Written by Greg Pantelidis BSc(Hons)

gregpantelidis@gmail.com

1.    If we don’t have mercy towards our neighbor how can we call ourselves Orthodox Christians?
2.    If we don’t have love towards our neighbor how can we call ourselves Orthodox Christians?
3.    An Orthodox Christian therefore must have mercy and love towards his neighbor.

1.    Without practicing spiritual works we cannot expect to receive a reward from the Lord.
2.    Only from doing works can we expect to be paid. (See Matt. 20:1-16)
3.    Only through faith and works can we expect to receive the remission of our spiritual debt.

1.    Towards our neighbor we show either love or hate or neutrality.
2.    An Orthodox Christian must be detached from his neighbor so that he can overcome love and hate that are non-spiritual.
3.    Spiritual love towards our neighbor means that we love all equally.

1.    An Orthodox Christian makes one of two offerings to God. Either an offering of Atonement or an offering of Thanksgiving.
2.    The good works of an Orthodox Christian must be either for Atonement or for Thanksgiving.
3.    An Orthodox Christian who doesn’t do good works as an offering to God makes those works of no value.

1.    The path of Orthodox Christianity is the path of repentance.
2.    A deadly wound is every unrepented and unconfessed sin. (See St. Symeon the New Theologian, Discourse 73)
3.    An Orthodox Christian must follow the path of continuous repentance.
4.    All people are called to the path of repentance.
5.    The path of repentance leads to the kingdom of heaven.

1.    Temptations are sent to an Orthodox Christian to increase our virtue and knowledge.
2.    Temptations humble us when we think highly of ourselves.
3.    Temptations teach us awareness of our natural weakness.
4.    Temptations teach us that we possess virtue and knowledge by grace and not by nature.

1.    When our likes and dislikes disagree conflict arises.
2.    An Orthodox Christian must avoid conflict arising from disagreement.
3.    An Orthodox Christian must have self-denial in order to eliminate conflict.
4.    Only through self-denial can we avoid conflict arising from differing likes and dislikes.

1.    Towards a person or an object we form either a like, a dislike, or a neutrality.
2.    Each person has their own likes, dislikes, and neutralities.
3.    We must respect the likes, dislikes, and neutralities of our neighbor.
4.    In the case of conflict arising from likes, dislikes, and neutralities, an Orthodox Christian shows self-denial.

1.    An Orthodox Christian must conform his opinion to that of the Orthodox Church.
2.    An Orthodox Christian must in self-denial submit his opinion to that of the elders.
3.    An Orthodox Christian must abandon all opinion which goes against the Orthodox Church.
4.    An Orthodox Christian must submit his will to that of his elders. (See 1 Peter 5:5)
5.    An Orthodox Christian must submit to God. (See James 4:7)

1.    In the community of Orthodox Christians there is humility, meekness, and love.
2.    In the community of the world there is pride, wrath, and hatred.
3.    Only the community of Orthodox Christians is a true community.
4.    Only Orthodox Christians make up a true society.

1.    In the community of the world there is pride of opinion, pride of will, wrath, hatred, and enmity.
2.    In the community of Orthodox Christians there is humility of opinion, humility of will, meekness, mercy, and love.
3.    In the community of the world there is conflict of opinion, and conflict of will.
4.    In the community of Orthodox Christians there is common opinion, and common will.
5.    In the community of Orthodox Christians there is unity and peace.
6.    In the community of the world there is division and warfare.

1.    In the world we encounter poverty, disease, and oppression.
2.    Both Orthodox Christians and unbelievers encounter poverty, disease, and oppression.
3.    An Orthodox Christian must view poverty, disease, and oppression as instruments of Divine Providence.
4.    Divine Providence uses poverty, disease, and oppression for our spiritual gain.
5.    An Orthodox Christian must thank God for the spiritual gain he receives through poverty, disease, and oppression.
6.    God chastens us through poverty, disease, and oppression so that we may partake of His holiness. (See Heb. 12:10)

1.    Let Orthodox Christianity be the focus of your life.
2.    Let study and practice of Orthodox Christianity be the focus of your life.
3.    Let the Orthodox Christian religion be the focus of your life.
4.    Let the kingdom of God and His justice be the focus of your life.

1.    The path of Orthodox Christianity is a sorrowful path.
2.    The path of Orthodox Christianity is a path of suffering and temptation.
3.    The path of Orthodox Christianity is a path of martyrdom.
4.    Along the path of Orthodox Christianity one encounters persecution and tribulation.
5.    An Orthodox Christian must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Christ along the path leading to the kingdom of Heaven.
6.    “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God”. (Act. 14:22)

1.    In our life we encounter the four pursuits of Food, Possessions (including Knowledge), Glory, and Romance.
2.    These four pursuits give rise to four addictions or attachments: Food addiction, Possession addiction, Glory addiction, and Romance addiction.
3.    An Orthodox Christian must transcend these four addictions or attachments.
4.    Through the Sacraments and Teaching of Orthodox Christianity, a person transcends addiction or attachment to the four pursuits.

1.    An Orthodox Christian parent must instill moral logic in his children.
2.    An Orthodox Christian parent must say yes to good actions and no to bad actions.
3.    Moral logic in youth is cultivated by parents saying yes to the good, and no to the bad.
4.    A parent who does not cultivate moral logic in his children is a slayer of their soul.
5.    Moral logic is the virtue of distinguishing good from bad and practicing goodness.
6.    By submitting to their parents children become good and wise.

1.    Do you want to be good and wise? If yes, then submit to God. (See James 4:7)
2.    A person who submits to God, God makes good and wise.
3.    Young person, do you want to be good and wise? If yes, them submit to your elders. (See 1 Peter 5:5)
4.    A young person who submits to his elders, God makes good and wise.
5.    If we want to be good and wise, all of us must submit to one another. (See 1 Peter 5:5)

1.    An Orthodox Christian must hate sin but not the sinner.
2.    We must hate murder but not the murderer.
3.    We must hate adultery but not the adulterer.
4.    We must hate fornication but not the fornicator.
5.    We must hate theft but not the thief.
6.    We must hate covetousness but not the covetous person.
7.    We must hate vanity but not the vain person.
8.    We must hate reviling but not the reviler.
9.    We must hate pride but not the proud person.

1.    Is pride of opinion just?
2.    Can a just person have pride of opinion?
3.    Can an Orthodox Christian have pride of opinion?
4.    The Apostle teaches: (Eph. 4:1-2): “…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, …bearing with one another in love”.
5.    In the Orthodox Christian community there must be humility, meekness, and love.
6.    Therefore pride of opinion is not part of the Orthodox Christian community.
7.    Therefore pride of opinion is unjust for an Orthodox Christian.

1.    An Orthodox Christian who clings to his opinion and will has no self-denial.
2.    An Orthodox Christian who acts based on his opinion and will has no self-denial.
3.    An Orthodox Christian must test his opinion and will, whether they agree with God. (See 1 Thess. 5:21)
4.    An Orthodox Christian must in self-denial have his opinion and will tested by the elders.
5.    An Orthodox Christian must seek the blessing of his elders in every opinion and will he holds.
6.    Only by submission to our elders can we practice self-denial, and so please God.
7.    The Lord says with respect to self-denial of opinion and will: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (opinion and will), and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake (My opinion and will), will find it”. (Matt. 16:24-25)