALL right - because it's made up of < humans > and we are never totally right even if we try to be led by The Holy Spirit. Conversely, there are many branches and churches that have patently wrong theology - but God knows and He still loves them and the criteria is :

"Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved"
"If you have the Son (of God) you have life. If you do not have the Son, you do not have life"- eternal.

As a free Baptist I was very narrow minded until I went to some Russian orthodox churches in 1993. I saw there the good and the bad. I saw the wonderful dedication of the believers - I also saw a gold-encased bible being kissed and worshipped - but never opened. My heart cried that all these dear people did not have the chance I had to read God's Word for themselves and find so much love and comfort and encouragement there from God to me.

GOD is in every church that invites him in. God's Holy Spirit "leads us into all truth" to them who seek truth.

Regards. I'm off on hols in 2 days for 2 weeks. God bless you all.

Andrew

[carisma]

thank you brother andrew for your beatifull post i really agree with you...in every churche you will find the good and the bad members ...don't look at the buildings or the priests and just loook at god whn you find god in the aurthodox church then don't leave it and if you found him in a jews temple don't leave him but please don't look at the people ...don't look for the god between the dies ...when you meet him face to face and talk to him in person where ever you find him then don't leave him.
but iam sorry but i have to say that wherever you god you only find him in the evangilical churches .
i have spent years and years looking for him between muslems and many more christain sictions but i found him only when i have stopped looking for him between the people or the chruche buildings ...i found him in the prison then in a very poore evnagilical churche in cairo-egypt .
i don't want you to accept the evangilical churches but believe me there is no value at all for the buildings and the priests and even the book if you couldn't find jesus .
he is not the lost man and you have to find him but in fact you are the lost man and he knows you clear and he is waitting for you now to see him and kiss his hands ( not the priest hand offcourse) the god has all the glory for this reason he is waitting for you now to find him and don't waste your time dear don't look at him inside the buildings but start with yourself go inside your sole ...your words reflect that you have left the evangilical churche because of the people not god iam sure brother this is the reason and i just ask you to don't forget my words ...(god is living inside us befor he lives in the buildings and we ...only we...are who convence him to live in this churche or these).
thank you for your post...and god bless you.

[Traper]

The narrow-mindedness of the orthodox teaching is so wrong, but their people are being held together by fear
Probably in some aspects you're right, but I wonder that some evangelical churches ar too much open-minded and they miss important points. Such an idea is not exactly mine, but I found it written by evangelical teologist (sorry, forgot his name, started with "B" ). The reason is in false understanding of "salvation by faith". Luther's teaching differs from some of present evangelical ones. And it was closer to present teaching of catholic church.
I grow up in the catholic church and had a little to do with the orthodox church (rather read books than took part in liturgy), but I'm under impression it's philosophy. Personally, I couldn't pray this way , but it's just a matter of form.

there is no value at all for the buildings and the priests and even the book if you couldn't find jesus
How do you think, Carisma, why it was all made? The answer is that for many people it DOES help to meet God. You'right - that's not enough - but I know people, far from any church, who come to the church, to meet Someone (no matter how they call him).

wherever you god you only find him in the evangilical churches .
Catholic and Orthodox churches are accused of "narrow-mindedness", old-fashion...
But since the great Schisma they are not much divided compared to evangelical churches. Control and hierarchy make them resistant to new ideas. Probably the reforms are more difficult to implement, but the risk of mistake is lower and it forces the unity.

[puppyshoes]

We orthodox are a worldwide comunion. There are religious fanatics in all faiths. Thismdosesn;t represent the Church. Yes, we do believe we have the fullness of faith. We believe the Church is absolute in all things. We based our faith on the risen Lord. We don't base our church on the Bible because we predate the bible. Yet we read the Bible daily and believe it to be the inspired word of God. As for those outside the Church, all good comes from God, to know good and do it not is sin. Although we believe there is only one Church, with the intire truth, we would never comdemn anyone, thats for God. Those who have never been presented with the truth can't be expected to live by it. The bible says those outside the law wiollbe judged accordingly, those within will also be judged the same.