|| Pope Shenouda || Father Matta || Bishop Mattaous || Fr. Tadros Malaty || Bishop Moussa || Bishop Alexander || Habib Gerguis || Bishop Angealos || Metropolitan Bishoy ||
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WHY WE NEED SALVATION
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Bishop Moussa |
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"This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12) |
| These verses emphasise that Christ is the only Saviour in the universe. But firstly, we must understand why we need salvation? |
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WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF SIN ? |
| Sin has resulted in the death and corruption of human nature. This death is in four areas: physical, spiritual, moral and eternal; all which are separation from God, "the wages of sin is death." Initially, all characteristics of man were made in God's image, but these characteristics have become corrupted and spoiled with sin. Thus, the only solution for sin is through 'recreation'. |
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WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REDEEMER ? |
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If God killed the
sinful, there would be no justice, and Satan would be supreme. The scenario
would be as follows: God creates, Satan corrupts, God kills, Satan wins. God
knew from the beginning that man was going to sin, and He was not only going
to forgive them, but He was also going to redeem them. The five
qualifications for a redeemer are : 1. he must be man because humans who are sinners are men (men meaning human). 2. he must die, because the wage of sin is death. 3. he must be sinless, because if he was sinful he also will be in need of redemption. 4. he must be unlimited, because our sin is unlimited. 5. he must be a creator, in order to create a new nature. To fulfil these requirements, God had to be incarnated in the form of man, and dwell among men, and die - thus He was the unification of humanity and divinity. Through humanity He was man and died; and through divinity He is unlimited and the Creator and He is sinless. |
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SO HOW THEN CAN I BE SAVED ? |
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I can be saved through baptism,
repentance and transfiguration. The Holy Spirit we receive in baptism, makes
us question ourselves before we sin, and this leads to repentance and
confession. Repentance is the way to renew ourselves and the blessing we
received in baptism. Through transfiguration, all those who died will be
resurrected; not in this sinful body but in a heavenly, sinless, immortal
body, still composed of mind, body, psyche and spirit. |
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