Saint Theophan the Recluse is a highly esteemed saint of Russia in the century before last. A protestant missionary came into a Russian town preaching a different gospel to the people there causing confusion and descension. In response to a letter, Saint Theophan gave the following response about the situtation:
"Maybe he teaches salvation, but not in the way that Christ Himself or the Holy Apostles taught us. . . .
Someone may read the Gospel and interpret it falsely. For him the Gospel becomes a means of destruction. Why is this? This is because he doesn't know the road to salvation well. He does not know certain points of the spiritual path, such as faith, keeping the commandments, the acquisition of divine grace, etc. In the Gospel, these points are not spelled out and written collectively, but they've been written under several different passages. In order for one to walk safely in the way of salvation, he must recognize all these points.
Many stumble as they concentrate on certain passages that are related to salvation and turn their attention to one or two of these; they become isolated from the rest of Holy Writ, and cry out 'We have found it, the way of salvation!' In this way one declares, 'Have faith and you will be saved.' Another proclaims, 'Acquire Divine Grace and you don't need anything else.' A third advises, 'Love and you will obtain heaven.' And many other such things are taught. All these are real, and based on Holy Writ. But alone, none covers the entire subject of salvation. They must be combined and only then will full knowledge of the true character of salvation be gained.
Your false teacher is thus among all these who are deceived. He reads the Bible, as you write, and teaches how we will be saved. However, does he present the whole breadth and depth of the struggle that is required, or only one side of it? He grabs two or three isolated passages from Writ, and starts preaching: 'Here is the salvific medicine for you. Take it and be saved!' In the end, he is a liar and a deceiver . . . "
I'll write more from the article later, but the whole article is available through the "Orthodox Heritage" publication available at: http://members.cox.net/orthodoxheritage/index.htm . We should all ask ourselves, are we or our pastors deceivers and liars, having distorted the Gospel, even if unintentionally, or without mallice?
Basil
"Maybe he teaches salvation, but not in the way that Christ Himself or the Holy Apostles taught us. . . .
Someone may read the Gospel and interpret it falsely. For him the Gospel becomes a means of destruction. Why is this? This is because he doesn't know the road to salvation well. He does not know certain points of the spiritual path, such as faith, keeping the commandments, the acquisition of divine grace, etc. In the Gospel, these points are not spelled out and written collectively, but they've been written under several different passages. In order for one to walk safely in the way of salvation, he must recognize all these points.
Many stumble as they concentrate on certain passages that are related to salvation and turn their attention to one or two of these; they become isolated from the rest of Holy Writ, and cry out 'We have found it, the way of salvation!' In this way one declares, 'Have faith and you will be saved.' Another proclaims, 'Acquire Divine Grace and you don't need anything else.' A third advises, 'Love and you will obtain heaven.' And many other such things are taught. All these are real, and based on Holy Writ. But alone, none covers the entire subject of salvation. They must be combined and only then will full knowledge of the true character of salvation be gained.
Your false teacher is thus among all these who are deceived. He reads the Bible, as you write, and teaches how we will be saved. However, does he present the whole breadth and depth of the struggle that is required, or only one side of it? He grabs two or three isolated passages from Writ, and starts preaching: 'Here is the salvific medicine for you. Take it and be saved!' In the end, he is a liar and a deceiver . . . "
I'll write more from the article later, but the whole article is available through the "Orthodox Heritage" publication available at: http://members.cox.net/orthodoxheritage/index.htm . We should all ask ourselves, are we or our pastors deceivers and liars, having distorted the Gospel, even if unintentionally, or without mallice?
Basil