Attn:Another_1 Re: The Trinity, page 2

AS FAR BACK AS the earliest Apostolic times, Christ�s disciples were known as those who �call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ� (I Corinthians 1:2; cf. Acts 9:14, 21).
From the very beginning, the Holy Apostles were persecuted as those who �teach in the name of Jesus� (Acts 4:18; cf. 5:28).
They rejoiced when they suffered from persecution and violations �for His Name�s sake� (Acts 5:41).
In consequence of this, by the end of the first decade after the foundation of Christ�s Church, �the disciples were called Christians� (Acts 11:26).
This appellation was given to them first at Antioch, and probably by the local Gentiles, which implies that Christianity was no longer recognized as a Judaic sect, but as a distinct religious teaching.
[1] Later, St. Cyril of Jerusalem observes, in his Tenth Catechetical Homily (Chapter XVI): �Jesus Christ, the Son of God, honored us to call ourselves Christians,�
[2] whereas St. Athanasios the Great, in his First Homily against the Arians (Chapter II), states that �through Christ we are, and call ourselves, Christians.�[3]

It seems that this name quickly acquired public recognition, since even in the last half of the first century, the Roman historian Tacitus, in his work The Annals (Book XV, Chapter XLIV), when discussing Rome�s destruction by fire under the Emperor Nero, tells us that the Emperor blamed for this those �called by the people Christians [christianos].� Further on, he explains: �...the originator of that name, Christ [Christus], was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the procurator, under the reign of Tiberius.�

[4]Thus, all subsequent persecutions by the pagan authorities against the disciples of Christ were under the banner of the struggle against Christianity as such. Referring to this fact,
St. Peter the Apostle writes: �If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; ...yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf� (I St. Peter 4:14, 16).
As we see from the extant testimonies of the Martyrs, Christ�s Martyrs, when summoned to court, were accused specifically as Christians, which they professed themselves to be. The instance of the Holy Martyr Lukian of Antioch is rather typical. He suffered in one of the last persecutions of the early fourth century. Before breathing his last, he cried three times: �I am a Christian.�

do i have a headache? yes i do......

Now, It is said that they who are strangers to the illumunation of truth .......Walk in the wordly vanity of their mind,

having their understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God(Eph . 4 : 18 );
they have their portion in this life(Psalm 16 :14 );
Who mind earthly things, and whose end is destruction (Phil . 3 :19 ).

The truth of God calls such people the faithless and perverse generation (Matthew 17: 17 ) and for that reason says to us :Save yourselves from this untoward generation (Acts 2: 40 )
Light has come into the world, says the Lord, and men loved darkness rather than light (John 3 :19 )

The prophets , too , appealed : Who beleived our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed (Is .53 :1 ) ?

Ye do err , not knowing the scriptures , nor the power of God (Matthew .22 : 29 )

These are the barriers to our enlightenment and achievement of eternal life , ie . , not knowing the scriptures , nor the power of God .
""Holy trinity Monastary january 16 , 1946 Abbot Panteleimon.......

Any one can pick up a pen and re- write whatever they want to..........Any one can make millions beleive in anything they want to.............They have succeeded to a certain extent..........For when it comes to the Word of God..........many have allowed their minds to be clouded by false teachers(Judgement)...............Call them what you wish.... I call them antichrists........

The Lord said ""I am come in My Father's name , and ye receive Me not :If another shall come in his own name ,him you will receive (John 5 : 43 )

The same , Saint Paul : Because they received not the love of the truth , that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion , that they should beleive a lie: that they all might be damned who beleived not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness (11 Thess . 2 : 10 - 12 ).....
the Lord does not take pleasure in the death(punishment) of a sinner , but that the wicked turn his way and live ( Ezek . 33 : 11 )
Saint Paul sais : For , sowers for the body will harvest death(ie. punishment ) , and sowers for the Spirit , will harvest eternal life .

The friendship of the world is enmity with God ; whoever therefore will be a friend of the world , is an enemy of God (James 4 :4 )
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon (Mattew 6 : 24 )
Serving Mammon, (the god of money or earthly gain )especially when all the powers of the soul is sacrificed for this service , is a falling away from the serving of God , and a sure sign of falling into the deepest abyss of sinfulness with no way out...................(There's a parrable about a camel is easier to pass through the eye of the needle then for a rich man to enter heaven...but

cant remmeber where.....)

[Edited on 5-5-2003 by helen670]