You Can’t Read Your Way into Heaven

We are a highly educated society. Literacy rates are higher today than ever in the history of the world. Bibles are printed daily and sit, even if collecting dust, on almost every bookshelf in America. We love to read, and we love to learn. There is only one problem. We can’t read our way into heaven.

When I meet someone who thinks they want to become Orthodox, it almost always includes having read ‘some book’ about the faith. I’ve learned to interpret certain questions. I can often tell when someone has been staying awake at night binge-reading Orthodox Blogs. It’s what sets readers apart from non-readers.

PAUL, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Titus 1:1-5;2:15;3:1-2,12-15

Since today is the commemoration of Saint Titus the Apostle, the Church reads from the book bearing his name. Except for the fact that Titus was sent a letter, which he was expected to read, nowhere does Saint Paul command the type of reading schedule that many think is important today.

Saint Paul instructed Saint Titus to remind his flock to live as the Christians they claimed to be. It is no surprise. The ancient literacy rate hovered around 10%, as compared to the current global average of 80%. Saint Paul couldn’t have told them to read because they couldn’t read. That doesn’t mean he would have different advice for us today.

Being a Christian is not dependent upon literacy, but that is not the only difference between then and now. There is a current ‘fad’ among Orthodox to read the Fathers with as much fervor as we read the Scriptures. There is a big difference between the ancient fathers and current elders and authors.

The Fathers of the Church, holy hierarchs who were defending their flocks against persecution and faithlessness, spent more time preaching on the Scriptures than waxing on and on about which canon was more important. With certain exceptions, and few at that, most ancient Fathers preached about how best to live their daily Orthodox lives.

How do we do that? We pray. We fast. We help the poor. We participate in the sacramental life of the Church. In other words, we live Orthodoxy. If we want to read, we should begin with the Holy Scriptures. Before you pick up another book about Orthodox theology, pick up your bible and read.

Before you quote an elder from Mount Athos, quote the Scriptures. If you want to be loyal to the Fathers, focus on what they focused on.  The Fathers had the Scriptures memorized. The Fathers were in Church more than they were in the library. The Fathers knew what too few know today. You can’t read your way into heaven.