ZZ
I am familiar with the beliefs of the Greek Orthodox Church. Also the Roman Catholic Church and many of the mainline denominations of Churches here in the United States.
1. It is true that GREECE has a long history and more true that the Apostle PAUL had spent considerable time preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Greek people on his missionary journeys.
2. Personally, I would laugh too at many of the so called Churches in our midst today because they are so far removed from the HOLY SCRIPTURES and any proclamation about HOW every man, woman, boy, or girl must BE saved, they are basically apostate and dead.
Jesus Himself describes this condition of Churches in the Book of Revelation that the Apostle John wrote while in exile on the isle of Patmos...
Greece was used by God to give the world knowledge of lots of things. It was the international language for many decades and centuries.
I have a Greek Dictionary close to me right now which is used regularly because the New Testament of the Bible was written in GREEK language because it was more descriptive and accurate in what the writers were to convey.
SO yes, I am a fan of Greek History and contributions to the world. I have a very large black and white of the Parthenon hanging on a wall right behind as I type.
Like many other churches, much like the one Martin Luther
left and nailed his 95 thesis points to the front door and whom the peoples of Europe and rest of the world owe enlightenment about their eternal souls and teachings about Christ and God to.
ZZ, let me share something with you please.
Becoming a CHILD of GOD is a one on one experience and commitment between that INDIVIDUAL and GOD HIMSELF.
No Church or any person has anything to do with it.
FOR BY GRACE (alone) are YOU saved (have a home in heaven) through FAITH (belief), and NOT BY ANYTHING YOU DO yourself or anyone else; SALVATION is the GIFT of GOD, not of anything we do, lest any man or woman should BOAST (brag about it).
THIS was true way back in old times when the Greek Church first came into existence and is still true today.
MANY so called Churches have gotten away from the BASICS of WHO GOD IS and HOW people can come to HIM personally and know that when they leave this life, they have a HOME waiting for them in Heaven built by Jesus CHrist, the SON of the Living God.
I am not trying to put down the Greek Orthodox Church or any other.
MANY have , according to Scripture, "LEFT their First love", which was CHRIST...
Don't be too hard on the Jews. ONE THIRD of them will not survive Armegeddon. Jesus Christ HIMSELF will protect and keep safe the other ONE THIRD, called The Remnant.
SO, in wrapping up, I wanted to reach out to you and explain some things that you might not be aware of. I do not say you have to agree.
You would be WISE to too. But that is not why I took my time to write this much.
As a Teacher of the BIBLE and the GOSPEL of The SON of the LIVING GOD, whose name is JESUS CHRIST, I am held accountable at the Judgment Seat of Christ, for failing to tell others and teach them about WHO HE IS and that HE stands with OPEN ARMS to RECEIVE ANYONE into HIS KINGDOM and write their name into HIS BOOK of LIFE so that when you die, you pass from this world directly in HIS KINGDOM that HE HIMSELF has prepared for each and every one of us.
WE HAVE a MANSION waiting for us to live in and call home in Heaven.
My brother in law, who is also a Vietnam Vet like Ribit, died a few years ago from heart failure.
His last words while still conscious but in between life and death were: "CAN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC? IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL". After that, he closed his eyes and passed on to HEAVEN into that LAND where there is wonderful SINGING all the time, and the COLORS are so vivid and bright.
Jesus Christ is waiting to GREET YOU and say "Welcome HOME".
I hope you have a great and wonderful day today.
Let not the things of this world create a spirit of hatred in your heart. YOU and I are only going to live so long and after this, there is eternity....
WE HAVE within US a PIECE of GOD HIMSELF which is why MANKIND is a LIVING SOUL that is also an EVERLASTING BEING...
ONLY GOD is ETERNAL. (eternal means having no beginning or end) We are everlasting because after our births (our beginning), we will live forever after in ONE PLACE (with GOD in HEAVEN), or the other place which God really created for Satan and the rest of the fallen Angels called demons. You know this as hell.
Hell was ot created for mankind. Yet, if men and women reject HIM, they cannot dwell with HIM either because HE cannot look upon their sinful and corrupt selves. God cannot look upon sin period. That is one of HIS attributes and also the reson Jesus said on the Cross "my GOD, My GOD, WHY hast thou forsaken me". GOD turned HIS BACK on HIS dieing SON because HIS SON had taken upon HIMSELF and BECAME sin , (which GOD cannot look at), in order to pay the ultimate price for OUR sins.
SO, I wish you well and hope maybe you might have a better understanding of the CHurch as a whole and the Scriptures, which are the very WORDS of GOD to US, and are a ROADMAP for everyone to eternal life in Heaven with HIM.
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