Drop your theological errors off here...

[1stcenturylady]

Mary isn't dead.

Mary did die in the flesh though. She wasn't translated like Enoch and Elijah

 

[amariselle]

Spiritually maturity is the ability to live with a sense of "reasonable" assurance. This is what we generally do. Absolute assurance does not exist. Somewhere deep within our souls this truth nags at us (as it is the "still, small voice of God") even where dogmatic formulas are fabricated to deny this truth. God Loves us, and therefore does not want us to fall victim to "presumptuous sins" which will rob us of Eternal Life. Thus he knocks at the door of our hearts, not wanting us to become deceived into thinking that all is well with our souls in spite of our continuance in the death of sin. There will be many, our Lord tells us, who presumed themselves to be His servants, thinking that they believed in Him, but who did not do the will of God, but rather, continuing to sin did not ever really come to the knowledge of God. To these He will say "depart from me... I do not know you".

Because He is Love, God created us free to choose between Love and sin. We'll all be answering to Christ for our own choices. Thus, I said, in concert with Holy Scripture, that we must persevere in the faith, continuing to abide in the vine which is Christ, for our adversary, the devil, continuously roams about as a ravenous lion looking to devour souls by temptation and deception.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. - John 6:27-29

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. - John 6:38-40

 

[1stcenturylady]

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. - John 6:27-29

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. - John 6:38-40

You do know don't you that John 6:38-40 is talking about the apostles. Have you ever seen Jesus in the flesh?

 

[amariselle]

You are right to a point. However, anything new, that contradicts the bible..... should be tossed out.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Did not Jesus come to fulfill the OT? Only He had the right to add to the scriptures.

Once His story was told and the revelation written, we have a solid foundation for all time. Anything that any man says that contradicts these books...... can be tossed.

Agreed.

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high...- Hebrews 1:1-3

 

[amariselle]

You do know don't you that John 6:38-40 is talking about the apostles. Have you ever seen Jesus in the flesh?

The "will of the Father" is to believe on the Son. That is what these verses are saying. We are saved by grace, through faith, not of works.

 

[1stcenturylady]

The "will of the Father" is to believe on the Son. That is what these verses are saying. We are saved by grace, through faith, not of works.

Many use those verses for eternal security - OSAS. That is not what those verses are referring to, but to the apostles. I appreciate it when people know the Word and use scripture in the way God intended and not out of context.

 

[amariselle]

Many use those verses for eternal security - OSAS. That is not what those verses are referring to, but to the apostles. I appreciate it when people know the Word and use scripture in the way God intended and not out of context.

Really? So only the apostles were saved by grace, through faith? The rest of us are saved by our works?

 

[truefiction1]

I


I thought one of the differences between EO and RCC was belief in praying to Mary. Am I mistaken?

The Orthodox faithful often ask The mother of God to pray for them, so you are mistaken if you think that they don't.

 

[Marvin Knox]

................Absolute assurance does not exist.

There are many constructs believed within Christianity concerning salvation - who initiates it and who finishes it.

"...there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you." 1 Corinthians 11:19

To each his own as they see it in scripture I suppose.

As for me and my house:

"...I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you (me) will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

"In Him, you (I) also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of you (my) salvation-- having also believed, you were (I was) sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise." Ephesians 1:13

".........I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

When it comes to deciding what saving faith consists of, I only know what the scriptures tell me."

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

"When the Son of Man comes - will He find faith on earth?

Within many groups within Christianity, such as Orthodox, apparently not.

I hope to see you on the other side.

In the mean time - examine yourself to see whether you be in the faith.

 

[truefiction1]

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. - John 6:27-29

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. - John 6:38-40

If you had been aware of how many times I have chanted aloud all of these passages of the Gospel inside of Orthodox Churches, or reading them in the quiet hours at home, fully understanding what Christ means by these words, then you wouldn't have invested the time in needlessly repeating them here.

Our Lord teaches us to do the will of His Father, and to keep all of the sayings that He has spoken to us when He came and lived among us. If we do, then we will continue to abide in Him and will have Eternal Life. His words are simple and His words are the words of Eternal Life. I'll hear and obey Him, because I believe in Him. If I do not obey, I do not believe enough. Belief is a free choice, and it is inseparable from obedience to God's will. God the Word always says so.

 

[truefiction1]

There are many constructs believed within Christianity concerning salvation - who initiates it and who finishes it.

"...there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you." 1 Corinthians 11:19

To each his own as they see it in scripture I suppose.

As for me and my house:

"...I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you (me) will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

"In Him, you (I) also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of you (my) salvation-- having also believed, you were (I was) sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise." Ephesians 1:13

".........I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

When it comes to deciding what saving faith consists of, I only know what the scriptures tell me."

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

"When the Son of Man comes - will He find faith on earth?

Within many groups within Christianity, such as Orthodox, apparently not.

I hope to see you on the other side.

In the mean time - examine yourself to see whether you be in the faith.

If you had been aware of how many times I have chanted aloud all of these passages of the Gospel inside of Orthodox Churches, or reading them in the quiet hours at home, fully understanding what Christ means by these words, then you wouldn't have invested the time in needlessly repeating them here.

Our Lord teaches us to do the will of His Father, and to keep all of the sayings that He has spoken to us when He came and lived among us. If we do, then we will continue to abide in Him and will have Eternal Life. His words are simple and His words are the words of Eternal Life. I'll hear and obey Him, because I believe in Him. If I do not obey, I do not believe enough. Belief is a free choice, and it is inseparable from obedience to God's will. God the Word always says so.

 

[amariselle]

If you had been aware of how many times I have chanted aloud all of these passages of the Gospel inside of Orthodox Churches, or reading them in the quiet hours at home, fully understanding what Christ means by these words, then you wouldn't have invested the time in needlessly repeating them here.

Our Lord teaches us to do the will of His Father, and to keep all of the sayings that He has spoken to us when He came and lived among us. If we do, then we will continue to abide in Him and will have Eternal Life. His words are simple and His words are the words of Eternal Life. I'll hear and obey Him, because I believe in Him. If I do not obey, I do not believe enough. Belief is a free choice, and it is inseparable from obedience to God's will. God the Word always says so.

I wasn't aware that sharing Scripture was ever "needless repetition."

As for salvation, that's by grace, through faith, not of works. Works follow salvation, after we are saved, as Christ's disciples.

 

[truefiction1]

I wasn't aware that sharing Scripture was ever "needless repetition."

As for salvation, that's by grace, through faith, not of works. Works follow salvation, after we are saved, as Christ's disciples.

This formula removes the image and likeness of God in human beings when interpreted to mean that belief is not a free choice of believers, and if a free choice, then belief in God can be rejected in favor of sin instead of obedience to God's will. Does God "force" salvation on those whom He made in His image and likeness, or are they allowed to choose?

If sharing Scripture was what you were doing, I would have honored that. I feel you were doing something else with Scripture in this instance.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Really? So only the apostles were saved by grace, through faith? The rest of us are saved by our works?

What does grace mean to you? How do we stop sinning?

 

[1stcenturylady]

The Orthodox faithful often ask The mother of God to pray for them, so you are mistaken if you think that they don't.

I'm disappointed. So what is the difference between you two. Just the pope?

 

[truefiction1]

I'm disappointed. So what is the difference between you two. Just the pope?

There are a lot of differences and I personally don't ever go much into various details. I would sum the heart of things up by saying that the Church tends to be more "Holy Spirit", and less "Word" than the Roman Catholics. All of our outwardly expressed differences are the result of this primary difference.

 

[amariselle]

What does grace mean to you? How do we stop sinning?

Grace is unmerited favour. If we have to "stop sinning" to be saved, that means we must earn our salvation. Therefore, salvation is no longer a gift, but a reward.

"And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." - Romans 11:6

 

[amariselle]

This formula removes the image and likeness of God in human beings when interpreted to mean that belief is not a free choice of believers, and if a free choice, then belief in God can be rejected in favor of sin instead of obedience to God's will. Does God "force" salvation on those whom He made in His image and likeness, or are they allowed to choose?

I don't understand what you're saying here. I believe we have free will, yes.

If sharing Scripture was what you were doing, I would have honored that. I feel you were doing something else with Scripture in this instance.

Fair enough.

 

[truefiction1]

What does grace mean to you? How do we stop sinning?

Grace, to us, usually means the "energies" of God at work around us and inside of us toward our salvation. Some of us have been able to "see" this energy with our own eyes (though I never have). Do you remember the Gospel story of Christ's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and the brilliant Light that the three disciples could not bear to look at? The disciples were seeing, with their physical and spiritual eyes, the "un-created" Light that is God's "grace".

 

[1stcenturylady]

There are a lot of differences and I personally don't ever go much into various details. I would sum the heart of things up by saying that the Church tends to be more "Holy Spirit", and less "Word" than the Roman Catholics. All of our outwardly expressed differences are the result of this primary difference.

Is Greek Orthodox the same as Eastern Orthodox? Maybe it was they who do not pray to Mary. Mary is not God so is not omnipresent, so how could she hear the prayers of all the EO's praying to her, let alone all the RCCs praying to her? I'm sure you've thought about that and I'd like to hear your answer. Now Jesus IS God and according to scripture is our one and only mediator between us and the Father. Why not just pray through Him? Mary didn't die for us, He did. Only by His blood can we come to the throne of grace.