Its wild how you are blind to truth until you aren’t. Once your eyes have been opened to truth you’ll understand everything Father Paul says in these videos. You’ll wonder WHY these things were ignored in your past denominations. You’ll wonder HOW people can be so blind…. Idk.. I’m so grateful that my eyes have been opened to THE truth and not just MY truth anymore.
“Doctrine is Medicine”. Wow! This is so true! As someone coming from Mormonism, the orthodox prescriptions for sin and worldly things are 1000% more effective. Also, knowing the true God helps in a profound way. Love this!
I'm looking to become Orthodox, I currently have trouble getting to a church because I cannot drive and nobody is willing to take me. I currently go to an episcopal church and it can only fulfill me so far. Pray for me please and for all who are seeking orthodoxy! ☦️☦️☦️
May God be with you on your journey into the Church, and always remember, Orthodoxy is a lifelong faith! Where you are now is most certainly not where you will be in 5 years, much less 10 or 20, so take care to be humble and look at yourself now as an infant in faith, who needs others to support and help him, even if their ways are confusing. God bless!
I'd write to your nearest priest to get their advice. And, while it may not be true, there may be a parishioner there near you who can take you. God bless; prayers from Australia.
Brother in Christ, im in a similar situation, but i have a church near me, i suggest you to try your best to go, only there the presence of god stays, not in the episcopal (protestant). take a bus. I really dont know how far are you from there, but try to go and talk to de priest about your conversion. The grace of Χριστος be with you.
I'm not a gambler, but I would bet that someone from the Orthodox Church would be willing to offer you a ride. I would get in touch with the Priest and explain your situation.
In our present age it has become status quo to hold one's own discernment as normative. As such, when entering into Truth, we often bring our own preconceptions and, inevitably, bend the doctrines to conform to our will. In this, we are like the man who thinks he sees, yet is blind. Rather we ought to seek in humility and patience, such that we may be like the blind man who is made to see. In stepping into the Orthodox faith I have found security in the undivided Body of Christ, upon which I can strengthen my relationship to Him. This way, we can be sure we are not acting out our own rogue volitions, instead, being genuine temples of The Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Spirit of Truth. May the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, bless and guide us.
I want to thank you for inspiring me to find the Orthodox Church from your videos. Along with me,my wife and children have become catechumens this month. Praise God for you,Fr. Heers and Jay Dryer for explaining the way.
As a former Protestant, I can say that one of the main reasons discussing Saints and their continuous presence in the Church is problematic to Protestants is bc the faith is generally more inclined toward God’s mercy to save sinners for the next world and more of an emphasis on the idea that we are sinners and always will be in this life. While sanctification is discussed and bandied about, most Protestants don’t set a goal to be “Holyfield” by Christ and have no examples in that world who have done so. The process is seen as been 100% up to God with no “work” to be done by the believer-even though we are told that we are to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” and that there is no genuine faith without works (James), etc. I say this not to say every Protestant feels this way, but so many do, and I was definitely one of those. The idea is Saints seemed so foreign and impossible. Not to mention that many denominations teach that after the disciples passed, there was no more need for miracles from the church. Having said this, I humbly admit that as an Orthodox Christian, I am no more holy than them. My desire to become more like Christ is a “work” of love I fail at daily. I see many Protestants who exemplify Christ’s love so don’t take this as a criticism against any individuals. However, the truth that there really are very holy people within the Orthodox faith, some of whom will one day be shown to have been actual Saints, is indisputable. Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!
Thanks for this, I’m a Baptist Christian atm and looking into orthodoxy but your comment definitely helped me to understand a bit more of orthodoxy. Pray for me please that I shall continue learning about the church and Christ. May the Lord bless you brother 🙌
I appreciate you sharing your experience; however, this has not been my experience. I have spent a reasonable time in Five different denominations of Protestant churches (I have always been a Baptist, I just travel a lot) these have not been my experience in any of these churches. Being sanctified has always been desired and taught in these churches. Miracles have not ceased, and those who love the lord will put in the "work" and seek him more. however, I do appreciate that you can recognize that we're all just sinners trying to become more like Christ.
"I should have said this". Common even in face to face discourse. We often frame things from our perspective. Just things everyone should consider. Do what you do brother 🙏
Ive been in different denominations grew up evangelical. However the idea of repentance and the deep connection ive never felt outside of orthodoxy. Im not orthodox yet, but God willing my family and I will be one day
Thank you for sharing the Divine Truth, Fr. Truebenbach. I am a Catholic convert to Orthodoxy, and what you spoke about in this video are many of the reasons I converted to Orthodoxy. God bless you!
Its such a shame that other denomination members outside of orthodoxy refuse to research the saints, but would rather become hostile out of ignorance. Kyrie eleison ☦️
@ same here. How foolish was I to think I knew what the walk with Christ was, then I read the saints and realized I know nothing and will learn and continue to learn until my repose
I have no issues with the saints, I just don’t agree that we should pray to them, or try to interact with the dead (even the dead in Christ), if there was a branch of orthodoxy which didn’t use icons and pray to saints and Mary, I’d be more inclined to go there. But as it is, unless the Lord were to show me differently, I cannot in good conscience participate with traditions within the church that do not align with scripture. Not being hostile towards orthodoxy in the least.
@ study the history of iconoclasm and you will change your mind. Remember the Lord YHWH also commanded the sons of Israel to not make graven images, key word is graven(bulls calves ect.) then right after commands them to make the ark with cherubim and a bronze serpent.
@@ScotchIrishHoundsman I understand where you’re coming from. However, Scripture does point to created things being set apart as holy(within the Ark they kept the tablets, Aaron’s staff, etc). And the earliest Christians had religious art/icons. Even pre-Constantine, Christians adorned their worship places with images. There is scriptural corroboration of intercession of created beings(Abraham, Job), and Jew(fiercely monotheistic) also believed in asking intercession of spiritual beings or calling on them for help(Elijah, angels). I ended up examining my Protestant church, and I saw so much in scripture that it wasn’t adhering too. All the while lauding scripture alone. I have been pouring over Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox teachings for the past year, and the Orthodox Church appears to have faithfully upheld the teachings of the Apostles. This can only have been done with the help of the Holy Spirit as was promised by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
The little bit of doctrine I received as a child by Chinese Baptists seemed incredibly screwed up to me and was a major reason why I was an atheist for so long.
As someone who considered themselves a staunch Baptist before looking into Orthodoxy, the differences between the denominations matter greatly! When I came into contact with Orthodoxy and saw how much the Church cares for doctrine, I was immediately intrigued. This is something that is lacking in most/if not all modern protestant Churches. The Orthodoxy Church is truly the most consistent and faithful Church to the teachings of Christ. The Saints are key in proving this. Thank you, Father Paul.
This was an amazing video, I wrote all of your points down in a file and I'm going to print them out and bring them to my family's protestant church when I go with them this Sunday. I also ordered the books lol
Keep creating videos Father. When we have time we most assuredly watch them. I do learn from you. As to responding to comments, no worries, we have constructive discourse amongst ourselves. God be with you.
Thank you, Fr Truebenbach! It is very cheering to hear your clear explanations on these matter that are so vital, and often so greatly misunderstood! I've recently discovered your videos and they're very edifying with clear and useful explanations and helpful instructions! We really need that today; not left to ourselves to "figure things out." God bless you.
Thank you so much for this video, Father! I’ve been seeing more of these “Torah observant Christians” online and i was curious to know what the Orthodox Church would say about this “branch” of Christianity. May God give you good strength and the Mother of Our God make you exceedingly glad. 🙏🏻☦️
I love your video, thank you the explanations and clarity of why the Orthodox Church cannot be separated from Bible and are One and incomplete without the other. Its sad but truthful that unorthodox doctrines are a deviation from the straight and narrow path that Jesus has blessed us through the Orthodox Church. I just read in Thessalonians today how Paul was celebrating the Churches in Greece that were imatators of the Churches in Judea. Today all these churches are called the Orthodox Church. I pray that more churches become imitators of the Orthodox Church and seek a way to join in on one body with the Orthodox Church
It's interesting because what you just said with your prayer about lighting a spark of investigation I've had this spark since I became a Christian. Now that is a very very long story and at this point I'm just over two years in Christ if that means anything... And here's the thing I'm very open to listening to other people's opinions, just to get a better understanding because I'm very new to this whole thing literally I'm 32 going on 33 and two years ago what is the first time I had heard about Jesus and I live in Canada. That also is a long story lol but regardless I am very intrigued by your videos they spark conversation. Thank you
Ortho-Goth-Bro here 👋🏼 I think something that’s incredibly profound, is the level of discrimination within the Christian faith towards other Christian denominations. I can’t tell you how much discrimination I face as a new convert to the faith, coming from a Roman Catholic background. I’ve heard other Christians say, that they would die before becoming Orthodox, and so far I’ve been ghosted by two women I’ve been talking to, just on faith alone 🤦🏻♂️ People are so rooted in their beliefs; religious and non-religious ideals, that they’re not open to discussion or potentially being proven wrong. May God help us all 🙏🏼
The problem is that we're unable to distinguish where the truth is. I'm a former atheist who converted to Catholicism. When I read the Catholic catechism I find it convincing. When I read the Orthodox one, I find it convincing too. When I search about the filioque, from both perspectives, it seems more of a misunderstanding and a Greek/Latin language issue rather than a real doctrine conflict. Perhaps we are missing the point? Perhaps cultures and practices separated us, and maybe we focus too much on what separates us? I'm just thinking out loud, I can only pray the Lord to lead me to where the truth is. At the end of the day, can we really understand God fully? The fathers of the Church kept saying we cannot, with our limited minds. If our Lord the Holy Spirit inspires the Christians, why some of them would have only parts of the truth? Would it mean that The Holy Spirit doesn't inspire Christians who don't belong to the right denomination rather than bringing them to it? And all the saints, monks and faithful people from the "wrong" denomination are ALL liars, they are not inspired at all, and they don't love the Christ at all? I understand the argument of this video, but it contradicts the abundance of grace, the infinite mercy of the Lord who would let billions of his loyal believers in the wrong, while the Scriptures say the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth... Are the doctrine contradictions really contradictions? Does having different understandings mean that only one is right and the other is wrong? You say we don't speculate but some points of the doctrine can be unclear and left as a mystery, which we cannot fully comprehend or know with our limited mind. So isn't it natural that people understand these differently? And there seems to be no way for us to know where the truth is, as all interpretations can appear to be true. Sometimes I'm seduced by the idea of converting to orthodoxy, but what if I am leaving the true Church founded by Peter? On the other hand, what if I'm remaining in the wrong church rather than following the "unchanged" one? See how unsolvable these questions are. We can only pray.
I first want to say i have the upmost love and reapect for you as my Christian brother. This is a much bigger conversation then a 20 minute video. Things like corruption in the church, arguments that we know the first church apostles had about doctrin/ dogma, also the difference between biblical doctrin and man made rituals. Jesus Christ of Nazareth was and is perfect in all ways but man is fallible and corrupt. From the very beginning, even when Jesus was still with the apostles those same apostles argued over everything. We see in the bible that Jesus had to chastise and correct the very apostles that were chosen by him to start his church. How can we believe that over 2000 years man won't have disagreements and arguments over doctrin. I would love to hear your take on this topic in depth. I know that would be hours and hours of teachings but I believe you are an honest and God fearing man that will speak only truth and not bias opinion. God bless you father and thank you for your time
In 1527 Martin Luther wrote of Ulrich Zwingli that he would “Rather drink pure blood with the Pope than mere wine with the fanatics.” Luther and Zwingli had little or no expectation of success at Marburg. There was agreement on 14 out of 15 articles but there was never a hope of consensus on the Lord’s Supper. According to eyewitness reports Luther simply wrote on the table either in beer froth or chalk dust “Hoc est corpus meum” (“This is My Body”) and that was that - deadlock!
In my mind and admittedly poor understanding of the Reformers, it seems to me that Zwingli and Calvin were uniquely sinister, compared to Luther’s seemingly earnest search for the truth
@@acekoala457 lol hence the “seemingly”. Calvin and Zwingli were clearly both absolutely obsessed with creating and ruling their own theocratic city-states with an iron fist.
Thank God for you Fr Paul. Even within Orthodoxy, I see and hear among clergy and laity a desire to unify with heterodox, always using “love” and “acceptance” above all, to treat these people as “brothers and sisters in Christ”. I can treat them with dignity, but I do not dare call it love to act as if they are joined to the body when they are not. Everyone is afraid that speaking the truth will just drive them away. I feel like this is treating them like deterministic robots, and does not account for those wills striving to find the full truth, beyond their own desires. What if this passivity is driving people away?
This was great! Thank you, Father! I wonder if some SOME of our Protestant cousins take offense to Orthodox belief, because they recognize the truth, but it goes against what they were taught so it can’t be true? “If Orthodoxy is true why doesn’t it preach TULIP? Sometimes exposing someone to the fathomless depths of truth pulls them from the shallow and safe waters of the puddle they have been shown.
Based on my experience this is true. Even the pillars of Protestantism, you can see their zeal and sharpness of mind, but they somehow lack the spirit. The only peace you experience is indirect, like when they quote scripture. This is not only the reason I left Protestantism, but this is also why I chose Orthodoxy over Roman Catholicism. Simply put you can discern where Holy Spirit is.
This is because Protestantism solely focuses on intellectual engagement or emotional engagement. There is usually a lack of spiritual humility, willingness to submit or be corrected, and or consistent practice of spiritual disciplines. This is just my observation of growing up non denominational/protestant and going from church to church trying to search for the presence of the Triune God. Of course I am not making a blanket statement as I am sure there are individual Protestants and non denominational Christian’s out there that are doing everything in their power and knowledge to love and pursue Christ. But the reality is that with out the help of the very Church and True Church that Jesus Christ left to guide His people, and be a light to the world, one can only make so much progress in the spiritual life. This is my take as I am in the midst of trying to transition into the Orthodox Church. Please pray for me.☦️
Thank you Father! You have doubled down on what I’ve been calling “the hard truths” of Christianity. For our opinion does not decide what that is, because the church already has it.
Амин. Благодарим оче за твоје објашњење. Једно питање: зашто се бојиш да кажеш да доминације Нису црква? мала слушкиња Господња Мила тренутно у Аустралији.☦️☦️☦️
When I read the call for Christian’s to not squabble over whether or not they can eat meat or drink wine, it seems to me that there is an allowed difference between believers. Also, when it says that if one person does something against their conscience they condemn themselves since they didn’t do it to the glory of God.
Hello Father, I'm a big fan and was wondering if I am able to make my own holy water, since at the moment I can not get any, is there any way like pouring a bit of holy oil in regular water? Thank you and God bless
The Apostle's and Nicene Creed's wrap up in tight language what can already be found in NT scriptures. As long as any denominational polity is abiding by those outlines, then they can be in the 'check them out' box. The scriptures leave room for Christian freedom and other historical/cultural adaptations. We no longer live in an era of state churches, so let each believer pray and discern where they should be. It is often not to a denomination, but rather a particular group of people to which one is called by the Spirit. A congregational family.
They are completely invested in the idea that Christian gatherings and worship was supposed to stay the same as early churches. They think they are the very first church, but its kind of a ridiculous claim. They merely continue on certain traditions and beliefs of SOME early churches. In my view, orthodox need to kind of get over themselves.
@@easytiger35 ok, which early churches had practices different to Holy Orthodoxy? Who at Nicea had pastors rather than priests and bishops and low church worship? name one group
Father could you please call Nun Christina about a commentary on the psalter that they published as kindle, how can I get it as a paperback? The Orthodox Septuagint Psalter with full commentary by Saint Hesychius of Jerusalem-Nun Christina Anna Skoubourdis
In answer to your questions, although I assume they were meant rhetorically: Yes, there are certain things we don't know better, because the early Church was closer to Jesus' ministry on earth and His disciples, but there are other things we do know better, if only because we have the scientific method today and all the knowledge and tools that that has brought. People thought very differently back then and not always in a way better than we do today.
Good afternoon, I just had a question about a particular verse that I have seen used for the argument against what you have said and was wondering if you can help me understand. Luke 9:49 Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. I’ve heard this used as a way to say there will be followers of Christ that do things slightly different and it’s stuck with me since. Thank you for your time :)
Father please pray for me. I am from Brazill wich is a very protestant and roman catholic country due to colonization. I discovered orthodoxy and i am starting to really chance and see my sinful nature. My parents are no very pleased by this since they are protestant. I will start visiting a church in my city. Pray for me and for my family so that they may see the orthodox truth and the real Jesus Christ please.
Truth is all that matters in this corrupt reality. Doctrine must reflect the truth in all aspects. Doctrine is what has manipulated and destroyed God's truth throughout history. I truly love and respect you for being so truthful and clear. Your content is always a pleasure. Bless you.
I'm a scientist and within science, there's clearly a process of things being controversial at first and a consensus building as evidence emerges. It's not true that scientists constantly quarrel with each other about everything. There's a reason why science has laws. These are ideas that once were controversial, but on which there now is a scientific consensus. Maybe, religion could learn from this.
Spirit of the age. 1, secular universalism and inclusivity have permeated the mind of the Christian. 2, there is a common enemy of anyone who claims Christ, and therefore a strong temptation to unite.
(PART 1) So I have watched Father Paul's other video he has referenced, and now watched this one. Some background, I grew up protestant, specifically Methodist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational, and my wife grew up baptist. Through and through we have been protestant for the entirety of our marriage. Now my response to his last video wasn't to comment with words, but instead to listen by doing some research and finding the closest good Orthodox church near me and sitting down with Father Nicholas, and having a good conversation with him. From what I have taken away from it, yes the foundational things many protestants that I know, and the Orthodox church agree on. I do think some doctrine differences are divisive and there's likely nothing Father Paul can say to change my mind on that one, I've seen it with my own eyes. Now, I will also say, doctrine matters, the Bible says to be weary of false doctrine so yes doctrine matters. From everyone who I've talked to who are true Christians (including Father Nicholas who I sat down with and talked to) agree that we need to follow Jesus in every way. Father Nicholas didn't look me in the eye and tell me I was going to hell, him and I both agree that we don't know the other's heart. I would say the RUclipsr Redeemed Zoomer explained many Christian differences with his "Protestant Catholic Orthodox Venn Diagram" pretty well, and from what Father Paul here says, a good foundation is important, but so is building upon it. I agree with this statement as well, because a house built from only sticks still isn't going to hold up well without any other material even with a good foundation. When I sat down with Father Nicholas, he immediately started out with politics and theology, he also apologized if he offended me in any way, but he didn't, I agreed with every word he said. For example historically Christians have never been ok with sin. Sin separates us from God and the wages of sin is death. I would say that if you say a sin is permissable in anyway, you're a heretic. If you watch redeemed zoomers video I referenced he didn't say this as a foundational belief, and if you watch his other videos he does discuss the controversial topic that shouldn't be controversial on whether or not it's ok to be gay or not, and redeemed zoomer himself has the stance that it's not ok to have the sin of homosexuality. Personally I believe it should be foundational that all of us can agree that sin is sin. Now as for Solar Scriptoria, I again agree with what Redeemed Zoomer says, the church still has authority, but the Bible has greater authority. I recognize that Father Paul saying the Bible requires interpretation, I agree with this, but the Bible also says to be careful of wolves in sheep's clothing and again to be weary of false doctrine. Different churches interpret the Bible differently, and it ultimately comes down to the Holy Spirit allowing us to discern who is of God and who is of the devil. I agree that we need to find the true church, but can I ask...what if the true church has Christians of several different doctrine believing churches? I have met Christians who seem to be absolutely filled with the Holy Spirit and yet they go to a church that either believes in bad doctrine or down right heresy, and they are often in those churches because do the deceived believers not need Christ too? Of course they do, everyone does. Again to reference Redeemed Zoomers video, I will even go out on a limb here and say, while I am protestant, if the other three types of churches in his Venn Diagram believe in something, who are we to say they are undoubtedly wrong? That means while I'm protestant, I believe in the veneration of the saints because for me to sit here and think that my side is 100% correct in my opinion would be a foolish thing to do. I come here to this comment section with an open mind and open heart, not to argue or to be rude or mean. I seek justice, love mercy, and I also seek the truth. At the end of the day if God told you that a different group was the right way to follow Jesus and you were doing it all wrong, would you stay where you are or would you drop everything and follow Christ? I would drop everything and follow Christ, and I believe any true Christian would have the same answer. Protestants often go against the veneration of the saints with the scripture of when Jesus says "no man can come to the father except through me" and I believe the protestants who do that are taking that out of context. This was Jesus' call to worship that we need to follow Jesus and leave everything this world has to offer behind, give our life to him and that's the only way we'll ever have any way to go to the father. I also watched Father Paul's video sermon on Protestants vs Orthodox, and again I agree with nearly all of what he said, my biggest disagreement is how he handled the lady at the airport in his story. He probably could of been nicer, but ultimately don't we all sin and make mistakes? We're all human, and thus I commend him for being honest for how he went about things. I don't agree with the idea of leaving Protestants with "a holy sense of discomfort" you get more bees with honey not vinegar, if anything you guys should leave protestants with a hungry soul wanting to learn more, wanting to make sure they are following Jesus how Jesus intended us to follow him. Again to reference Redeemed Zoomers video, I would also say any doctrine that only your type of church believes in the Venn Diagram could be a dangerous doctrine as well. I do believe in Sola Fide as well though, but how he explained in the video, that grace is receiving by faith alone but true faith also creates good works. As Father Paul said in his Protestant vs Orthodox video, salvation requires a lot of things, but I'd like to argue, a Christian that truly follows Jesus would have all those attributes, or at least strive to obtain them and make good effort to do so. It ultimately comes down to following Jesus, and in order to properly follow Jesus we need to strive to be apart of the true church, we need to strive to follow Jesus how we're supposed to, we need to strive to live the lives that we're called to live, as Father Paul stated what a saint is in this video, I believe we should all strive to be like the saints in their walks with Christ, and I believe the saints are indeed good examples of this. I have met people who judge other denominations without understanding them first, and I believe this is wrong, because when I dated my baptist wife as a non-denominational Christian, I came home from her parents church and my dad said "baptists don't believe in the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit still is around today" so I asked, and he was wrong, they aren't as charismatic as Pentecostals which my dad was for a fair amount of his life, but they still believe in the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit still works today. My wife's and mines first argument was on Bible translation, I was following along from a translation other than KJV and she frowned upon this, Baptist doctrine states only KJV is allowed, she asked her parents, her dad was very stern, her mom said "do your own research" she did and concluded some translations are good and some are not, and I agree. The Bible says not to be unevenly yoked and my wife and I always took that seriously from the very beginning, we have to be in agreeance with what we believe no matter what, thus my wife and I get into Bible, theology, and doctrine debates often, they don't escalate into arguments because we both know we have good intentions in the ideas, but we disagree with respect. When I sat down with Father Nicholas, he said "if you and your wife don't agree on whether or not to become Orthodox, then don't come to our church. Marriage is important, and it's not good to be unevenly yoked." I left that conversation with Father Nicholas thinking that he seemed to care, he seemed wise, and he surely seems to be a Christ follower. He told me there's a lot of bad Orthodox churches out there too, some don't believe what the Orthodox church believes as a whole so you have to be careful. Ultimately, yes the church has authority, but in the dangerous world we live in, we need to be weary of what authority the church has and how much authority they have, and that's my stance on that.
(PART 2) I again don't come here to be rude or mean, I come here with an open heart and mind, and if you read this whole thing I hope you see that. I want what's best, but I want to make sure it's best Oh, there's one thing I didn't touch on... apostolic succession. Firstly I'm unsure how important it is, secondly, I fail to find evidence of Orthodox claims on the matter, but I'm willing to do more research if need be. Thirdly I ultimately again have the goal of worshipping Christ how Christ is intended to be worshipped, and if that means orthodoxy is right 100% then I'll convert right now, but as it stands, Orthodox belief in salvation doesn't have me with too much confidence in their confidence. I have no confidence in any man made doctrine, my goal is to follow Christ's doctrine, and while that may be unobtainable, that's what I believe the Bible means when it says "seek, knock, ask..." Like Jesus said "No man come to the father except through me" and that's what he means, that like Father Paul said in he talk on Protestants and Orthodox, we are all called to take up our cross and follow Jesus, and I think Father Nicholas said the same thing when I sat down with him. My non-denominational pastor has also said the same thing. I have also watched some other videos talking up orthodoxy and some talking up protestantism, and ultimately my belief is, I think the true church can be found in either, bring a spirit filled heart to discern with you to any church however folks. Like I said I'm 100% open minded and by all means if anyone wants to debate Civilly, let's do it, the moment our flesh joins in, I wish to stop, I'm not here to fight, but I agree that debating can be healthy.
Sorry for not addressing your whole comment, but I had to stop when you mentioned Redeemed Zoomer. Redeemed Zoomer has a very incorrect and biased idea of Orthodoxy, and it started over the silliest interaction: he started a Minecraft server and Orthodox Christians were doing a good job of proselytizing the other members of the server, so he started banning them all. He then followed up on these bans on his RUclips with a video called something along the lines of "Why I'm Not Orthodox" (something I don't believe he'd done- or has done - for any other denomination). In his video, he straw manned, left out critical information, and generally displayed his lack of understanding of Orthodoxy. To reiterate, from what I've seen Redeemed Zoomer does not understand Orthodoxy at all.
Brother, your openess and honesty are appreciated. After reading everything you wrote, I have a few points for your consideration: 1) You say that you believe the Bible holds more authority than the Church. I'll leave you with one question: Where does the Bible come from? Or, put another way, who compiled the Holy Scriptures and decided that the writings chosen were in fact true? 2) You talk about the Church as an abstract thing. As a former Protestant, I did the same thing. The Church, however, is a real thing with real boundaries. Just because John Doe sets up a "church" doesn't mean that it's a part of the Church (capital C). I feel like most people will agree with this, and yet they attend a non-denominational "church" that was established by some random person in their community a decade ago. It's very strange. 3) You seem to have the mentality that suggests that all roads lead to Christ. I too once believed this. In a world filled with rampant relativism, it is easy to believe this. But Christ is Truth, full and undivided. Therefore, there does exist, as Father Paul states in this video, a path to Christ that is, in your words, "100%" true. In fact, if something is not 100% true, then it is not actually true. We hear people say, "Well, that person is mostly right," but "mostly" isn't "fully". We must be careful with our words. 4) You use the phrase "I think" (or similar versions of it) in your comments. For example, "I think Sola Fide is correct." Frankly, and with all due respect, it doesn't matter what you think (or what I think, for that matter). We live in an age where we are told to be "strong" and "independent" thinkers, and that "your voice matters". Christianity is, at its core, all about obedience. If Christ says something is true, then it is true; it doesn't matter if you think otherwise. Likewise, when the Church (capital C) says something is true, then it is true - for the Church is Jesus Christ. The concept of Sola Fide, for instance, is a modern creation that did not exist in the early Church. It wasn't until the Reformation that some guy came along and said, "Well, I think this is how it really is," that people started to believe otherwise. This is a dangerous game that, hopefully you can see, has led to some horrible doctrines/beliefs arising. Now this of course does not mean that you are going to believe everything that the Orthodox Church teaches immediately, but through prayer and obedience, it is very possible to come around. At the end of the day, this all comes back to arrogance and ego. We think we know better than God, when it is God and His Church that revealed the Truth to us. Hopefully these points, at the very least, give you some food for thought. Deprograming the modern mind is very difficult, and as an Orthodox catechuman, I am still very much in the process of doing this. But I fully believe it is possible, for I know many people who have successfully and wholly converted. But again, it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. God bless you brother.
God bless you and Our Holy Mother of God take you under Her guidance. I see you sincerely seek for the Truth with love, be sure that with humility, Jesus Christ will give you absolutely everything your heart aches for and more. For us humans, and even orthodox have it worse, because it's so easy to fall in to pride, thinking we know it all. Jesus said to be like Him, humble and meek at heart, to renounce all of our fleshly desires, even our loved ones to follow Him. Be humble and have Christ first, love Him and you will gain heaven. We all struggle with this, but thank God He cares only about our true intention and not perfection.
@@nathaniellowe1215I agree Redeemed Zoomer has made mistakes, he has went against other denominations before, specifically Baptist and Non-denominational churches, but I still think one of his recent videos has some good points in it. I don't agree with him on everything, nowhere near.
The other option which is becoming more popular is relativism that your truth is your truth and mine is mine. Your Jesus is your Jesus? Madness madness.
Depends what the doctrine is. Does it matter if Peter is the rock when Christ is the Chief Cornerstone: no. Does it matter if Mary had a line of sinless virgin ancestors when Christ is who was crucified as our atonement: no. Does it matter if you paying tithes gets your family out of purgatory which is basically hell: yes. Does it matter if you "resacrifice" Christ everyday or week to pay for your sin when he said he did it once for all & its written its impossible to do it a second time: yes
Do you think that we can know perfect truth, given that we're fallible people?? My impression is that denominations are separated from each other exactly because they believe that doctrine matters, but they all have different doctrines. It seems to me that we humans can completely and sincerely be convinced of something, have very credible reasons for it, and still be wrong. How can we know if our strongly held opinions are true and those of others are wrong?? Shouldn't we be humble and more tolerant and admit that we don’t always know best, even if we think we do??
My question is this. If the Church perfectly embodies Christ, and Christ cannot contain contradiction within Himself, would this not imply that the sin of schism isn't possible for a Christian to commit unto his death because a true Christian will at some eventual point, agree with all tenets of the Orthodox faith and those who willfully spend their entire lives remaining protestant or catholic are wilfully resisting the truth? Because after all, how can a true Christian remain in conflict with the true church for their entire lives unless they aren't actually part of that church at all and thus are not Christian? This is why I hold to my stance that the objectively correct Church *procession* and church corporate body is found in orthodoxy. But the church body itself of all single individuals is comprised of everyone who confesses that Christ is Lord, mistaken theology and all. Otherwise the logical conclusion of this framework is that no one is truly saved unless they attend, participate in and affirm the corporate orthodox congregation. This implication that the true church is incapable of engaging in schism seems ridiculous because if that was the case...why would there be a warning to Christians to not indulge in schism? It must be possible for a Christian to he apart from the 'true' church while still being Christians? I must admit I'm a biut confused and any clarity would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The circumcision party was not merely arguing that Gentiles should keep biblical festivals, dietary laws, etc. They were arguing that JUSTIFICATION (initial salvation) was not possible for Gentiles unless they first became Jews through proselytization. There was no problem with Gentiles observing Sabbaths and festivals and Old Testament dietary laws. The problem was in seeking justification through becoming a proselyte. Even justified persons in the Old Testament were justified by faith, not works of law.
For what it's worth, the early church fathers disagreed on very major things, like whether damnation is eternal or not, without anathematizing each other.
Well yes this is true. But when things were decided everyone else who wanted to stay in the church agreed and could admit being wrong. RC and Prots don’t want to do this. They want to mold the church to them. That’s not how things work. We are 2000 years down the road. Doctrine has been tried and tested. We see who has the correct doctrine and it’s not the people openly sinning in “Church” who have turned the west away from Christ.
Sure, when issues aren't settled there are multiple views of course, but Apocatastasis itself and those who taught it were anathematized at the fifth council.
You stated you don't read comments which I find strange, but your premise is correct. I do think you're missing something. The first "Protestants" were Catholic Popes. Others tried to correct them and being unable to do so the scisms grew and grew. I still think the baseline for all faith isn't about whose doctrine is right and whose is wrong. The baseline is two fold, "Who do you say Jesus is and what are you going to do about it?" To me everything else are details some which are correct and some which are not.
"Who do you say Jesus is and what are you going to do about it?" That's what docrine is. And it absolutely is about right or wrong, because there's only 1 Jesus. As Fr. Paul said, there's hardly anything that can be considered "a detail that is irrelevant or insignificant" to paraphrase.
@@Lessonius I understand your point, but I don't think you understand mine. When Jesus asked his desciples, "who do they and who do you say I am?" (Matt 16 ) He didn't say give me all the details and don't leave any small detail out.
@@Paul-w3f1y Because at the time, it wasn't yet a point of this mattering, for multiple reasons which I will refrain from presenting, I'll just leave 1 below - Once the Holy Spirit was breathed on the Apostles, things changed in this concrete regard you're referring to. Jesus, at that point, met them where He could - both the people and his Apostles, in terms of knowledge. Even Peter didn't know what exactly his answer entailed anyways, we see that clearly by his direct actions shortly after this confession. I absolutely understand your point, I simply think it's wrong and following up on such thinking is how people end up with ecumenistic tendencies and start blurring the lines which are iron-clad.
@@Lessonius Fear seems to be a driving force in much of Orthodoxy. Some fear is indeed healthy some isn't. Jesus said that even the gates of hell can not prevail against his church. I take him at his word. I know that God judges the heart of man and knowing where my heart is is all that's important to me because I know that's what's important to him.
I appreciate what you are trying to say, however I have to disagree with you. When you spent time studying orthodox saints, you're going to know about saints that were like Christ. If you study Protestantism you're going to find saints that were like Christ. The assumption that only EO saints are "true" is biased on your time spent studying only one side of the coin. Second, none of us are arguing that there's essential doctrine and non-essential doctrine, rather, it's a varying degree of priority. For example, Its more important to proclaim the gospel than to teach eternal security. While all doctrine is essential, its more important to understand how to become more like Christ and to die to yourself daily than it is to understand Amill or Premill. In other words, there's salvation issues, and non-salvation Like your said maybe some "medicine" is less effective, but it's still either effective to save you, or it's not. Third, the assumption that you need church fathers to interpret the bible for you, is the reason why there is heresy in the church. The bible is clear on EVERY MAJOR THEOLOGICAL ISSUE. no interpretation necessary, maybe some help understanding some more complex things, cuz I'm kind of dumb. The word of God is divinely inspired, the church fathers weren't necessarily. You will disagree with me, but the fact is we all have some things wrong, and to assume that you have all of your doctrines correct, is... at least assumative, Maybe even prideful. I recognize that I am a sinner, and I will never have everything right (till heaven), but I also don't go around telling you to stop baptizing your babies, just because I disagree with it, here's what REALY MATTERS. 1 Cor 2:2 "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
its easy for people to read the title or watch a few minutes and then comment what they think or while watching the video from their own opinion on something you said that was clearly not there. apparently a Catholic twitter user was quite Irate by your video because "Catholics also have wonder working Saints" which shows that people either do not watch or choose to not listen but just hear. either way. The loud comments are are there but you dont see the hundreds of people who learned something and considered your words but said no reply. those are the people you should be making the videos for.
Please don’t put off your video about counseling and orthodoxy for too long. Coming from a Jungian background and reading “Orthodox Psychotherapy,” I see a real opportunity for a bridge between the “science of the fathers” and counseling/therapy to be made. As I am seeing it, Jungian therapy was the most successful form we have seen, but is only a reiteration (and lower resolution expression) of the work of the clergy that we (modern society) have been disconnected from.
Do you REALLY want to know what it matters with God? You can have the best doctrine and dogma ever stated in the Bible - counts NOTHING! Jesus tells us in Mathews 7:21 that “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.” Are you interested in His doctrine? Or in his will? And are you interested in doing His will or in knowing His doctrine?
@@eotpatriarchs I'm telling you you have no idea what doctrine means - your entire comment is nonsensical. You're trying to create dichotomies where none exist.
@@Lessonius Ok, I got it. And here is the thing. The RUclips is full of all kinds of debates in terms of the right doctrine. Every denomination, especially the Orthodox one, tries desperately to put down all the others in order to prove its own. Well, Jesus tells us specifically that all that it matters at the last day of judgment when we all will stay before Him, is DOING HIS FATHER’S WILL. That is ALL that will either assure us the entering the lost Paradise or being rejected and ending thus in hell. And this is in Matthews 7:23. So, my point is this. While Fr. Paul is striving to put down the Protestants in order to demonstrate that the Orthodox doctrine is the RIGHT one, he himself is trespassing God’s distinctive will in regards of salvation. Let me prove it. Because man is born in sin and conceived in iniquities (Psalm 50:6), ended up in being enslaved to Satan and sin (Romans 6:20), dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and lost for ever and ever from the face of God because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) - death in the Scripture meaning separation from God. Yes, God made a plan to bring man back, and we love to hear that. But God, being a just God, MUST solve, FIRST, the problem of man’s sin. Yes, from His side, God prepared the remedy in Jesus’ sacrifice - thanks being given to Him. However, BECAUSE man has his free will, man MUST show his very, total, and clear conscious will to break his union with Satan, and then to accept God’s punishment of his sin in Jesus’ sacrifice. And man is to do that by performing three distinctive steps on his own in this direction, namely, (1)repentance - he shows through this, his own willing to break with Satan; then he needs to go to the second step which is (2)believing in the Gospel; and finally, (3)baptism AFTER believing, as an outside proof of the believing that took place inside, in the heart. Now here is where Orthodoxy trespassed, broke irrecuperable God’s law. They went straight to baptism, baptizing Satan’s slave, a dead man in sin and trespasses, a man separated eternally from God. The Orthodox didn’t give him the chance to whether being willing to repent or not to repent, neither allowing him to get in touch with God receiving God’s faith that comes through the Word of God (Romans 10:17) or rejecting it. Therefore, no matter how well can this priest explain the Orthodox doctrine, while they do NOT do God’s will, those that practice this type of “salvation” will hear from Jesus’ mouth the words from Mathews 7:23: “Depart from Me you workers of iniquities.”
@@eotpatriarchs I don't know if you think your comment made any sense, but let me tell you - It definitely didn't. You don't even know what doctrine is, but you seem to believe you know what Orthodoxy teaches? Given what you wrote (ignoring the fact that it's just a whole bunch of unconnected ramblings and false statements) you obviously don't. You think you understand scripture, when you don't even know what doctrine is? To give you an example of what you're doing right now to maybe better showcase the reality of the situation and how silly it is: You read a book on quantum physics a bunch of times, with 0 experience in the field and no mentor/teacher on it as well as no physics background and you're now going around and acting as if you're an expert on quantum phyiscs. Heretics also defended their heresy biblically. You can quote-mine all you want, but from where I stand, you're not even remotely qualified to have a scriptural debate when you lack basic understanding of biblical concepts, like doctrine. This is not how things work my friend.
I was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, was baptised at St Aloysius RC Church in Hebburn, and made my First Holy Communion at St Bede RC Church in Jarrow. At school I was taught about great saints like John Fisher and Thomas More. Reading around as a young man, I read St Bede's _Ecclesiastical History of the English People_ and I became aware that St Benedict Biscop was a keen importer of books and icons. The _Codex Amiatinus,_ the oldest Bible still in one piece, was produced in Jarrow or Monkwearmouth. I read about the Greek Schismatic Church in a doctrinal guide, but I have never actually met any members of it even after 69 years of life. My first encounter with "Orthodoxy" was a few years ago on the Internet. I have occasionally driven past the Coptic Orthodox Church in Newcastle. As St Bede recounts, the Filioque was introduced by St Theodore at the Council of Hatfield in 680. It was endorsed at the Council of Lyons 1274 and then at Ferrara-Florence 1435. I imagine that there are people in Hatfield in Hertfordshire who have continually recited the Creed with the Filioque ever since 680. The Filioque has the backing of the Pope, who is the successor of St Peter in a special sense. From what I see online, Orthodoxy seems to operate in a parallel universe. The Filioque were condemned by the *_whole church_* at a meeting in Constantinople in 879, although bishops from Spain, Portugal, England, France and the Holy Roman Empire would appear to have been absent. John Fisher and Thomas More be fake saints, though we are not too sure if they were validly baptised. I be a heretic and a papist, which is the sort of language I normally associate with Protestants. I be also an atheist because I support the Gregorian Calendar independently of being Catholic and can talk about the science. We Catholics are all agreed that your Elder Paisios was validly baptised. We have a Pope whose duty is to co-ordinate doctrine on this sort of thing. Popes can underperform on co-ordinating doctrine concerning the blessing of homosexual couples. Opposition to this among African, Ukrainian, Kazakh and other bishops is a doctrinal, not a cultural matter. One or two African synods have made a point of saying this explicitly. Cardinal Fernandes says it is merely cultural which is an error. His Eminence should investigate himself for heresy. My reference to the Greek Schismatic Church is merely describing what I read. I am not intending to be offensive or to assume what has to be proved.
the filioque was already said in the 4th century in spain in the creed. The east had no problem with it for hundreds of years and there are church fathers both east and west that espoused it.
@@lionheart5078 Spain and Portugal preceded England in introducing the Filioque. What's different about England is that St Theodore is recognised as a saint by the Orthodox Churches. He was a Greek speaker from Tarsus in Cilicia (modern south central Turkiye). The Greeks are proud of him, as they are entitled to be. Bede gives him a good write up. Excluding the Church set up by St Theodore from an "Oecumenical" Council is just ridiculous. When did people in Hatfield get to find out that they are now "heretics"?
It just comes down to the fact that very well studied life long theologians who understand the views of the Orthodox and have their Biblical and sensible counter to all the arguments. There are a few core things that if you accept then you become orthodox. If you dont see those few things then you will be essentially against orthodox views. Reformed and Orthodox will both tell you doctrine is important and that exegesis is important, and they both will claim they are doing it more accurately than the other. Orthodox rely mostly on the claims of being the continued line of succession all the way back to Christ. Many groups besides Orthodox also make this claim. There are good rebuttals to these arguments you can find and read. Reformed will rely solely on scripture to back up their position.
There's no backing up anyone can ever do or any argument that can be presented on the reformed side that even remotely comes close to looking at the apostolic fathers and their opinion. If you are even a smidge honest with yourself, you'd concede to the fact that if you were to bet on whos' going to be correct on a biblical subject matter: 1. Someone who was taught by St. Peter/Paul/John etc. 2. Someone who lived centuries/millenia after them and is disagreeing with the someone from 1 on the same matters. Who seems to be the clear, logical, reasonable and most-probably correct choice in basically any tangible strech of the imagination that isn't completely nonsensical? In short, the answer is no, there are no life long theologians who understand the views and have counters to arguments - They have simply managed to successfully lie to themselves and chosen a path of vanity. You cannot counter what I've just presented above, we need not even go to the Bible - It's a loss by default.
@@Lessonius I see it basically the complete opposite. I see orthodox as humanist elitist materialist who worship their own physical church and ascetics more than God. Yes, your way is of course going to stay solid whenever you make the assumptions youre making. I dont think there is good evidence for this supposed uninterrupted line of succession without contamination. The entire orthodox way relies on that succession and when its just not there, you can evade that veil and see the other side. You can say all day how you line up with the original people who walked with Christ and that you have perfect recollection of the history but it is indeed fallible. You believe infallible councils and I believe infallible scripture. You can find the information that refutes the orthodox point of view if you want. There are people that can explain it much better than I can. Plenty of "protestants" (loaded term) genuinely look into the Orthodox views and have the same arguments against them. Orthodox on the other hand, at least everyone I see online, kind of have this elitist dismissal of any other group of believers where they kind of talk down to them and quite honestly rarely exemplify grace in their positions. Its very much some sort of intellectual battle that presumes you have 100% accurate succession and history...it is a ridiculous claim that orthodox relies on to the core. That is why orthodox have to defend that so much and can never admit any deviation from it.
@@easytiger35 You're free to disagree. It simply means you do not actually seek the truth and you're fine with being wrong whilst deceiving yourself that you're on a quest for truth when you choose to blatantly disagree with it when it stares you in the face. But if that's the case, don't go around making ridiculous statements that you cannot even remotely back up.
@@Lessonius youre an idiot if you think you are the only church and can back it up to the very first without any separations. I know you guys feel the need to go preach to other Christians instead of people who need to find Christ. The only ones being deceived are those following man made tradition and rituals that are not scriptural at all. There are good sources on why youre wrong and you should read up on it. Ive read up on orthodox and listened to people. It just isnt correct but you will have to come off of that elitist "better than you" pedestal and humble yourself to see the Truth.
Interesting. Should a person who has a non-Orthodox Trinitarian baptism be re-baptized or received by chrismation? Is the Synod of Jerusalem 1672 binding on the whole church? Was Jesus offered to placate the wrath of the Father meant for us? Should infants be baptized as soon as possible or is there no hurry as Trisagion Films says? For a church called "Orthodox", you guys sure have little to no real doctrinal unity.
St Cleopa does not represent orthodoxy, we talked about doctrinal differenceses in fact his are so that the doubt risies if he was not a tool of the comunist regime. And is not only doctrinal but his understanding of Chist, that can bring people in eror.
Its wild how you are blind to truth until you aren’t. Once your eyes have been opened to truth you’ll understand everything Father Paul says in these videos. You’ll wonder WHY these things were ignored in your past denominations. You’ll wonder HOW people can be so blind…. Idk..
I’m so grateful that my eyes have been opened to THE truth and not just MY truth anymore.
amen
Agreed
Even as a lifelong Orthodox (only recently taking it anywhere seriously, joy!) I'm still learning everyday!
“Doctrine is Medicine”. Wow! This is so true! As someone coming from Mormonism, the orthodox prescriptions for sin and worldly things are 1000% more effective. Also, knowing the true God helps in a profound way. Love this!
Amen, dear brother. Welcome home. May we embrace and be merry one day together, God willing 🙏☦️
God bless you!
God bless you! Coming from Mormonism is hard. I lost every friend I ever had.
@@ElDogeRenacido thank you! 💪🏻
@@LaphroaigFan you as well. 😊
I'm looking to become Orthodox, I currently have trouble getting to a church because I cannot drive and nobody is willing to take me. I currently go to an episcopal church and it can only fulfill me so far. Pray for me please and for all who are seeking orthodoxy! ☦️☦️☦️
May God be with you on your journey into the Church, and always remember, Orthodoxy is a lifelong faith! Where you are now is most certainly not where you will be in 5 years, much less 10 or 20, so take care to be humble and look at yourself now as an infant in faith, who needs others to support and help him, even if their ways are confusing.
God bless!
I'd write to your nearest priest to get their advice. And, while it may not be true, there may be a parishioner there near you who can take you.
God bless; prayers from Australia.
Where you from?
Brother in Christ, im in a similar situation, but i have a church near me, i suggest you to try your best to go, only there the presence of god stays, not in the episcopal (protestant). take a bus. I really dont know how far are you from there, but try to go and talk to de priest about your conversion.
The grace of Χριστος be with you.
I'm not a gambler, but I would bet that someone from the Orthodox Church would be willing to offer you a ride. I would get in touch with the Priest and explain your situation.
Great video as always Father !
In our present age it has become status quo to hold one's own discernment as normative. As such, when entering into Truth, we often bring our own preconceptions and, inevitably, bend the doctrines to conform to our will. In this, we are like the man who thinks he sees, yet is blind. Rather we ought to seek in humility and patience, such that we may be like the blind man who is made to see. In stepping into the Orthodox faith I have found security in the undivided Body of Christ, upon which I can strengthen my relationship to Him. This way, we can be sure we are not acting out our own rogue volitions, instead, being genuine temples of The Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Spirit of Truth. May the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, bless and guide us.
Amen.
I want to thank you for inspiring me to find the Orthodox Church from your videos. Along with me,my wife and children have become catechumens this month. Praise God for you,Fr. Heers and Jay Dryer for explaining the way.
As a former Protestant, I can say that one of the main reasons discussing Saints and their continuous presence in the Church is problematic to Protestants is bc the faith is generally more inclined toward God’s mercy to save sinners for the next world and more of an emphasis on the idea that we are sinners and always will be in this life. While sanctification is discussed and bandied about, most Protestants don’t set a goal to be “Holyfield” by Christ and have no examples in that world who have done so. The process is seen as been 100% up to God with no “work” to be done by the believer-even though we are told that we are to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” and that there is no genuine faith without works (James), etc. I say this not to say every Protestant feels this way, but so many do, and I was definitely one of those. The idea is Saints seemed so foreign and impossible. Not to mention that many denominations teach that after the disciples passed, there was no more need for miracles from the church.
Having said this, I humbly admit that as an Orthodox Christian, I am no more holy than them. My desire to become more like Christ is a “work” of love I fail at daily. I see many Protestants who exemplify Christ’s love so don’t take this as a criticism against any individuals. However, the truth that there really are very holy people within the Orthodox faith, some of whom will one day be shown to have been actual Saints, is indisputable.
Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!
Thanks for this, I’m a Baptist Christian atm and looking into orthodoxy but your comment definitely helped me to understand a bit more of orthodoxy. Pray for me please that I shall continue learning about the church and Christ. May the Lord bless you brother 🙌
I appreciate you sharing your experience; however, this has not been my experience. I have spent a reasonable time in Five different denominations of Protestant churches (I have always been a Baptist, I just travel a lot) these have not been my experience in any of these churches. Being sanctified has always been desired and taught in these churches. Miracles have not ceased, and those who love the lord will put in the "work" and seek him more. however, I do appreciate that you can recognize that we're all just sinners trying to become more like Christ.
I’m so blessed to have this man as my Spiritual Father in real life. God is good ☦️
"I should have said this". Common even in face to face discourse. We often frame things from our perspective.
Just things everyone should consider.
Do what you do brother 🙏
Oh gosh that's actually, quite profound. God have mercy on me.
Wow father. This video really was powerful. Glory to God ☦️
Ive been in different denominations grew up evangelical. However the idea of repentance and the deep connection ive never felt outside of orthodoxy. Im not orthodox yet, but God willing my family and I will be one day
Thank you for sharing the Divine Truth, Fr. Truebenbach. I am a Catholic convert to Orthodoxy, and what you spoke about in this video are many of the reasons I converted to Orthodoxy. God bless you!
Its such a shame that other denomination members outside of orthodoxy refuse to research the saints, but would rather become hostile out of ignorance. Kyrie eleison ☦️
“Hostile out of ignorance” is a great description of how I felt prior to learning about the saints lives and orthodox theology
@ same here. How foolish was I to think I knew what the walk with Christ was, then I read the saints and realized I know nothing and will learn and continue to learn until my repose
I have no issues with the saints, I just don’t agree that we should pray to them, or try to interact with the dead (even the dead in Christ), if there was a branch of orthodoxy which didn’t use icons and pray to saints and Mary, I’d be more inclined to go there. But as it is, unless the Lord were to show me differently, I cannot in good conscience participate with traditions within the church that do not align with scripture.
Not being hostile towards orthodoxy in the least.
@ study the history of iconoclasm and you will change your mind. Remember the Lord YHWH also commanded the sons of Israel to not make graven images, key word is graven(bulls calves ect.) then right after commands them to make the ark with cherubim and a bronze serpent.
@@ScotchIrishHoundsman I understand where you’re coming from. However, Scripture does point to created things being set apart as holy(within the Ark they kept the tablets, Aaron’s staff, etc). And the earliest Christians had religious art/icons. Even pre-Constantine, Christians adorned their worship places with images. There is scriptural corroboration of intercession of created beings(Abraham, Job), and Jew(fiercely monotheistic) also believed in asking intercession of spiritual beings or calling on them for help(Elijah, angels). I ended up examining my Protestant church, and I saw so much in scripture that it wasn’t adhering too. All the while lauding scripture alone. I have been pouring over Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox teachings for the past year, and the Orthodox Church appears to have faithfully upheld the teachings of the Apostles. This can only have been done with the help of the Holy Spirit as was promised by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
The little bit of doctrine I received as a child by Chinese Baptists seemed incredibly screwed up to me and was a major reason why I was an atheist for so long.
Same. But with me it was the Chinese Lutherans. Praise God I found my way back to Christ through the Orthodox Church.
Hey man! I'm glad to have seen your comment. Hope things are going well for you.
@@davidgravy2007 Same to you
As someone who considered themselves a staunch Baptist before looking into Orthodoxy, the differences between the denominations matter greatly!
When I came into contact with Orthodoxy and saw how much the Church cares for doctrine, I was immediately intrigued. This is something that is lacking in most/if not all modern protestant Churches. The Orthodoxy Church is truly the most consistent and faithful Church to the teachings of Christ. The Saints are key in proving this.
Thank you, Father Paul.
I had to read The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios, great read!
I can be sluggish sometimes with books, but that one was a page turner for me.
God bless you Father. This kind of rational, calm content is much needed.
This was an amazing video, I wrote all of your points down in a file and I'm going to print them out and bring them to my family's protestant church when I go with them this Sunday. I also ordered the books lol
I’m a catechumen now. My background is Protestant and Roman Catholic. Thank you for all your videos.
Alawys very clear and inspirational fr. Paul. Thank you again!!
Thank you for your effort here Father. We need it in our own language and verbiage… it is changing peoples lives to hear the truth.
This video came at exactly the right time, I was just having this question!
Keep creating videos Father. When we have time we most assuredly watch them. I do learn from you. As to responding to comments, no worries, we have constructive discourse amongst ourselves. God be with you.
Praise Jesus! This is a good video father 🤝🙏. Helped me a lot, lots of clarity and clarification!
Thank you, Fr Truebenbach! It is very cheering to hear your clear explanations on these matter that are so vital, and often so greatly misunderstood! I've recently discovered your videos and they're very edifying with clear and useful explanations and helpful instructions! We really need that today; not left to ourselves to "figure things out." God bless you.
Thank you so much for this video, Father! I’ve been seeing more of these “Torah observant Christians” online and i was curious to know what the Orthodox Church would say about this “branch” of Christianity.
May God give you good strength and the Mother of Our God make you exceedingly glad. 🙏🏻☦️
Love these videos, glad you’re causing a stir
Very good video, Father!
Thank you Father for your words..much to consider, to pray about.
I love your video, thank you the explanations and clarity of why the Orthodox Church cannot be separated from Bible and are One and incomplete without the other. Its sad but truthful that unorthodox doctrines are a deviation from the straight and narrow path that Jesus has blessed us through the Orthodox Church. I just read in Thessalonians today how Paul was celebrating the Churches in Greece that were imatators of the Churches in Judea. Today all these churches are called the Orthodox Church. I pray that more churches become imitators of the Orthodox Church and seek a way to join in on one body with the Orthodox Church
Perhaps the greatest witness to our protestant friends is to become saints ourselves.
God bless you, Father! Amen. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Fr. Paul answers the question of the title of the video at about 12:00
Glory
To
God
It's interesting because what you just said with your prayer about lighting a spark of investigation I've had this spark since I became a Christian. Now that is a very very long story and at this point I'm just over two years in Christ if that means anything... And here's the thing I'm very open to listening to other people's opinions, just to get a better understanding because I'm very new to this whole thing literally I'm 32 going on 33 and two years ago what is the first time I had heard about Jesus and I live in Canada. That also is a long story lol but regardless I am very intrigued by your videos they spark conversation. Thank you
Amen! Well said father!
Beautifully said, father.
Ortho-Goth-Bro here 👋🏼
I think something that’s incredibly profound, is the level of discrimination within the Christian faith towards other Christian denominations. I can’t tell you how much discrimination I face as a new convert to the faith, coming from a Roman Catholic background. I’ve heard other Christians say, that they would die before becoming Orthodox, and so far I’ve been ghosted by two women I’ve been talking to, just on faith alone 🤦🏻♂️
People are so rooted in their beliefs; religious and non-religious ideals, that they’re not open to discussion or potentially being proven wrong.
May God help us all 🙏🏼
The problem is that we're unable to distinguish where the truth is. I'm a former atheist who converted to Catholicism. When I read the Catholic catechism I find it convincing. When I read the Orthodox one, I find it convincing too. When I search about the filioque, from both perspectives, it seems more of a misunderstanding and a Greek/Latin language issue rather than a real doctrine conflict. Perhaps we are missing the point? Perhaps cultures and practices separated us, and maybe we focus too much on what separates us?
I'm just thinking out loud, I can only pray the Lord to lead me to where the truth is. At the end of the day, can we really understand God fully? The fathers of the Church kept saying we cannot, with our limited minds. If our Lord the Holy Spirit inspires the Christians, why some of them would have only parts of the truth? Would it mean that The Holy Spirit doesn't inspire Christians who don't belong to the right denomination rather than bringing them to it? And all the saints, monks and faithful people from the "wrong" denomination are ALL liars, they are not inspired at all, and they don't love the Christ at all?
I understand the argument of this video, but it contradicts the abundance of grace, the infinite mercy of the Lord who would let billions of his loyal believers in the wrong, while the Scriptures say the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth...
Are the doctrine contradictions really contradictions? Does having different understandings mean that only one is right and the other is wrong?
You say we don't speculate but some points of the doctrine can be unclear and left as a mystery, which we cannot fully comprehend or know with our limited mind. So isn't it natural that people understand these differently?
And there seems to be no way for us to know where the truth is, as all interpretations can appear to be true. Sometimes I'm seduced by the idea of converting to orthodoxy, but what if I am leaving the true Church founded by Peter? On the other hand, what if I'm remaining in the wrong church rather than following the "unchanged" one? See how unsolvable these questions are.
We can only pray.
I first want to say i have the upmost love and reapect for you as my Christian brother. This is a much bigger conversation then a 20 minute video.
Things like corruption in the church, arguments that we know the first church apostles had about doctrin/ dogma, also the difference between biblical doctrin and man made rituals.
Jesus Christ of Nazareth was and is perfect in all ways but man is fallible and corrupt.
From the very beginning, even when Jesus was still with the apostles those same apostles argued over everything. We see in the bible that Jesus had to chastise and correct the very apostles that were chosen by him to start his church. How can we believe that over 2000 years man won't have disagreements and arguments over doctrin.
I would love to hear your take on this topic in depth. I know that would be hours and hours of teachings but I believe you are an honest and God fearing man that will speak only truth and not bias opinion. God bless you father and thank you for your time
In 1527 Martin Luther wrote of Ulrich Zwingli that he would “Rather drink pure blood with the Pope than mere wine with the fanatics.” Luther and Zwingli had little or no expectation of success at Marburg. There was agreement on 14 out of 15 articles but there was never a hope of consensus on the Lord’s Supper. According to eyewitness reports Luther simply wrote on the table either in beer froth or chalk dust “Hoc est corpus meum” (“This is My Body”) and that was that - deadlock!
In my mind and admittedly poor understanding of the Reformers, it seems to me that Zwingli and Calvin were uniquely sinister, compared to Luther’s seemingly earnest search for the truth
@@jameschebahtah
Luther did some less than Christian things in his "pursuit of the truth".
@@jameschebahtah Luther and Calvin hated Anabaptists and today somehow you have "Reformed Baptists."
@@OrthodoxLoner truly one of the greatest ironies of history. They literally killed each other a few hundred years ago
@@acekoala457 lol hence the “seemingly”. Calvin and Zwingli were clearly both absolutely obsessed with creating and ruling their own theocratic city-states with an iron fist.
God bless you Father
Thank God for you Fr Paul. Even within Orthodoxy, I see and hear among clergy and laity a desire to unify with heterodox, always using “love” and “acceptance” above all, to treat these people as “brothers and sisters in Christ”. I can treat them with dignity, but I do not dare call it love to act as if they are joined to the body when they are not. Everyone is afraid that speaking the truth will just drive them away. I feel like this is treating them like deterministic robots, and does not account for those wills striving to find the full truth, beyond their own desires. What if this passivity is driving people away?
It is a very modern Heresy.
Fr. Peter Heers has a good video on the history of Protestant Ecumenism.
It is the spirit of this age.
Great source😂
This was great! Thank you, Father!
I wonder if some SOME of our Protestant cousins take offense to Orthodox belief, because they recognize the truth, but it goes against what they were taught so it can’t be true? “If Orthodoxy is true why doesn’t it preach TULIP? Sometimes exposing someone to the fathomless depths of truth pulls them from the shallow and safe waters of the puddle they have been shown.
Father bless🙏🏿☦️
They matter deeply!
Prots don’t even have a Fr Paul much less St Paisios
Based on my experience this is true. Even the pillars of Protestantism, you can see their zeal and sharpness of mind, but they somehow lack the spirit. The only peace you experience is indirect, like when they quote scripture. This is not only the reason I left Protestantism, but this is also why I chose Orthodoxy over Roman Catholicism. Simply put you can discern where Holy Spirit is.
This is because Protestantism solely focuses on intellectual engagement or emotional engagement. There is usually a lack of spiritual humility, willingness to submit or be corrected, and or consistent practice of spiritual disciplines.
This is just my observation of growing up non denominational/protestant and going from church to church trying to search for the presence of the Triune God.
Of course I am not making a blanket statement as I am sure there are individual Protestants and non denominational Christian’s out there that are doing everything in their power and knowledge to love and pursue Christ. But the reality is that with out the help of the very Church and True Church that Jesus Christ left to guide His people, and be a light to the world, one can only make so much progress in the spiritual life.
This is my take as I am in the midst of trying to transition into the Orthodox Church.
Please pray for me.☦️
we dont worship humans
@@fujikokun I think it is the complete opposite.
God bless orthodoxy amen ❤
Papa bless me and my family!
My opine, turn off the comments!
In Christ
Dr. Paisios
Did father ever talk about the view of the orthodox church in regards of the miracles in the catholic church?
Thank you Father! You have doubled down on what I’ve been calling “the hard truths” of Christianity. For our opinion does not decide what that is, because the church already has it.
Амин. Благодарим оче за твоје објашњење. Једно питање: зашто се бојиш да кажеш да доминације Нису црква? мала слушкиња Господња Мила тренутно у Аустралији.☦️☦️☦️
This is a very sound argument, Father Paul, and I agree with you--but now I have fresh concerns for my non-Orthodox Christian friends.
When I read the call for Christian’s to not squabble over whether or not they can eat meat or drink wine, it seems to me that there is an allowed difference between believers. Also, when it says that if one person does something against their conscience they condemn themselves since they didn’t do it to the glory of God.
Hello Father, I'm a big fan and was wondering if I am able to make my own holy water, since at the moment I can not get any, is there any way like pouring a bit of holy oil in regular water? Thank you and God bless
If you're able to get a drop of holy water, putting just a small bit of holy water into the rest makes the rest be holy water.
@ thanks!
The Apostle's and Nicene Creed's wrap up in tight language what can already be found in NT scriptures.
As long as any denominational polity is abiding by those outlines, then they can be in the 'check them out' box.
The scriptures leave room for Christian freedom and other historical/cultural adaptations.
We no longer live in an era of state churches, so let each believer pray and discern where they should be. It is often not to a denomination, but rather a particular group of people to which one is called by the Spirit. A congregational family.
They are completely invested in the idea that Christian gatherings and worship was supposed to stay the same as early churches. They think they are the very first church, but its kind of a ridiculous claim. They merely continue on certain traditions and beliefs of SOME early churches. In my view, orthodox need to kind of get over themselves.
@@easytiger35 ok, which early churches had practices different to Holy Orthodoxy? Who at Nicea had pastors rather than priests and bishops and low church worship?
name one group
Orthodoxy is the true Church and protector of the Fullness of the Faith in Jesus Christ
Father could you please call Nun Christina about a commentary on the psalter that they published as kindle, how can I get it as a paperback? The Orthodox Septuagint Psalter with full commentary by Saint Hesychius of Jerusalem-Nun Christina Anna Skoubourdis
yes!!! fire back at their goofy claims. also more need to speak up on this
Early gang
comment is to remind myself to come back when I have more time (I misread the video length as 3 minutes instead of 31)
A good word :)
In answer to your questions, although I assume they were meant rhetorically:
Yes, there are certain things we don't know better, because the early Church was closer to Jesus' ministry on earth and His disciples, but there are other things we do know better, if only because we have the scientific method today and all the knowledge and tools that that has brought. People thought very differently back then and not always in a way better than we do today.
Good afternoon, I just had a question about a particular verse that I have seen used for the argument against what you have said and was wondering if you can help me understand.
Luke 9:49
Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
Luke 9:50
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
I’ve heard this used as a way to say there will be followers of Christ that do things slightly different and it’s stuck with me since. Thank you for your time :)
I do not know if its okay if to ask for prayer here but my name is Hector if you guys don't mind praying for me
Father please pray for me. I am from Brazill wich is a very protestant and roman catholic country due to colonization. I discovered orthodoxy and i am starting to really chance and see my sinful nature. My parents are no very pleased by this since they are protestant. I will start visiting a church in my city. Pray for me and for my family so that they may see the orthodox truth and the real Jesus Christ please.
Truth is all that matters in this corrupt reality. Doctrine must reflect the truth in all aspects. Doctrine is what has manipulated and destroyed God's truth throughout history.
I truly love and respect you for being so truthful and clear. Your content is always a pleasure. Bless you.
I'm a scientist and within science, there's clearly a process of things being controversial at first and a consensus building as evidence emerges. It's not true that scientists constantly quarrel with each other about everything.
There's a reason why science has laws. These are ideas that once were controversial, but on which there now is a scientific consensus.
Maybe, religion could learn from this.
Spirit of the age. 1, secular universalism and inclusivity have permeated the mind of the Christian. 2, there is a common enemy of anyone who claims Christ, and therefore a strong temptation to unite.
Let them open their eyes and look directly at Galatians 6:15-16.
Context is important, this was written to the Jews converts, that want to follow the old, while being new in Christ.
We definitely need the true body and blood of Christ.
(PART 1)
So I have watched Father Paul's other video he has referenced, and now watched this one. Some background, I grew up protestant, specifically Methodist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational, and my wife grew up baptist. Through and through we have been protestant for the entirety of our marriage. Now my response to his last video wasn't to comment with words, but instead to listen by doing some research and finding the closest good Orthodox church near me and sitting down with Father Nicholas, and having a good conversation with him. From what I have taken away from it, yes the foundational things many protestants that I know, and the Orthodox church agree on. I do think some doctrine differences are divisive and there's likely nothing Father Paul can say to change my mind on that one, I've seen it with my own eyes. Now, I will also say, doctrine matters, the Bible says to be weary of false doctrine so yes doctrine matters. From everyone who I've talked to who are true Christians (including Father Nicholas who I sat down with and talked to) agree that we need to follow Jesus in every way. Father Nicholas didn't look me in the eye and tell me I was going to hell, him and I both agree that we don't know the other's heart. I would say the RUclipsr Redeemed Zoomer explained many Christian differences with his "Protestant Catholic Orthodox Venn Diagram" pretty well, and from what Father Paul here says, a good foundation is important, but so is building upon it. I agree with this statement as well, because a house built from only sticks still isn't going to hold up well without any other material even with a good foundation. When I sat down with Father Nicholas, he immediately started out with politics and theology, he also apologized if he offended me in any way, but he didn't, I agreed with every word he said. For example historically Christians have never been ok with sin. Sin separates us from God and the wages of sin is death. I would say that if you say a sin is permissable in anyway, you're a heretic. If you watch redeemed zoomers video I referenced he didn't say this as a foundational belief, and if you watch his other videos he does discuss the controversial topic that shouldn't be controversial on whether or not it's ok to be gay or not, and redeemed zoomer himself has the stance that it's not ok to have the sin of homosexuality. Personally I believe it should be foundational that all of us can agree that sin is sin. Now as for Solar Scriptoria, I again agree with what Redeemed Zoomer says, the church still has authority, but the Bible has greater authority. I recognize that Father Paul saying the Bible requires interpretation, I agree with this, but the Bible also says to be careful of wolves in sheep's clothing and again to be weary of false doctrine. Different churches interpret the Bible differently, and it ultimately comes down to the Holy Spirit allowing us to discern who is of God and who is of the devil. I agree that we need to find the true church, but can I ask...what if the true church has Christians of several different doctrine believing churches? I have met Christians who seem to be absolutely filled with the Holy Spirit and yet they go to a church that either believes in bad doctrine or down right heresy, and they are often in those churches because do the deceived believers not need Christ too? Of course they do, everyone does. Again to reference Redeemed Zoomers video, I will even go out on a limb here and say, while I am protestant, if the other three types of churches in his Venn Diagram believe in something, who are we to say they are undoubtedly wrong? That means while I'm protestant, I believe in the veneration of the saints because for me to sit here and think that my side is 100% correct in my opinion would be a foolish thing to do. I come here to this comment section with an open mind and open heart, not to argue or to be rude or mean. I seek justice, love mercy, and I also seek the truth. At the end of the day if God told you that a different group was the right way to follow Jesus and you were doing it all wrong, would you stay where you are or would you drop everything and follow Christ? I would drop everything and follow Christ, and I believe any true Christian would have the same answer. Protestants often go against the veneration of the saints with the scripture of when Jesus says "no man can come to the father except through me" and I believe the protestants who do that are taking that out of context. This was Jesus' call to worship that we need to follow Jesus and leave everything this world has to offer behind, give our life to him and that's the only way we'll ever have any way to go to the father. I also watched Father Paul's video sermon on Protestants vs Orthodox, and again I agree with nearly all of what he said, my biggest disagreement is how he handled the lady at the airport in his story. He probably could of been nicer, but ultimately don't we all sin and make mistakes? We're all human, and thus I commend him for being honest for how he went about things. I don't agree with the idea of leaving Protestants with "a holy sense of discomfort" you get more bees with honey not vinegar, if anything you guys should leave protestants with a hungry soul wanting to learn more, wanting to make sure they are following Jesus how Jesus intended us to follow him. Again to reference Redeemed Zoomers video, I would also say any doctrine that only your type of church believes in the Venn Diagram could be a dangerous doctrine as well. I do believe in Sola Fide as well though, but how he explained in the video, that grace is receiving by faith alone but true faith also creates good works. As Father Paul said in his Protestant vs Orthodox video, salvation requires a lot of things, but I'd like to argue, a Christian that truly follows Jesus would have all those attributes, or at least strive to obtain them and make good effort to do so. It ultimately comes down to following Jesus, and in order to properly follow Jesus we need to strive to be apart of the true church, we need to strive to follow Jesus how we're supposed to, we need to strive to live the lives that we're called to live, as Father Paul stated what a saint is in this video, I believe we should all strive to be like the saints in their walks with Christ, and I believe the saints are indeed good examples of this. I have met people who judge other denominations without understanding them first, and I believe this is wrong, because when I dated my baptist wife as a non-denominational Christian, I came home from her parents church and my dad said "baptists don't believe in the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit still is around today" so I asked, and he was wrong, they aren't as charismatic as Pentecostals which my dad was for a fair amount of his life, but they still believe in the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit still works today. My wife's and mines first argument was on Bible translation, I was following along from a translation other than KJV and she frowned upon this, Baptist doctrine states only KJV is allowed, she asked her parents, her dad was very stern, her mom said "do your own research" she did and concluded some translations are good and some are not, and I agree. The Bible says not to be unevenly yoked and my wife and I always took that seriously from the very beginning, we have to be in agreeance with what we believe no matter what, thus my wife and I get into Bible, theology, and doctrine debates often, they don't escalate into arguments because we both know we have good intentions in the ideas, but we disagree with respect. When I sat down with Father Nicholas, he said "if you and your wife don't agree on whether or not to become Orthodox, then don't come to our church. Marriage is important, and it's not good to be unevenly yoked." I left that conversation with Father Nicholas thinking that he seemed to care, he seemed wise, and he surely seems to be a Christ follower. He told me there's a lot of bad Orthodox churches out there too, some don't believe what the Orthodox church believes as a whole so you have to be careful. Ultimately, yes the church has authority, but in the dangerous world we live in, we need to be weary of what authority the church has and how much authority they have, and that's my stance on that.
(PART 2)
I again don't come here to be rude or mean, I come here with an open heart and mind, and if you read this whole thing I hope you see that. I want what's best, but I want to make sure it's best
Oh, there's one thing I didn't touch on... apostolic succession. Firstly I'm unsure how important it is, secondly, I fail to find evidence of Orthodox claims on the matter, but I'm willing to do more research if need be. Thirdly I ultimately again have the goal of worshipping Christ how Christ is intended to be worshipped, and if that means orthodoxy is right 100% then I'll convert right now, but as it stands, Orthodox belief in salvation doesn't have me with too much confidence in their confidence. I have no confidence in any man made doctrine, my goal is to follow Christ's doctrine, and while that may be unobtainable, that's what I believe the Bible means when it says "seek, knock, ask..." Like Jesus said "No man come to the father except through me" and that's what he means, that like Father Paul said in he talk on Protestants and Orthodox, we are all called to take up our cross and follow Jesus, and I think Father Nicholas said the same thing when I sat down with him. My non-denominational pastor has also said the same thing. I have also watched some other videos talking up orthodoxy and some talking up protestantism, and ultimately my belief is, I think the true church can be found in either, bring a spirit filled heart to discern with you to any church however folks. Like I said I'm 100% open minded and by all means if anyone wants to debate Civilly, let's do it, the moment our flesh joins in, I wish to stop, I'm not here to fight, but I agree that debating can be healthy.
Sorry for not addressing your whole comment, but I had to stop when you mentioned Redeemed Zoomer. Redeemed Zoomer has a very incorrect and biased idea of Orthodoxy, and it started over the silliest interaction: he started a Minecraft server and Orthodox Christians were doing a good job of proselytizing the other members of the server, so he started banning them all. He then followed up on these bans on his RUclips with a video called something along the lines of "Why I'm Not Orthodox" (something I don't believe he'd done- or has done - for any other denomination). In his video, he straw manned, left out critical information, and generally displayed his lack of understanding of Orthodoxy. To reiterate, from what I've seen Redeemed Zoomer does not understand Orthodoxy at all.
Brother, your openess and honesty are appreciated. After reading everything you wrote, I have a few points for your consideration:
1) You say that you believe the Bible holds more authority than the Church. I'll leave you with one question: Where does the Bible come from? Or, put another way, who compiled the Holy Scriptures and decided that the writings chosen were in fact true?
2) You talk about the Church as an abstract thing. As a former Protestant, I did the same thing. The Church, however, is a real thing with real boundaries. Just because John Doe sets up a "church" doesn't mean that it's a part of the Church (capital C). I feel like most people will agree with this, and yet they attend a non-denominational "church" that was established by some random person in their community a decade ago. It's very strange.
3) You seem to have the mentality that suggests that all roads lead to Christ. I too once believed this. In a world filled with rampant relativism, it is easy to believe this. But Christ is Truth, full and undivided. Therefore, there does exist, as Father Paul states in this video, a path to Christ that is, in your words, "100%" true. In fact, if something is not 100% true, then it is not actually true. We hear people say, "Well, that person is mostly right," but "mostly" isn't "fully". We must be careful with our words.
4) You use the phrase "I think" (or similar versions of it) in your comments. For example, "I think Sola Fide is correct." Frankly, and with all due respect, it doesn't matter what you think (or what I think, for that matter). We live in an age where we are told to be "strong" and "independent" thinkers, and that "your voice matters". Christianity is, at its core, all about obedience. If Christ says something is true, then it is true; it doesn't matter if you think otherwise. Likewise, when the Church (capital C) says something is true, then it is true - for the Church is Jesus Christ. The concept of Sola Fide, for instance, is a modern creation that did not exist in the early Church. It wasn't until the Reformation that some guy came along and said, "Well, I think this is how it really is," that people started to believe otherwise. This is a dangerous game that, hopefully you can see, has led to some horrible doctrines/beliefs arising. Now this of course does not mean that you are going to believe everything that the Orthodox Church teaches immediately, but through prayer and obedience, it is very possible to come around. At the end of the day, this all comes back to arrogance and ego. We think we know better than God, when it is God and His Church that revealed the Truth to us.
Hopefully these points, at the very least, give you some food for thought. Deprograming the modern mind is very difficult, and as an Orthodox catechuman, I am still very much in the process of doing this. But I fully believe it is possible, for I know many people who have successfully and wholly converted. But again, it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. God bless you brother.
God bless you and Our Holy Mother of God take you under Her guidance. I see you sincerely seek for the Truth with love, be sure that with humility, Jesus Christ will give you absolutely everything your heart aches for and more. For us humans, and even orthodox have it worse, because it's so easy to fall in to pride, thinking we know it all. Jesus said to be like Him, humble and meek at heart, to renounce all of our fleshly desires, even our loved ones to follow Him. Be humble and have Christ first, love Him and you will gain heaven. We all struggle with this, but thank God He cares only about our true intention and not perfection.
@@nathaniellowe1215I agree Redeemed Zoomer has made mistakes, he has went against other denominations before, specifically Baptist and Non-denominational churches, but I still think one of his recent videos has some good points in it. I don't agree with him on everything, nowhere near.
I wish all Christians studied the Saints
When is a book against lust coming out?
The other option which is becoming more popular is relativism that your truth is your truth and mine is mine. Your Jesus is your Jesus? Madness madness.
Depends what the doctrine is. Does it matter if Peter is the rock when Christ is the Chief Cornerstone: no. Does it matter if Mary had a line of sinless virgin ancestors when Christ is who was crucified as our atonement: no. Does it matter if you paying tithes gets your family out of purgatory which is basically hell: yes. Does it matter if you "resacrifice" Christ everyday or week to pay for your sin when he said he did it once for all & its written its impossible to do it a second time: yes
Yep. That's exactly why Bible-believers have always been in peril from works religions...
Do you think that we can know perfect truth, given that we're fallible people??
My impression is that denominations are separated from each other exactly because they believe that doctrine matters, but they all have different doctrines.
It seems to me that we humans can completely and sincerely be convinced of something, have very credible reasons for it, and still be wrong.
How can we know if our strongly held opinions are true and those of others are wrong??
Shouldn't we be humble and more tolerant and admit that we don’t always know best, even if we think we do??
My question is this. If the Church perfectly embodies Christ, and Christ cannot contain contradiction within Himself, would this not imply that the sin of schism isn't possible for a Christian to commit unto his death because a true Christian will at some eventual point, agree with all tenets of the Orthodox faith and those who willfully spend their entire lives remaining protestant or catholic are wilfully resisting the truth? Because after all, how can a true Christian remain in conflict with the true church for their entire lives unless they aren't actually part of that church at all and thus are not Christian? This is why I hold to my stance that the objectively correct Church *procession* and church corporate body is found in orthodoxy. But the church body itself of all single individuals is comprised of everyone who confesses that Christ is Lord, mistaken theology and all. Otherwise the logical conclusion of this framework is that no one is truly saved unless they attend, participate in and affirm the corporate orthodox congregation. This implication that the true church is incapable of engaging in schism seems ridiculous because if that was the case...why would there be a warning to Christians to not indulge in schism? It must be possible for a Christian to he apart from the 'true' church while still being Christians? I must admit I'm a biut confused and any clarity would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The circumcision party was not merely arguing that Gentiles should keep biblical festivals, dietary laws, etc. They were arguing that JUSTIFICATION (initial salvation) was not possible for Gentiles unless they first became Jews through proselytization. There was no problem with Gentiles observing Sabbaths and festivals and Old Testament dietary laws. The problem was in seeking justification through becoming a proselyte. Even justified persons in the Old Testament were justified by faith, not works of law.
For what it's worth, the early church fathers disagreed on very major things, like whether damnation is eternal or not, without anathematizing each other.
Well yes this is true. But when things were decided everyone else who wanted to stay in the church agreed and could admit being wrong. RC and Prots don’t want to do this. They want to mold the church to them. That’s not how things work. We are 2000 years down the road. Doctrine has been tried and tested. We see who has the correct doctrine and it’s not the people openly sinning in “Church” who have turned the west away from Christ.
Sure, when issues aren't settled there are multiple views of course, but Apocatastasis itself and those who taught it were anathematized at the fifth council.
then just be quiet. and. PRAY
You stated you don't read comments which I find strange, but your premise is correct. I do think you're missing something. The first "Protestants" were Catholic Popes. Others tried to correct them and being unable to do so the scisms grew and grew. I still think the baseline for all faith isn't about whose doctrine is right and whose is wrong. The baseline is two fold, "Who do you say Jesus is and what are you going to do about it?" To me everything else are details some which are correct and some which are not.
"Who do you say Jesus is and what are you going to do about it?"
That's what docrine is. And it absolutely is about right or wrong, because there's only 1 Jesus. As Fr. Paul said, there's hardly anything that can be considered "a detail that is irrelevant or insignificant" to paraphrase.
@@Lessonius I understand your point, but I don't think you understand mine. When Jesus asked his desciples, "who do they and who do you say I am?" (Matt 16 ) He didn't say give me all the details and don't leave any small detail out.
@@Paul-w3f1y Because at the time, it wasn't yet a point of this mattering, for multiple reasons which I will refrain from presenting, I'll just leave 1 below - Once the Holy Spirit was breathed on the Apostles, things changed in this concrete regard you're referring to.
Jesus, at that point, met them where He could - both the people and his Apostles, in terms of knowledge. Even Peter didn't know what exactly his answer entailed anyways, we see that clearly by his direct actions shortly after this confession.
I absolutely understand your point, I simply think it's wrong and following up on such thinking is how people end up with ecumenistic tendencies and start blurring the lines which are iron-clad.
@@Lessonius Fear seems to be a driving force in much of Orthodoxy. Some fear is indeed healthy some isn't. Jesus said that even the gates of hell can not prevail against his church. I take him at his word. I know that God judges the heart of man and knowing where my heart is is all that's important to me because I know that's what's important to him.
@@Paul-w3f1y He also said narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
☦️☦️☦️
Of course we can know better than the Ancient saints. We own computers.😅😂😢
I appreciate what you are trying to say, however I have to disagree with you. When you spent time studying orthodox saints, you're going to know about saints that were like Christ. If you study Protestantism you're going to find saints that were like Christ. The assumption that only EO saints are "true" is biased on your time spent studying only one side of the coin. Second, none of us are arguing that there's essential doctrine and non-essential doctrine, rather, it's a varying degree of priority. For example, Its more important to proclaim the gospel than to teach eternal security. While all doctrine is essential, its more important to understand how to become more like Christ and to die to yourself daily than it is to understand Amill or Premill. In other words, there's salvation issues, and non-salvation Like your said maybe some "medicine" is less effective, but it's still either effective to save you, or it's not. Third, the assumption that you need church fathers to interpret the bible for you, is the reason why there is heresy in the church. The bible is clear on EVERY MAJOR THEOLOGICAL ISSUE. no interpretation necessary, maybe some help understanding some more complex things, cuz I'm kind of dumb. The word of God is divinely inspired, the church fathers weren't necessarily. You will disagree with me, but the fact is we all have some things wrong, and to assume that you have all of your doctrines correct, is... at least assumative, Maybe even prideful. I recognize that I am a sinner, and I will never have everything right (till heaven), but I also don't go around telling you to stop baptizing your babies, just because I disagree with it, here's what REALY MATTERS. 1 Cor 2:2 "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
its easy for people to read the title or watch a few minutes and then comment what they think or while watching the video from their own opinion on something you said that was clearly not there. apparently a Catholic twitter user was quite Irate by your video because "Catholics also have wonder working Saints" which shows that people either do not watch or choose to not listen but just hear.
either way. The loud comments are are there but you dont see the hundreds of people who learned something and considered your words but said no reply. those are the people you should be making the videos for.
Please don’t put off your video about counseling and orthodoxy for too long. Coming from a Jungian background and reading “Orthodox Psychotherapy,” I see a real opportunity for a bridge between the “science of the fathers” and counseling/therapy to be made. As I am seeing it, Jungian therapy was the most successful form we have seen, but is only a reiteration (and lower resolution expression) of the work of the clergy that we (modern society) have been disconnected from.
Do you REALLY want to know what it matters with God? You can have the best doctrine and dogma ever stated in the Bible - counts NOTHING! Jesus tells us in Mathews 7:21 that “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.”
Are you interested in His doctrine? Or in his will? And are you interested in doing His will or in knowing His doctrine?
Tell me you have no idea what doctrine even means without telling me you have no idea what doctrine means.
@@Lessonius What do you actually want to say? Explain it, please, clearer, thank you.
@@eotpatriarchs I'm telling you you have no idea what doctrine means - your entire comment is nonsensical. You're trying to create dichotomies where none exist.
@@Lessonius Ok, I got it. And here is the thing. The RUclips is full of all kinds of debates in terms of the right doctrine. Every denomination, especially the Orthodox one, tries desperately to put down all the others in order to prove its own.
Well, Jesus tells us specifically that all that it matters at the last day of judgment when we all will stay before Him, is DOING HIS FATHER’S WILL. That is ALL that will either assure us the entering the lost Paradise or being rejected and ending thus in hell. And this is in Matthews 7:23.
So, my point is this. While Fr. Paul is striving to put down the Protestants in order to demonstrate that the Orthodox doctrine is the RIGHT one, he himself is trespassing God’s distinctive will in regards of salvation.
Let me prove it. Because man is born in sin and conceived in iniquities (Psalm 50:6), ended up in being enslaved to Satan and sin (Romans 6:20), dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and lost for ever and ever from the face of God because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) - death in the Scripture meaning separation from God.
Yes, God made a plan to bring man back, and we love to hear that. But God, being a just God, MUST solve, FIRST, the problem of man’s sin. Yes, from His side, God prepared the remedy in Jesus’ sacrifice - thanks being given to Him.
However, BECAUSE man has his free will, man MUST show his very, total, and clear conscious will to break his union with Satan, and then to accept God’s punishment of his sin in Jesus’ sacrifice. And man is to do that by performing three distinctive steps on his own in this direction, namely, (1)repentance - he shows through this, his own willing to break with Satan; then he needs to go to the second step which is (2)believing in the Gospel; and finally, (3)baptism AFTER believing, as an outside proof of the believing that took place inside, in the heart.
Now here is where Orthodoxy trespassed, broke irrecuperable God’s law. They went straight to baptism, baptizing Satan’s slave, a dead man in sin and trespasses, a man separated eternally from God. The Orthodox didn’t give him the chance to whether being willing to repent or not to repent, neither allowing him to get in touch with God receiving God’s faith that comes through the Word of God (Romans 10:17) or rejecting it.
Therefore, no matter how well can this priest explain the Orthodox doctrine, while they do NOT do God’s will, those that practice this type of “salvation” will hear from Jesus’ mouth the words from Mathews 7:23: “Depart from Me you workers of iniquities.”
@@eotpatriarchs I don't know if you think your comment made any sense, but let me tell you - It definitely didn't.
You don't even know what doctrine is, but you seem to believe you know what Orthodoxy teaches? Given what you wrote (ignoring the fact that it's just a whole bunch of unconnected ramblings and false statements) you obviously don't. You think you understand scripture, when you don't even know what doctrine is?
To give you an example of what you're doing right now to maybe better showcase the reality of the situation and how silly it is:
You read a book on quantum physics a bunch of times, with 0 experience in the field and no mentor/teacher on it as well as no physics background and you're now going around and acting as if you're an expert on quantum phyiscs.
Heretics also defended their heresy biblically. You can quote-mine all you want, but from where I stand, you're not even remotely qualified to have a scriptural debate when you lack basic understanding of biblical concepts, like doctrine. This is not how things work my friend.
I was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, was baptised at St Aloysius RC Church in Hebburn, and made my First Holy Communion at St Bede RC Church in Jarrow. At school I was taught about great saints like John Fisher and Thomas More. Reading around as a young man, I read St Bede's _Ecclesiastical History of the English People_ and I became aware that St Benedict Biscop was a keen importer of books and icons. The _Codex Amiatinus,_ the oldest Bible still in one piece, was produced in Jarrow or Monkwearmouth. I read about the Greek Schismatic Church in a doctrinal guide, but I have never actually met any members of it even after 69 years of life. My first encounter with "Orthodoxy" was a few years ago on the Internet. I have occasionally driven past the Coptic Orthodox Church in Newcastle.
As St Bede recounts, the Filioque was introduced by St Theodore at the Council of Hatfield in 680. It was endorsed at the Council of Lyons 1274 and then at Ferrara-Florence 1435. I imagine that there are people in Hatfield in Hertfordshire who have continually recited the Creed with the Filioque ever since 680. The Filioque has the backing of the Pope, who is the successor of St Peter in a special sense.
From what I see online, Orthodoxy seems to operate in a parallel universe. The Filioque were condemned by the *_whole church_* at a meeting in Constantinople in 879, although bishops from Spain, Portugal, England, France and the Holy Roman Empire would appear to have been absent. John Fisher and Thomas More be fake saints, though we are not too sure if they were validly baptised. I be a heretic and a papist, which is the sort of language I normally associate with Protestants. I be also an atheist because I support the Gregorian Calendar independently of being Catholic and can talk about the science.
We Catholics are all agreed that your Elder Paisios was validly baptised. We have a Pope whose duty is to co-ordinate doctrine on this sort of thing. Popes can underperform on co-ordinating doctrine concerning the blessing of homosexual couples. Opposition to this among African, Ukrainian, Kazakh and other bishops is a doctrinal, not a cultural matter. One or two African synods have made a point of saying this explicitly. Cardinal Fernandes says it is merely cultural which is an error. His Eminence should investigate himself for heresy.
My reference to the Greek Schismatic Church is merely describing what I read. I am not intending to be offensive or to assume what has to be proved.
the filioque was already said in the 4th century in spain in the creed. The east had no problem with it for hundreds of years and there are church fathers both east and west that espoused it.
@@lionheart5078 Spain and Portugal preceded England in introducing the Filioque. What's different about England is that St Theodore is recognised as a saint by the Orthodox Churches. He was a Greek speaker from Tarsus in Cilicia (modern south central Turkiye). The Greeks are proud of him, as they are entitled to be. Bede gives him a good write up. Excluding the Church set up by St Theodore from an "Oecumenical" Council is just ridiculous. When did people in Hatfield get to find out that they are now "heretics"?
It just comes down to the fact that very well studied life long theologians who understand the views of the Orthodox and have their Biblical and sensible counter to all the arguments. There are a few core things that if you accept then you become orthodox. If you dont see those few things then you will be essentially against orthodox views.
Reformed and Orthodox will both tell you doctrine is important and that exegesis is important, and they both will claim they are doing it more accurately than the other. Orthodox rely mostly on the claims of being the continued line of succession all the way back to Christ. Many groups besides Orthodox also make this claim. There are good rebuttals to these arguments you can find and read. Reformed will rely solely on scripture to back up their position.
There's no backing up anyone can ever do or any argument that can be presented on the reformed side that even remotely comes close to looking at the apostolic fathers and their opinion.
If you are even a smidge honest with yourself, you'd concede to the fact that if you were to bet on whos' going to be correct on a biblical subject matter:
1. Someone who was taught by St. Peter/Paul/John etc.
2. Someone who lived centuries/millenia after them and is disagreeing with the someone from 1 on the same matters.
Who seems to be the clear, logical, reasonable and most-probably correct choice in basically any tangible strech of the imagination that isn't completely nonsensical?
In short, the answer is no, there are no life long theologians who understand the views and have counters to arguments - They have simply managed to successfully lie to themselves and chosen a path of vanity.
You cannot counter what I've just presented above, we need not even go to the Bible - It's a loss by default.
@@Lessonius I see it basically the complete opposite. I see orthodox as humanist elitist materialist who worship their own physical church and ascetics more than God. Yes, your way is of course going to stay solid whenever you make the assumptions youre making.
I dont think there is good evidence for this supposed uninterrupted line of succession without contamination. The entire orthodox way relies on that succession and when its just not there, you can evade that veil and see the other side. You can say all day how you line up with the original people who walked with Christ and that you have perfect recollection of the history but it is indeed fallible. You believe infallible councils and I believe infallible scripture.
You can find the information that refutes the orthodox point of view if you want. There are people that can explain it much better than I can. Plenty of "protestants" (loaded term) genuinely look into the Orthodox views and have the same arguments against them.
Orthodox on the other hand, at least everyone I see online, kind of have this elitist dismissal of any other group of believers where they kind of talk down to them and quite honestly rarely exemplify grace in their positions. Its very much some sort of intellectual battle that presumes you have 100% accurate succession and history...it is a ridiculous claim that orthodox relies on to the core. That is why orthodox have to defend that so much and can never admit any deviation from it.
@@Lessonius Like many other Christians, I disagree.
@@easytiger35 You're free to disagree. It simply means you do not actually seek the truth and you're fine with being wrong whilst deceiving yourself that you're on a quest for truth when you choose to blatantly disagree with it when it stares you in the face.
But if that's the case, don't go around making ridiculous statements that you cannot even remotely back up.
@@Lessonius youre an idiot if you think you are the only church and can back it up to the very first without any separations. I know you guys feel the need to go preach to other Christians instead of people who need to find Christ. The only ones being deceived are those following man made tradition and rituals that are not scriptural at all.
There are good sources on why youre wrong and you should read up on it. Ive read up on orthodox and listened to people. It just isnt correct but you will have to come off of that elitist "better than you" pedestal and humble yourself to see the Truth.
Interesting.
Should a person who has a non-Orthodox Trinitarian baptism be re-baptized or received by chrismation? Is the Synod of Jerusalem 1672 binding on the whole church? Was Jesus offered to placate the wrath of the Father meant for us? Should infants be baptized as soon as possible or is there no hurry as Trisagion Films says?
For a church called "Orthodox", you guys sure have little to no real doctrinal unity.
"RUclipsr said something that means the church has no doctrinal unity" lol
You are way off on your assessment
@@EasternOrthodoxG9 Oh yeah? Point me to your official catechism then.
what is your position?
That's hyperbole. Little to no doctrinal unity. 😅
St Cleopa does not represent orthodoxy, we talked about doctrinal differenceses in fact his are so that the doubt risies if he was not a tool of the comunist regime.
And is not only doctrinal but his understanding of Chist, that can bring people in eror.