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Apology To the Eastern Orthodox Church


Guest shiloh357

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Guest shiloh357

As the owner and president of Pulpit & Pen, I feel that I need to issue a public apology to the Eastern Orthodox community in regards to my managing editor’s recent words. In a series of posts, Pulpit & Pen editor, Jeff Maples, took it upon himself to essentially anathematize the Bible Answer Man, Hank Hanegraaff, and in the process said some hurtful things about an old and revered religious tradition. I would be remiss not to clarify Jeff’s remarks and in the process, make some apologies. I pray that it is received well by all of our friends in the Eastern Orthodox community.

Firstly, we would like to apologize on behalf of Protestants everywhere for overlooking the grave and damning heresies of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, compared to our stalwart protest of Rome. This has been an oversight of Protestants, due mostly to the revival of actual Biblical orthodoxy (you might call it Protestantism) developing primarily in the West, and under the wicked authority of Rome, and not under the Eastern schismatics known by the misleading name of “Orthodox.” While we have rightly called the Bishop of Rome the “antichrist” in our Confessions of Faith, we have overlooked the many antichrists that have gone out into the world and settled in their positions as leaders in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. It was not right of us to prejudicially focus on the Western anti-christ church just because they happened to be the ones murdering us for several centuries. In the future, we will strive to explain that anyone who seeks the title of ‘priest,’ (a blasphemous title if ever there were one), lead people into idolatry, claim the sole mediary position between God and man, practice necromantic prayers to the dead, engage in corpse worship, and promote meritorious salvation is an antichrist, every bit as much as the Roman Catholic abomination. We are sorry for leaving out specific condemnations of your religion in our Confessions, as it wasn’t very inclusive of us.

Secondly, we are sorry that many Protestants have stopped protesting, sending the impression that our confessional doctrinal beliefs don’t anathematize you as not only being sub-Christian, but being anti-Christian. We are sorry that men like Albert Mohler, Paige Patterson, Russell Moore and Carl Trueman, all who should certainly know better, seem to have affirmed you in your superstitious and pagan religion. While the Intelligentsia class of evangelicalism are happy to learn about how Rod Dreher’s monasticism fetish might be a valuable tool for fleeing the culture wars, the rest of us failed to speak up loudly enough to challenge them on this, partially because the idol-factory of our hearts are quick to make our own popes out of mere men, and we don’t like to challenge our popes. The fact is, Greek Orthodox men like Rod Dreher have no part in the Kingdom of God on Earth, because they have no part of the Kingdom of God in Heaven, unless they were to recant their idolatry and believe the one, true, catholic doctrine of Sola Fide. There’s no such thing as being “kind of Christian,” and the Trinitarian ontology of the Eastern Orthodox Church doesn’t undo the fact that trusting in your merit for salvation is just as damning as being a Modalist like TD Jakes or believing in 9 divine persons like Benny Hinn. So, therefore, we apologize for our evangelical leaders who have stopped protesting, even though they call themselves Protestants. Much of your outrage (the thousands of angry, F-bomb dropping emails we have received) is due to the fact you’ve never heard a Protestant say you’re not a Christian. It’s not because Protestant doctrine doesn’t say you’re lost (it certainly does), but because we’ve become a bunch of limp-wristed milksops. Forgive our cowardice.

Thirdly, we apologize for making it seem, should you have perceived it that way, that you’re unchristian because your priests wear dresses and you burn incense. While true religion has little patience for pretentious pageantry, the issue for us concerning your doctrinal apostasy is your denial of Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura, and Penal Substitution. The fact that you adorn your buildings in gaudy and sacrilegious, bedazzled idols is second to the more blatant soteriological heresies that damn your soul (although idolatry is damning enough). The fact that you believe that superstitious voodoo oil poured over someone’s head fills them with the holy spirit and brings them back from apostasy is secondary to your hope in your own righteousness for salvation. We (still-protesting Protestants) shouldn’t have focused upon your bizarre, extra-biblical rituals that resemble more seance than Biblical service of worship; we should have focused far more upon your doctrinal beliefs that oppose Jesus and the very Gospel itself.

Read more at:

http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/21/an-apology-to-the-eastern-orthodoxy-community/

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On 4/21/2017 at 3:40 PM, Yowm said:

Maybe we should also apologize for thinking wrongly about their teaming up with world leaders like Putin in order to squelch the Evangelicals in Russia, after all we are to obey all in authority, to obey men rather than God, and see that the Gospel does not go out to those heading for hell. :huh:

:thumbsup:

Maybe We Should Also Pray

Rejoice always, pray continually, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (New International Version)

With Thanksgiving

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (New Living Translation)

~

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27 (King James Bible)

Love, Your Brother Joe

~

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Psalms 119:160 (King James Bible)

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully.  It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

From The Inside Of My Gideon New Testament

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Just now, Yowm said:

Maybe, but I wouldn't be an apologist for that type of action from a 'Church' Body.

:emot-heartbeat:

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Or,  we might pray for and support the ministries that have already been  bringing the Bible to  Greek Orthodox communities, and for the priests  turning about and eager for the Bibles they are receiving and using in local congregations for Bible study.

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Upon revisiting the opening post, I find myself ever more appreciative of the wisdom in   Paul's approach:

 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.  So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.  Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.  And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.”  Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.  And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,  that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.  The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,  because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”  So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

 
 
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Guest shiloh357
3 minutes ago, Yowm said:

What approach did you have in mind because Paul used different approaches depending on the audience.

I could easily say the same with this approach...

Galatians 1:6-9 KJV
[6] I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: [7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

 

But that would make Paul a "bigot," wouldn't it?  By the standards of some?

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49 minutes ago, Yowm said:

What approach did you have in mind because Paul used different approaches depending on the audience.

I could easily say the same with this approach...

Galatians 1:6-9 KJV
[6] I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: [7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

 

I quoted the situation and approach  by Paul that I am referencing. Also I am doing so in regard to the specific situation  being addressed here on this little community of cyber posters about the Greek Orthodox Church community.

 I think the Greek community might be ripe for the harvest by the Holy Spirit, bringing many  to their salvation  by the gospel of Jesus and His grace and God's mercy alone.

 I don't think it a time to be  slamming people for their icons and idols and their heritage and traditions as much as it is a time for the Holy Spirit to show many Jesus and to make that specific call to many of that community to come to Christ Jesus and be saved.  In that effort I think it is the right time for the witnesses sharing of the gospel to use the approach  Paul used as was referenced in the earlier post.  

Thank you for the interest expressed as a question, and your commentary on Paul. 

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9 minutes ago, Yowm said:

So you are saying they are not saved? If I had said that yiikkes!! LOL

There is a thirst for the gospel that has not necessarily  existed before, the word  of God had not been available to  individuals nor to their priests because of the traditions they embraced and the words they have  feared. And yes, traditions certainly do get in the way of salvation by the grace and mercy of God through Jesus via the Holy Spirit.

There is an awakening to the need for growth in the faith of Jesus that comes through the Holy Spirit led reveal of the Word of God the Bible within that community. I am simply aware that there have been Bibles received and used  in the church community that had resisted and rejected them  before.  And, I just wonder if God may use Hank Hanegraaf in a way that furthers that movement.  So I do see the  third possibility, that of his having joined that church, but not having  denounced his own faith but instead to further it to many within and among that community.

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9 hours ago, Yowm said:

By what you say, it seems that the orthodox faith was coming round just fine without Hanegraaff's help. His move perhaps is causing a rift and confusion amongst evangelicals. 

BTW, do you happen to know where there is an official 'What we believe' link amongst the Orthodox Church, so one can pin the Jello to the wall?

I simply pray for the Greek orthodox Community here, and for my friend that reaches out to them also  traveling to many congregations and radio stations around the larger cities of this country; -praying also for priests to  be willing to meet with him ( which is happening more and more), and for his health and safety.  To me it seems that yes the Holy Spirit has been working setting up  what is happening. It is glorious to see the word in an approved version being welcomed read and shared among so many that did not have it  before, and  for the start of Bible studies at many congregations. Including the studies that go on here.

Many are being reached, many are being turned about by the Holy Spirit.

 I now deliberately try to make less and less time available for  cynicism of how others worship in my own life, and more time taking in the awe that is God, and God the Holy Spirit moving individual after individual.

I have no time to denigrate Hank Hanegraaf,  and no desire to do so, nor any  time for denigration of the various churches of any denomination. Only have time now for prayer that God may use him ( H H) well, and that many more individuals may come to know the Gospel of Our Lord and savior Jesus.

I pray that many many churches will rise up one congregant after another in revival as the Holy Spirit moves.

Praise God for His mercy and Grace.

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 I am so very privileged to have the reinforcement of  such awesome missionary  minded scholars go to their communities, Greek and Jewish communities, over the years, and to have a pastor that goes about the world teaching other pastors  in expository presentation of the word of God. It has had some small influence on my own attitude.

I can gravitate to cynicism easily as many seem  prone to do. Yet the Holy Spirit took this atheist turned him about, and has put him in situations that perhaps not all that many are blessed to see. So many, so very many  missionaries, going about and the Holy Spirit moving from the Philippines to France, from Connecticut USA to  Benin Africa. The Holy Spirit moves and individuals are turned to  repentance from their own sin against God. It is awesome so very awesome!

I have  more and more a sense that God is far more generous to us than we are to each other. I first caught on to that the night we had a Jew,  a Greek, and an  Egyptian become baptised by immersion in water after giving their personal testimonies of how the Spirit moved them each to their own repentance and to faith in Christ Jesus.

Praise God,  His ways are awesome to behold!

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