Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." [1] [John 5:28-29]
CHRIST IS RISEN!
We who are true Christians know that the way we live shows what we believe. The greatest heresy (meaning the most egregious to the soul) of our age is a relatively new one - that salvation is by faith alone. Those who espouse this heresy do not understand what faith is, and who its always present companion is. It is plain as day in the Scripture, as the Holy Apostle and brother of the Lord James says:
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (26) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain" (James 1:22-26 )
AND
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" (James 2:14)
AND
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (18) Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (20) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:17-20)
If we understand faith to mean that we believe and live according to what we believe, and that faith and works cannot be separated, than I will agree that we can be saved by faith alone. However, The Holy Apostle makes a distinction between "faith" - that is - to espouse a belief in something, and "works" - to live according to faith.
Many modern Christians essentially believe that only believing in God saves, since of course:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We who are Orthodox read *all* of Scripture. The very next words the Holy Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians are:
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
Christians have always understood the faith to be believing in God, and acting upon that belief. Only at the time of the Reformation was the terrible heresy of "Faith by works alone" concocted by the mind of Satan and distributed to those who value human reason too highly. This is a terrible tragedy for the soul, and I have seen people lost to the church because they could not grok this concept.
It matters what you believe and it matters what you do! Let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, always with confidence that God will fill our infirm vessel with grace, and magnify our feeble but sincere efforts.
Priest Seraphim Holland 2013 St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas
This article is at:
https://www.orthodox.net//journal/2013-05-15+john5-28-29+faith-and-works+faith-is-what-you-do.html
https://www.orthodox.net//journal/2013-05-15+john5-28-29+faith-and-works+faith-is-what-you-do.doc
New Journal entries, homilies, etc. are on our BLOG: https://www.orthodox.net//redeemingthetime
Journal Archive: https://www.orthodox.net//journal
Blog posts & local parish news are posted to our email list. Go to here: http://groups.google.com/group/saint-nicholas-orthodox-church to join.
Redeeming the Time BLOG: https://www.orthodox.net//redeemingthetime
Use this for any edifying reason, but please give credit, and include the URL of the article. This content belongs to the author. We would love to hear from you with comments! (seraphim@orthodox.net)
[1]
Our parish is being encouraged to read the
Gospel of John during the Pentecostarion period. If we read 1/2 chapter a day
plus the remainder (about 2 chapters) the day before Ascension, we will finish
in forty days.
This small essay is a prayerful meditation on some part of the "assigned" reading. REMEMBER - read the scripture to apply it to yourself. This is all important. There may be parts you do not understand, but there will always be something that touches your heart if you read it prayerfully.
If you have comments about this verse or another in this selection (John 5:1-15), please add them in the comments, or email them to me.