For New ChristiansThis forum is for new Christians to ask questions and be encouraged by other Christians. Here you can post your questions and talk about issues relating to new believers.
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I've run across people like Mother Teresa who not only have doubts about the existence of the Bible's God, but also ask: How can I know if I'm a believer?
Well, that question is easily answered because it deals with the supernatural aspects of New Testament Christianity.
†. John 3:31-36 . . he has come from heaven. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is real.
What John is talking about there is something akin to a close encounter of a third kind. What I mean is: when someone's a believer, God's Spirit communicates with them.
†. Rom 8:16 . .The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's kin.
I can assure you, from personal experience, that people in touch with God's Spirit have absolutely no doubts about the existence of the Bible's God any more than they have doubts about the existence of their natural mothers and fathers.
An additional supernatural aspect that prevents those kinds of doubts is the spirit of adoption; which will not permit believers to develop feelings of abandonment— a chronic condition suffered by Mother Teresa during her entire five decades in India.
†. Rom 8:15 . . For you have not received a spirit of slavery again to fear; but you have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we call out; Abba! Father.
†. Gal 4:6-7 . . And because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of His son into your hearts, calling out: Abba! Father.
The word abba is an Aramaic word. And it's not really translated; but rather, it's transliterated. The word means: father, dad, daddy, papa, pop, or whatever's your favorite; and it never means mom or mamma as if the spirit of God's son would ever compel God's kin to call out to a woman. You might ask: Why put two "father" words together?
Abba is a vocative— a vocal expression for getting somebody's attention —like the words children might use to get their parents' attention. When my son is out in the kitchen talking about me with my wife, my filial name Dad is just simply who I am to them. But when he calls out to me in the back room to get my attention (e.g. Dad! where are you!?) then dad becomes a vocative.
The Greek word for Father is pater. It's another noun that means father too but in a much broader way. It can imply a parent, an ancestor; or a relative. So when you put abba and pater together, it comes out something like this:
If I were to meet President Barack Hussein Obama, I would have to make an appointment first; and then stand back and address him as Sir or Mister President. But his two daughters Sasha and Malia can run right up uninvited and cling to his arm because he's their father; and they call him daddy. Now if the Obama's should adopt a little boy some day, he will have all the very same rights and privileges as the Obama's natural-born daughters; including a legal right to inherit because the law makes no distinction between natural children and adopted children (*see note below). Their new son would have every right to run up uninvited to Mr. Obama yelling: Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! and cling to his other arm.
The spirit of adoption imparts to God's kin the heartfelt bond that enables adopted children to feel the love, and the friendship, and the security feelings that normal boys and girls feel with their birth parents.
†. John 14:18 . . I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you.
†. Heb 13:5 . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
*NOTE: This is an important point for men contemplating marrying a divorced woman and adopting her children from a previous marriage. In the event of a break-up, he will be liable to pay child support for another man's kids just as if they were his own.
"Belief is a matter of dying for Christ and His commandments. It is believing that such a death is life-giving. It is to count poverty as riches, and to consider the lowest humiliation as true honor and nobility. Faith is believing that when one has nothing, one has everything. More than this, it is to possess the incomprehensible riches of the knowledge of Christ and to look upon all visible things as but clay and smoke." ~St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Practical and Theological Chapters
"If you wish to save your soul and win eternal life, arise from your lethargy, make the sign of the Cross and say: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Faith comes not through pondering but through action. Not words and speculation but experience teaches us what God is. To let in fresh air we have to open a window; to get tanned we must go out into the sunshine. Achieving faith is no different; we never reach a goal by just sitting in comfort and waiting, say the Holy Fathers. Let the Prodigal Son be our example. He "arose and came" (Luke 15:20)." -Tito Colliander The Way of the Ascetics.
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Troparion - Tone 4
Commanders of the heavenly hosts, we who are unworthy beseech you, by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory, and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you: “Deliver us from all harm, for you are the commanders of the powers on high!”
Holy Archangel Michael, pray to God for me.
"Why do you increase your bonds? Take hold of your life before your light grows dark and you seek help and do not find it. This life has been given to you for repentance; do not waste it in vain pursuits."~St. Isaac the Syrian
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Sure! That's a concept we have to be reminded of over and over. We are supposed to lean on Him for help, even in the areas where we feel obligated to please him.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy peace, patience... self control.... These are not our own fruits, but the result of God's work in our lives.
Where we are weak, He is strong.
__________________ What is hateful to you, don't do unto your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Now, go and study. -Rabbi Hillel
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