tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7501850621793894577.post2005889286125563461..comments2023-08-25T06:49:32.974-07:00Comments on Pillar and Ground of the Truth: Fr. Gregory Hogghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01829108455227450650noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7501850621793894577.post-42349755511744051812010-03-10T19:22:17.907-08:002010-03-10T19:22:17.907-08:00Dear oruaseht,
Context is everything when we weig...Dear oruaseht,<br /><br />Context is everything when we weigh different statements. We are 'dead in trespasses and sins,' so that no one can boast before God; but we have the freedom to receive God's gift, so that no one can blame God for not believing.<br /><br />The Church confesses human freedom over against the Manicheans; but it also confesses that such freedom puts God under no obligation.<br /><br />As St. Mark the Ascetic said so well, "2. Wishing to show that to fulfil every commandment is a duty, whereas sonship is a gift given to men through His own Blood, the Lord said: AWhen you have done all that is commanded you, say: >We are useless servants: we have only done what was our duty=@ (Luke 17: 10). Thus the kingdom of heaven is not a reward for works, but a gift of grace prepared by the Master for his faithful servants," and again, "18. Some without fulfilling the commandments think that they possess true faith. Others fulfil the commandments and then expect the kingdom as a reward due to them. Both are mistaken.<br />19. A master is under no obligation to reward his slaves; on the other hand, those who do not serve him well are not given their freedom.<br />20. If "Christ died on our account in accordance with the Scriptures" (Rom. 5: 8; 1 Cor. Is: 3), and we do not "live for ourselves", but "for Him who died and rose" on our account (2 Cor. 5:15), it is clear that we are debtors to Christ to serve Him till our death. How then can we regard sonship as something which is our due?"<br /><br />Remember me in your prayers,<br /><br />Fr. GregoryFr. Gregory Hogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829108455227450650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7501850621793894577.post-78911990395528810012010-03-09T09:57:56.613-08:002010-03-09T09:57:56.613-08:00Believing this post is my last hang-up with Orthod...Believing this post is my last hang-up with Orthodoxy. Can people who are dead in trespasses and sins make the move towards God? "I do my best and God does the rest?" This is the only thing still keeping me from moving East. Deep down, I can't get over Augustine! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7501850621793894577.post-34853906945493099532010-02-23T18:55:36.829-08:002010-02-23T18:55:36.829-08:00Hi Father,
Thanks for putting your recent sermons ...Hi Father,<br />Thanks for putting your recent sermons up. I hope you continue to do so! I always learn from them and since we can't visit every weekend (or even most)it's nice to still be able to read them. Robbie will probably be crawling soon--he pulled himself up to standing by himself on Sophia's bed today. We miss you!<br /><br />~AmyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15510949015009525518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7501850621793894577.post-53833297512305256422010-02-22T07:30:14.857-08:002010-02-22T07:30:14.857-08:00Fr. Gregory,
I really enjoyed your sermon. As a ...Fr. Gregory, <br />I really enjoyed your sermon. As a former LC-MSer like you, I too believed that this issue was binary. Either you believed God found you OR you believed that you were out on your own and had to find God. Like much in Orthodoxy, we reject the premise that we are given by both sides. I now see much the same thing with the faith/works arguments of my past. The works binary choice was either believe they are not necessary and not meritorious or they are necessary and are meritorious.<br /><br />Trent<br />St. George, Wichita.Trenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16689666817494650501noreply@blogger.com