@j_wed_123@GeoffKlein3 “This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra” Lumen Gentium 25
Бог есть огонь, согревающий и разжигающий сердца и утробы. Если мы ощущаем в сердцах своих хлад, то призовем Господа, и Он, придя, согреет наше сердце совершенною любовью не только к Нему, но и к ближним.
Преподобный Серафим Саровский (1754–1833 гг.)
FOUR LAWS BY WHICH CHRIST WILL JUDGE THE WORLD
1. The Law of Nature or the Law of Conscience
The conscience is a righteous judge that God has placed within us. It is not merely a reflection of physical matter accumulated over centuries. Rather, it is the voice of God within human beings, constantly rebuking them whenever they falter, asking: "Mankind, why did you do that?"
This natural law exists within everyone—whether Chinese, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or Muslim. This is the first law, which God planted into the human heart at creation, and by which the world lived until the appearance of the written law.
According to this law, God rebuked Cain when he killed his brother, Abel. Consider what the Bible reveals: the root of conscience is so profound that Cain fell into utter despair, crying out: "My sin is too great to be forgiven." He despaired because he murdered his brother Abel, a shepherd, out of envy because God accepted Abel's sacrifice. Every person on Earth, when committing evil, is confronted by their conscience, which demands: "Why did you do evil?" This is the first law God gave to humanity, known as the law of conscience or the natural law.
2. The Law of Creation
The second law—which is constantly before us, as taught by Saint Gregory, and which speaks to us from heaven to reveal the Divine—is the law of creation.
Who created the heavens, the earth, and all that exists? The moon, the grass, the flowers, the fish, the sea, the rivers, the rocks, the trees, the mountains, and all the animals of the land, water, and air? Who sustains all of this? Who established the cosmic order that operates with such flawless precision that no one can replicate it? None other than the Lord God! The Center that governs our world is God the Creator, who arranged everything perfectly. Therefore, all of creation demonstrates that there is a Creator. Because He exists, we ought to revere Him and obey Him, lest He punish us according to His justice.
3. The Written Law
The third law is the written Law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai—namely, the Ten Commandments and the entire Old Testament. According to this law, the chosen people, the Jews, will be judged.
4. The Law of Grace
The fourth and final law is the law of Grace, the law of perfection, and the law of the love of Jesus Christ—which is the Holy Gospel. According to this law, all Christians baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity will be judged.
The Judgment of the NationsThe first law is natural and applies to all nations until the end of the world. The second law, the law of creation, corresponds directly with the first. By these first two laws, all the nations of the world will be judged, except for Christians and Jews.
By the written law of the Old Testament, the Jews will be judged. And by the law of Grace and the Gospel, we Christians will be judged, because our law is more perfect than all the others. If we disobey it, a greater sin will fall upon us, and a more severe torment awaits us than those who do not know the Gospel.
God has provided us with an inescapable witness. Let us not deceive ourselves, brothers, by thinking God does not know what each of us is doing. No one can claim to be without sin by pleading ignorance of the Gospel—whether they are Chinese, Turkish, or an atheist.
Even if you are an atheist, you still possess a conscience, and you will be judged according to its law. You have witnessed God's creations; did you never once ask yourself who created the sky, the sun, the earth, and everything else, so that you might contemplate deeply and revere the God who made it all? Amen.
— Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie)
Владычица Небесная, Заступница наша! Благодарим Тебя, Дева Богородица, за Твою Милость и Поддержку нам, болящим! Подай нам помощь в лечении недугов и выздоровлении!
I am officially becoming a catechumen after two and a half years of inquiring into the Orthodox Church. It has been a long journey but I am looking forward to coming into full communion with our Lord.
The Orthodox worship is the sound of eternity echoing through time, golden candles, ancient hymns, and hearts lifted toward the Kingdom of God. ☦️
Go to Divine Liturgy ☦️
@ruckusofantioch@OrthodoxEthos@IacobRuthenicus@prezviteros Donatism brings into question the legitimacy of sacraments performed by an actual priest with questionable morals. If you’re gonna accuse someone of heresy, at least know what you’re talking about first.
@KrasnyrdNIKOLAI Glory be to God! I plan on making St. Tzar Nicholas II my baptismal saint as well. He was one of the first saints to be canonized after I was born.