Posts Tagged ‘Romans’
Competition in the Church
We live in a very competitive society. Businesses compete for customers. Politicians compete for voters. Even Churches compete for members. Competition might be good for business, but it is lousy for salvation. Competition has no place in the Church. Brethren, as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have…
Read MoreRestoration with the Church
Just look around and you will find those who stepped away from the Church. They are family members, friends and even some koumbari (godparents) who decided to leave the Church. Ask them why, and you will hear all sorts of reasons. We may not agree with why someone walks away from the Church, but we…
Read MoreRejecting God
Ever since Eve listened to the advice of the serpent, humanity has been stuck between a rock and hard place. On the one hand, we hear God’s voice in our hearts calling us to a better life. On the other hand, we hear the devil’s voice urging us on to please our ego. More often…
Read MorePharisee Christians
Some people think Christians cannot be Pharisees. I think we can. It is very easy to convert obedience into a rule law rather than faith. The Scriptures are filled with examples of Pharisee Jews who looked to the Law as the reason they were saved as the People of God. Church history is also filled…
Read MoreFlesh and Spirit
Many people struggle to understand the spiritual benefits of fasting. Food is blessed by God, so why does the Church ‘punish’ us by not letting us eat? There is so much suffering in the world. It would be nice if food wasn’t the source of our suffering. Fasting is not about suffering. Fasting is about…
Read MoreThe War is Victory
Statements like, “I just can’t help it,” or “No matter how much I try, I just can’t seem to change,” are common to all of us. Believe it or not, these statements are half the solution. It is true, we can’t change. We can’t help it sometimes. We are filled with sin. If you deny…
Read MoreThe Past is more than History
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. This very popular quote came to my mind today. You may wonder why the Church spends so much time remembering the past. Some may think it is because we honor those who came before us. That is only history. The past is something more. The…
Read MoreFalse Prophets
Intuitively we understand the idea of false prophets. It is those who lead us stray from God through their words of warning. In the biblical sense prophets are not future tellers per se. True prophets are allowed by God to see what might happen if and when certain behaviors take place. False prophets use this…
Read MoreStop Talking and Start Walking
In the age of keyboard warriors, words have become increasingly important. We have firmly become a society that talks a good talk. We spend hours on social media in chat rooms and comment sections blasting the opinions and actions of others. We sit comfortably behind our screens and rise in the realm of self-importance. The…
Read MoreOrthodox State of Mind
We begin our new season in the Church by reading from the Gospel of Matthew and Saints Paul’s letter to the Romans. Now that we have celebrated Pentecost, the Church turns our attention immediately to our state of mind. At that time, Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel…
Read More