God is Real

In a world in which around every corner is a different Church, all competing for our attention, how can be sure the Orthodox Church is the correct Church? Among an estimated 43,000 denominations (as of 2015 Gordon Conwell Seminary Study), each offering a slightly different answer to the question, “Who is God, and why should I care?” the Orthodox Church stands humbly with the knowledge that we are following the Faith of the Apostles.

It is what makes us unique among the Christian movement. In every other religion, even non-Christian, believers have the right, and are even encouraged to, decide for themselves how to answer life’s question. When we stand firm in the teachings of our ancestors, we are called old fashioned and out of touch with the times. This slander presumes we want to be with the times, but our kingdom is of another time, God’s time.

Today the Church commemorates the memory of a Great Saint, The Empress Theodora, who restored Holy Icons to their proper usage within the Church, not because they were pretty, but because they spoke the truth. The usage of Holy Icons reaffirms the truth that God became a human being. People saw Him. They spoke with Him. They ate with Him. They listened to Him. They worshipped Him. All this is reaffirmed in the usage of Holy Icons. If He was real, then we have pictures of Him.

It was the most natural expression of piety to want to be constantly reminded of His reality, and His presence. Take a moment and read today’s Epistle to Hebrews, and you’ll see what I mean. Are you feeling alone in your struggle against temptation? Don’t worry, Jesus was tempted too, and He understands the struggle. Are you feeling alone in your fasting? Don’t forget that Christ fasted for forty days, so He knows the pain of hunger.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee”; as he says also in another place, “Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.” – Hebrews 4.14-16, 5.1-6

Because of the faith of the Empress Theodora, we have Holy Icons to remind us that Christ is real, and He is right there alongside of us with our daily challenges. This is the just the beginning of our Faith. It all flows from the reality of Christ’s Incarnation, and the reality of His taking our humanity upon Himself. How can we trust the Church? We trust the Church the same way the Saints trusted the Church, with faith that God is real and ‘set up’ the whole thing in the first place.