Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward all Mankind
Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
Today, we consider the topic that ought to be on the minds of everyone who
lives and breathes: the attainment of peace, both inner and outward peace,
the kind that passeth all understanding. So, where do we begin? Should we
go to our world's leaders and angrily tell them of our displeasure with their
agenda of involving us in their strife, or should we go to the top
executives of corporations that service huge government defense contracts,
or should we blow up anything that promotes war, or should we commit jihad
because of our frustration over the Big Satan, or should we begin with
achieving inner peace within our own soul and let it grow round about
us?
It is manifestly evident that the latter premise is the only answer: that
we ought to begin by achieving an inner peace within our own soul, and to
then let that peace grow round about us. As each of us achieves this inner
peace, this state of being is noticed by our neighbors, who will then, in
turn, ask us how we achieved such inner peace. When asked about how we
achieve this inner peace, we must devote some patience and care in teaching
our neighbors how to achieve that blessed state of mind.
The first thing that such a person, filled with inner peace, realizes is
that there is a genuine freedom from the burden of sin-debt brought about
by the Free Gift of Grace that comes from the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the believing in that self-same Lord for the Cross, the Tomb,
and the Third-Day Resurrection. The next thing that such a person realizes
is that their whole life is filled with giving service to such a
philanthropic God, and the realization that no personal action of ours,
however grand on the scale of conceivable heights, could even come close
to matching that supreme act of service performed by our Lord Jesus, which
He agreed to, for the sole benefit of all mankind. The third thing that
such a person realizes is that the giving of thanks is a primary response
of gratitude for the Free Gift of Grace that has been eagerly accepted by
us for our welfare.
That a soul is immortal is a well known axiom of
accepted philosophical systems of thought, and taught widely by such
philosophers as Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato, to name a few. This
knowledge brings several different responses among the populace:
- The first
class consists of those who believe that the soul is not immortal, and for
them the concept of an eternal reward or an eternal judgment is not on their
personal radar. The only way for this group of individuals to test their
theory is to experience death, and the manifest sting that comes by it when
their deeds come to witness against them.
- The second class consists of
those persons who believe in an eternal soul, but take not a care for their
present life and grope in the darkness of ignorant bliss until that hour of
their death when their deeds come to witness against them.
- The third
class of persons are those persons who believe in an eternal soul,
and know the difference between right and wrong, balancing them as life
proceeds, but who do not attend to the matter of their guilt, and at the
hour of their death, their deeds come to witness against them.
- The fourth
class considered are those persons who believe in an eternal soul, and know
the difference between right and wrong, and realize the impossibility of
removing their guilt; thus, they, knowing their condemnation is imminent,
choose to live this life sensually and without abandon. It is this group
of people, expressing their anger over their predicament, who fail to try
improvement or to consider even the slightest hint of repentance.
- The
fifth class considered are those persons who believe in an eternal soul,
and know the difference between right and wrong, and realize the only
solution is to know a Loving Saviour, full of empathy and compassion, but One
who is also
without sin. Such is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born in a cave, yet He
is God before all ages. He became Man, so that we may be redeemed. He is
full of righteousness, and all-wise, and Emmanuel (God with us). We cannot
list all the things that He is, because that list remains a mystery that
will forever remain a mystery.
I contend that the only group of people
that are capable of finding inner peace are those within the fifth class,
above described. Thereby, we must know that until this is realized by all
peoples who are members of classes one through four, world peace will
remain elusive. The solution to world peace is accomplished by our Lord
Jesus when He defeated Satan (the Evil One), at the time He died on the
Cross for our sins and paid for them, on our behalf; even though HE IS THE
SINLESS ONE. And Yet, His Soul did not remain in Hades; for on the
third-day, He was resurrected from the dead, by Death conquering death and
upon those in the tombs, bestowing Life.
Our Lord Jesus has left the task of planting inner peace to those who are
members of His Vineyard. It is they who give service to God and to their
neighbor by planting the seeds of inner peace. In a land of hypocrites,
however, nothing is accomplished. For example, if we love our neighbor,
then we provide for their needs, even at our own expense. We do this in
immitation of Christ Jesus. He taught us the correct way. He brings us
peace from on High. But, the hypocrites fail to realize that attainment of
self-less love is the answer, and so their love waxes cold. This leads to
apostasy and discord.
Did you know that God is the author of harmony and order? If you think you
know what a consonant chord sounds like, think again! When you hear God's
Mighty Consonant Chord being struck, who can stand against it? Heresy is
discordant theology that results in deception. Heresy is also an act of
treason against Him Who provides Life. Heresy is not within the Ecclesia
of God. Heresy is of the world: consisting of liars, sexual immorality
(fornication and adultery [because it is anti-family, and because it
spreads disease]), homosexuality (male to male, and female to female,
[because it is anti-family, and because it spreads disease]), thievery,
and all other unrighteous deeds and behaviour.
The Ecclesia of God has His properties: The Bride of Christ is One, She is
Holy, She is Universal (Katholikos), She is Apostolic, and Her mission is
the same: Love God, and Love Neighbor; for, this fulfills all the Law and the
Prophets.
You have heard it said that men in the old testament would take
unto themselves many wives. While God in those days, as in these days,
would tolerate such a practice without becoming angry, it is equally true
that it has always been His Will that a man should only take unto himself
one wife and that such a relationship should remain, in its length of days,
for the entire life-time of the couple; death being the only cause for the
termination of the marriage. It has, in addition, always been God's Will
that a marriage be Holy and Divine, attendant with Divine principles for
the sake of the children produced by the marriage, as well as for the sake
of the couple and the fidelity of their union.
You have also heard it said that we ought not judge others because they eat
only vegetables, or because they do not. While God has tolerated the
practice of killing animals for food, it is equally true that it has always
been His Will that we should treat animals as a neighbor, and love with
unselfishness such creatures of God. Otherwise, peace cannot be established
and maintained in the world, since the animals will justly treat us as
their enemies. Moreso than that is the admonition that we should not
commit murder or any other unrighteous deed against our neighbor. This is the
pathway to peace and a full part of the Evangelion. Is it not singular to
behold the fact that eating meat causes toxicity? Is it not also singular
to behold the fact that when we abstain from eating meat during the periods
of fasting, that our bodies become detoxified? So, the question before the
house is, why do the majority of 'civilized' men and women eat meat? Is it
not sinful to do so? Yet, we don't judge the sinner, but instead we preach
against sin!
Let us now usher in the celebration of our Lord's Birth with a new mind,
where we purpose to become more like Christ during each passing moment
until the hour of our death. Then peace will be sown in the world, even
though we are not of the world. God be Glorified, always, now and for ever,
and from all Ages to all Ages. Amen.
Love in Christ,
Petros Presbeftes, Sysop
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