Submitted by: Constantinos James Wiliams
(http://www.monachos.net/content/patristics/studies-fathers/67)
“It is me, God, Who became man for you; and behold that I have made you, as you see, and shall make you god”.
Dear Frank and Mary,
The knowledge of St Symeon (949–1022 AD) begotten from his personal experience begotten in the presence of God (Divine Light) is Church knowledge known from the very beginning of the creation of our Lord Jesus (God Logos) Church.
The Ecumenical Synods of the Christian Church were NOT held in order for the Holy Fathers (they were all Bishops) to discover the Truth, they were held in order to find the words to describe it! There were 300 Bishops present the 1st Synod held in 325 in Nikaia that was held in order to describe in words the Divinity of Lord Jesus.
The CREED they wrote is a Church presentation of the Truth about Christ that was/is still verified by those who become worthy to His presence throughout the centuries. To return to the presence of God is a condition described as Sainthood, being “a godman by the Grace of God”, “Holy”, ‘Theosis”, the “Overcoming of ones mortality”, “Union with God” and ‘Eternal Life’.
The WHOLE PURPOSE of the existence of the Church has allays been of a Theraputical Nature to cure man from Sin with the help of God (Lord Jesus) as Height Priest (Hebrews 5:5) in order to enable man to return to His presence! [1 Corinthians 3 :16] Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God”? In the absence of the Therapy of the Church as created by the Apostles through the Holy Spirit (God) at Pentecost, Christians belonging to the new Churches created after the schism in 10554 AD only know Lord Jesus philosophically through reading about Him in the Holy Bible and not PERSONALLY as His Saints do. The scripts of the Holy Bible are not literary or philosophical they are ECCLESIASTIC. The Church is the one that wrote the scripts and it is only the Church alone that can interpret them correctly.
So spiritual life (according to the experience of the Saints) is not the learning of spiritual truths, but the union and relationship (Sainthood) that man was made to have with the Holy Spirit.
God does not “punish” these Christians in the new founded Churches after the schism. It must be understood that -the will of man- can not possibly replace the -Will of God- begotten at Pentecost when it comes to mans Salvation.
The Saints who personally unite with God and see Him in His Divine Light are very forward: If a person does not get to know God Personally from this here life they will never will not now not in all eternity! Salvation means -Salvation from death- and it is a death of a spiritual nature meaning… our Eternal separation from God. The TRUTH begotten as the supreme personal truth -is a PERSON- (GOD), and as a PERSON they who truly love Him they shall know Him. [John 14:21] “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”.
Today at Mount Athos there are thousands of monks who live the hysihastic (quietism) life, in order to enable their selves to the presence of God. It is their life time ambition to see and experience Divine Light, God Himself. The first promise they make upon entering monastic life is the promise of -lack of any property-.The robe that they wear sums up each monk’s personal property. There is a certain common understanding that even the children in kindergarten understand about Lord Jesus and this is the knowledge that:
“The Hebrew man named Jesus who walked the earth 2000 year ago who sacrificed His Self on the Cross in order to redeem all of humanity from death (spiritual death) was/is no more no less GOD CREATOR HIMSELF” !!! (look for all things were made in the Symbol of Faith)
This knowledge about Lord Jesus was expresses and written down by our Christian forefather Bishops (yours and mine) in the very beginning of Christianity in the Symbol of Faith during the Churches first Ecumenical Synod the year 325 AC.
THE CREED 1st Ecumenical Synod 325 AC
[http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7062]
"I believe in One God, Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages.
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through whom all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became Man.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and He suffered and was buried.
On the third day He rose according to the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins [Ephesians 4:5]
I expect the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the age to come.
Amen."
Your friend and servant
Constantinos James Wiliams
Go on to: St. Vasiliy of Ryazan
Return to: Religious Fables, Folklore, Legends, and Stories