1. The
Orthodox Church is the New Testament Church, for as Saint Ireneaus says
"Our elders (in Greek Presbyter) are the disciples of the Apostles".
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2. "Come discover God as the early church knew and worshiped Him - as the Orthodox Church knows and worships Him"
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3. The "Church is the Pillar of Truth", according to the Saint Paul's epistle to Timothy.
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4. God calls us not to an abstract knowledge, but to communion with Himself in the worship of the Holy Trinity.
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5. Do we
all worship the same God? Though the Monotheistic religions share a
common vocabulary, this does not automatically mean that we believe in the
same God. The
attributes associated not only differ but are contradictory. God is the
Lord and has appeared unto us and revealed Himself to us and how we are
to worship Him.
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6.
By-This-Sign-Shalt-Thou-Conquer. In the Old Testament, the Cross of Christ was raised in the
desert as an ensign for the people being
tormented by the serpents. As it is written...
"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it
upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten,
when he looketh upon it, shall live." Numbers 21:8
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7.
It is common today for different denominations to claim the church is
founded only on scripture -Sola-Scriptura ; and they reject
Tradition. But of a truth, these denominations are traditions.
"Then
the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples
according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen
hands?
He
answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you
hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their]
lips, but their heart is far from me.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
For
laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as]
the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do." Mark 7:5-9
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8.
The traditions of these denominations have deformed the authentic
Christian Gospel, creating a religion different from that of the early
church.
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9. There are some that hold the Lord left the church after Pentecost, only to return with the Protestant Reformation.
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10.
Many denominations today have deformed the authentic Christian Gospel,
creating a religion that differs greatly from that of the original
church.
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11.
The Orthodox Church is the Historic church of the Apostles and their
Disciples- Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Clement of Rome, and Saint Polycarp of
Smyrna. They directly knew the Apostles themselves and shepherded their
flock.
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12. More than one person has come to the Orthodox Faith as a result of their attempt to disprove it.
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13. The Orthodox Church is the Faith of our Fathers.
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14. Why do we fast?
"It is the
Resurrection of God the Son that we are preparing to welcome by fasting
and prayer, just as the People of God prepared to receive the Mosaic
Law of old in the wilderness of Sinai; just as our Saviour Himself gave
us the example of fasting for forty days before the commencement of His
ministry in the Land of Judea."
And further
"And so, you should know not the letter only,
but also the mysteries of the Kingdom. For not to eat bread and not to drink
water or anything else is not yet fasting, for the demons neither eat or drink
anything at all. And yet they are evil and hateful to God. But fasting for us
is, as the Church chants, "the estrangement from evil, restraint of
tongue, refraining from anger, separation from lust, slanders, lies and false
oaths. Abstinence from these things is a true and acceptable fast"
A spiritual letter from the Elder Anatoly of Optina to a nun.
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15.
The Orthodox Church does not presume to judge the eternal destiny of
any one. Those who live and die outside of the church are commended to
the mercy and love of God.
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| 16. The
invitation of the Orthodox Church is the invitation of the Gospel
itself. In the Saints, we have the perfect example for how to live a
life in Christ and according to His Gospel. For Christ calls us all to
be Holy, as He is holy. |
