Love for anyone or anything, even love for oneself, can in time grow cold in man, be lost altogether and even be twisted into hatred. But the love of man for God, once gained and established, is more difficult to cool off, unless one loses one's mind. In the first instance man diminishes or eradicates his love either out of a change in himself or because of a change in the objects of his love. In the second instance man can diminish his love toward God only because of a change in himself and never because of a change in God. All of this is neatly and clearly explained by St. Isaac the Syrian: "There is a kind of love that is similar to a brook after a rainfall, which quickly ceases after the rain stops. But there is a love similar to a spring, which erupts through the earth and never ceases. The first love is human love, and the second love is Divine Love." St. Simeon the New Theologian, speaks about Divine Love: "O Holy Love! Thou art the end of the Law. Thou overcomest me; Thou warmest me; Thou inflamest my heart to immeasurable love for God and my brothers. Out of love, God became man. Out of love, He endured His life-giving suffering in order to deliver man from the throes of hades and bring him to heaven. Out of love, the apostles completed their difficult course. Out of love, the martyrs shed their blood in order not to lose Christ."

The Prologues from Ohrid

#Knowing_Jesus #Jesus_Words

John 20:23-24
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24. ¶But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

#Original_Faith #Knowing_Jesus

Has anyone here experienced this in real life before?

It seems incredible...

#Knowing_Jesus #Original_Faith

John 20:25
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

#Persecuted_Church #Last_Days

Reminder of the facts on the ground

#Salvation #Knowing_Jesus

Romans 12:9-10
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another...

Romans 12:11-13
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

#Reflection #Original_Faith #Salvation

St. Theophan the Recluse

As you labor the flesh, so labor the soul. Although the body and soul make up one man, often, as you know, the body does one thing and the soul another. Bring your body and soul into harmony in the works you have undertaken.


https://t.me/orthochristian/13502

Romans 12:14-16
Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse. 15. Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping. 16. Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself.

"But I say to you," the Lord says, "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you." Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one who loves all equally in imitation of God.
St. Maximus the Confessor
A Christian should distinct sin from sinner, although it in no way means tolerance to distortion of truth.

#Fear_Not #Knowing_Jesus

Fear Not
Do not fear


It's everywhere in scripture.
It's how every angel of God begins his message to us

#Knowing_Jesus #Salvation

Romans 12:17-18
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.