tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post5228014223410521220..comments2015-06-06T06:10:53.628-04:00Comments on Crossroads: Hell or Holiness? God save me...: Eastern Orthodox Aerial Toll-Houses + Me Feeling Spiritually Murdered = Hope (sike)Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11750988751213921542noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-34676463518297597092012-02-17T09:30:36.060-05:002012-02-17T09:30:36.060-05:00Also, it is not in Orthodox theology that one can ...Also, it is not in Orthodox theology that one can be "separated from God". God is everywhere present and fillest all things. He sustains our existence. He is just as present with those in Hell as those in Heaven. Heaven and Hell are not physical "places". The difference is the person. Hell is Hell to the "damned" because they want to get away from God's presence and the feeling of His holiness but can't. Whereas Heaven is Heaven to the "saved" because they love God's presence and now they are in full contact with Him for all eternity. Here on earth He is still everywhere present as well but we can choose to ignore His presence (our "free will"). Once we die, no such choice. So either you accept Him and eternity feels like Heaven or reject Him and eternity feels like Hell.Megan (Marina)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-50755954556723114052012-02-17T09:18:01.959-05:002012-02-17T09:18:01.959-05:00I would also add that even though the general judg...I would also add that even though the general judgement criteria are the same for each person, the standards are different. A monastic will face a harsher judgement for lack of fasting than a lay person. Ultimately each person will face what they were capable of doing and didn't --- not what the ultimate standard was that they failed to achieve. For example a person raised in a brothel will not be judged by the "sexual sins" they had no control over but a person raised in a pious household who fell into sexual sin might be. <br /><br />Also worth noting is that, unlike in the Catholic Church, visions to a single person are rarely meant for everyone. I know that typically in Catholic history when someone has a vision of Mary, Christ, etc, it is spread around to everyone with instructions on behavioral or dogmatic changes based on the vision. Example: vision of Mary, "I am the Immaculate Conception" got the ball rolling with the official dogma that was later proclaimed in the Catholic Church. For Orthodox, when one has a vision, unless you have FANTASTIC spiritual discernment, DON'T assume it came from God. Once you can be sure through a spiritual father/ mother that it is from God, use it to personally direct your heart towards God and change your behaviors. Don't run around saying you had a vision from God and now everyone has to do X, Y, & Z. Not that I'm saying Saints' visions cannot be helpful to others but for Orthodox we believe what we need to know for salvation is revealed in the Church, not through the vision(s) of a sole person or persons.Megan (Marina)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-56246092017381350762012-02-17T09:04:15.996-05:002012-02-17T09:04:15.996-05:00Lord have mercy!Lord have mercy!jessenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-78136945322863965452012-02-16T22:19:33.956-05:002012-02-16T22:19:33.956-05:00Jesse, this link is very helpful and something tha...Jesse, this link is very helpful and something that I want to meditate on frequently to help with my nightly examinations of conscience which I'm going to try to start doing. Thank you so much for this information.<br /><br />Still working on trusting God and relying on Grace, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't afraid of the possibility of Hell and its torments, plus being separated from God forever... Pray for meChristopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11750988751213921542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-64555441958007919542012-02-16T19:09:15.043-05:002012-02-16T19:09:15.043-05:00also, we don't speak of the soul making satisf...also, we don't speak of the soul making satisfaction for its sins -- that is not a concept we have in our theology.Jessenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3095451809093710123.post-84630496469040288822012-02-16T19:01:07.033-05:002012-02-16T19:01:07.033-05:001. here is a pretty thorough guide to Confession y...1. here is a pretty thorough guide to Confession you may find useful: http://www.orthodox.net/confess/confession-chart-russian-english.pdf<br /><br />2. its not that the demons are judging you INSTEAD of God -- God is always in charge, but we know from Scriptures that He sometimes uses demons to His own ends -- think of the book of Job especially. If you struggle to live a good Christian life the demons will not be able to make that all for naught, as you say. Trust in God, pray unceasingly, and force yourself to keep the commandments of God -- by His grace!Jessenoreply@blogger.com