 |
| Jesus Procanator (Orthodoxy) and Jesus Sacred Heart (Catholicism) |
Before I begin, I want to establish a record that I am not a Protestant who at a glance have made judgements about Catholicism and Orthodoxy. I have spent two and half years immersed in the theology, history, doxology, and intricate aspects of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. On several occasions I intended to convert to Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. I attended Orthodox Vigil (Friday Service) and Catholic Mass (Good Friday, Christmas Eve); I have investigated their theologies from the experts like Kallistos Ware (Orthodox), John Anthony McGuckin (Orthodoxy), Father Photios (I met with Him and corresponded via email, Eastern Orthodoxy), read stories of Orthodox Saints via Orthodox Calendar App, read from Robert Barron (Catholicism), talked with Brother James of St. Francis Assisi Order (Catholicism), read St. Benedict of Nursia (Catholicism), read St. Augustine of Hippo (Catholicism), read St. Ignatius of Loyola, read The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis (Catholicism), and Bruce Shelley (Protestantism). I have owned Crucifixes and Icons of Christ The Teacher, Pantocrator, and more, I have listened to Gregory Chant and Dvina's Soul of Orthodox Chant. I have investigated the doctrines of both Catholicism and Orthodoxy via online sources like ROCOR, Orthodox Christian Network, EWTN Catholic Network, and Catholic Answers.com. I have watched videos by Orthodox Priests like Fr. Moses, and watched fathers and nuns of Catholicism teach theology, doctrine, catechism, on YouTube and television networks. I have mastered both the Roman and Orthodox Sign of the Cross, index and middle finger: forehead to chest, left to right, and three fingers, index, middle, and thumb from forehead to chest, right to left. I have prayed the Pater Noster (Our Father Prayer) with a rosary, and mastered the Jesus Prayer ("Jesus have mercy on me, a sinner"). I can identify saints in iconography of both Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. I am understand what Transubstantiation is and how Catholics came to believe it (John 6, however Jesus reveals its merely symbolism and the fullness of Passover in Matthew 26:26-28), I know what an Iconostasis is and how it is organized. Purchased a Eastern Orthodox Study Bible, an Eastern Orthodox Bible App, an Catholic Bible, and downloaded The Latina, Latin Vulgate App. I created a Catholic altar with a massive Crucifix (called a Rood) with two candelabras and used incense with my Icons. I have worn crucifixes and the Eastern Orthodox, Byzantine or Russian Orthodox and Suppedaneum Cross. I had an Orthodox Priest swing the incense censure on me, and an Catholic Priest give me the Benedicticum blessing with oil. I learned the wars of Catholicism, the Crusades, and about Crucinatia/Crucinatius (Signed with the cross, Crusaders) by reading seven books on subject, including Christopher Tyerman's mammoth one volume book "God's War: A New History of the Crusades" at 990 pages. I watched an four-six hour presentation of a Eastern Orthodox Museum full of relics, robes, and religious artifacts. I never prayed to Mary or Saints. I only prayed to Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit and I always held Solae Scriptura during this adventure through Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Now that I have established I have spent a long period of time being educated in Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Let us examine them.
The two largest churches in the world are The Catholic Church and The Orthodox Church. Catholicism boasts 1.2 Billion members, while Orthodoxy is second at 386 Million members. Their numbers are either a testament to their faith or to their folly which we shall examine. These two churches claim Apostolic Succession or Primacy: that they were founded by the Apostles. They certainly were founded by the apostles, particularly Paul who went to the Romans and Greeks, but the transformed into the churches they are now through three major events: the heresies in 100-280 A.D. (both churches practice elements of Dontanism, Origenism, Plegiusism, and more) and Constantine The Great in 333 A.D. (who made Byzantium, his kingdom adopt Chrisitanity, but placed pagan priests in charge of churches and kept the Cult of Emperor and Sun god alive, which the later is practiced in Orthodox worship), and their split in 1054 A.D. (which formalized the already major differences between Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox that had already happened in liturgy, rite, doctrine, and dogma). The endeavor of this post is to analyize these two churches, and determine if they are indeed the Elect or Erroneous.
The two largest churches in the world are The Catholic Church and The Orthodox Church. Catholicism boasts 1.2 Billion members, while Orthodoxy is second at 386 Million members. Their numbers are either a testament to their faith or to their folly which we shall examine. These two churches claim Apostolic Succession or Primacy: that they were founded by the Apostles. They certainly were founded by the apostles, particularly Paul who went to the Romans and Greeks, but the transformed into the churches they are now through three major events: the heresies in 100-280 A.D. (both churches practice elements of Dontanism, Origenism, Plegiusism, and more) and Constantine The Great in 333 A.D. (who made Byzantium, his kingdom adopt Chrisitanity, but placed pagan priests in charge of churches and kept the Cult of Emperor and Sun god alive, which the later is practiced in Orthodox worship), and their split in 1054 A.D. (which formalized the already major differences between Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox that had already happened in liturgy, rite, doctrine, and dogma). The endeavor of this post is to analyize these two churches, and determine if they are indeed the Elect or Erroneous.
✝Catholicism is very familiar to westerners. It was the dominate Church during 1,100 years of European History. Unique to the Catholic Church is the Papacy, an aristocracy of Churchmen with the highest office being the Pappa or Pope who acts as figurehead (Vicar of Christ) who in times past asserted authority akin to Cesar. The Catholic Church has been an independent Church since the Early Middle Ages. Secular powers, such as monarchs and emperors could not completely control the Church in the West because it was separated by the Authority of St. Peter. Popes could claim the Primacy of Peter and thus stand against stubborn kings and keep the power of the Church separate from the state. The Catholic Church is embodied in two images: The Crucified Christ or Crucifix and The Queen of Heaven or The Virgin Mary. Catholics identify with these two images most because they are on a perpetual penance or sanctification of their soul and thus must appeal to their Lord Jesus on the Cross and to his mother Mary whom since the Middle Ages has a mystical nature (The Cult of Virgin) bordering on deity (which is an idolatry that unfortunately continues to this day).
☦Eastern Orthodoxy is very unfamiliar to westerners. Orthodoxy has been the dominate Church since 200 A.D (200 A.D. to 2014 A.D: 1,754 years) in Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and parts of the Middle East. Orthodoxy spread under Constantine The Great when the capital of Constantinople was established in 325. Then the Russians adopted Orthodoxy in 988, and for one thousand years have been adherents. The Orthodox Church since Constantine has been intrinsic with the State. In Byzantium, the kingdom of Constantine and his successors, Orthodoxy was bound closely to imperial rule and thus the secular power of the emperor had authority over the church. Orthodoxy has a hierarchy of equals, called Patriarchs who act as Bishops in famous cities of Christian renown like Istanbul (Constantinople) and Moscow. Unlike the Pope, no one patriarch is the head of the Orthodox Church. Orthodox identify with icons or images of Jesus Christ and the saints. Christ in not typically featured on the cross in Orthodoxy, but seated on a throne, with a scepter, crown, and usually a book in one hand (Book of Life- Christ Pantocrator or New Testament Christos Teacher), and Christogram finger gesture (ICXC, Christ's name abbreviated in Greek). Orthodox do not see themselves on a path of penance, but one of regeneration and rebirth. Orthodox believe they are the icon of God, made in his image and it is their quest to become the perfect image of the Almighty through living righteously.
The mindsets of both the Eastern and Western Churches are different, but their goal is the same. According to Orthodox Fathers, the Orthodox believe that their salvation is sealed upon baptism and that no subsequent sin can remove them from the Savior's hand; however they do believe sin separates you from the divine in this life and that it wounds the image of God. To rectify these transgressions or as the Orthodox call it in the Greek, "missing the mark," one must confess the sin to a priest and God and choose to walk uprightly again. However, in reality the Orthodox also believe one must live this life of regeneration, practice asceticism (Col 2:23 ESV), pray to saints, and that the Orthodox Church is the only way to eternal life which violates these words of Christ, "I am the Way, Truth, and Life, none can come to Father except through me," (John 14:6), "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture," (John 10:9), "For God So loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life, Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son," (John 3:16,18), "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins," (John 8:24), "Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him," (John 14:23), "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, Whoever believes and is baptized (Romans 10:9, public confession) will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned," (Mark 16:15-16), "Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," (John 20:29), "
and the Apostles say, "Confess Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him fron dead and you shall be saved," (Romans 10:9), "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household," (Acts 16:31), and "But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name," (John 20:31). Nothing there about having to believe in a certain church or be ministered a sacrament or dispensation through a priest. It simply says believe.In Catholicism sinning post baptism erases salvation and thus thrusts the soul of the sinner into Purgatory (should they die, purgatory was invented by St. Augustine of Hippo who wanted friends that would not believe in Jesus to be able to go to an afterlife and merit their way to heaven, but this violates John 3:18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) if they do not confess their sins and do a penance. Catholics believe Jesus Christ died for their sins, the same as the Orthodox, but they see sin as absolute, that if indulged in separates you from the Savior again; as if you were never saved and to rectify this they repent, receive Absolution from a priest and do penance; an act of contrition ranging from seven Our Father and Hail Mary prayers to more severe punishments like mutilation via flogging or beating (practiced mostly in Argentina and poorer countries). Going to a priest is supported by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches via this Scripture, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16). The problem is that verse makes no mention of a priest, and the apostle Peter/St. Peter says this about priesthood, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10).
The Catholic is fixated on sin, while the Orthodox is fixated on sanctification. They are the same, but the mindset is different. For Catholics the fear of being damned to hell or purgatory is ever present. For the Orthodox damnation lies in this life; they fear that if they do not live righteously they will be cut off from Christ in this life, and may not attain salvation in the next. Both move in works; The Catholic to erase or make payment for sin, and the Orthodox to keep doing rituals to stay connected to the divine in this life and receive salvation through works like asceticism and the church itself (which has been established as antichrist and antibiblical, see previous paragraphs). A Catholic is concerned with eternal life and if the soul will reach Heaven, the Orthodox is concerned with this life and that Heaven comes to Earth to save them through their Church. Both believe in God The Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But both are walking out their faith in heretical ways. The Catholic is more self focused through being worried about the state of one's own soul and spirit and if they will be in paradise. The Orthodox is self focused by trying to live a holy, ascetic, and pure life through exercises and rituals of manmade religion (Colossians 2:23).
The Catholic and Orthodox Churches are split over the doctrine of Filoque, a line in Nicene Creed and the Doctrine of the Trinity. The confusion comes from the following verse, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me." (John 15:26). Orthodox argue that Spirit proceeds from Father, not the Son, while Catholics add that the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and Son. Catholiccs are right because the aforementioned verse says, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father (Trinity)," and the following verses, "I and the Father are one," (John 10:30), and "Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21-22). However, despite the Catholic triumph in theology, they fail in their polytheism. Catholics pray and worship Mary Mother of God (Madonna, Mary of Guadeloupe. Catholic Catechism paragraphs 940-980) which is idolatry and apostasy because Jesus said, "Love The Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind." (Matthew 22:37). Catholics also pray to saints and venerate them which violates The First and Second Commandments which are contained in one command I just mentioned! The Orthodox do not worship Mary or the Saints per se (this is according to their clergy, they argue they are merely honoring them), but they do pray to them to intercede on their behalf which violates this Scripture, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5).
.
☦Eastern Orthodoxy is very unfamiliar to westerners. Orthodoxy has been the dominate Church since 200 A.D (200 A.D. to 2014 A.D: 1,754 years) in Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and parts of the Middle East. Orthodoxy spread under Constantine The Great when the capital of Constantinople was established in 325. Then the Russians adopted Orthodoxy in 988, and for one thousand years have been adherents. The Orthodox Church since Constantine has been intrinsic with the State. In Byzantium, the kingdom of Constantine and his successors, Orthodoxy was bound closely to imperial rule and thus the secular power of the emperor had authority over the church. Orthodoxy has a hierarchy of equals, called Patriarchs who act as Bishops in famous cities of Christian renown like Istanbul (Constantinople) and Moscow. Unlike the Pope, no one patriarch is the head of the Orthodox Church. Orthodox identify with icons or images of Jesus Christ and the saints. Christ in not typically featured on the cross in Orthodoxy, but seated on a throne, with a scepter, crown, and usually a book in one hand (Book of Life- Christ Pantocrator or New Testament Christos Teacher), and Christogram finger gesture (ICXC, Christ's name abbreviated in Greek). Orthodox do not see themselves on a path of penance, but one of regeneration and rebirth. Orthodox believe they are the icon of God, made in his image and it is their quest to become the perfect image of the Almighty through living righteously.
The mindsets of both the Eastern and Western Churches are different, but their goal is the same. According to Orthodox Fathers, the Orthodox believe that their salvation is sealed upon baptism and that no subsequent sin can remove them from the Savior's hand; however they do believe sin separates you from the divine in this life and that it wounds the image of God. To rectify these transgressions or as the Orthodox call it in the Greek, "missing the mark," one must confess the sin to a priest and God and choose to walk uprightly again. However, in reality the Orthodox also believe one must live this life of regeneration, practice asceticism (Col 2:23 ESV), pray to saints, and that the Orthodox Church is the only way to eternal life which violates these words of Christ, "I am the Way, Truth, and Life, none can come to Father except through me," (John 14:6), "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture," (John 10:9), "For God So loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life, Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son," (John 3:16,18), "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins," (John 8:24), "Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him," (John 14:23), "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, Whoever believes and is baptized (Romans 10:9, public confession) will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned," (Mark 16:15-16), "Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," (John 20:29), "
and the Apostles say, "Confess Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him fron dead and you shall be saved," (Romans 10:9), "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household," (Acts 16:31), and "But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name," (John 20:31). Nothing there about having to believe in a certain church or be ministered a sacrament or dispensation through a priest. It simply says believe.In Catholicism sinning post baptism erases salvation and thus thrusts the soul of the sinner into Purgatory (should they die, purgatory was invented by St. Augustine of Hippo who wanted friends that would not believe in Jesus to be able to go to an afterlife and merit their way to heaven, but this violates John 3:18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) if they do not confess their sins and do a penance. Catholics believe Jesus Christ died for their sins, the same as the Orthodox, but they see sin as absolute, that if indulged in separates you from the Savior again; as if you were never saved and to rectify this they repent, receive Absolution from a priest and do penance; an act of contrition ranging from seven Our Father and Hail Mary prayers to more severe punishments like mutilation via flogging or beating (practiced mostly in Argentina and poorer countries). Going to a priest is supported by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches via this Scripture, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16). The problem is that verse makes no mention of a priest, and the apostle Peter/St. Peter says this about priesthood, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10).
The Catholic is fixated on sin, while the Orthodox is fixated on sanctification. They are the same, but the mindset is different. For Catholics the fear of being damned to hell or purgatory is ever present. For the Orthodox damnation lies in this life; they fear that if they do not live righteously they will be cut off from Christ in this life, and may not attain salvation in the next. Both move in works; The Catholic to erase or make payment for sin, and the Orthodox to keep doing rituals to stay connected to the divine in this life and receive salvation through works like asceticism and the church itself (which has been established as antichrist and antibiblical, see previous paragraphs). A Catholic is concerned with eternal life and if the soul will reach Heaven, the Orthodox is concerned with this life and that Heaven comes to Earth to save them through their Church. Both believe in God The Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But both are walking out their faith in heretical ways. The Catholic is more self focused through being worried about the state of one's own soul and spirit and if they will be in paradise. The Orthodox is self focused by trying to live a holy, ascetic, and pure life through exercises and rituals of manmade religion (Colossians 2:23).
The Catholic and Orthodox Churches are split over the doctrine of Filoque, a line in Nicene Creed and the Doctrine of the Trinity. The confusion comes from the following verse, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me." (John 15:26). Orthodox argue that Spirit proceeds from Father, not the Son, while Catholics add that the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and Son. Catholiccs are right because the aforementioned verse says, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father (Trinity)," and the following verses, "I and the Father are one," (John 10:30), and "Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21-22). However, despite the Catholic triumph in theology, they fail in their polytheism. Catholics pray and worship Mary Mother of God (Madonna, Mary of Guadeloupe. Catholic Catechism paragraphs 940-980) which is idolatry and apostasy because Jesus said, "Love The Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind." (Matthew 22:37). Catholics also pray to saints and venerate them which violates The First and Second Commandments which are contained in one command I just mentioned! The Orthodox do not worship Mary or the Saints per se (this is according to their clergy, they argue they are merely honoring them), but they do pray to them to intercede on their behalf which violates this Scripture, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5).
.
Catholicism and Orthodoxy are like two twins; they have the same D.N.A, and even were one church until 1054 A.D. (854 years as one church, 200 A.D. to 1054 A.D) but they have separate personalities and ambitions. The Catholic Church fought the Turks in Crusades and kept the West from falling to Islam. While the Orthodox Church endured communist take over of Asia, Middle East, and Russia.
To be honest, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have some merits, and many more faults. I adore the Crucifix of the Catholic and the Icons of the Orthodox. However, the Catholic Church is too fixated on sin and misses the fact that is right in front of them (the crucifix); Jesus Christ has accomplished it all! (John 19:20, Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 9 and 10) There is no need to do penance, you cannot merit salvation by works; it is by Grace alone that we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Orthodox are not aware of sin enough. They can easily become proud and fixated on self improvement to the point that they do not want to acknowledge a fault and rectify it, and they believe they can live a holy life that saves through their church which violates the verses Catholicism does, and these as well Colossians 2:20-23, John 10:9, Romans 10:9, John 20:29, and more.
Both the Catholic and Orthodox are busy focused on themselves. The Catholic is trembling about their sins and if they will reach heaven; the Orthodoxy is busy chanting and trying to refine themselves through actions and ritual to be holy enough for salvation (Colossians 2:20-23). Neither is focused on Christ alone. Jesus said, "Love the Lord (Jesus, Romans 10:9) your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; this is the greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38). Fearing purgatory and doing penance all the time is not loving God, but worrying about yourself and it indicates a lack of trust in Christ's sacrifice, "Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, Christ will be of no value to you at all," (Galatians 5:2), "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love," (Galatians 5:6), "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him," (Hebrews 9:28), "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit," (1 Peter 3:18), "When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God," (Romans 6:10), and "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:22).
Anything short of Loving God and others is a system short of the Gospel. Jesus Christ came to restore our connection and closeness with The Father through Himself. We have no time to connect if we are busy doing penance or preforming acts to purify ourselves. The Blood of Christ was an all sufficient sacrifice (1 John 1:7, Romans 3:25, Hebrews 9:12-14, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:13, Colossians 1:19-22, Revelation 12:11, Titus 3:5, John 15:3, 1 Corinthians 6:11). There is nothing more to do, but follow the Lord. To be transformed, we must let Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit change us from within. Only with God's help can we truly turn from the wickedness in our own hearts. Righteous acts from the outside do not work (Colossians 2:20-23). They are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) before the Lord and will merit nothing (Ephesians 2:9). Offer instead to the Lord Jesus Yourself! He is the Lamb who was slain and his sacrifice atoned for all your sins. Turn from your sin and cease doing what is evil, but if you stumble, do not beat yourself bloody; for there is One who already bled on your behalf; turn to Him (Jesus Christ) and repent. Let the Lord cleanses you through his everlasting act of salvation.
.jpg)
To be honest, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have some merits, and many more faults. I adore the Crucifix of the Catholic and the Icons of the Orthodox. However, the Catholic Church is too fixated on sin and misses the fact that is right in front of them (the crucifix); Jesus Christ has accomplished it all! (John 19:20, Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 9 and 10) There is no need to do penance, you cannot merit salvation by works; it is by Grace alone that we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Orthodox are not aware of sin enough. They can easily become proud and fixated on self improvement to the point that they do not want to acknowledge a fault and rectify it, and they believe they can live a holy life that saves through their church which violates the verses Catholicism does, and these as well Colossians 2:20-23, John 10:9, Romans 10:9, John 20:29, and more.
Both the Catholic and Orthodox are busy focused on themselves. The Catholic is trembling about their sins and if they will reach heaven; the Orthodoxy is busy chanting and trying to refine themselves through actions and ritual to be holy enough for salvation (Colossians 2:20-23). Neither is focused on Christ alone. Jesus said, "Love the Lord (Jesus, Romans 10:9) your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; this is the greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38). Fearing purgatory and doing penance all the time is not loving God, but worrying about yourself and it indicates a lack of trust in Christ's sacrifice, "Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, Christ will be of no value to you at all," (Galatians 5:2), "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love," (Galatians 5:6), "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him," (Hebrews 9:28), "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit," (1 Peter 3:18), "When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God," (Romans 6:10), and "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:22).
Anything short of Loving God and others is a system short of the Gospel. Jesus Christ came to restore our connection and closeness with The Father through Himself. We have no time to connect if we are busy doing penance or preforming acts to purify ourselves. The Blood of Christ was an all sufficient sacrifice (1 John 1:7, Romans 3:25, Hebrews 9:12-14, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:13, Colossians 1:19-22, Revelation 12:11, Titus 3:5, John 15:3, 1 Corinthians 6:11). There is nothing more to do, but follow the Lord. To be transformed, we must let Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit change us from within. Only with God's help can we truly turn from the wickedness in our own hearts. Righteous acts from the outside do not work (Colossians 2:20-23). They are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) before the Lord and will merit nothing (Ephesians 2:9). Offer instead to the Lord Jesus Yourself! He is the Lamb who was slain and his sacrifice atoned for all your sins. Turn from your sin and cease doing what is evil, but if you stumble, do not beat yourself bloody; for there is One who already bled on your behalf; turn to Him (Jesus Christ) and repent. Let the Lord cleanses you through his everlasting act of salvation.
The Verdict
Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are church systems with false gospels (Galatians 1:8, 2 Corinthians 11:4), major apostasies, heresies, idolatries, and errors. The Orthodox possibly do not know the true God; they have separated The Holy Spirit with The Father from Jesus Christ (Pelegism, Origenism). The Catholics add gods to the one True Triune God with making Mary a Theotokios, Co-Redeemer, and goddess (she is not!) and praying to saints instead of the Savior [Orthodox do the same], when there is only one name and God who saves Jesus Christ! (Acts 4:10-12). Additionally, Catholics do penance, that is punish themselves with something or some other act to atone for their sins; this is antichrist because Jesus Christ died and paid for all our sins! The Orthodox do the same thing, but instead of calling it pennace they call it holy living and asceticism. We do not have to do anything but believe and follow Jesus Christ! Orthodox believe asceticism, and living a holy life with merit salvation, which is another gospel (Galatians 1:8). So the Orthodox do not know the Triune God because of their confusing theology and works based salvation, and the Catholics make a god out of Mary and say Christ's blood is not enough! Stay away from joining either Church because they are antichrist and believe lies that will put your soul and relationship with The Lord Jesus who is God (Colossians 2:9) in jeopardy. Perhaps this helps for the Baptist brothers, Catholics and Orthodox do not adhere to Solae Scriptura (Scripture Alone) but to Prima Scriptura, which holds Scripture is among many traditions, and they always emphasize their Canons and Patristic traditions over Holy Scripture. For my Charismatic and Pentecostal brothers, the Holy Spirit is not in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, in fact you feel instead a wet blanket over your face, the Darth Vader Force choke, chest pain, and illness instead of the soothing heart pulse beat, warmth, comfort, presence, power, and joy of the Holy Spirit. To my Evangelical brothers and sisters, do not fall into trap of asceticism, and the notion that they are living a holier life and more true to the Apostle's teaching, they are in fact practicing the following traps, "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh," (Colossians 2:16-18, 20-23), "Having a form of godliness but denying its power, have nothing to do with such men," (2 Timothy 3:5), and "Always learning they are never able to come to the Truth." (2 Timothy 3:7), "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!" (Matthew 23:15), and, "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either." (Matthew 23:13)., and worst of all I fear these churches could turn you into these, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:22-23). Do Catholics and Orthodox really know Jesus? They certainly add to the gospel (Galatians 1:8), don't believe His Sacrifice was enough, and they implore other saints and Mary for help, aid, and salvation; creating demi-gods out of them.
Comments
Post a Comment