0:02 have you heard some people are saying
0:04 there's a trend of people converting to
0:06 the Eastern Orthodox Church is that
0:09 something to celebrate in this video I'm
0:11 going to give 10 reasons why people
0:13 should not convert to Orthodoxy don't
0:15 miss any of this because some of these
0:17 points may surprise you a ton by the way
0:19 I love Orthodox people I have nothing
0:21 against them personally and I do pray
0:23 for them these are the standard official
0:25 teachings of the Orthodox Church that I
0:27 find problematic are you ready here we
0:31 go number one PR praying to Saints an
0:33 icon veneration the Orthodox Church says
0:35 it's a fine practice to pray to the
0:37 Saints create pictures of them which
0:39 they call icons place them in their
0:41 churches and homes and then bow down to
0:44 them kiss them and pray to them but we
0:46 don't see that practice in the days of
0:48 the Apostles nor in the Old Testament
0:50 there are no records of the Apostles
0:52 bowing down to a picture of Abraham
0:54 kissing it or praying to it in fact to
0:56 do that would be a violation of the
0:58 second of the Ten Commandments which
1:00 says you shall not make for yourself a
1:03 carved image or any likeness of anything
1:05 that is in heaven above or that is in
1:07 the earth beneath or that is in the
1:10 water under the Earth You shall not bow
1:13 down to them or serve them what is
1:16 forbidden is not the images per se but
1:19 the Bowing down to or serving of these
1:21 images for there were God prescribed
1:23 images of cherubims and in the
1:25 tabernacle curtains there was palm trees
1:27 and things like that representing the
1:29 Garden of Eden but it' be wrong for a
1:31 person person to start bowing down to
1:33 those images of those palm trees or
1:35 those cherubim and to pray to them
1:37 having pictures in church was actually
1:39 not a universal practice in the early
1:41 church it was largely not done even some
1:43 Regional councils like the Council of Al
1:47 Vera forbid it saying Canon 36 pictures
1:50 are not to be placed in churches so that
1:53 they do not become objects of worship
1:56 and adoration yet in Orthodox Churches
1:59 this is practiced in the confession of dositheus
2:00 dositheus
2:01 which is accepted by the Orthodox Church
2:05 it says now we adore the Saints and the
2:08 holy icons the second Council of NAA
2:10 which is also accepted by the Orthodox
2:12 church and even is considered infallible
2:15 by them made a decree quote We Salute
2:18 the venerable images we place under
2:21 anathema those who do not do this it
2:23 goes on to describe requiring both
2:26 saluting and kissing the image and have
2:28 a strong desire towards it and how that
2:31 Council defined what an anathema is it
2:34 says quote an anathema is nothing short
2:36 than complete separation from God so
2:38 something that is forbidden the Bible
2:40 and not a universal practice of the
2:42 earliest Christians this Council which
2:44 the Orthodox Church accepts says you are
2:48 separate from God if you do not salute
2:51 and bow down and kiss these images
2:54 that's completely undermining God's word
2:56 number two denial of penal
2:59 substitutionary atonement Eastern or
3:01 Orthodox people reject the idea that
3:03 Jesus Took the punishment for our sins
3:05 that's right you didn't mishear me the
3:07 Orthodox do believe that Jesus died on
3:09 the cross but they don't believe that in
3:12 doing so Jesus Took the punishment from
3:14 the father for our sins instead they
3:16 talk about Christ sacrifice simply being
3:19 a victory over death and Corruption but
3:22 not that he bore the wrath of God this
3:24 is hugely problematic I would say
3:26 because it's really ripping out the core
3:28 of the message of the gospel because
3:31 God's justice needs to be satisfied
3:33 either we take the penalty for our own
3:35 sins in Hell or Jesus can take the
3:38 penalty for us on the cross there is no
3:40 option of God just not punishing if he
3:43 is to remain just the reason for
3:45 rejecting this Doctrine is that they
3:48 think it somehow would break the Trinity
3:49 if the father poured out his wrath on
3:52 the son yet the criticism isn't valid
3:55 because Jesus willingly went to the
3:58 cross and the father wasn't hating the
4:00 son while on the cross instead he was
4:02 punishing Jesus for the sins of all who
4:04 had believe and most importantly it's
4:06 actually what the Bible teaches Isaiah
4:08 53:10 says yet it was the will of the
4:12 Lord to crush him he has put him to
4:14 grief the father crushing his own son
4:17 here to make atonement for our sins
4:19 earlier on in that same chapter it says
4:21 but he was pierced for our
4:23 transgressions he was crushed for our
4:26 iniquities upon him was the chastisement
4:28 that brought us peace and with his
4:31 wounds we are healed healed notice that
4:33 he got what we should get the
4:35 chastisement some translations even have
4:38 punishment here he got the penalty for
4:39 what you and I should get this is the
4:42 heart of the gospel and tragically the
4:45 Orthodox Church rejects it number three
4:48 Faith plus works for salvation decree 13
4:51 of the confession of dossus says we
4:55 believe a man to be not simply justified
4:58 through faith alone but through faith
5:01 which works through love that is to say
5:05 through faith and works faith and works
5:08 Paul literally says in Ephesians 2:9 not
5:10 as a result of works that no one may
5:13 boast that we saved by but by grace
5:16 through faith good works are a fruit of
5:19 Salvation we're saved for good works but
5:22 not by them Romans 4:5 says and to the
5:25 one who does not work but believes in
5:27 him who justifies the ungodly his faith
5:30 is counted as righteousness no notice it
5:31 doesn't say to the one who works and
5:34 believes it says to the one who does not
5:37 work but believes that's the one whose
5:39 faith is counted as righteousness the
5:42 very next verse says the same thing just
5:44 as David also speaks the blessing of the
5:45 one to whom God counts
5:48 righteousness apart from works not along
5:50 with Works apart from it so it can't be
5:53 Faith plus works it must be faith not
5:55 works that makes us right before God an
5:58 orthodox priest father spiran said
6:01 salvation is a free
6:05 gift but we must work and repent in
6:07 order to enable ourselves to receive
6:10 God's grace that is like saying this
6:13 apple is a free gift from me to you but
6:15 you must work for me to get it as soon
6:17 as working is required to receive the
6:19 Apple it is no longer a free gift so if
6:23 salvation is a free gift as Romans 6:23
6:25 says it is then that necessarily means
6:28 that we don't have to work to receive
6:31 God's grace Grace means undeserved favor
6:33 anyway undeserved kindness as Paul says
6:37 in Romans 11 but if it is by Grace it is
6:39 no longer on the basis of Works
6:43 otherwise Grace would no longer be Grace
6:45 we do the good things to say thank you
6:47 to God for his salvation but not as a
6:50 necessary thing to do to obtain it or
6:52 keep it now before James 2 pops up in
6:55 the comments from someone James agrees
6:57 that simply believing is what made
7:00 Abraham right before God James says and
7:02 the scripture was fulfilled that says
7:04 Abraham believed God and was counted to
7:05 him as righteousness and he was called a
7:07 friend of God so on what basis was
7:11 Abraham counted as righteous simply by
7:14 believing God trusting his promise he
7:16 was called a friend of God so James
7:18 doesn't go against faith alone salvation
7:20 he affirms it he just makes the point
7:22 that true faith will result in good
7:24 works and not everyone who claims to be
7:26 someone with faith is a person with
7:30 faith their Works evidence if they are
7:32 and that faith that Abraham had made him
7:34 willing to sacrifice his own son Isaac
7:37 some 30 plus years later that sacrifice
7:39 wasn't making him more right before God
7:41 he already was from the moment he
7:44 believed and that's the same with us the
7:46 good works we do do not increase our
7:48 right standing before God we are already
7:50 right with him the moment that we
7:53 believe in what Christ has done for us
7:56 number four unbiblical beliefs about
7:59 Mary E in Orthodoxy believes four things
8:01 about Mary which are foreign to the
8:04 pages of scripture firstly they believe
8:05 that she lived her entire life
8:07 completely free of sin even though Paul
8:09 says all have sinned and fall short of
8:11 the glory of God and Mary described
8:15 herself as rejoicing in God her savior
8:17 only Sinners need a savior secondly they
8:19 believe that she was an Ever virgin for
8:21 her whole life despite being married to
8:24 Joseph the scripture says that Joseph
8:27 knew her not until she had given birth
8:30 to a son and he called his name Jesus
8:33 until which implies that afterwards
8:36 Joseph knew his wife like Adam knew Eve
8:38 and conceived a son thirdly they believe
8:41 that her body was assumed up into heaven
8:43 just like Elijah in the Old Testament
8:45 but without any scriptural support
8:47 saying that that happened and fourthly
8:50 they also give her titles like Queen of
8:54 Heaven All Holy mediatrix the world's
8:57 salvation elevating her status I would
8:59 say far beyond what is biblical
9:02 warranted and this focus on Mary has led
9:04 to unbiblical practices such as the
9:07 frequent recitation of prayers directed
9:10 to her and hymns sung to her during the
9:13 Orthodox liturgy singing praises to her
9:14 for example one of the most common
9:16 Orthodox hymns sung about Mary is called
9:19 the aathy hymn here are some of the
9:22 lines Rejoice oh bride unwedded the
9:26 world's salvation Rejoice deliverer from
9:28 the M of sin and they're speaking about
9:31 Mary here but by the way for while never
9:35 experiencing marriage you held o virgin
9:37 the God of all in your womb and gave
9:39 birth to an eternal son who grants
9:42 salvation to all who chant hymns of
9:46 praise to you what salvation by singing
9:49 hymns of praise to Mary it goes on most
9:53 holy thecus save us rejoice bride of God
9:56 all blameless Maiden who saved the world
9:59 from the flood of sin uh no she didn't
10:02 Jesus did Rejoice Tabernacle of God the
10:05 logos Rejoice Holy One holier than the
10:08 holies Rejoice key to the doors of
10:12 paradise you are the only hope of the
10:15 Hopeless no Jesus is not Mary Rejoice
10:18 the Gate of Salvation you all loable
10:21 mother who gave birth to the logos the
10:23 holiest of all who are holy while
10:26 accepting this offering now deliver
10:28 everyone from all calamities and deliver
10:32 from f future punishment those who cry
10:36 out wow no friends Jesus saves us from
10:38 the punishment not Mary she's not the
10:40 hope of the Hopeless she's not the
10:42 deliverer from the me of sin she's not
10:45 the world salvation Jesus is the fact
10:47 that this hymn is a regular part of the
10:49 Orthodox Church liturgy should be enough
10:51 reason for anyone to not want to join
10:53 the Orthodox Church I respect Mary she
10:56 had a very special role but these things
10:59 about her in these hymns in the Orthodox
11:01 Church elevator a status that the Bible
11:04 never gives her and therefore robs Glory
11:06 from God the entire church service
11:08 should be focused on the triun god with
11:12 no songs or hymns sung to anyone but God
11:15 number five tradition over scripture
11:17 Eastern Orthodoxy places a significant
11:20 emphasis on tradition considering equal
11:22 in authority and the source of it they
11:24 reject the Bible as their sole
11:26 infallible rule of faith yet in essence
11:28 they actually put tradition as a higher
11:30 authority than the Bible because they
11:33 say quote only holy tradition can
11:36 correctly interpret Holy Scripture never
11:38 says that in the Bible Jesus said that
11:40 the holy spirit will guide the apostles
11:42 into all truth they are infallible in
11:44 their teaching since they would be the
11:46 ones to write down scripture but that
11:48 doesn't mean that that promise carries
11:51 over to church councils or to fathers
11:53 who would live after them Paul tells us
11:55 to follow some traditions but look what
11:59 he limits it to so then Brothers Stand
12:01 firm and hold to the Traditions that you
12:05 are taught by us either by our spoken
12:07 word or by our letter so we are called
12:10 to follow Apostolic tradition Traditions
12:12 from the apostles themselves but that
12:14 does not mean we are called to follow
12:16 traditions that have Arisen after the
12:18 times of the Apostles and since we're
12:19 called only to follow the apostolic
12:21 Traditions the only way that we can
12:23 determine what truly is a tradition from
12:26 the apostles is by going to the pages of
12:27 sacred scripture because someone can
12:29 claim that a tradition goes all way back
12:31 to the apostles but if you're just
12:34 having to take their word for it that's
12:35 hugely problematic because false
12:37 teachers can also claim the same so
12:39 thankfully God has left us the
12:41 scriptures that we can go back to to see
12:44 what the apostles teachings are imagine
12:46 a famous teacher who wrote a book of
12:49 life lessons long after he's gone some
12:51 people claim this is what he really
12:53 meant and you can't understand him
12:55 without going to us to come to
12:56 understand what the teacher really
12:59 believes reading his book is the best
13:02 source of information rather than going
13:04 to those who claim to be an authority on
13:06 him and so what we have is the book of
13:08 scripture straight from the apostles
13:10 Traditions like those other people's
13:12 statements maybe sometimes they're
13:15 useful but if you want the real deal the
13:17 teachers own writing trumps what others
13:21 may say about him number six rules or
13:23 practices that contradict the Bible so
13:25 let me give you two examples where
13:27 Orthodox tradition goes against
13:28 scripture in the Orthodox Church they
13:31 allow priests to marry but they forbid
13:33 marriage for Bishops which contradicts
13:35 Apostolic teaching Paul explicitly
13:37 states that a bishop should be the
13:39 husband of one wife showing that Bishops
13:41 are clearly allowed to get married even
13:43 Peter was married the scripture speaks
13:45 about Peter's mother-in-law and when
13:47 Jesus entered Peter's house he saw his
13:50 mother-in-law lying sick with a fever
13:52 Peter was married Paul describes how
13:53 he's even allowed to get married if you
13:55 would like to do we not have the right
13:58 to take along a believing wife as do the
14:00 other Apostles and the brothers of the
14:03 Lord and sephus there's no forbidding of
14:05 marriage in the Bible for any role
14:09 Apostle Bishop Elder in first Timothy
14:11 Paul goes on to talk about how some
14:14 people in the last days will depart from
14:17 the Faith by devoting themselves to
14:19 deceitful spirits and teachings of
14:21 demons now what are these teachings of
14:23 demons that he's talking about well an
14:25 example of it is in verse three when he
14:29 says these people forbid marriage so to
14:32 forbid marriage for a certain class of
14:35 person such as Bishops according to Paul
14:37 would be a doctrine of demons another
14:39 example of a rule or practice the
14:42 Orthodox church has is that they insist
14:45 that a person must not eat or drink
14:47 anything from the time that he goes to
14:50 sleep the night before he plans to take
14:52 part in the Eucharist now that's not
14:53 something the Bible says so if your
14:56 church service is at 11:00 on Sunday
14:59 morning you can't eat anything or drink
15:01 anything for breakfast or through the
15:03 night you must abstain from it all but
15:05 that's not something the Bible says
15:07 instead in 1 Corinthians 11 Paul when
15:09 he's giving instructions about the
15:11 Lord's Supper he actually says if anyone
15:14 is hungry let him eat at home so that
15:16 when you come together it will not be
15:18 for judgment because some in the
15:20 Corinthian Church were seeing the Lord's
15:23 Supper as just a regular meal some were
15:24 eating all the bread others were even
15:26 getting drunk off the wine so eating at
15:29 home before the Eucharist is what Paul
15:32 instructs rather than fasting since the
15:35 night before so that you aren't hungry
15:36 when you partake in it and so you can
15:40 focus on what the bread and the cup
15:43 represent Christ's body broken and blood
15:46 poured out for us these two examples
15:49 undermine Orthodoxy claim to Faithfully
15:51 preserve Apostolic teaching by teaching
15:54 Traditions that are contrary to it
15:57 number seven toll houses after you die
15:59 this is a concept that many orthodox
16:02 people accept and it's this concept that
16:04 after death Believers will go through
16:06 toll houses which are spiritual
16:08 checkpoints in the air where the soul is
16:12 confronted by demons and angels at each
16:13 toll housee the soul is tested for
16:15 specific sins it committed during its
16:18 Earthly life such as Pride or greed
16:21 slander or lust the demons would then
16:23 accuse the soul of its sins while the
16:26 Angels advocate for the soul presenting
16:29 evidence of repentance virtues and and
16:31 good works weighing up good vers bad
16:34 Deeds this concept of a post-death trial
16:36 by demons and angels is completely
16:39 absent from the pages of the Old and New
16:41 Testaments the Bible teaches us that
16:43 Believers are immediately with the Lord
16:45 upon death and the idea of toll houses
16:48 introduces fear and uncertainty really
16:50 contradicting the Assurance of Salvation
16:53 we have in Christ Orthodox fathers also
16:55 teach that the prayers and good works of
16:57 relatives here on this Earth can
16:59 actually benefit those in the after life
17:02 potentially even releasing them from
17:03 punishment for their sin The Souls of
17:06 those involved in Mortal sins depart
17:08 into Hades and they endure The
17:09 Punishment Due to the sins that they
17:11 have committed but they are aware of
17:14 their future release from there and are
17:16 delivered by their Supreme goodness
17:18 through the prayers of the priests and
17:20 the good works which the relatives of
17:23 each do for their departed especially
17:25 the unbloody sacrifice benefiting the
17:28 most that's the Eucharist which each
17:30 offers particularly for his relatives
17:33 that have fallen asleep it is understood
17:34 that we do not know the time of their
17:36 release we know and believe that there
17:39 is Deliverance for such from their
17:42 direful condition and that before the
17:45 resurrection and judgment but when we
17:46 know not this is clearly something
17:48 contrary to scripture in The Story of
17:50 Lazarus and the rich man Jesus speaks
17:52 about the rich man in Hades who was in
17:55 torment and wanted Lazarus to come to
17:57 him and cool his tongue there but
18:01 Abraham said to him and besides all this
18:03 between us and you a great Chasm has
18:06 been fixed in order that those who would
18:09 pass from here to you may not be able
18:13 and none may cross from there to us see
18:16 that none may cross from being in that
18:19 torment to being with the people of God
18:20 this shows the permanent nature of it
18:23 all for those who end up in punishment
18:25 they're there forever it's too late for
18:27 them your Deeds now cannot affect those
18:30 who have Departed from this world number
18:33 eight no Assurance of Salvation e
18:35 Orthodoxy teaches that no one can be
18:37 absolutely certain of their salvation
18:41 you know the Protestant um is is looking
18:44 if you died right now well I think yes I
18:45 hope that if I died right now if I
18:48 dropped dead right now that I would
18:49 inherit the Kingdom of Heaven that's my
18:52 hope we have to live
18:55 knowing that our Salvation is not a
18:59 guaranteed story are you SA saved is the
19:01 question we
19:04 receive the answer
19:06 is I hope
19:09 so and yet the biblical gospel says that
19:12 we can be it says in first John I write
19:14 these things to you who believe in the
19:17 name of the son of God that you may know
19:20 that you have eternal life God wants us
19:22 to know that we have it the reason why
19:24 Orthodox people say they cannot be 100%
19:26 sure is because what they're resting
19:29 upon for their salvation is not not
19:30 simply the finished work of Jesus on the
19:33 cross but it's also their obedience they
19:34 see baptism as a requirement for
19:37 salvation taking the Eucharist gets more
19:40 forgiveness of sins confession to a
19:42 priest fasting praying and other works
19:45 like that Orthodox Archbishop satius
19:48 said this the initiative and effort of
19:52 Christ is not enough man must cooperate
19:54 as well that's not biblical Christ did
19:57 enough did he only do 90% of what was
19:58 needed to get you to heaven or did he do
20:01 100% And if he did 100% how much is left
20:03 for us to have to do to get to Heaven
20:05 Must Be nothing we just believe his
20:07 promise and be we benefit from it think
20:09 of it this way if God was to make a
20:12 promise to you how certain could you be
20:15 that it would happen clearly 100% to say
20:17 anything less would be to call God a
20:19 liar or unreliable and that's what he's
20:21 promised Jesus said truly truly I say to
20:25 you whoever believes has eternal life
20:27 let's say my wife said to me dinner will
20:30 be ready at 6:00 p.m. and I said I'm not
20:32 really sure it will be that's basically
20:33 to tell her I don't think you're
20:36 reliable and people can be unreliable
20:39 but Jesus can't be so to say that I
20:42 can't be 100% sure I'm going to heaven
20:43 even though he's promised it to those
20:45 who believe is to really say that you
20:48 don't believe in him you don't trust him
20:50 it's to call him unreliable because
20:53 salvation is a promise that God makes to
20:55 you it's not a promise that you make to
20:57 him this is important distinction
20:59 there's only one one side making the
21:02 promise here and it's God we aren't
21:04 promising to be obedient enough as a
21:06 condition for salvation although
21:08 obedience will be a result instead he's
21:10 promising I've laid my life down for you
21:12 and I will take you safely to my
21:14 heavenly Kingdom if you would trust that
21:16 I've done it for you so do you trust do
21:18 you trust that you will not perish but
21:22 you shall have eternal life trust him
21:25 and you can be sure of your salvation
21:28 number nine denial of the guilt of
21:32 original sin e Orthodoxy rejects the
21:34 concept of original sin now they still
21:37 agree that Adam's sin affects all humans
21:38 in that we all die as a result of his
21:41 sin but they deny the guilt of Adam's
21:44 sin carrying over to all humans and that
21:48 only a person's own sins make the person
21:50 guilty before God but the biblical
21:52 position is that Adam represented Us in
21:54 the garden he acted on our behalf which
21:57 actually makes us guilty then for his
21:59 sin similar to to a person who hires a
22:02 Hitman to take someone out both the
22:04 person and the Hitman are responsible
22:06 for the same action because the Hitman
22:08 represented him and so Adam represented
22:11 Us in the garden and so Adam's sin in
22:13 the garden is what we inherited because
22:15 he was doing it on our behalf Romans
22:18 5:12 says therefore just as Sin came
22:21 into the world through one man Adam and
22:23 death through sin and so death spread to
22:26 all men because all sinned so we all
22:29 sinned in Adam verse 19 also says for as
22:32 by the one man's Disobedience so Adam's
22:35 Disobedience the many were made Sinners
22:37 so made Sinners because of Adam so by
22:40 the one man's obedience which is Christ
22:43 the many we made righteous even think of
22:45 how David said he was conceived in
22:47 iniquity conceived in sin that wouldn't
22:49 make sense if we weren't born guilty and
22:51 so what original sin is it's simply a
22:53 picture of the Gospel that we get
22:55 treated as if we did Adam's sin and so
22:57 Christ get treated on the cross as
22:59 though he did our and so it's actually
23:01 an amazing picture of the Gospel number
23:06 10 exclusivity of Salvation the historic
23:09 Orthodox claim is that they claim to be
23:11 the one true church and that there's no
23:12 salvation that they know of apart from
23:15 being part of that particular Church
23:18 here's a quote from Archbishop sorus
23:21 everyone must become a member of this
23:24 church to be saved everyone without
23:27 exception while Christ established his
23:29 church which is simply the people of God
23:32 Believers the Bible emphasizes faith in
23:35 him not affiliation with a specific
23:37 institution as the basis for our
23:39 salvation and when the Orthodox Church
23:41 claims this it really just causes people
23:42 to be anxious about which church to
23:44 become a member of because there's other
23:46 churches that also claim that about
23:47 themselves the Orthodox Church is not
23:50 unique about this you have the eesan a
23:52 Christo Church also claiming to be the
23:54 only true church and salvation only by
23:57 being part of them but the reality is
23:59 there is only one Church founded by
24:01 Jesus and it's not uniquely the Orthodox
24:03 church it's not the Catholic church it's
24:05 not the Protestant church it's the
24:07 people of God it transcends particular
24:09 denominations or institutions it's
24:12 genuine Believers in Christ who don't
24:14 rely on their works at all to save them
24:16 but Christ alone and if that's you
24:19 you're part of jesus' church this can
24:21 clear up that anxiety you may feel
24:23 ignore those people who are claiming
24:25 that you be part of their particular
24:27 institution to be saved that's not
24:29 biblical you don't see the Apostle
24:31 saying that and as you seek for a local
24:34 church to attend simply check to see not
24:36 how fancy their robes are or how pretty
24:38 their buildings are but are they
24:40 consistent with Biblical teaching do
24:42 they hold the Bible as their ultimate
24:44 Authority or not do they believe that
24:46 we're Sav by grace through faith and not
24:48 by works that's the test on how to find
24:51 a good local church but as we've seen in
24:52 this video the Orthodox Church doesn't
24:55 meet that criteria so don't consider
24:57 converting to Orthodoxy simply be a
24:59 Christian it's what the disciples were
25:02 called and find a good local church that
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