My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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THE PRACTICING ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the wonderful deeds of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. In the past, you were not a people, but now, you are God's people. In the past, you had not obtained mercy, but now, you have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
At the beginning of the Old Testament, in the book of Exodus, the Almighty God is choosing His people, "laos Theou" ("people of God"). His people are called out from other peoples When Saint Paul speaks about the "people of God", by the ministry of the people of God, he means everyone who considers himself a member of the Church. A member of the Church is one who is baptized and chrismated (anointed with Holy Chrism) in the Church. An Orthodox Christian who practices his Christian faith daily and lives a virtues life in Christ.
The life of the Christian is not passive but active. The life of the Christian is a constant struggle (αγώνας). The Christian is one who serves in the Church Militant and through her he combats against the evil in the world. When it comes to the diakonia of the Church, this is exactly where the real action is - on the front-lines. We may find the spiritual fight in our business, in our school, in our neighborhood, in our home, in our city, in our country. The Church trains the Christian soldier together with the troops, our brothers and sisters in Christ, to first understand the objective and goal which, of course, is to defeat the evil which threatens the salvation of God's people. All who stand for good must wage a constant battle with the forces of evil.
Saint Paul says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:1017).
We are "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" according to Saint Paul. By virtue of our being baptized into Christ and sealed (chrismated) with the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming participants in the Eucharistic Mystical Supper of God's Kingdom, we, the believers in the Holy Trinity, have died to this world. We are now "... a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Peter 2:9).
The Orthodox Christian today must aspire to emulate the true and living example of the Christians in the early Church, i.e., the martyrs, confessors, and saints. They had what is referred to as "spiritual consciousness," the consciousness of the Church's Saints throughout the ages. This was their most profound personal experience and conviction as members of the Church of Christ.
The "narrow" way of Christ compels all Orthodox Christian believers to be involved in the life and work of his Church in the world. The world that God loves and saves in His Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ. "According to Christ's narrow way which leads to life, the Church's liturgy provides both a critical judgment on life in this world, and a comforting empowerment for those called to live within the world through belonging already now to God's Kingdom not of this world which will come in power at the end of the ages." "The Church's liturgical services and sacraments enable and empower believers to experience here and now the truth and beauty of God's Kingdom. They allow them already now to know by living experience the "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" which according to the Apostle Paul, "the kingdom of God is" (Romans 14:17).
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:3-9).
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George