Foundations part01-repentance
- 1. Young Adult Ministry of the Northeast American Diocese
- 2. Proposed Diocesan Level FOCUS Administration FOCUS Director Secretary (chosen from Parish Reps) Treasurer (chosen from Parish Reps) Each Parish shall select a Secretary, Treasurer for the Parish FOCUS Unit and one Parish Representative to serve in the Diocesan Central Committee and Area Committee as well. Central Committee for Diocese shall Composed of Parish Representatives from each Parish Parish Representatives from each area shall form Area Committee as well.
- 3. Announcements Pre-Marital Preparation – 4 times a year Feb. 2nd June 1st Family Conference Nov. FOCUS Conference Unit Registration Family and Youth Conference – July 10-13th
- 4. FOCUS Faith Series - Objectives Understanding about the Orthodox Faith In depth study of Hebrews 6:1-3 Understanding the Basic Teaching about Christ What is Repentance from dead works
- 5. Hebrews 6:1 – in context Hebrews 4:14 ff Jesus’ priestly office and saving work – Pressing onto maturity (5:11 ff) Journey from infancy to maturity - Moving toward & leaving behind. – Spatial imagery – journey. From one stage of learning to another. 5:1-10 Exposition; 5:11 ff hortatory Christian experience is path from being a child (nepios) to being a mature person (teleios) Third warning passage of Hebrews Goal is perfection or maturity
- 6. Hebrews 6:1 - Foundations 5:12 – elementary truths. Elementary teachings Foundation – 1 Cor. 3:10-11 Extensive Catechetical Instruction – prior to baptism (Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 6:2-3; Gal 5:21; 1 Thess. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Cor. 11:23-26) Ancient writers described basic education in grammar and mathematics – 6 arranged in 3 groups of 2. (personal ; social; unseen world; ) Not a comprehensive list. Most likely catechetical instruction to new converts.
- 7. Repentance and Faith as a Pair Acts 2:38; 4:2, 33; 8:16ff; Wisdom 11:23; 12:2 – Repentance and Faith “Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass, and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin, that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord.” – Wisdom 12:2 Repentance FROM dead works; Faith TOWARDS God
- 8. Elements of Repentace Remorse Resolution Restitution – Penance (for healing) Restoration
- 9. Repentance as change of mind Metanoia – change of mind; First and Last words of Christ in his earthly sojourn St. Matthew 4:17 – “Repent for the KOHeaven is at hand.” St. Luke 24:45-49 – “Repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name” Renewal of Mind - Romans 12:2
- 10. Repentance as Return O.T – Shub – return "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” (Joel 2:12) Compare to 1 Sam 7:3 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” – Isaiah 55:6-7 Prodigal Son – Return to the Father
- 11. Repentance is taking responsibility I have sinned. Accepting responsibility. ...let us not lay the blame for the sins we have committed either on our birth or on anyone else, but only on ourselves. St. Antony the Great Humility Romans 7 Admits inability to get out of own sinfulness and the absolute need for God’s saving power in Jesus. Humans have freedom of choice – not fatalism
- 12. Repentance is orienting ourselves Realigning the internal compass Orientation – “making the look backward into a force for the future.” “All who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord” (Acts 9:35).
- 13. Repentance is permanent Repentance as a permanent action in the soul. – It is a shovel brought out to clean the garbage accumulated after baptism. “The work of purification is realized by the powers which flow from the Mysteries of Baptism and Repentance, just as illumination is an actualization of the powers given by the mystery of Chrism, while union with God is an effect of the Eucharist.” – Staniloae, D Orthodox Spirituality, p. 135.
- 14. Repentance is permanent St. Isaac the Syrian – “If we are all sinners and no one is above temptations, not one of the virtues is above repentance. Its work can never end.” “Repentance is the hypostasis of the judgment of our conscience not only for our sins but also for our virtues, because we always realize them in an imperfect form. Nothing escapes it; it absolves nothing.” – Staniloae, D. Orthodox Spirituality p. 137 Repentance is the road to love. - from insufficient love to more love.
- 15. Repentance and Joy Repentance and Joy. Prodigal Son – Joy of the Son who returns back to his father’s house.
- 16. Repentance as gift Repentance is a gift –Acts 11:17-18 ; both Jews and Gentiles received it. Romans 2:4
- 17. Repentance and Tears First steps out of fear Higher steps out of love “Cleanse us, Lord, by repentance and by tears of compunction from every passion and stain and defilement of sin” – Introductory Prayer Saturday 3rd hour “and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” – St. Luke 7:38
- 18. Repentance and community Restoring the sinner back to the fold of People of God Repenting for the community Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. – St. Luke 23:28
- 19. Repentance and Great lent Great Lent as a school of repentance. “It is indeed a school of repentance, to which each Christian must go every year in order to refresh the understanding of his faith. It is a wonderful pilgrimage to the very sources of Orthodoxy, a rediscovery of a truly Orthodox way of life.” - Fr. Alexander Schmemman
- 20. From Dead Works Dead works (nekron egron) – Ephesians 2:5; Col 2:13 All act of man by himself – Dead works related to works of the law Heb. 9:14 – “dead works” Acts 8:22 (metanaeson apo tes kakias)