Sincere question concerining EOC

[EagleWings02]

Hello Orthodox brothers and sisters. I am writing an speech about the Eastern Orthodox Church for my school. I currently go to a Christian university and the vast majority of students and faculty have negative things to say about Orthodox people. Obviously Orthodox Christians are going to heaven but every time that my Orthodox friends at school say things like, "Saint Paul" or "Mary the Mother of God" people start to preach the Gospel to them like they are not saved!!??? Clearly their view is flawed!
Anyways, I can easily find a lot of Scripture about everything Orthodox, (I am Greek, so I have a lot of family in the Greek Orthodox Church), but I am having a hard time with the saints for some reason. Can someone help me out here/define a saint. Please note that my school does not listen to church fathers etc. only Scripture.
These are the verses that I have for the saints, I know there are more:
“Saints”: prophets, apostles, martyrs, a Nazirite (Num 6). The Holy Bible written by saints. Have authoritative speech that does not contradict Holy Scripture. Does not mean everything they say/do is always right (e.g. Num 20) what makes them human. Not “worship saints” but intercessory prayer of the saints:

Ephesians 6:18, “making supplication for all the saints.” Hebrews 12:1, Recall ch 11 (Hall of Faith). The saints being our example.
Hebrews 12:22-25, Each thing listed is Holy. “But you have come…to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.”
Revelation 5:8, “The prayers of the saints.”
Revelation 6:9-11, the martyrs being saints.
I'm sorry if I offend anyone by posting this, I do not condemn the Orthodox Church. All Orthodox Christians are exactly that: Christians

 

[ArmyMatt]

there are also all the times that the St Paul writes to the saints that are in a particular Church. in the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man addresses Abraham with great respect. Moses, who is dead, speaks to Christ about His Passion at the Transfiguration. there is the great respect of the Israelites to the bones of Joseph during the Exodus.

 

[Joseph Hazen]

And the verses where St. Paul talks about us being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, describing them as the spectators who cheer us on in the race we are enduring (it's in Hebrews) and the verses where God says He is the God of the Living, not of the dead.

As for a definition it's best to think of the saints as older family members who have experienced the struggles we are experiencing and have emerged victorious. The reports of their earthly lives give us an example of Christ's love in action in various times and ways. Their Heavenly life provide us with older brothers and sisters who are 'cheering us on' with their prayers, just as our good earthly siblings do.

 

[jckstraw72]

this is a very helpful article The Ascetic Ideal and the New Testament: Reflections on the Critique of the Theology of the Reformation

 

[~Anastasia~]

I wonder what is their opinion of the great leaders of their faith? Not sure who that might be ... Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and so on? Or their own saintly Grandmother who passed away? If they don't believe in soul sleep, then they believe they are conscious? If they believe they were godly men, then they believe they are "saved"? Where are they? What are they doing, thinking?

Maybe they think they are completely unaware of what goes on on the earth. But what about that great cloud of witnesses? Who are they, and what do they witness? What about the martyred souls under the altar in Revelation, who cry out to God about what happens on earth?

Did their dear grandmother simply lose all memory of them when she died? Does she not still love them? Would a God of love seek to cut all ties with those we loved while in the body? Most people have some idea of being greeted by deceased loved ones when they die. Don't those people love us still while we live?

Just some thoughts ...

 

[buzuxi02]

The word saint is the greek word for holy.

Romans 1.7 says we are called to be holy, that is saints. We are called to be "Ayious". Those in heaven are the saints, and we hope to be so as well. They have been granted by God to pray for us. But not only that, God gives incense to the heavenly saints to present our earthly prayers as intercessions. In other words we can call upon them and they will offer up our prayers with their incense, See Rev 5.8 & 8.3-4.

Now since you are greek just pull out the original koine greek bible as this is the version every greek reads and that should be enough to silence them. Nothing puts the fear of God into a protestant like a greek that pulls out his greek bible to put the KJV to shame.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

We are all called to be Saints.

Mary