Salvation

"The non-Orthodox churches have as their emphasis the forgiveness of sins in order that one might not go to hell, and go to heaven. Because of this, the understanding of what salvation is has become more of a juridical and a legal issue, where the goal of the Gospel, and the goal of everything is forgiveness of one's sins. In contrast, we Orthodox view the forgiveness of sins only as a first step in the process of salvation. Indeed, we are forgiven, but so that we may be purified and healed, so that we can be transfigured, so that we can become God-like. The goal is not for us to make it to heaven. The goal, really, is God himself. The goal is the mystical union, and communion with Him. This is theosis; divinization; deification; transfigurement; whatever we want to call it. It's a forever process of becoming by grace what God is by nature, without ever becoming God." - Fr. James Bernstein, The Illumined Heart Podcast, May 22, 2008 (see Theosis)

"It is our teaching that the only way to be in the Kingdom is to die and rise with Christ. But as St. Gregory the Theologian said in the fourth century, 'what is meant by baptism?' Because it is certainly a dogma of our Church, that you can be dunked in I don't know how many pails of water -- even the Pacific Ocean; you can have pounds of chrism on you; you can receive the body and blood of Christ every Sunday in the Liturgy; and go right to Hell. And the more you do it, the worse you get. St. Theophan the recluse, who was just canonized by the Russian Church said, 'Why is it that people who go to church alot, are very Christian, belong to churches, get worse instead of etter?' The answer is because they go through all the rites, all the motions, read the Bible, do everything; but they don't really love God or their neighbor."' - Fr. Thomas Hopko, On The Apocolypse, Great Tapes Series

"St. Gregory the Theologian said, 'There are many who die for what is good, what is true, what is right, who never heard of Jesus Christ, but when he comes in glory they will recognize him, as the end of their longing, and will bow down and worship him.'" - Fr. Thomas Hopko, On The Apocalypse, Great Tapes Series

"It is a dogma of our Church that anyone, anywhere who dies for righteousness and truth sake, if it is objectively right and true -- not what they think is right and true -- those people are automatically saved by the blood of Christ on the cross. Christ died for those people. Christ died on the cross so that no act of righteousness or justice done by anyone, anywhere, would be lost." - Fr. Thomas Hopko, On The Apocalypse, Great Tapes Series

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