Covering Another's Sin

Scripture Readings for July 3, 2012

Romans 14:9-18 (Epistle)

9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:

“As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Matthew 12:14-16, 22-30 (Gospel)

14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”. 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

COMMENTARY

It is inevitable that we make judgments. Judgments are precisely what we are required todo from moment to moment, in order to get anything accomplished. For example, if we are sitting, and we want to stand and get something to write on, then we must judge: is it better to get this writing pad or that one? What color pen should I use? Should I write in cursive? Where should I stand to write? &c.... all of those decisions are based on judgments.  Nevertheless, there are other kinds of judgments that we are simply neither equipped nor authorized to make. In the passage above St. Paul is referring to this kind of unauthorized judgment; he specifically has in mind our judgment of the goodness or the acceptability to God of another person who is in the church. That kind of judgment belongs to God alone according to St. Paul. To thwart this temptation St. Paul says:

"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore,
but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block
or a cause to fall in our brother’s way."

I would paraphrase St. Paul by saying, "Judging the state of another Christian's soul and standing with God is tricky business, don't do it." It is  undeniable however that there are times that it must be done, such as in cases of open sin or heresy. When it must be done then there is a process established by the church in her canons. As far as the average Christian is concerned, we should take note that the witness of the Saints has been to err towards the verdict of  “not guilty,” knowing that in the end, the Lord will judge all things.

From The Sayings of The Dessert Fathers:

A brother asked abba Poemen, "If I see my brother sin, is it right to say nothing about it?" The old man replied, "whenever we cover our brother's sin, God will cover ours; whenever we tell people about our brother's guilt, God will do the same about ours."

Stretch Out Your Hand

The Epistle reading for Monday July 2, 2012

Rom12:  4For as we have many members inone body, but all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, being many,are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another…15 Rejoicewith those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.16 Be of the samemind toward one another. Do not set your mind on highthings, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.17 Repay no one evilfor evil. Have regardfor good things in the sight of all men.18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.19 Beloved, do not avengeyourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, t “Vengeance is Mine,I will repay,” says the Lord.20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If heis thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire onhis head.”21 Do notbe overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Gospel Reading for Monday July 2, 2012

Mat 12: 9 Now when He haddeparted from there, He went into their synagogue.10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. Andthey asked Him, saying, “Is itlawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep,and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift itout? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than asheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it wasrestored as whole as the other.

Listen to a reading and commentary at http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/podup/thepath/13238

COMMENTARY

If we look to the scriptures searching not only for data, but for the renewal of our life, then we should read looking for the commands of Christ that make us new. In other words, one could conclude from this gospel reading that the Lord is teaching all who will listen when it is acceptable to do good, and that would be true.  He is telling the world that it is always a good time to do good to others.

However, there is more here. There is in this reading a command. The Lord is also telling each of us who is wounded by corruption and mortality not to hesitate at any time or for any reason tocome to the Him for (soteria)healing, rescue, and salvation from this evil age and all that occurs in it. One is a theological truth (a doctrinal abstraction), and the other is a command for us to do something in order to be saved.  The abstraction is incomplete if we fail to also take on the command to come to Him and be healed.

Blind Pride and Faith

Proverbs 16:18-19

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.    NKJV (10th cent. BC)

St. Anthony the Great

Abba Pambo asked Abba Anthony, 'What ought I to do?' and the old man said to him 'Do not trust in your own righteousness do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.'  (5th cent. AD)

St. Silouan the Athonite

Unbelief proceeds from pride. The proud person believes he will know everything with his mind and from science, but the knowledge of God is impossible for him, because God is known by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. God reveals Himself to humble souls. To these the Lord shows His works, which are unknowable to the mind.  (20th cent. AD)

COMMENTARY

As is demonstrated above, one of the beauties of Orthodoxy is its consistent witness of God to the world.  Whether one goes back one day, one century, or even three millenia, we find one constant unchanging message from God to mankind through mankind.   Whether we look into scriptures, the writtings of the fathers, or the saints, we find one unified the message.

 One such message is that of the destruction brought about by our pride.  Pride is enemy number one, it deceives individuals into a state of blindness; A state wherein we don’t want to know the truth because we would prefer to be right in our own minds rather than right in truth.   Pride can appear in a myriad of ways. It can show itself as a notion that says, “I am good, and even better than others”. Or, it may rear its head by a notion that tells us that “we are smarter than others”.  In any case, it always accomplishes one thing; it closes the possibility of our inner understanding (the nous) to God.

 This reality is something that we should be aware of both in dealing with ourselves, and in dealing with others.  It can be helpful to ask oneself regularly, “is this the truth according to the unbroken witness of Orthodoxy, or is it my own preference?”  When dealing with others, it is impossible to bring such a question about and expect any positive results. It is in dealing with others that the instruction of Nikolai Velimirovich is of immeasurable help.

“It is difficult to convince the atheist, the unreasonable man and the embittered man with words. You will convince them easier by deeds. "They may through observing you by reason of your good works glorify God" (1 Peter 2:12). Do good deeds to those who wish to argue with you and you will win the argument. One deed of compassion will bring the unreasonable man to his senses and will pacify the embittered man quicker than many hours of conversation.”

For Troubled Christians and Dropouts

In keeping with the mission and purpose of this blog, I am adding a new “Orthodox Doctrine” section to the links on the right side of the page. My hope is to make posts related to it in a way that helps to present a well rounded introduction to Orthodoxy.   The only problem with that goal is my own lack of “wellroundedness”.  Thus, the reality is that I will be working on my own understanding of Orthodox doctrine as I go, and sharing that work with any who may have interest.  

I do have a target audience in mind; it is primarily those who think that the church is beyond salvation (Christian dropouts), those persons who look at Christianity and find so many flaws in it they can hardly number them (usually due to western distortions). As well as those who feel the need to save the church (the troubled Christian) because its problems are so self-evident (usually due to western distortions).  If you are one who sees no problem in your denomination, and thinks everything is just a God intended it to be within it, then this blog is probably not for you. However, if you look at your group, denomination, or communion and find problems, then this new section might interest you. The subject matter is laid out in the nine sections listed below.

Sources of Othodox Christian Doctrine

Revelation
Tradition
Bible
The Liturgy
The Councils
The Fathers
The Saints

Canons

Church Art

These sections are from Thomas Hopko’s book series, “The Orthodox Faith”.

Who Is A Christian?

Below is an excellent post by Fr. Andrew S. Damick (Link attached):

Most Christians in America at least formally believe in the core doctrines of Christian tradition—traditional Triadology and Christology. Our Bibles are even mostly the same. But even though I can agree with many such people on these essentials, I would not agree that they are the only essentials, nor even that doctrines and practices that are not so near the core are non-essentials.  It seems to me that the real reason why I am supposed to accept as Christian those who believe certain things is actually that I am supposed to accept the anti-ecclesiology of denominationalism, the idea that there can be multiple “denominations” (including the non-denominational denomination) of Christianity who have conflicting doctrine and practice and yet are somehow all legitimately the Body of Christ, the Church. But I don’t believe that. That presupposition is antithetical to my faith. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, not myriad, conflicting, fragmented and innovative denominations. I do not accept that there are different “brands” of Christianity. There is only the Church, and as an Orthodox Christian, I believe that that one Church is the Orthodox Church.

Read more

Life and Death - pt2

The Gospel of John; 3:17-21 (ca. 70 AD)

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

St John the Theologian and Apostle

The Philokalia, Sayings of St Anthony #29 (ca 310 AD)

He who does not know how to distinguish what is good from what is evil cannot judge who is good and who is evil.  He who knows God is good. If one is not good, he knows nothing about God and never will know; for goodness is the way to God.

St. Anthony the Great

Orthodox Pre-communion Prayer (ca. 500 AD)

I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who camest into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first. I believe also that this is truly Thine own pure Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood. Therefore I pray Thee: have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance. And make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries, for the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. Amen.

 An Introduction to the Synaxarion  (20^th century)

 Until the coming of the Lord Christ into our terrestrial world, we men really knew only about death and death knew about us. Everything human was penetrated, captured, and conquered by death. Death was closer to us than we ourselves and more real than we ourselves, and more powerful, incomparably more powerful than every man individually and all men together. Earth was a dreadful prison of death, and we people were the helpless slaves of death.

 Only with the God-man Christ "life was manifested"; "eternal life" appeared to us hopeless mortals, the wretched slaves of death. And that "eternal life" we men have "seen with our eyes and handled with our hands," and we Christians "make manifest eternal life" to all. For living in union with the Lord Christ, we live eternal life even here on earth. We know from personal experience that Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life. And for this did He come into the world: to show us the true God and eternal life in Him.

 Genuine and true love for man consists of this, only of this: that God sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him and through Him live eternal life. Therefore, he who has the Son of God has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life —he is completely in death. Life in the one true God and Lord Jesus Christ is really our only true life because it is wholly eternal and completely stronger than death. Can a life which is infected by death and which ends in death really be called life? Just as honey is not honey when it is mixed with a poison which gradually turns all the honey into poison, so a life which ends in death is not life.

St. Justin Popovich

Life & Death

St Paul the Apostle  (ca 60 ad)

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1^st Letter to the Corinthians, 15: 51-58

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Letter to the Colossians 3:1-4

St Anthony the Great  (ca. 330 ad)

Life is the union and conjunction of [1] the mind, [2] the soul. [3] and the body. Death, on the other hand, is not the destruction of these conjoined things, but the dissolution of their union.  For by God we are preserved after the disolution, too.

Philokalia #93

Mortal beings are sorry because they know in advance that they will die. Immortality, being good, comes to the holy soul.  Mortality, on the other hand, comes to the foolish and wretched soul.

Philokalia #169

Paschal Troparion (ca 500 ad)

Christ is risen from the dead,Trampling down death by death, And upon those in the tombs, Bestowing life!

Pentecostarion

In the year AD 302, Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods of the time. However George objected and with the courage of his faith approached the Emperor and ruler. Diocletian was upset, not wanting to lose his best tribune and the son of his best official, Gerontius. George loudly renounced the Emperor's edict, and in front of his fellow soldiers and Tribunes he claimed himself to be a Christian and declared his worship of Jesus Christ. Diocletian attempted to convert George, even offering gifts of land, money and slaves if he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods. The Emperor made many offers, but George never accepted.  Recognizing the futility of his efforts, Diocletian was left with no choice but to have him executed for his refusal.

Source

Fr. John Romaindes (1955 ad)

St.  Paul clearly says  that "the sting  of death  is sin,"  that "sin reigned in  death,"  and that death  is "the last enemy  that shall be destroyed." In  his epistles,  he is  especially inspired when  he is speaking about the victory of Christ over death and corruption. It would be highly   illogical  to   try   to  interpret   Pauline  thought   with  the presuppositions (1)  that death  is normal or  (2) that at most,  it is the outcome of  a juridical decision of God to punish  the whole human race for one sin,  (3) that happiness is  the ultimate destiny of  man, and (4) that the soul  is immaterial, naturally immortal and  directly created by God at conception   and  is   therefore   normal  and   pure  of   defects  (Roman scholasticism).  The Pauline  doctrine of  man's inability  to do  the good which he  is capable of acknowledging  according to the "inner  man" can be understood only if one takes seriously the power of death and corruption in the  flesh, which  makes it  impossible for  man to  live according  to his original destiny.

The moralistic problem raised  by St. Augustine concerning the transmission of  death to  the descendants of  Adam as  punishment for the  one original transgression is  foreign to Paul's thoughts. The  death of each man cannot be considered the outcome  of personal guilt. St. Paul is not thinking as a philosophical moralist  looking for the  cause of the fall  of humanity and creation in the breaking of objective rules of good behavior, which demands punishment from a God  whose justice is in the image of the justice of this world. Paul  is clearly  thinking of the  fall in terms  of a personalistic warfare between God and  Satan, in which Satan is not obliged to follow any sort of moral rules  if he can help it. It is for this reason that St. Paul can  say  that the  serpent  "deceived Eve" and that  "Adam was  not deceived, but the woman  being deceived was in the transgression." Man was not punished by God, but taken captive by the devil.

It is  only when one understands the meaning  of death and its consequences that one can understand  the life of the ancient Church, and especially its attitude toward martyrdom. Being  already dead to the world in baptism, and having  their life  hidden with  Christ in  God, Christians  could not falter  in the face  of death. They  were already  dead, and yet  living in Christ.  To be  afraid of  death was  to be  still under  the power  of the devil--II  Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us  the spirit of fear, but of power, and of  love, and of sound mind." In trying to convince the Roman Christians not to hinder  his martyrdom, St. Ignatius wrote: "The prince of this world would fain carry me away, and corrupt my disposition toward God. Let none  of you therefore, who are in Rome,  help him." The Cyprianic controversy  over  the  fallen during  times  of  persecution was  violent, because the Church understood that it was a contradiction to die in baptism and then  to deny Christ for  fear of death and  torture.