THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
How many times have we pursued truth only to find that it is yet
elusive and just beyond our grasp? Indeed without any help at all, it is
impossible to find the ultimate truth.
Again, how many times have we been scared off by the truth because we
would rather hide our hidden things away from others?
Let us delve into what it is that Truth is, and where we can find it,
plus why we need the Truth.
Truth is best found when it is considered in the totality of a given
axiom. Truth is ultimately found when the Source behind a certain
phenomenon is fully divulged.
Truth therefore springs from God Who is the Creator of all things.
It then follows that only God knows All-Truth. Now, if we accept the Faith
of Christianity (and it is hoped that all who read this do), then a
Christian Church in order to have the Whole Truth of God must have been
founded by God, governed by God, and given to us by God.
In 33 AD, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, charged His disciples to
'Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit'. Thus started the Christian Church (Body
of Christ). As the Church grew, it reached out into all the known world:
Rome, Corinth, Jerusalem, Antioch, Cyprus, Constantinople, and many other
world centers. In the face of intense persecution from Rome, the early
Christians persevered with the help of God. Then with the conversion of
Constantine, Emperor of Rome, the persecutions ended. On a day in 1054,
the Unity which Christianity enjoyed was abruptly terminated when the
Bishop of Rome was excommunicated from the Christian Church. The reason
for the excommunication was that the Bishop of Rome elevated himself to be
the head of the Christian Church; the Vicar of Christ on Earth, thereby
seemingly supplanting Jesus Christ Himself from His rightful position.
This along with problems concerning the unauthorized Filioque Addition to
the Nicene Creed mounted up to be too big a problem to be ignored. The
problem would just not go away. Thus, the Roman Catholic Church was born.
In order to be protected from these and other heresies, the Early Christian
Church adopted the adjective 'Orthodox' which means 'Right Glory' in
describing itself. From that point on to this present day, the Holy
Orthodox Church which traces Her history back to Jesus Christ Himself, and
has Jesus Christ as Her Head has remained Undivided, and truly One. With
this background, I go on:
Now, to make a strong statement of Truth concerning Truth:
The Orthodox Christian Faith contains all the Truth.
The Divine Body of God contains all the Truth.
Since we are imperfect because of our loss of contact with God, we
cannot of ourselves find out or deduce the Truth. In fact, many of us are
not even aware that the Heavens and the Earth and everything visible and
invisible was created by a Supreme Personal Being. For all of us, it is
incomprehensible how this creation could have taken place, and what steps
are needed to keep the creation going. Mankind is an ignorant body of
living souls made in the Image and Likeness of God, but through Mankind's
Fall, had lost the ability to be Like the Creator.
A theory has been advanced that it is most unlikely that an
artificially intelligent computer program could ever gain enough
intelligence or knowledge to gain the understanding of its creator.
Similarly, it is quite inconceivable that a bridge could understand the
reason for its existence; given that it were capable of such originality.
Finally, the classic parable of the 2 Dimensional Universe interacting with
a 3 Dimensional Universe: how do the people in the 2 Dimensions (length +
width) comprehend the third dimension (Depth)? Since a line is made up of
an infinite number of dots (points), Do the Two-Dimensional People see a
dot when a line with a given depth is passing through (intersecting) their
world called 'Flat Land'? Flat Landers would not be able to see or
comprehend depth, and if the dot appeared and disappeared randomly in their
Universe, they would probably not be able to know why or predict when these
phenomena would occur in their world.
Is it possible to see here how ignorant we are yesterday, today, and
tomorrow, even with all the scientific advancements we enjoy today? It
would appear that it ought to be easy for us to recognize our ignorance.
Without the Creator's Wisdom, we are nothing, and know nothing.
So, it is that the seemingly foreign claim of Orthodox Christians
that their Faith contains the Whole Truth might not seem so incredible.
The reason this is so, is that the Holy Orthodox Church is not of this
world, nor does it move in any action or force by any earthly power. The
Holy Orthodox Church is a living organism of God, and is rooted in the
Kingdom of Heaven where all Glory, Honour, Worship, and Love is directed
towards the Creator, Who in turn supports the entire Body and it is
protected as a Unit (a Unified Whole), for the Body is God.
The concept of the Holy Orthodox Church (Ecclesia) (Body) is that it
is a living organism of God, and contains members who are growing towards
an ultimate communion with God and growing in the knowledge that each
individual member is important to the functioning of the Body, as each has
its special function which supports and works in harmony with other parts.
We connect the Holy Orthodox Church with the Creator because a connection
with the Creator on a level with the Creator exists. Whereas, if we were
to connect something to an Earthly influence, then we would be limiting
ourselves to the wisdom of the Earth. Since the Earth is part of the
Creation and is indeed created, then, it holds that the Earth knows nothing
about its existence, or meaning, or reason for being. Likewise with us,
since we were created, we know nothing about our existence, or meaning, or
reason for being.
The Holy Orthodox Church, however, being of God, Who with a Word
Created All - Visible and Invisible, contains all the Wisdom of the Creator
including all things which we, as mankind, are ignorant about.
Few things in life can be counted on as a certainty. While there can
be some doubt in our minds over whether a Christian Church of some given
denomination which you can pick at random is Divinely part of God's
Mystical Body of Christ, there is definitely no doubt whatsoever about the
fact that the Holy Orthodox Church can be counted on to be the Divine
Institution of God that it is. For those puzzled about why there can be
any doubt at all with the Christian Denominations, let us drink in 2 views
of present day Christian Churches:
1. Each Denomination of Christianity is rooted from the
Roman Catholic Church and exists because of a difference
of doctrine and practice seen between them and the Roman
Catholic Church. Further, it is a fact that
disagreements arose between members within a
Denomination which gave rise to the birth of a new
Denomination. Today, there are over 225 different
Denominations of Christian Churches. Interesting, isn't
it?
2. Each Denomination is divided over Doctrine and Practice
amongst other Denominations, and the Holy Orthodox
Church. This observation leads one to the conclusion
that the Holy Spirit of God might possibly be absent,
heaven forbid, from these Denominations because the Holy
Spirit of God brings Unity and Divine Wisdom in a
Unified Force, plus He is the Protector of the Faith.
As Orthodox Christians, we should and must bring Unity and deposit
the Truth wherever it is necessary to destroy the Evil demon of Division
that seeks to tear assunder all of Christendom. In order to stop the onset
of yet more Denominations, it is our responsibility and stewardship to do
all we can to bring us together in a Unified True Faith in Christ Jesus,
and to continue to clarify our Faith through Ecumenical Councils. This is
the only way to solve the dangerous rip in the fabric of Christianity. Why
so? Only the Holy Spirit of God can heal this dis-unity, but we need to
convoke an Ecumenical Council in order to allow the healing by the Holy
Spirit of God to take place.
Further, as Orthodox Christians, we should not, and hopefully do not
point our fingers at other denominations saying that they are not part of
us; not part of the Holy Orthodox Church. To do contrary is to do what
only God can do and should do: Judge. None of us are up to that task, and
it is suicidal to attempt it.
On the other hand it might be severely dangerous to assume that
everything is rosey with a particular Christian Denomination. For to
assume so, is also a judgment and for the same reasons is a deadly
practice. So, if uncertainty is felt, it would be best to count on the
Holy Orthodox Church for one's salvation. Now before the Baptist and other
Born Again believers jump to criticize that statement, let me make it clear
that Salvation is attained through the Shed Blood of Jesus Christ for our
sins. What I am adding as a dimension to that is that Jesus Christ and the
Holy Orthodox Church are inseparable; identical, and undividable. You
cannot look at one without seeing the other, and you cannot see the other
without beholding the one.
May the Divine Wisdom of the Holy Trinity be with you, now and for
ever and from all Ages to all Ages. Amen.
Love in Christ,
Petros Presbeftes
Sysop
Gospel Outreach Download System Node 2
Douglasville, GA