| INFANT BAPTISM There are numerous biblical passages which support the ancient Christian practice of infant baptism, which was universal in the Church until the reaction after the Protestant Reformation. Among these are: " Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven " (Matt. 19:14); the baptism of whole households and families, presumably including children (Acts 16:14, 15, 25-33); and Paul’s comparison between circumcision, which was given to infants, and baptism (Col. 2:11, 12). See John 3:3-6; Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21. INTERCESSION Supplication to God in behalf of another person. Christ intercedes before God the Father in behalf of the repentant sinner, and God’s people intercede for one another (see Is. 53:12; Jer. 27:18; Rom. 8:34). JEW Originally one of God’s chosen people who followed the covenant given to Moses by God. In the Old Testament, the Jews are (1) citizens of Judah; (2) the postexilic people of Israel; or (3) the worshipers of Yahweh. God chose the Jews to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. Through Christ the distinction between Jew and Gentile has been overcome, and all those who follow Him have become the true chosen people of God. See Acts 22:3; Rom. 1:16; 2:28, 29; Gal. 3:28; 1 Pet. 2:9. JUDGMENT In the biblical sense, God’s decision on the worthiness of one to enter heaven or to be condemned to hell. Following death, all will be judged, and Christ will return again to confirm that judgment. Because of sin, no one can earn a place in heaven by his own righteousness. However, through Christ, sin is forgiven and and those who have followed Him are granted a place in heaven. See Matt. 25:31-46; John 5:24; 16:8-11; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:11-15. JUSTIFICATION The act whereby God forgives the sins of a believer and begins to transform him or her into a righteous person. No person can earn justification by works of righteousness, for justification is the gift of God given to those who respond to the gospel with faith. God also helps those who cooperate with His grace to become Saving faith is not mere belief but a commitment to Christ that is manifested by works of righteousness ( Rom. 5:1, 2; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 2:12, 13; James 2:24). |
| Jesus Christ has united Himself with all that is human; He even took upon Himself our sins, our sufferings, and death. We also must unite ourselves with Him in His sufferings and death, in His obedience, holiness, and wisdom, in order to participate in His eternal life and resurrection, in His Kingdom and divinity ( II Cor. 5 ; Rom. 5, 6, 8 ; Phil. 2:1–5 ). Even where two or three are united in the name of Christ, He will be with them (Matt. 18:20). If we are in Christ we are one because He cannot be divided ( I Cor. 1:12–15 ). Variety is not division. The catholicity of the Church implies not only the churches on earth but also the Heavenly Church with which we are in communion. 10 This unity is built on the unity of the Kingdom of God in which all members of the Church both on earth and in heaven participate. The unity of the earthly and heavenly Church is probably one of the best expressions of catholicity inasmuch as this union includes extremely different forms of Christian life: the life of the kingdom in heaven and on earth. VII. Catholicity and Truth The unity and all-comprehensiveness of truth has a particular meaning for the catholicity of the Church. Jesus Christ emphasizes the unity of truth in God. He very often stresses that the truth is, as it were, primarily in the Father and proceeds from Him. The Son of God has the truth from the Father and the same truth is announced by the Holy Spirit ( John 8:26–28, 8:40, 12:49–50, 16:12–15, 17:17 ). The apostles are established in the same truth which they have learned in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit ( Gal. 1:6–12 ). Because of this, the Church becomes the “pillar” and “ground” of the unique truth ( I Tim. 3:15 ) which remains eternally unchangeable as Christ Himself (Heb. 13:8; II Tim. 2:11–13; II Cor. 1:19–22). “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). This also is the reason for the unity of Holy Tradition: if divine truth is one as God Himself, how can Holy Tradition change? We must have the same mind as Christ ( Phil. 2:5 ). We must be established in our holy faith and “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3, 20; cf. I Peter 3:8; Rom. 12:16 ). We have one Lord, one Father, one God and the Father of all ( Eph. 4:5–6 ; Gal. 3:25–29 ). Following the example of the community of Jerusalem, the whole Church has remained firmly in the teaching of the apostles (Acts. 2:42). |
| Dios – como se dijo – sopló en él aliento de vida y resultó el hombre un alma viviente. Al recibir el aliento de vida, figuradamente de los labios de Dios mismo, el hombre es en sí mismo la unión viva y orgánica entre lo terrenal y lo celestial, entre lo material y lo espiritual. De aquí se desprende la elevada opinión del significado del cuerpo humano que se transmite en general en las Sagradas Escrituras. El cuerpo debe servir de compañero, de órgano e incluso colaborador del alma. De la propia alma depende si se humilla, hasta hacerse esclava del cuerpo; o si, dirigida por el espíritu santificado, hace del cuerpo su obediente ejecutor y colaborador. Dependiendo del alma, el cuerpo puede hacerse recipiente de la suciedad pecaminosa y la transgresión, pero puede también transformarse en templo de Dios y, junto con el alma, participar de la glorificación de Dios. Así enseñan las Sagradas Escrituras ( Rom. 13:14 ; Gal. 3:3; I Cor. 9:27; Gal. 5:24 ; Judas vers. 7–8; I Cor. 3:16–17, 6:20). Aún con la muerte corporal del hombre no se corta para siempre la relación entre alma y cuerpo. Vendrá el día cuando los cuerpos de los hombres se levantarán en forma renovada y nuevamente se unirán para siempre con su alma para participar de la eterna beatitud, o del sufrimiento eterno, conforme con las buenas o malas obras, realizadas por ellos con la participación del cuerpo durante su vida terrenal ( 2Cor. 5:10 ). La Palabra de Dios inspira una mirada aún más sobre la naturaleza del alma. Al crear el alma Dios no tomó para ella nada de la tierra, sino que la unió al hombre solamente con Su aliento creador. Esto demuestra claramente, que por el pensamiento de la palabra de Dios, el alma humana es una esencia completamente diferente del cuerpo y de cualquier cosa material o cualquier elemento de la naturaleza Su naturaleza no es terrenal, sino celestial. Nuestro Señor Jesucristo expresó la alta superioridad del alma humana por sobre todo lo terrenal con las palabras: «¿Qué aprovechará al hombre, si ganare todo el mundo, y perdiere su alma? ¿o qué recompensa dará el hombre por su alma?» (Mat. 16:26). El Señor enseñó a sus discípulos: »no temáis a los que matan el cuerpo, mas el alma no pueden matar» (Mat. 10:28). Sobre esta alta dignidad del alma San Gregorio el Teólogo se expresa así: «El alma es el aliento de Dios y siendo celestial sufre la confusión con el polvo. Es luz oculta en la gruta, que es al mismo tiempo divina e inextinguible… Se pronunció el Verbo, tomó parte de la tierra recientemente creada y con Sus manos inmortales creó mi imagen y le otorgó parte de Su vida, porque le infundió espíritu, que es corriente de la Divinidad invisible...» (Palabra 7, sobre el alma). |
| 650 Дамаск. De fid. orthodox. lib. II. c. 3. Сравн. Дион. Ареопаг. О небесн. иерарх. изд. 1839 г. стр. 17, 21, 27, 35, 39 и 59. 653 Григор. Наз. Orat. 28 (de theolog. 2, n. 31). Так учили и многие другие Отцы и Пастыри Церкви, например св. Иустип (Dialog. cum Tryph. n. 5.), Ориген (In Ierem. homil. 10. n. 6), Иероним (In Gal. IV, 3 ), Августин (De Genes. ad litt. XII, 36) и Дамаскин (De fid. orthodox. lib. II, с. 3). Встречается также у некоторых мнение об особенных ангелах, поставленных над отдельными видами бытия царств природы, неорганического, органического и животного (Ориг. In Ioann. T. XIII. n. 49. In Num. homil. 14. n. 2. Август. De divers. quaest. LXXXIII. quaest. 79). 654 «Что некоторым из ангелов, – пишет Феодорит, – вверено начальство над народами, об этом свидетельствует божественный пророк Даниил, говоря: князь же царства персского стояше противу мне (10, 3), а также упоминая о князе эллинском и присовокупляя, что не было никого, кто помог бы ему ходатайствовать пред Богом, о свободе иудеев, кроме князя их Михаила» ( Дан.10:20–21 ) (Divin. decret. epitom. с. 7). По Григорию Богослову , «каждому (ангелу) дано особое начальство от Царя иметь под надзором людей, города и целые народы» (песноп. таинств. сл. 6. Твор. Св. Отц. IV. 236). И по Дамаскину, «ангелы охраняют части земли, правят народами и местами, как поставлены на то Творцом» (De fid. orthodox, lib. II. с. 3). To же высказывали и многие другие Учителя и писатели, например Климент Алекс. (Strom. VI. 6), Ориген (In Genes. homil. 16. n. 2), Василий Великий (Contr. Eunom. lib. III. n. 1), Златоуст (In Matth. homil. 49) и Епифаний (Haeres. 51. n. 34). 661 например, Илар. Comment. in Matth. cap. 18. vers. 6. Август. Lib. ad Honorat. de grat. Epist. CXI. c. 29. Иоанн. Леств. Леств. 28, по пер. славянск, изд. стр. 125. 664 например, Амврос. De Spirit. s. 1,7. n. 83 Григор. Наз. Orat.41.n. 11. Август. De civit. Dei; lib. XI. c. 9. 665 De fid. orthodox. lid II. c. 3. В православном же исповедании Восточной православной Церкви это же учение выражено так: «Ангелы утвкрдились в благодати Божией навскгда. Поскольку они не согласились с деницею восстать на Бога, то и получили сию благодать, так что не могу грешить, впрочем, не по естеству, но по благодати Божией» (Прав. испов. ч. 1. отв. на вопр. 20). |
| Anticipating Human Reproduction Through the Union of Male and Female. Origen: It seems to be worth inquiring in this passage how, according to the letter, when the woman was not yet made, the Scripture says, “Male and female he made them.” Perhaps, as I think, it is because of the blessing with which he blessed them saying, “Increase and multiply and fill the earth.” 187 Anticipating what was to be, the text says, “Male and female he made them,” since indeed man could not otherwise increase and multiply except with the female. Therefore, that there might be no doubt about his blessing that is to come, the text says, “Male and female be made them.” For in this manner man, seeing the consequence of increasing and multiplying to be from the fact that the female was joined to him, could cherish a more certain hope in the divine blessing. For if the Scripture had said, “Increase and multiply and fill the earth and have dominion over it,” not adding this, “Male and female he made them,” doubtless he would have disbelieved the divine blessing. Homilies on Genesis 1.14. 188 Image and Licenses. Male and Female. Gregory of Nyssa: I think that by these words Holy Scripture conveys to us a great and lofty doctrine, and the doctrine is this. While two natures – the divine and incorporeal nature, and the irrational life of brutes – are separated from each other as extremes, human nature is the mean 181 Gen 3:16 . 182 PG 54:589. 183 Gal 3:28. 184 34 NPNF 25:405. 185 FC 91:94. 186 FC 71:68. 187 Gen 1:28 . 188 38 FC 71:67. between them. For in the compound nature of man we may behold a part of each of the natures I have mentioned – of the divine, the rational and intelligent element, which does not admit the distinction of male and female; of he irrational, our bodily form and structure, divided into male and female – for each of these elements is certainly to be found in all that partakes of human life. That the intellectual element, however, precedes the other we learn as from one who gives in order an account of the making of man; and we learn also that his community and kindred with the irrational is for man a provision for reproduction... He formed for our nature that contrivance for increase which befits those who had fallen into sin, implanting in mankind, instead of the angelic majesty of nature, that animal and irrational mode by which they now succeed one another. On the Creation op Man 16.7–9; 17.4. 189 |
| Calvin’s concept of “irresistible grace” draws its Biblical “support” from the literal reading of the parable of a man throwing a feast (Luke 14:16-24): “…And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23) The word “compel” here does not mean “an irresistible invitation, or any forceful constraint of man’s will”: the Patristic consensus here has been that it simply means “to bring great pressure on.” An unconstrained, straightforward reading of the Scripture often involves lumping together different uses of the same term. In rejecting the necessity of works for one’s salvation, Protestants make no distinction between two kinds of good works: the works produced by God through us (“…it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13), “…he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:21)), which are needed for our salvation, and the human-produced “works of the law”, without faith in Christ, which cannot save. Protestants’ favorite quotes – “…By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20), “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28), “for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21), “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9), “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5), etc. – obviously, talk about the “works of the law” that one performs without guidance from God, thinking that they are his own and that those works can earn him salvation. Using modern translations of the Bible – as opposed to the Greek original – to make theological points is not uncommon among modern Protestants. For example, in “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit…” (John 3:5), the Greek original says “anyone” (tis) and not “a man” – so it refers to the necessity of baptism for any human being, not just an adult. |
| In the liturgical services of the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated together with the full revelation of the divine Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Godhead is manifested with the Spirit’s coming to man, and the Church hymns celebrate this manifestation as the final act of God’s self-disclosure and self-donation to the world of His creation. For this reason Pentecost Sunday is also called Trinity Day in the Orthodox tradition. Often on this day the icon of the Holy Trinity – particularly that of the three angelic figures who appeared to Abraham, the forefather of the Christian faith – is placed in the center of the church. This icon is used with the traditional pentecostal icon which shows the tongues of fire hovering over Mary and the Twelve Apostles, the original prototype of the Church, who are themselves sitting in unity surrounding a symbolic image of “cosmos,” the world. On Pentecost we have the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God mystically present in this world in the Church of the Messiah. For this reason the fiftieth day stands as the beginning of the era which is beyond the limitations of this world, fifty being that number which stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment in Jewish and Christian mystical piety: seven times seven, plus one. Thus, Pentecost is called an apocalyptic day, which means the day of final revelation. It is also called an eschatological day, which means the day of the final and perfect end (in Greek eschaton means the end). For when the Messiah comes and the Lord’s Day is at hand, the “last days” are inaugurated in which “God declares: ... I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”; This is the ancient prophecy to which the Apostle Peter refers in the first sermon of the Christian Church which was preached on the first Sunday of Pentecost (Acts.2:17; Joel.2:28–32 ). Once again it must be noted that the feast of Pentecost is not simply the celebration of an event which took place centuries ago. It is the celebration of what must happen and does happen to us in the Church today. We all have died and risen with the Messiah-King, and we all have received his Most Holy Spirit. We are the “temples of the Holy Spirit.” God’s Spirit dwells in us ( Rom.8 ; 1Cor.2–3, 12 ; 2Cor.3 ; Gal.5 ; Eph.2–3 ). We, by our own membership in the Church, have received “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in the sacrament of chrismation. Pentecost has happened to us. |
| RITUAL Ceremonies and texts used in the worship of the Church. Having her roots in the temple and synagogue, the Church has employed ritual in her worship from the very beginning. See also LITURGY and WORSHIP. SABBATH The seventh day of the week, originally a day of rest, for after creation " God rested on the seventh day " (Gen. 2:2). Since Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday, the Church gathers on this day instead of the seventh to worship God. Sunday is also called " the Lord’s Day " and " the eighth day, " because it transcends the Sabbath and is seen as being a part of heavenly time rather than earthly time. See Ex. 20:8-11; Acts 20:7. SACRAMENT Literally, a " mystery. " A sacrament is a way in which God imparts grace to His people. Orthodox Christians frequently speak of seven sacraments, but God’s gift of grace is not limited only to these seven—the entire life of the Church is mystical and sacramental. The sacraments were instituted by Christ Himself (John 1:16, 17). The seven mysteries are baptism (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:27), chrismation (Acts 8:15-17; 1 John 2:27), the Holy Eucharist (Matt. 26:26-28; John 6:30-58; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23-31), confession (John 20:22, 23; 1 John 1:8, 9), ordination (Mark 3:14; Acts 1:15-26; 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 4:14), marriage (Gen. 2:18-25; Eph. 5:22-33), and healing or unction (Luke 9:1-6; James 5:14, 15). SACRIFICE To offer something up to God. In the Old Covenant, God commanded His people to sacrifice animals, grain, or oil as an act of thanksgiving, praise, forgiveness, and cleansing. However, these sacrifices were only a foreshadowing of the one perfect sacrifice—Christ, the Word of God, who left the heavenly glory to humble Himself by becoming Man, giving His life as a sacrifice on the Cross to liberate humanity from the curse of sin and death. In the Eucharist, the faithful participate in the all-embracing, final and total sacrifice of Christ. See Lev. 1:1—7:38; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 9:1—10:18. See also REMEMBRANCE. |
| What we know and experience now in the world as members of the Church will be manifested in power in the life of the kingdom to come. The essence of life everlasting is the life of the Holy Trinity, the same eternal life given to us already in the mystery of faith. And I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb [Christ] are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun ... for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [Christ] is the light thereof ... And the throne of God and the Lamb [Christ] shall be in it, and his servants shall see him ... and they shall see his face ... And the Spirit and the Bride [the Church] say Come! (Rev.21:22, 22:3, 17) In the eternal life of the Kingdom of God, the Holy Trinity will fill all creation: the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Every man enlightened by Christ in the Spirit will know the invisible Father. “And this is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” ( Jn 17:3 ). Such knowledge is possible only by the indwelling of the Spirit of God, “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph,1:23, 2:22). Come O Ye People! Let us adore the Three-Personal Godhead, the Son in the Father with the Holy Spirit. For before all time the Father gave birth to the Son, co-eternal and co-enthroned with Himself. And the Holy Spirit was in the Father, glorified with the Son.poл Adoring One Power, One Essence, One Divinity, let us cry: O Holy God who made all things by the Son through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit! O Holy Mighty through whom we know the Father and through whom the Holy Spirit comes ino the world! O Holy Immortal, the Spirit, the Comforter, who proceeds from the Father and rests in the Son! O Most Holy Trinity! Glory to Thee! (The Vespers of Pentecost) Bible The Bible is the book of sacred writings of God’s People of the Old and New Testaments. The People of God of the Old Testament were the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name was changed by God to Israel ( Gen.32:28 ). These people are also called the Hebrews. They remain forever as God’s chosen people for from them “according to the flesh” Christ, the Son of God, was born ( Rom.9:5 ). This Son of God is Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah-King of Israel and the Savior of the world (See Mt.1–2 ; Lk.1–2 ; Rom.8:3 , Gal.4:4 ; Heb.1–5). The Old Testamental writings of the People of Israel remain forever as the Word of God for all who believe in God and wish to know His divine Truth and to do His divine Will. |
| Following the evening entrance which is made with the Book of the Gospels, fifteen readings from the Old Testament scriptures are read, all of which relate to God’s work of creation and salvation which has been summed up and fulfilled in the coming of the predicted Messiah. Besides the readings in Genesis about creation, and the passover-exodus of the Israelites in the days of Moses in Exodus, there are selections from the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zephaniah, and Jonah as well as from Joshua and the Books of Kings, the Canticles of Moses, and of the Three Youths found in Daniel are chanted as well. After the Old Testament readings the celebrant intones the normal liturgical exclamation for the singing of the Thrice-Holy Hymn, but in its place the baptismal verse from Galatians is sung: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia ( Gal.3:27 ). As usual in the Divine Liturgy the epistle reading follows at this point. It is the normal baptismal selection of the Orthodox Church ( Rom.6:3–11 ). “If we have been united with him in a death like his we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” ( Rom.6:5 ). At this time the royal gates are closed, and the celebrants and altar servers change their robes from the dark vestments of the passion into the bright vestments of Christ’s victory over death. At this time all vestings of the church appointments are also changed into the color signifying Christ’s triumph over sin, the devil and death. This revesting takes place while the people sing the verses of Psalm 82 : “Arise O Lord and judge the earth, for to Thee belong all the nations.” After the solemn chanting of the psalm verses, to which are often added the hymn glorifying Christ as the New Passover, the Living Sacrifice who is slain, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; the celebrants emerge from the altar to announce over the tomb of Christ the glad tidings of his victorious triumph over death and his command to the apostles: “Make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded...” ( Mt.28:1.20 ). This Gospel text is also the reading of the baptismal ceremony of the Orthodox Church. |
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