I find it hilarious that the same people who would claim to follow the Early Church and would claim to follow Scripture would somehow miss the fact that God the Word became Man and was BORN of a Woman, the Virgin Mary. The Theotokos BORE Him who IS God at ALL TIMES. God the Word, Jesus Christ, merely took on Human Nature and deified it with His Divine Nature. Without confusion. He is God AND Man. Two natures. One Person. If He was not Both God and Man. Salvation becomes IMPOSSIBLE. Glory to Jesus Christ ☦️☦️☦️

@Orm-zn6fl

4 ай бұрын

Can we say that a man Jesus Christ created the world while being on the cross?

@mariorizkallah5383

4 ай бұрын

@@Orm-zn6flHe created the world, before the world was. Your question makes no sense.

@Orm-zn6fl

4 ай бұрын

@@mariorizkallah5383 My question actually makes a lot of scense, because that is what Maximus the Confessor wrote in one of his letters. I just wanted to know some opinions on this. Thank you for your opinion though.

@LadyMaria

4 ай бұрын

@@WillofGodwhosoever Orthodoxy isn't a denomination. We don't believe in an invisible Church, never have from the 1st century. It isn't selfish pride, it's reality. We can't all be one if we don't have the same Faith and no Eucharistic communion. It is more selfish and prideful to impose one's personal theology on us. No facts have been rearranged, twisted, isolated for us. If isn't about being special, privileged or any other worldly nonsense. It isn't about getting into heaven, or being saved from damnation. This life is about coming into communion with God in love of Him, with infusion of His grace, and being united to Him for eternity for the hereafter; starting by being on the path Christ began through His Apostles. There are no tickets to a place or earning anything to go to a place. Only unity or non-unity with God. You think you're piously preaching but it's instead fighting against the Theanthropic reality, the Church. Ecumenism is a worldly thing that makes no sense. We will stay with the Faith once delivered to the People of God. Emotionalism will not sway us to abandon what God has given us. Learn of the Holy Orthodox Faith and come home to Christ. ☦︎

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

@@Orm-zn6fl you realize things within creation happen in time and space. Christ who made the universe is the same person who died on the cross. It’s the person, the hypostasis, that is important. He even Himself in the gospels says that He laid the pillars and the foundations of the earth.

Blessed is she, Theotokos. All glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God bless you all.

@mikesamuel9175

3 ай бұрын

"FILLED with GRACE" does NOT mean that Mary as a mere Jewish maiden was "SO FULL OF GRACE" that the GRACE bestowed to her by the Heavenly FATHER, YAHWEH is truly "INEXHAUSTIBLE" ie the GRACE that CANNOT be DEPLETED no matter HOW MUCH of it was imparted or given by MARY to ALL of her ADHERENTS aka WORSHIPERS! Little wonder then that the Roman Catholic religion has again ELEVATED this Jewish woman to the SAME level as CHRIST YESHUA is in Heaven TODAY, purportedly given her own Realm or KINGDOM to as "QUEEN", which is called the "REALM of MERCY" whilst KING YESHUA reigns as KING in the "REALM of JUSTICE" on a 50/50 basis!! Haven't you Roman Catholics ever wondered why the QUEEN of Heaven (who is actually the Queen of Babylon, the wife of NIMROD, the KING of Ancient Babylon) is called CO-Mediator, CO-Redeemer, Co-Intercessor and CO-Saviour! It is also declared as a Roman Catholic DOGMA that....the "GOD Mother Mary is the SAVIOUR of ALL Roman Catholics that WORSHIP her." Hence, it is all CURSES and ANATHEMAS for those individuals outside the so-called "Holy Roman Catholic" religion and that includes BELLIGERENT Roman Catholics who stubbornly refused to WORSHIP the Queen of Heaven. What CONSOLIDATED the Dogma of the IMMENSE power and SAVING GRACE that the "God MOTHER" welds today was when the late Pope John Paul II aka Karol Wojtyla declared " TOTUS TUUS MARIAM!!" which means "I AM ALL YOUR MARY", and by that intimation..., this dead pope JP II has WHOLEHEARTEDLY, TOTALLY and ECCLESIASTICALLY consecrated the ENTIRE world to the PROTECTION and the INEXHAUSTIBLE SAVING GRACE of the QUEEN of HEAVEN who is EQUAL to KING YESHUA in Heaven today!! YESHUA they say is VERY RUDE and CRUEL but the Mother of God is NOT, so ROMAN CATHOLICS must come to her (MARY) for their SALVATION! FACT: Roman Catholicism has LITERALLY elevated Mary to the level of the TRIUNE Elohim - YAHWEH, YESHUA and the HOLY SPIRIT; otherwise...she would NEVER have the POWER and GRACE to SAVE every Roman Catholic soul except those who would not WORSHIP her! Therefore, I would like to conclude that the IDEA of MARY being the MOTHER of YAHWEH or the Elohim YESHUA is a COMPLETE diabolical SCAM / HOAX!!

I was one of those Protestants, and now, so God wills, I am on my way to Holy Orthodoxy.

At the point of the Annunciation Blessed Mary became the Theotokos. Christ is always God.

Excellent video, Father. In the denomination I grew up in (charismatic pentecostal), they still ask me about this. They admit that Jesus is God, Mary is His Mother, but seem to have an issue with her being called the Mother of God. May He enlighten those still in darkness as I used to be. -Euphrosynos from Tennessee (ROCOR)

I am an American raised Baptist who is considering converting to orthodoxy. This is an important topic and a stumbling block to most Protestants. I think this video is a clear way to explain it, thank you Fr

Thank you for this, Father. I'm a fairly new catechuman, and the Theotokos was a subject i didn't fully understand when i first started attending my church. But, the more i have learned, the more reverence and love i have gained for the Mother of God, and now pray for her interssions daily. I am truly grateful for all that i have learned so far and for the continued teachings of the Orthodox Church.

Ευλογείται Πάτερ Μιχαήλ σε ευχαριστούμε ως αδέλφια Ορθόδοξοι της Ελλάδος _Greece , Συνεχίστε τον πνευματικό αγώνα που σας παρέδωσε ο κύριος ημών Ιησούς Χριστός είθε ο Θεός να έχει καλά όλα τα αδέρφια εις την πίστη της αλήθειας εις την Αμερική !

@eleniminas7742

4 ай бұрын

Aμην ♥︎ Κύριε Ελέησον ημάς

Learning the Greek of the bible really illuminates the nuanced meaning lost in translations to English, thanks!

@candaniel

3 ай бұрын

Any recommendation for someone just beginning to inquire into this?

@Desertfox21

3 ай бұрын

​@@candaniel if you're talking about inquiring into orthodoxy then I'd recommend "know the faith" published by ancient faith. If you're talking about learning the Greek of the bible, that will come from simply learning koine greek.

Great explanation in such a short period of time. You have a great blessing to teach. Thank you Father for sharing your gift with us 🙏🏻☦️👑

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

God bless you my friend. Please keep me in your prayers

@slowboywhiteboardv4

4 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodox Always 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Thank you for your defense, and teachings of the Orthodox faith. ☦️ 🙏🏽

Forgive me for my previous comment on the last post you made. You and the church fathers are correct on this and I was a fool to think otherwise. Mar Mari definitely has crossed the line, and I will pray for him and his followers. It’s so weird how my church had a Bible study tonight and the topic was heresy’s and the original church councils. We talked a lot about nestorious and this very same topic, helped clear a lot of confusion for me and many. God Bless you father, again my apologies. I’d love to order you a tripod, please let me know your email so I can send you one.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

No worries! All is forgiven and God bless you! My email is on my about section for the channel. I am honestly just glad that the confusion was able to be cleared up :) My personal email is fr.mikhail.baleka@gmail.com

@noblumoon

3 ай бұрын

​@@living_orthodoxI watched your video criticing Mar Mari...actually, he makes total sense to me...as a Catholic, even as a child, praying the Hail Mary, always made me uncomfortable...I substituted the words "mother of God" with "mother of Jesus Christ". Naturally, no one told me, I just did it.

@living_orthodox

3 ай бұрын

@@noblumoon go read the fathers of the third council. The problem is you don’t know how to distinguish essence from person. Mar Mari is presenting a low IQ strawman and a low IQ “Christianity”. Jesus is God. People give birth to persons. Not natures. Mar Mari’s Christology preaches a christ who is a husk possessed by the Logos. Rethink and don’t be so willingly deceived. Literally, no one believes the Theotokos birthed and gave existence to divine nature. The people who use that as an argument are theologically illiterate, impious, blasphemous and stupid.

@noblumoon

3 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodox wow, that was quite an attack on an innocent comment! I mentioned as a child, I felt uncomfortable with part of the Hail Mary prayer, and recently listening to Mar Mari, it made sense to me. Yes, I need to learn more, and that is why I am reading and watching videos. No one has all the answers. But an attack like this from someone who is claiming to preach the true word of God....very illuminating.

@living_orthodox

3 ай бұрын

@@noblumoon if you think attacking an error is a personal attack, then there’s a lot of unscrambling you need to do. I’d recommend reading Socratic Logic by Peter Kreeft. The Church actually does have the answers. Read the post-apostolic fathers. You’re also claiming to be intuitively enlightened. Yet by refusing to call her the Mother of God, you’re denying the divinity of the person of Christ.

Thanks Father, God bless you!! Please pray for my husband, that he finds work very soon. We are struggling a lot financially at the moment. Thanks so much!! We pray for you too!! 🙏 We're in the process of becoming orthodox. The Church is not close to where we live, so we can't go because we can't afford to go.

"Those who do not call the Virgin Mary- THEOTOKOS- ARE COMPLETELY WITHOUT GOD." ST GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN

@AVoiceCryingintheDesert-tq4vw

4 ай бұрын

What you have stated is the exact opposite of reality. You are the accursed of God. Repent!

@cscs9192

3 ай бұрын

I'm very sure you will find people claim the opposite ... Constructive dialog and argument are much better than cursing christians with different opinion.

@alexpanagiotis4706

3 ай бұрын

@@cscs9192There can be NO OPPOSITE! Those who deny ARE NOT CHRISTIANS. YOU GOT IT NOW? THEY ARE UNBAPTISED PAGANS

Thank you for this important video, may God in his loving mercy open the minds and hearts of those who refuse to call Mary, the Holy Mother of God!! God bless the Holy Fathers of the Third Ecumenical Council in proclaiming the truth and refuting the heresy of Nestorius!@

Blessings to you and your family Fr. Mikhail ❤

thank you for making this video lol i literally just asked the question on your last video.

Thank you for your great and concise explanations. Your channel has been very helpful in my Orthodox journey.

Great synopsis of the Orthodox Christological dogma against the Nestorians. Could you please elaborate on the monophysitism/monothelitism and the mariolatry of the papists? Thank you very much

Thanks!

Great explanation! It is beyond me how protestants can believe Jesus would disrespect and downplay the importance of His own mother, yet they claim they think "Biblically".

@abashedsanctimony154

4 ай бұрын

Mary was a righteous woman that did sin. She wasn’t technically a pagan as it were or even a gentile. But it would never mean that she was sinful/sinless. She would have have had to purify herself for being unclean/reproductive uncleanliness. She was subject to the law and she’s beholden to Christ who was sinless. Only Jesus as God was labeled “He who knew no sin”. And He paid for sin. I also make the claim Jesus died as God : because His Divine Spirit felt the punishment of the Father. Which is why Only God can Judge . Jesus judges

@Hoi4o

4 ай бұрын

​@@abashedsanctimony154 What do you mean "she wasn't technically a pagan or even a gentile"? She was a Jewish woman who strictly kept the law of Moses and the commandments of her Son and our Lord!

Thank you for this explanation. Very very very good explanation. Short and sweet. Straight to the point as it can be understood by everyone. 🙏

Thank you for clarifying. Please always do this against other misleading videos.

Because that foul and wretched Nestorius coined that term "Christotokos" and we should never use that term because it denigrates our Lord Jesus, truly God.

@liquidh5226

4 ай бұрын

Said Saint John of Damascus.

Makes sense to me. Thank you for explaining this, since it can be such a muddled subject coming from a Protestant back ground.

@willyb7353

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, same here

THANK YOU Father! I've learned a lot more about Mother of God/Theotokos! May God grant you strength and everything you need to keep your teachings going! 🙏☦

amazing video father

Χριστός Ανέστη! Христос Воскресе! Christ is Risen! Bless you Fr. for you express the understanding of the Mother of God clearly. Yet, we must forgive the foolish of their errors; for God gives to each a measure of their own understanding.

Nestorian theology leads to Nestorian ecclesiology.

@thomasburke9060

3 ай бұрын

Could you say more about that? What is Nestorian ecclesiology?

Hi, I wonder if you could make a video on how the Orthodox church venerates the Virgin Mary? I know Catholics have Hail Mary prayer, Marian apparitions, Mary feasts, celebrations, what does Orthodox have? Also, do you believe in the Virgin Mary's appearance in Fatima, Guadalupe, La Salette? Thank you ❤.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

I definitely can make a video on the subject. No we Orthodox reject the Marian apparitions of the RCC. To us they seem to contradict other appearances and miracles. Some also contain faulty views of ecclesiology. The one in Yugoslavia even went as far as to claim that Muslims are apparently her children as well and are saved. Very antithetical to the teachings of the Church. In short we have many icons, akathists and canons to the Mother of God. We also have Molebens and multiple feast days dedicated to her.

@KGraceSpeaksKea1335

2 ай бұрын

​@@living_orthodoxWhat is your view on the Our Lady of Fatima? Thank you

Thank-you for this clear and beneficial elucidation.

Another video idea for you father that i think is a good idea, is rebuking this idea that exists especially in protestantism of "lowest common denominator christianity" "just believe in your heart and you're saved", "just confess the name christ and you're saved". I know for myself having a video that breaks that idea down and dismantling it would be very helpful and I'm sure it would for others.

Great content Father! Thank you for all the work you do!

Ασ προσευχομαστε στον Θεο ,στον κυριο μας Ιησου Χριστο,να γυρισει ολους αυτος στην αληθηνη,την ορθοδοξη πιστη...!Κυριε,βοηθα...

I’ve read, I think it was Ignatius, use Christotokos once. It led me to think that the term itself is fine, especially before it was condemned. What’s not fine is to use the term and not use Theotokos or say Mary is Christotokos and not Theotokos. She is both.

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

Ignatius was around before nestorius so he didn't know that that term would be used by a heretic later on, the term itself without the nestorian context isn't necessarily an issue. The issue is only calling her christotokos and refusing to say theotokos as you pointed out.

Thank you Father.

Can’t believe that there are people who would slander the Mother of God.

Well that was interesting. I will definitely need to watch it again, because it is difficult. But yeah this is high quality content, because we dwelt into the crux of the debates. Thank you father.

Great video! Definitely learned a lot.

Thank you Father, I really do appreciate your videos, I learn more and more every video.

Thank you for this, father. So necessary here in the heterodox western desert. May the Panagia intercede for us all before the Lord.

Prots gonna start barking again when they see this.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Nestorians, Arians and Protestants, Oh my! I hope you get the joke

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodox sorta, too young for that lol.

@jlynn5680

4 ай бұрын

​@@living_orthodox I got it! 😂

@orthodoxapologetics423

4 ай бұрын

Theyre all one in the same.@@living_orthodox

@jlynn5680

4 ай бұрын

@@orthodoxapologetics423 It's a play off the Wizard of Oz. "Lions, and tigers and bears. Oh my!" 😅

Beautiful.

🙏🏼☦️

Amen. God bless you ..

Father, l just want to say how much l truly appreciate your videos and how they have helped me to better understand our Orthodox faith. I noticed you have always been very kind and civil in your responses to others, including me when l unknowingly made mustakes on theology; whether it's been Nestorian ism, ecumenism, or any issue regarding church history including the ecumenical councils. In addition l again want to thank you for your kind condolences on the passing of my dear wife Kelly anne Papadopoulos. God love you.

Kyrie Isouy Xriste Eleison emas Yper Agia Theotokos skepase mas ☦️

Θεο✝️όκος she is and ever shall be the Mother of G☦️D in the flesh.

Father may I ask that you make a video on the idea of people receiving God's authority hearasey that all we have to do is say we rebuke things and they go away my father and his friend say this often

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

The pentecostals always saying they binding Satan. I wanna know if they really did "bind" him, who keeps letting this joker out every week to where they gotta "bind" him again next sunday.

@apprenticej9406

4 ай бұрын

@living_orthodox thank you father! :^)

@apprenticej9406

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 my dad's Fri does this all day and night

@apprenticej9406

4 ай бұрын

@living_orthodox father please I beg you to pray for my younger sister Rachel I found gay magazines in her room I will handle this lovingly but I want others to pray too! I must not tell my family about this she's only 13

Well said, salutations from a Catholic friend. God bless🙏🏻❤️

Roman Catholic (traditional not norvus ordo) and yes i agree, great vid and thank you for the info 🤙🏻✝️☦️🕊️🙏🏻

Excellent explaination of Christ "assuming" human nature: of Christ "becoming" man while still remaining God. And so He is able to secure humankind's salvation. Amazing! Thank you for clarification of this extremely important point of theology.

Love your content Father Mikhail...Wasn't Jesus circumsized on the eighth day?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Presented in the temple on the 40th day. Which was when the Theotokos brought Him after the days of purification as prescribed by the Law of Moses. This can be found in the gospel of Luke

@stephengrady3664

4 ай бұрын

My apologies I listened again and now realize you mentioned the circumcision and the presentation as two separate events.

Ο τίτλος Θεοτόκος (Θεοτόκος) είναι ελληνική λέξη που σημαίνει γεννήτρια του Θεού, Μητέρα του Θεού ή Θεοφόρο. Η πιο κοινή από αυτές τις μεταφράσεις είναι η Μητέρα του Θεού, αν και οι άλλες δύο είναι επίσης αρκετά κοινές. Πολύ καλό βίντεο αδερφέ.

ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΣ Theotokos it's a compound word from ΘΕΟΣ ( God) TΟΚΟΣ ΤΟΚΕΤΟΣ Tokos it's Birth . It's a significant honorific to the Holy Mother for her uniqueness before she gave birth , she encarnated the Logos , the divine hypostasis together with his human one, perfectly united in one person our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth ❤❤🎉🎉 We highly regard our Holy Mother, some days ago I came across randonly to a video that said its inappropriate to pray to our Holy Mother Maria, I commented and omg the hostility and berated comments I got, I was wondering are you even Christians? 😮 WE have a beautiful hymns for Her ♡May the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth bless you all 🎉Love from Greece 🇬🇷 ❤

@eleniminas7742

4 ай бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/m2FnypuNgZaXYsY.htmlsi=gSFWCR6f2hR2dbId

Thank you father Mikhail for articulating such a fundamental part of our faith abundantly clear. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has been teaching the same for over a thousand years. Your videos produced in English language will help make the truth more accessible at a global level. God bless you!

@AVoiceCryingintheDesert-tq4vw

4 ай бұрын

The last thing this ungodly man teaches is the truth of the Bible. He only teaches the lies and deceptions of his false manmade Godless religion.

Outside the topic, but does anyone know the title and artist of the outro music? It catches my ear every time I watch this channel. Sounds a bit like Capella Romana, but I'm curious.

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

It's psalm 135, greek orthodox chant

@xenozombie6200

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 Thank you. The first search result is a post on this very channel from 9 months ago. I just never saw it. 👍

Thank you father Mikhail!

Mary is the Theotokos God bearer or mother of God.

@AVoiceCryingintheDesert-tq4vw

4 ай бұрын

Wrong! mary was an evil, Godless, corrupt, woman same as all woman. God had to save her just like all of the few who Jesus came to save. mary is dead and in the grave same as everyone else who has ever died. Repent!

@oogaleeboogalee6522

4 ай бұрын

God would choose an "evil, Godless, corrupt woman" to bear His only begotten Son? 🧐

@reformedcatholic457

4 ай бұрын

@@oogaleeboogalee6522 She was a believer.

@LukeCh.10verse16-mb8om

4 ай бұрын

@@oogaleeboogalee6522 ,...Mary was an evil, Godless, corrupt woman just like every other woman. And just like all those God chose to save, God had to make mary spiritually alive and cleanse her and make her a Christian. Mary was no different than any other woman God chose to save. She is dead and in the grave awaiting judgement day the same as all those who have died. Anyone thinking or holding that mary was/is any different than any other person God chose to save, is completely Biblically illiterate, spiritually dead, blind, lost, deceived, Gods enemy, and is accursed of God. Anyone preying to her or to anyone else who has died, is praying to the dead, and is in 100% violation to God and to Gods word and will with 100% certainty be cast into the lake of fire.

@SaltandLight-yp6tu

4 ай бұрын

@@oogaleeboogalee6522 ,...Mary was an evil, Godless, corrupt woman just like every other woman. And just like all those God chose to save, God had to make mary spiritually alive and cleanse her and make her a Christian. Mary was no different than any other woman God chose to save. She is dead and in the grave awaiting judgement day the same as all those who have died. Anyone thinking or holding that mary was/is any different than any other person God chose to save, is completely Biblically illiterate, spiritually dead, blind, lost, deceived, Gods enemy, and is accursed of God. Anyone preying to her or to anyone else who has died, is praying to the dead, and is in 100% violation to God and to Gods word and will with 100% certainty be cast into the lake of fire.

Jesus is GOD and she is his mother . 🤷‍♂️☦️

☦️🕊🔥📿

Thanks Father ....... All the way from South Africa

I'm generally still struggling with this. I have a few questions. I know they sound argumentative, but I genuinely don't want to be a Nestorian, I want my doubts removed. I have great respect for you, and don't take harm from the tone of these questions: First, a consequence of this argument is that saying "Jesus did x" can now be said as "God did x". So, is it proper to say: - God was born - God has a mother - God was tempted - God was hungry, thirsty, God had to go to the bathroom, etc. Which then pushes the statement "God is not all-powerful" - God did not know the hour, which then pushes the statement "God was, at some point in time, not all-knowing" - God died (not "the human body of Christ died", because that would be Nestorianism, but "God died") (Basically, insert the common Muslim dawah here lol because my answer for these questions would always basically say "noo, God didn't die, it was the human body of Jesus that died." and stuff like that) Second, if saying "God died" is a valid statement, then who raised Jesus from the dead? If Jesus rose Himself from the dead, was he ever dead to begin with (since death implies inaction)? If God the Father or the Holy Ghost rose Him, does that mean it was outside of Jesus's power to rise Himself from the dead? Third, you put up the point that "God became man." Well, a human has certain attributes, and isn't original sin one of them? I probably don't have an understanding of original sin, since this seems too obvious to not be considered already Lastly, What problems arise with Christ operating THROUGH a man rather than AS a man? You mentioned that this would invalidate his sacrifice, but I don't see how this is a problem. You also imply that if Christ was only operating through a man, that somehow he wouldn't be divine at his birth? If you, or someone else, actually answers these, I extend you many, many thank you's.

@living_orthodox

Ай бұрын

I really want to help you. Let’s plan to talk. My email is fr.mikhail.baleka@gmail.com. If you’re on telegram my handle is @frbaleka

1,000th like 😀☦️

Who is that man my brother, that you have clips of teaching in this video?

@Desertfox21

2 ай бұрын

He has a couple clips of a couple people. You mean the heretic mari Emmanuel?

Not on topic of the video, but father i'd like your opinion on something. So I live in ohio and ive been thinking if theres any way to adjust orthodoxy to the american culture (similar to St herman of alaska with the natives or even currently in africa you see an embrace of african culture, of course not butchering the liturgy or the theology), but america really does not have a culture. In ohio, the music everyone below the age of 35 listens to sounds like its produced in factories, same with the clothes that are worn, the artwork, anything that would make a culture special has been completely steralized but when an ohioan walks into an orthodox church and its got too much of an eastern European flavor it turns them off. What is your opinion? I know you see this like in the appalachians with hymns being done in a bluegrass chant type, but someone in the midwest or a bit city is just as divorced from that as they are from greek culture or whatever.

@AdamRosner-jg3zp

4 ай бұрын

Fantastic question - I have thought about this too. Canadian culture is perhaps even less defined, and I don’t think hockey or poutine can really be incorporated into the Orthodox culture here. I would be curious about this too

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@AdamRosner-jg3zp exactly. I live near toledo ohio. There's literally no culture to anything.

❤️☦️

What happens if the Church you wanna go to for the first time would deny you to go in? I just happend to have a Sad thought if i was denied to come to one of a few close Orthodox churches here in Sweden

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

No one would deny you.

@botuwu7175

4 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodoxokey, just hade a Sad thought if i or someone were to be denied, just like it was before Christ came to the world, were God mostly was around the isralites even though he sent out prophets like i think elijah to the widow that wasnt an isrilaite

Father, wouldn’t it be the case that Christ would have to assume human nature to redeem humans?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Yes. Christ had to assume our nature and all that is appropriate to it in order to heal it.

@OrthodoxJourney359

4 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodox thank you Father for the truth you faithfully give.

It's not as if "Mother of Christ" were incorrect. It is who Mary is. She's also the Mother of God, the Virgin of Virgins, the Immaculate Conceived, the Arc of the Covenant, and the Queen to Heaven Assumed. We use all those titles in her litany.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

There’s a reason we don’t say “Mother of Christ”. It leads to the confusion I made a post about. It’s Mother of God. Christ is God. Leave it there and keep it simple.

@povilzem

4 ай бұрын

​@@living_orthodoxI like to think in simple terms. If it is right to give our Lord Jesus the epithet of Christ, the anointed Messiah, then it is also right to call His mother the Mother of Christ, as a matter of fact. Confusion only arises if one can't recognise an obvious, blatant heresy that pretty much denies the divinity of the Son. We can't discard a truth just because Nestorius (whom I will now always imagine having Mar Mari's face; thanks, father) misunderstood and abused it. Then again, I don't think "Mother of Christ" has the same connotations as "Christotokos". The first one seems right, while the second feels like a perversion. Just as Theotokos doesn't quite mean "Mother of God", though in this case both titles are fitting.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

@@povilzem so you think you’re wiser than the councils and the saints? The people who spoke and understood the language and its connotations? That’s delusion. No. Christokos implies a division in the person of Christ, as Christ can also simply mean anointed and was applied as term in the Septuagint to describe other anointed figures. It implies that the human nature is separate from the divine hypostasis of Christ and thus fractures the union and renders Christ as two hypostases. The divide so sharp they are essentially two people. Christotokos would be translated as Mother of Christ. Innovation leads to new heresy. Be sure you don’t add another to the list. You need to do some reading and spend time not simply learning on YT or Tik Tok. Only one title is fitting and that’s Theotokos. You’re not the councils and to deny them and the fathers is to place your opinions over theirs and the indeed, the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

@povilzem

4 ай бұрын

​@@living_orthodoxI know only as much as I know. Nothing more. I know that you're giving me an incorrect translation born of the inadequacies of the English language. "Christotokos" translates to "the Christ-Birther". I know what the word "christ" means. There have been many mothers of christs, and Mary is clearly among them, lest we dare claim that her divine Son is not Christ. Therefore, "Mother of Christ" is an objectively correct description of what Mary is, and I know that the Church uses it as such in some prayers and in writings. I know that the Church also clearly reiterates that Mary is The One Who Gave Birth To God - Dei Genitrix, Theotokos. Because I know that Jesus is God, as well as Man, by nature. I know that "Christotokos" is a term of heretical dogma that has been condemned more than a thousand years ago, and that's why we don't use it nor its Latin equivalent. I know my knowledge is lacking, and I will seek to deepen it. But these things I know to be true.

Thanks, Father! Seems as though there is a lot of rational reasoning behind these heresies?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Yes and no. There’s a degree of irrationality as they oftentimes end up placing limits on God to try and explain Him being without limit.

Song at the end?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Prokimenon psalm 49

Dear Father Mikhail Peace and Grace Thank you for the great effort you put in this video. Just 2 small comments 1- In minute 3:35 - 3:45, our Lord was Circumcised on the 8th Day not the 40th day and was presented to the Temple on the 40th day. 2- Explaining the right Christology and the error of the Nestorian Heresy, should at least touch on the work of St. Cyril of Alexandria and his beautiful examples explaining the Hypostatic Union as he dialogued with Nestorius. just a humble feedback. Thank you

1:10 that preacher didn't even get the bible right. It says "yea, rather...", not "nay, rather..." St. Luke 11:28

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

I'm shocked. A protestant misquoting the bible for his own gain.

I have great respect for orthodox teachings and culture. And I will not say that I know more than the church when I am so new in my studies. But I cannot honestly say I understand this topic. It feels above me, beyond me. Is it wrong to agree with this dogma out of obedience, rather than personal understanding?

@living_orthodox

28 күн бұрын

No, but it’s important to understand it. We call Mary the Theotokos (birth giver/mother of God), because Jesus is God. He as a person is God. He isn’t a shell or a nature that was given birth too.

hello father can u make a vid about wmscog who claims that there is a living god mother in korea and christ 2nd coming is already happened as a korean man name anshawong can u tell abiut their false teaching they are growing faster than ever too and also be careful of their copyright . thank you

Father Michael, i am a part of the coptic orthodox church , we belive in the same things as jesus christ is one nature fully human and fully devin born from the holy theotokos , but given what you said about father mar mari emmanuel, does this also say we are hertics ?

@living_orthodox

3 ай бұрын

Mar Mari would call you heretics. And yes, Coptic theology is heretical. That said dear one, we don’t believe the same thing. Your Church still confuses person and nature. Not only is it incorrect to call Christ one nature (He is one person, one divine hypostasis), He has new two natures. Not one nor is He a divino-human or Tertium Quid. Natures are inner active principles. The problem with Coptic metaphysics is that it confuses nature with persons and logically collapses into Tri-Theism.

@thomasburke9060

2 ай бұрын

What do you mean by saying He is one nature, fully human and fully divine?

What do you think about bill 367 father?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Can you clarify what it is?

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@living_orthodox a bill trying to be passed in Canada that would "remove religious exemptions to defend hate speech". Based on what I've seen it would make it illegal to read certain parts of the bible even. I haven't looked too much into it though, just wasn't sure if you'd heard it or not.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 it’s hard to keep up with Trudeau’s various evils. Either way, I’ll be also speaking publicly against him.

Do I have to venerate icons if I convert, Michael? Thank you very much . I appreciate your input.

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

You arent required to do anything right off the bat. If you start off uncomfortable with it you can ease yourself into it. Thats how it was with me. But you cannot be orthodox and believe that it is idolatry or to believe that there is no spiritual effect when venerating an icon.

why isn't there an orthodox church in town? the closest one I can find is 60 miles away.

@AdamRosner-jg3zp

4 ай бұрын

It’s a tragedy - but it’s a common problem. It’s because in the west we live in a spiritual culture that is the fruit of schism and heresy for a thousand years. But people seem to be flocking to the Orthodox Church and perhaps in a generation there will be parishes everywhere

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

If you can't make it to that church every Sunday because of the distance, try going at least every other weekend or once a month.

Hey guys, religous newbie here, english isnt my first language, this video is hard to understand for me because my knowledge is only little, please correct me if im wrong :), so my understanding of this video is, maria is the mother of god, because jesus is god and man in one, but shes not superior to god as if she made god himself, and this is called theosokos? Is this part of the trinity? Is this the belive of the orthodox and catholic church? Is this mentioned in the bible?

@Desertfox21

3 ай бұрын

So Mary is the mother of God because the only person she gave birth to was Jesus Christ who himself is God. No she is not a part of the trinity. As orthodox we do not go off "bible alone" it was our church who formed the bible and there is a lot of history that went into the formation of the bible itself. I would recommend finding an orthodox church near you that speaks your language so you can talk to the priest.

@noblumoon

3 ай бұрын

​@@Desertfox21Jesus was not Mary's only child...after the virgin birth of Jesus, she had children from Joseph

@Desertfox21

3 ай бұрын

@@noblumoon protestant misunderstand and mistranslations. Jesus is called the son of Joseph in the bible. Does that make Jesus his biological son? No. So why is it when mary is referred to as having other children you assume they are her biological children? Joseph was married before Mary. He was betrothed to her to be her protector. He was a widower with children from a previous marriage. You don't have the traditions of the church, so you can't understand scripture.

@noblumoon

3 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 where can I find this information?

@Desertfox21

3 ай бұрын

@@noblumoon st john maximovitch has a book on it called "the orthodox veneration of the mother of God" this is the oral tradition of the church. Paul says in 2 thessalonians 2:15 to hold to both oral and written traditions. You can find throughout the life of the church going all the way back to the apostolic fathers (the direct Disciples of the apostles) they held that mary was an ever-virgin and never had sexual relations.

pesta CHrisostome - Πεστα Χρυσοστομε

Russian Orthodox here🤍 God bless you

Protestants: Slander the Virgin Mary Also Protestants: Heretical Christology Without correct Mariology, your Christology will inevitably be wrong as a result.

@acekoala457

4 ай бұрын

Improper Christology will lead to Improper understandings of Theology and Ecclesiology.

I’m wondering if you can answer a question for me. I’m reading Genesis and how is it that God made light and separated it from the darkness and called the light Day and the darkness night. That was the first day. Then it wasn’t until the fourth day that God created the sun and moon and stars. ?? Can you help explain maybe ?

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

I would say probably read the orthodox study bible and what it says when reading through genesis. The orthodox church doesn't have a dogmatic view of what is happening in genesis. There's not too much of a consensus in the church fathers is my understanding.

@alexpanagiotis4706

4 ай бұрын

You are posting nonsense! The LIGHT IS A SPIRITUAL LIGHT - ANGELS. GOD DID NOT CREATE DARKNESS -have you noticed

She is the Mother of God ❤❤❤❤ my father is a Protestant and he always says Mary the mother of Jesus. When I was little, I didn't get it but thank God I've been raised in my mother church which was Orthodox. In the church they always say the mother of God ❤❤ theotokos

Father sorry for bothering you I am drunk and briken hearted I am lusting and i kneow its not good Please pray for me

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

God help you dear one. Please try to see a priest soon and pray the akathist to the Mother of God, the inexhaustible cup.

Didn’t Jesus get circumcised on the 8th day not the 40th day?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

No. The gospels make it clear it’s on the 40th day. The Theotokos couldn’t present Him in the temple prior to the forty days of purification. The 8th day is when children were formally named.

You say Jesus not being fully man destroys the salvation narrative. I'm new to this, could you make a video delving further into that?

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

What? You need to re-listen. He’s fully God and Fully Man. Nestorianism claims that Christ has two hypostases and two natures. I am arguing against the heresy of Nestorianism.

@RageMagikarp

4 ай бұрын

​​@@living_orthodoxYes and the heretical part of Nestorius' position (well, one of the heretical parts) is The Son not being fully man in the sense of His person. They overly separate the humanity and the Divinity of Jesus such that he loses both, being merely a human vessel that was possessed by God. You've said in a few videos now, including at 12:00 in this video, that such a position destroys the narrative of salvation. I'm not disagreeing, I'm coming to you asking for further clarification because I actually find that line of thinking extremely compelling despite the fact I don't understand it.

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

​@@RageMagikarp so in 2 timothy Paul says Christ is the sole mediator between God and man. If there is a human christ and a divine christ then that is 2 mediators. The point is why did the divine christ need to become incarnate at all if the human christ is the one on the cross.

As a protestant, i basically agree with everything you said, this is also the position of my denomination, But I don't think someone who uses the term "mother of Christ" as intrinsically wrong, as one may use it while believing in complete accord with the correct view, I believe the pastor you showed in the video believes on what you said too (as in Jesus is truly God and truly man) I may be wrong, I don't know him I also see some people that fear others would misunderstood the term, believing that it means The Son isn't coeternal like The Father, or in fear that people may confuse the Persons as in "Mary is the mother of the whole Trinity" or "Mary is the mother of Christ the father" I such cases, one uses another term while believing in what the term Theotokos implies Sorry for bad English, I may be completely wrong, if that's the case, please correct me

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

So as a protestant I think you simply fail to understand the history behind what is being discussed. To call her "mother of christ" does not do it justice because the term "christ" does not inherently mean something divine. So you are denying that Christ is divine by not calling mary the mother of God. Most protestant pastors cannot even articulate what the trinity is, what christ is, who christ is, etc. They skip over theology (who God is), skip over christology (who christ is) and just go straight to soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and this causes confusion. Because you cannot know how God saves you until you know who God is. I would recommend you watch father Michael's videos on protestantism and I ask you strongly consider orthodoxy.

@dimitrimolotovvyacheslav4604

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 I got a bit confused there, thought you were saying you're a protestant "Christ does not inherently mean something divine" maybe in a place without any context of who Jesus Christ is, in the west, people have the context to know who you are talking about "You're denying that Christ is divine" in no way someone who calls Mary the mother of Christ is denying that Christ is divine, it's just not explicit in the word I use About the pastors, I don't have much to say about that, I found very smart and we'll studied ones, sure there are the bad ones, the Holy Spirit guides his church, may he help us despite bad theologies Let the bible speak for itself "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" I have much respect for the Eastern church, but there's basically no EO church where i live

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@dimitrimolotovvyacheslav4604 I mean the word "christ" in greek just means "anointed one" so you're not saying he is anything divine when you just call him christ. If you say christ in front of an Arian then they'll think of someone that is not God. When you say it in front of a nestorian they will think of 2 seperate persons like mar mari does. Also you mentioned the holy spirit guiding the church, as orthodox we believe that the only true church is the Orthodox church because how could the holy spirit lead people a million different ways?

@dimitrimolotovvyacheslav4604

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 I don't know any Arian nor nestorian, so that's ok, if I'm talking to someone about Jesus Christ I will certainly get to the part where I say he's God About the different denominations, there may be differences some caused by actual theological error, but they are my brothers, if they believe and follow the essentials, I believe God may save us despite our imperfect theology, individually we are imperfect but we are members of the Bride of Christ, which is Holy and preserved by the Holy Spirit I don't see the basis for the Eastern exclusivity, but if you believe so, you guys should be more focused on spreading the gospel, most people here don't even know there's a church called orthodox, but everyday tens of millions of people worship the God incarnated who said if they confess with their mouth and believe in their heart, they may be saved

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@dimitrimolotovvyacheslav4604 we are the second largest communion of Christians in the world Firstly. And secondly, who gets to say what the "essentials" are? Why should I follow your list of "essentials"?

I'm I guess you would consider protestant or evangelical but honestly I don't fit in with them either since I don't like how low intellect they can be at times or rather contradictory I found many orthodox channels have great explanations on many topics and I find this denomination has the best defense on God the trinity and all else in the metaphysical department That all being stated I'd like to say i understand veneration a lot better than I did and i wouldn't say that orthodox are committing sin because veneration isn't worshipping saints however I'm not sure about Mary being a sinless person or her being a Virgin

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

So by mary being a virgin I assume you mean a perpetual virgin right? So we don't believe in the immaculate conception like roman catholics and we don't believe in original guilt like catholics do. So we don't believe people inherit the guilt of Adam. So mary was sinless because as the scripture says she was full of grace, and so by working together with God's grace she was able to avoid sinning her whole life. As for her being a perpetual virgin, if you read the ancient liturgies made by the apostles themselves, they attest to the fact she was a perpetual virgin.

@brainman67

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 but what about texts that say he had other brothers? Are those just close friends or cousins as I've heard

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@brainman67 they were Joseph's sons. He was a widower. And yes in the ancient context often times cousins you grew up with were called "brothers"

@brainman67

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 fair points

@alexpanagiotis4706

4 ай бұрын

​@@Desertfox21Many orthodox believe in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OR SOMETHING SIMILAR

Sam Shamoun believes in nestorianism😔

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

Shamoun is just confused right now. I think he got a little duped by mari. He doesn't believe in nestorianism, he just doesn't realize mari believes in nestorianism.

@nubRas10

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 in his stream he literally said he’s going to get a icon of nestorius.

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

@@nubRas10 oh, forgive me. I hadn't seen that

@nubRas10

4 ай бұрын

@@Desertfox21 it's ok, because it was a recent stream☺

@Desertfox21

4 ай бұрын

​@@nubRas10even still he has probably just been duped by mari into thinking nestorius didn't teach what he did. I don't think he believes Christ is 2 persons. I think if Sam stays honest and humble he will find the truth.

The danger is not simply from Protestants whose whole movement and ethos is so removed from that of the Apostolic and sub-Apostolic Church. In Sidney, New South Wales, there is a Nestorian heresiarch, Mar Mari Emanuel, the so-called Tik Tok bishop. His approach and appearance give an image, but beneath the appearance beats the heart of an avowed Nestorian. Celebrating I have heard him in Syriac proclaiming Nestorius heresy and seeking the intercession of ‘saint nestorius’. Beware there are many ancient heresies alive today, Nestorian, Arian and Semi-Arian as well as the heresies of Pelagius and Modalism to mention just a few. They were nclude the heresy of Monophysites. Be careful out there and heed the warnings of Orthodox pastors and arch pastors.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

If you check out my channel’s previous videos, I actually did a two part (to date) series on him and his not-so-subtle Nestorianism.

If Mary is Mother of God (theotokos) How come no Gospel or Epistle from the NT say that Jesus appeared to her in the Resurrection? I mean , you cannot miss that ! Mary was at Calvary and Pentecost but NOT at Jesus's resurrection. Please , don"t claim to tradition or speculation. (That is the easy way) This is a fact ! Jesus"s appeared to Mary Magdalene, angels , Jesus's disiciples. Jacob.( Jesus's brother) Peter, Paul, and 500 more brothers and sisters. ..but NOT Mary, his mother.😮She deserved better, for God's sake, She was his mother! God (the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit) did not believe NECCESARY to mention that in the Holy Scriptures. I do not understand. Unless...

@living_orthodox

2 ай бұрын

Are you illiterate, or inpuous. She is actually present at Pentecost. She also was present for the resurrection nor does absence of place mean that she isn’t the Mother of God, because Jesus is God. You’re denying this by this statement and thus not a Christian. You don’t understand. Plain and simple. Stop relying on your limited understanding and spend some time with this.

Christotokos is no longer considered a heresy in Rome

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

Same with many other heresies apparently

@alexpanagiotis4706

4 ай бұрын

It is a heresy. No matter what Rome says

@atomicsnowflake

4 ай бұрын

Because Rome is on the path of destruction.

Jesus has a mother for He was born of a woman, which was also created by Him. Remember that God creates through His Word. Jesus is His Word. GOD YHWH certainly doesn't, for He has no beginning!

@olubunmiolumuyiwa

4 ай бұрын

The Word is with God and is god. God became flesh. Thus, Mary is the mother of god.

@redchilli233

4 ай бұрын

@@olubunmiolumuyiwa You just said that before God there was Mary. Great logic!

@olubunmiolumuyiwa

4 ай бұрын

@@redchilli233 I literally just quoted to you John 1:1 and John 1:14. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. " - John 1:1 " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." John 1:14 - If the Word is God. - And the Word became flesh. - And Mary is the means by which the Word became flesh. - That means that Mary is the Mother of the Word, who is God. - Thus, Mary is the Mother of God.

@redchilli233

4 ай бұрын

@@olubunmiolumuyiwa In the beginning was the Word. Did Mary came before the Word?

@redchilli233

4 ай бұрын

@@nitrianskehosamospravnehok4397 Not literally, but the same logic.

John 1:1 says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God......". The WORD, was most definitely NOT "begotten" or born of a woman. The Word was coeternal with God the Father and neither created nor begotten. The Word was responsible for all creation. The Holy Trinity or God Almighty, is Self-Existent and Uncreated and certainly not born of a woman. It was God the Son, who became Man and was, in deed, the only "begotten son of God" born of a very special and Holy woman, the Virgin Mary. But even God the Son, existed BEFORE his human and divine Incarnation on earth. Would not that imply that his Blessed Earthly Mother is the Christotokos, or the Philiotokos but not the Theotokos ? The term Theotokos implies that she is the mother of the entire Holy Trinity.

@living_orthodox

4 ай бұрын

You missed the point. No Theotokos doesn’t imply this. In fact the reasoning you’re using places limits on God. Christ is the Logos, the second hyspostasis of the Holy Trinity and thus He is God. Thus she gave birth to Him as is proper to Him assuming human nature. Re-watch the video. Division such as what you imply reduces Jesus to being nothing more than an avatar.

@TheCelticSlav

4 ай бұрын

Wrong. God the Word is also God the Son and calling her Theotokos is to say she gave Birth to God the Word. So she is indeed the Mother of God. God the Word is ETERNALLY begotten of the Father. For the Father shares His Essence and Energies with the Son and the Holy Spirit.

YESHUA, the man is the son of Mary, however, the story ends there. For the other part of CHRIST YESHUA is DIVINE, ie, He is Elohim and therefore He has NO mother but only the Creator Elohim as His Heavenly FATHER, YAHWEH. And so..., Mary is the mother of the human side of YESHUA but it would not be right to say that Mary is the MOTHER of the God nature of YESHUA. CHRIST YESHUA is ONE, but He is BOTH man and Elohim at the SAME time. The DIVINE YESHUA became man when He came down to Earth! But, at no point in time did He abrogate His Divinity! MARY therefore cannot be called the MOTHER of God because if she was, then MARY would have existed before the Man YESHUA existed on Earth! What would the Heavenly FATHER be thinking if He has sent His Son down to Earth in order for humanity to call Him as the "Mother of God"?? The question arises then : "Does the Creator God/Elohim has a MOTHER called MARY????" Where would MARY, if she was to be called the "Mother of God" be in the TRIUNITY of the Judeo-Christian Elohim??? Will there be FOUR Persons in ONE TRUE God/Elohim - YAHWEH, MARIAM, YESHUA and RUACH HAKODESH????

@living_orthodox

3 ай бұрын

And that’s the Nestorian heresy. Incorrect. Once again, you’re confusing nature and person. If you don’t understand Christology then don’t speak. You blasphemed the Lord.

Thanks!

Thanks!