Despite my struggles to hold on to Orthodoxy on an intellectual level, I have to say Father John himself is quite compelling; especially in person. Hard to quantify in words; I hope to see him again sometime.
@@ronin.bat2023 Did you read the comment I was responding to? I was not comparing Mormonism and Orthodoxy; I was comparing an Orthodox person saying "Don’t be so intellectual about it, listen to your heart and spirit" to a Mormon person saying "Don’t be so intellectual about it, listen to your heart and spirit". I'll stand by that comparison all day. Perhaps your uncharitable straw man of what I said is worthy of "repenting and growing as a person."
@AlexStock187 You should do all in your power to visit Fr Justin Havens in Payson, UT at St Xenia Orthodox Church and express to him your struggles. He is a holy man who can help you. Please disregard the other gentle sir's comments and forgive him. As one who grew up in the Mormon heartland, I understood exactly what you meant. And anyway I'm sure that bitter exchange would never have happened in person at coffee hour after Divine Liturgy. Gotta laugh!
@@LovingtheTruth856My copy and paste: That is copied and pasted in every comment section, sometimes without commentary, by Evangelicals who do not rightly interpret Holy Scripture. That very literalist reading of Matthew 23:9 is dispelled by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, him calling himself a father of his spiritual children, especially St. Timothy, and saying there are other fathers. "Paul’s Paternal Care 14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." (NKJV / OSB NT) Christ referred in the passage Matthew 23:1-36 to those who *lord* titles over others as the Pharisees did often. It was not just an admonishment against calling a man father, but teachers and rabbis as well (doctors too), which I have never seen Evangelicals object to hardly. It seems to be a double standard as most are anti-Roman Catholic which sadly they lump us in. The title 'Father' our Presbyters use is not lording a title but it is a spiritual truth as they *are* the fathers of spiritual children just like St. Paul was over his flock. And it can be gathered that indeed St. Timothy and others called St. Paul 'father' as it would have been only respectful, him being their spiritual father to help them grow in the Faith. And that's where we get it from. It is from the very earliest of the Church. Also, Christ refers in many places to fathers both biological and spiritual (the Old Covenant Patriarchs and Forefathers). Christ does not say when He refers to them as fathers not to call them such as they are *legitimate* fathers of children. It isn't just a haughty title being put on them. They do not lord titles over others as this vocation, fatherhood, is a reality both to biological fathers and spiritual fathers. If you like to understand this passage in the Holy Scriptures better, this video might help you: ruclips.net/video/j4F-xow3Vzg/видео.html May God bless you. ☦
In Orthodoxy, we believe that while our right is hell, it's God's grace that will remove our sin. My question is, if I start following God's commandments from now on because I can't be myself otherwise, can I demand hell since I am used to pain? Additionally, considering Christ's willingness to die on the Cross, I wonder if choosing hell myself is ideal and good for me. I fear being hypocritical by claiming hell as my right and then entering Paradise by God's grace. In that scenario, I wouldn't find happiness since I believe I deserve hell.
It sounds like you are finding your comfort in the order of sin and righteousness instead of in God. Also, God created us for the purpose of being co-creators with him and participating in his divine energies. Why do you think you would be happier in Hell away from your creator and your true purpose? Do you know yourself better than God knows you?
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 7:21
Wonderful video. I hope some watchers doing the fast as it’s usually done in the States now don’t suddenly try to avoid eating until Vespers without talking to their spiritual father, though. 😅
I have a question for ABOUNA. I am ERITREAN ORTHODOX, and our Lent is for 55 days, so I was just wondering 🤔 what is different with the Orthodoxy. Easter 🐣 is on May 5th.
Not Abouna here, just laywoman. We have pre-Lent that starts four weeks before Great Lent officially begins. This is preparing for Great Lent. The last week of pre-Lent is where we start abstaining from meat. After that week is when the Great Fast officially begins. So there's 7 days of Cheesefare Week, 40 days of Great Lent, and 7 days of Holy Week for 54 days.
You do not need some of these ideas, you need Scripture! - Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:31-32
I'm orthodox and I don't think you're right. I'd like you to think about the next couple of questions: 1. What was first - the church or the bible? 2. There are hundreds of interpretations from a countless amount of people. How can someone hold onto something that is so unsteady? 3. We are not saved by faith alone. Luther decided to put the word "alone" in this context while the original doesn't have this word. And this is only one thing Luther decided to change. The Scripture is holy and there is no Christian life without the scripture. But it is not enough. I wish you all the best, may God be with you 🙏🏻
Scripture itself is not unsteady. But the different translations and interpretations of people let the conclusions become unsteady. That's why there are so many differences between the protestant churches. The first was the church, right. And from the very beginning the church was orthodox. You can see that very clearly when you study the history of church. However, I agree very much with the last sentence. Sadly, many protestants don't see it in the same way. May God be with you 🙏🏻
A New calendar would not be Orthodox in principle so it's absurd. Even Saints have talked about this and what do you do about the cross miracle in Greece.
❤❤ Passover// Easter// The Resurrection into the umion with God. Its all God centered ,,I Love. In oir Protestant world in America its been too much me centered. Lord forgive us and guide us to You!!!!
Is the comandment to love the priest? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. - Matthew 22:37-40
@@LovingtheTruth856 Neighbor is not just for your actual neighbors it is a commandment to love all human beings as yourself, God comes first even before yourself. I see no disagreement here and I am not saying that I love him because there is a commandment to although there is because he is human being.
@@LovingtheTruth856 I wrote it mostly because he is brilliant in his faith and passion for Christ. I don't belong to his church, I am eastern and he is oriental orrthodox. My leaders call them heretics and curse Nestorius whom oriental orthodox call a saint, but I guess it mostly to prevent disunity. If you become too accepting of different points of view you end up like protestants, one small disagreement and here you go a new denomination is founded and many of them are so far gone like Mormons and Adventists, not even Christian anymore. So to prevent corruption of faith our church holds strong to seven ecumenical councils and all the traditions of the church, no invention is ever allowed. Yeah it labels well meaning people with different point of view too harshly in my opinion but if that's what we got to do to not end up like protestants so be it.
I need help with the word aestheticism. Is it about art? I keep hearing it in Orthodox conversations but when I do an internet search it’s something different. Am I using the wrong word?
This is why the scripture says: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
@@LovingtheTruth856 are you responding to all these comments in the interest of convincing people that Orthodoxy is false and that your interpretation of the faith is correct? This does seem to be the case. It also seems to be the case that you hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. If so, how do you know that your interpretation of scripture is correct?
@@LovingtheTruth856 if people don’t have different interpretations of scripture, then why are there so many branches within Christianity that have different interpretations of scripture? It’s apparent to anyone who does the tiniest bit of research that people interpret scripture differently.
@@LovingtheTruth856 your answer doesn’t make sense, though. You assert that people don’t interpret scripture differently from one another but it’s obvious that people do. What do you call it when one person thinks a passage of scripture means one thing, and another person thinks it means something else? That’s what I mean when I say “different interpretations”.
@@jasonbryan3135 The discussion it's about Christ, our King and Saviour. Christianity has nothing in common with that satanic cult which is based on lies, deception and destruction. The way they are cheering and celebrating death and destruction cannot be from God... and everything they do it's actually anti Christ. I'll leave it to this otherwise my comment will be cleared away by RUclips. May God bring peace to those who love peace!
@jasonbryan3135 I'm not even allowed to answer as my comments keep being deleted only for stating some facts... Everything associated with that cult is actually anti Christ... and all they stand for can not be from God. May God bless and bring peace to those who love peace!
@@donhaddix3770Pascha is Passover - in the title it says “Pascha (Easter)” - both are being identified. I am assuming, as another commenter mentioned, to reach and use terms more common and familiar in the West.
We love you Abouna! God bless you and your family and thank you for sharing your love of Christ to the world
God bless you alla🤗❤️
Glory to Christ ☦️
Xristos Anesti🤍🤍🤍🤍☦
(almost) Alithos Anesti ❤️☦️
Despite my struggles to hold on to Orthodoxy on an intellectual level, I have to say Father John himself is quite compelling; especially in person. Hard to quantify in words; I hope to see him again sometime.
Don’t be so intellectual about it, listen to your heart and spirit
@@life_is_gr8 I live in Utah; my Mormon friends and neighbors tell me the same thing.
@@ronin.bat2023 Did you read the comment I was responding to? I was not comparing Mormonism and Orthodoxy; I was comparing an Orthodox person saying "Don’t be so intellectual about it, listen to your heart and spirit" to a Mormon person saying "Don’t be so intellectual about it, listen to your heart and spirit". I'll stand by that comparison all day. Perhaps your uncharitable straw man of what I said is worthy of "repenting and growing as a person."
@AlexStock187 You should do all in your power to visit Fr Justin Havens in Payson, UT at St Xenia Orthodox Church and express to him your struggles. He is a holy man who can help you.
Please disregard the other gentle sir's comments and forgive him. As one who grew up in the Mormon heartland, I understood exactly what you meant. And anyway I'm sure that bitter exchange would never have happened in person at coffee hour after Divine Liturgy.
Gotta laugh!
How do you struggle intellectually with Orthodoxy?
Thank you Abouna☦❤
Thank you Father. May I hunger for the Lord. Glory to God in the highest!
@@LovingtheTruth856My copy and paste:
That is copied and pasted in every comment section, sometimes without commentary, by Evangelicals who do not rightly interpret Holy Scripture.
That very literalist reading of Matthew 23:9 is dispelled by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, him calling himself a father of his spiritual children, especially St. Timothy, and saying there are other fathers.
"Paul’s Paternal Care
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." (NKJV / OSB NT)
Christ referred in the passage Matthew 23:1-36 to those who *lord* titles over others as the Pharisees did often. It was not just an admonishment against calling a man father, but teachers and rabbis as well (doctors too), which I have never seen Evangelicals object to hardly. It seems to be a double standard as most are anti-Roman Catholic which sadly they lump us in.
The title 'Father' our Presbyters use is not lording a title but it is a spiritual truth as they *are* the fathers of spiritual children just like St. Paul was over his flock. And it can be gathered that indeed St. Timothy and others called St. Paul 'father' as it would have been only respectful, him being their spiritual father to help them grow in the Faith. And that's where we get it from. It is from the very earliest of the Church.
Also, Christ refers in many places to fathers both biological and spiritual (the Old Covenant Patriarchs and Forefathers). Christ does not say when He refers to them as fathers not to call them such as they are *legitimate* fathers of children. It isn't just a haughty title being put on them. They do not lord titles over others as this vocation, fatherhood, is a reality both to biological fathers and spiritual fathers.
If you like to understand this passage in the Holy Scriptures better, this video might help you: ruclips.net/video/j4F-xow3Vzg/видео.html
May God bless you. ☦
God bless you all❤
In Orthodoxy, we believe that while our right is hell, it's God's grace that will remove our sin. My question is, if I start following God's commandments from now on because I can't be myself otherwise, can I demand hell since I am used to pain? Additionally, considering Christ's willingness to die on the Cross, I wonder if choosing hell myself is ideal and good for me. I fear being hypocritical by claiming hell as my right and then entering Paradise by God's grace. In that scenario, I wouldn't find happiness since I believe I deserve hell.
It sounds like you are finding your comfort in the order of sin and righteousness instead of in God. Also, God created us for the purpose of being co-creators with him and participating in his divine energies. Why do you think you would be happier in Hell away from your creator and your true purpose? Do you know yourself better than God knows you?
A conversation best held between yourself and your priest.
It’s Gods will that you enter into paradise. Follow God’s will, not your own. Die to yourself and live in God.
Great information, hearts soften hungering for Christ,,thats just profoundly wonderful.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 7:21
Wonderful video. I hope some watchers doing the fast as it’s usually done in the States now don’t suddenly try to avoid eating until Vespers without talking to their spiritual father, though. 😅
God bless you all❤
I have a question for ABOUNA. I am ERITREAN ORTHODOX, and our Lent is for 55 days, so I was just wondering 🤔 what is different with the Orthodoxy. Easter 🐣 is on May 5th.
Not Abouna here, just laywoman.
We have pre-Lent that starts four weeks before Great Lent officially begins. This is preparing for Great Lent. The last week of pre-Lent is where we start abstaining from meat.
After that week is when the Great Fast officially begins. So there's 7 days of Cheesefare Week, 40 days of Great Lent, and 7 days of Holy Week for 54 days.
In the Protestant world we need some of these ideas. A period of serious refection , giving and seeking God , to be oriented to Christ is great.❤❤❤
You do not need some of these ideas, you need Scripture! - Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:31-32
I'm orthodox and I don't think you're right. I'd like you to think about the next couple of questions: 1. What was first - the church or the bible? 2. There are hundreds of interpretations from a countless amount of people. How can someone hold onto something that is so unsteady? 3. We are not saved by faith alone. Luther decided to put the word "alone" in this context while the original doesn't have this word. And this is only one thing Luther decided to change.
The Scripture is holy and there is no Christian life without the scripture. But it is not enough.
I wish you all the best, may God be with you 🙏🏻
Scripture itself is not unsteady. But the different translations and interpretations of people let the conclusions become unsteady. That's why there are so many differences between the protestant churches.
The first was the church, right. And from the very beginning the church was orthodox. You can see that very clearly when you study the history of church.
However, I agree very much with the last sentence. Sadly, many protestants don't see it in the same way.
May God be with you 🙏🏻
*when you study the history of christianity
syriac orthodox christians(malankara orthodox christians) in southern part of India also celebrates Easter according to the new calender.
Syriac Orthodox are not Christians but Syrian Orthodox . There is difference.
A New calendar would not be Orthodox in principle so it's absurd. Even Saints have talked about this and what do you do about the cross miracle in Greece.
❤❤ Passover// Easter// The Resurrection into the umion with God. Its all God centered ,,I Love. In oir Protestant world in America its been too much me centered. Lord forgive us and guide us to You!!!!
Oh yes, love you priest.
There's much to do and it makes me beyond happy and joyfull, glory to God.
Is the comandment to love the priest? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. - Matthew 22:37-40
@@LovingtheTruth856 Neighbor is not just for your actual neighbors it is a commandment to love all human beings as yourself, God comes first even before yourself.
I see no disagreement here and I am not saying that I love him because there is a commandment to although there is because he is human being.
@@dragasinbrankovic So you then don't love your neighbor? Are you seeing what are you writing with your hand?
@@LovingtheTruth856 I wrote it mostly because he is brilliant in his faith and passion for Christ.
I don't belong to his church, I am eastern and he is oriental orrthodox.
My leaders call them heretics and curse Nestorius whom oriental orthodox call a saint, but I guess it mostly to prevent disunity.
If you become too accepting of different points of view you end up like protestants, one small disagreement and here you go a new denomination is founded and many of them are so far gone like Mormons and Adventists, not even Christian anymore.
So to prevent corruption of faith our church holds strong to seven ecumenical councils and all the traditions of the church, no invention is ever allowed.
Yeah it labels well meaning people with different point of view too harshly in my opinion but if that's what we got to do to not end up like protestants so be it.
@@LovingtheTruth856 Neighbors are humans too what's wrong with you
Την ευχη σας Πατερ.
It’s so unusual when a priest speaks ordinary language, and not the old one... our priests all speak Synodal, or even worse - Church Slavonic
Most Priests I know speak English.
I need help with the word aestheticism. Is it about art? I keep hearing it in Orthodox conversations but when I do an internet search it’s something different. Am I using the wrong word?
Haha! Nevermind. I found it: asceticism.
God bless you all ❤
Thank you fr john
☦️🕊🔥📿🙏
Thank you for your heartfelt and wise words. I needed to hear it right now.
This is why the scripture says: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
@@LovingtheTruth856 are you responding to all these comments in the interest of convincing people that Orthodoxy is false and that your interpretation of the faith is correct? This does seem to be the case. It also seems to be the case that you hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. If so, how do you know that your interpretation of scripture is correct?
If someone else has a different interpretation of scripture than you, how do you adjudicate between the two?
@@LovingtheTruth856 if people don’t have different interpretations of scripture, then why are there so many branches within Christianity that have different interpretations of scripture? It’s apparent to anyone who does the tiniest bit of research that people interpret scripture differently.
@@LovingtheTruth856 your answer doesn’t make sense, though. You assert that people don’t interpret scripture differently from one another but it’s obvious that people do. What do you call it when one person thinks a passage of scripture means one thing, and another person thinks it means something else? That’s what I mean when I say “different interpretations”.
Please... just do not bring Islam into the discussion ... just don't
Why?
@@jasonbryan3135 The discussion it's about Christ, our King and Saviour.
Christianity has nothing in common with that satanic cult which is based on lies, deception and destruction.
The way they are cheering and celebrating death and destruction cannot be from God... and everything they do it's actually anti Christ.
I'll leave it to this otherwise my comment will be cleared away by RUclips.
May God bring peace to those who love peace!
@jasonbryan3135 I'm not even allowed to answer as my comments keep being deleted only for stating some facts...
Everything associated with that cult is actually anti Christ... and all they stand for can not be from God.
May God bless and bring peace to those who love peace!
@@jasonbryan3135 I'm not even allowed to answer... that tells it all
@@DNSA830 sorry, i do not understand. Who is not allowing you?
Passover, not Easter.
Pascha/easter
@@orthodoxsaulo not biblically
These videos are made to target a western and typically non-Orthodox audience and its easier to explain in terms they use and understand.
@@donhaddix3770 What's the difference?
@@donhaddix3770Pascha is Passover - in the title it says “Pascha (Easter)” - both are being identified. I am assuming, as another commenter mentioned, to reach and use terms more common and familiar in the West.