Timeline of Church History

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

The Historic Church can be traced only to Eastern Orthodoxy, this is the Church which Christ founded which "The gates of hell shall not prevail against" (Matthew 16:18). It is also the "Church of the Living God, the Ground and Pillar of the Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)

[jimmydiggs]

Wow, that's a history fail.

[loveme1]

Where did Jesus say to worship his Mother? I only recall him talking about his Father....

Making idols for one self is not following the Bible, there is too much pick and choosing going on.

God's son Jesus is the way.

God gave his only son to be our Saviour, yet man decided they knew best, and made Jesus's Mother someone to be worshiped.

Read the bible for yourself, let the holy spirit be your teacher.

You can not selective read the Bible, it is not up for debate, God is Almighty and if he said no idols then no idols.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit... Do not add anything to the scripture, we have no authority.
Read it, believe it, live it. You do not need any other man to explain the truth for you, it is all in the scripture.

Religions that feel the need to write extra's are saying that they know better than God! Who are we, other than sinners?
We have a Saviour and that is Jesus.
Trust in your God.

Going to a church who will sing the tune that keeps you coming, is not a church.
The truth is the truth, it may take you out of your comfort zone, trusting in God is the only comfort you need.

12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

Originally Posted by loveme1

Where did Jesus say to worship his Mother? I only recall him talking about his Father....

Making idols for one self is not following the Bible, there is too much pick and choosing going on.

God's son Jesus is the way.

God gave his only son to be our Saviour, yet man decided they knew best, and made Jesus's Mother someone to be worshiped.

There is no worshiping of Mary going on in the Orthodox Church, the worship is directed solely at Christ. The reason why we honor and venerate Mary is because she is the Mother of the Holy Lord Jesus. She is proclaimed as "Theotokos" because she bore God the Word in human flesh. This doctrine of "Theotokos" was created to be a safeguard of the Incarnation of Christ against heretics who wanted to say that Christ was not fully God and fully man born in the flesh. This doctrine is a safeguard for the True Faith and is in no way denoting that we worship Mary.

For it is written by one of the Church Fathers, "If any one refuses to confess tile holy Virgin to be "Theotokos," or calls our Lord Jesus Christ bare man, or divides into two sons Him who is one only begotten and first born of every creature, I pray that he may fall from hope in Christ, and let all the people say amen, amen." (St Theodoret of Cyrus 5th C).

The word "Theotokos" means "God bearer" in Greek. "The Council of Ephesus decreed in 431 that Mary is Theotokos because her son Jesus is one person who is both God and man, divine and human.[1]"

[1]

This is why is is important to honor Mary and this is why the Church has always done so, in order that heresies and false beliefs about her Son may be found to be false. If you don't believe Mary to be "Theotokos" you do not have the Incarnation of Christ, this is what our doctrine of Mary is all about; it is about the proper belief in the Incarnation of Christ, about who Christ is. Whoever does not have the proper teaching about Mary does not have Christ.

Originally Posted by loveme1

Read the bible for yourself, let the holy spirit be your teacher.

You can not selective read the Bible, it is not up for debate, God is Almighty and if he said no idols then no idols.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit... Do not add anything to the scripture, we have no authority.
Read it, believe it, live it. You do not need any other man to explain the truth for you, it is all in the scripture.

Once again, Mary is not an idolized in the Church, she is simply honored, adored and venerated, but not worshiped like God. In fact, she is honored for that very reason; because of God Himself having been born of her. Like I said before, the doctrine of Mary in the Orthodox Church is there in order to have the truth about the Incarnation of God be defended. You do not have Christ without the proper theology about His Mother, Mary. She is Theotokos ("Mother of God" or "God Bearer").

Christians who do not affirm Mary to be the Theotokos (God Bearer) do not have the Son, for then they would have no logical explanation as to how God was born in the flesh. Without the proper belief in Mary, you do not have her Son.

You say, "you do not need any other man to explain the truth for you, it is all in Scripture". How could this be so when this is not an Apostolic Teaching? St James, St Peter and St Paul all talk about us needing teachers. In the Acts of St Luke, the Ethiopian says to St Phillip:

Act 8:30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
Act 8:31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

And St Paul here says that there are teachers in the Church. "And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues." 1Co 12:28


And St James in his holy epistle was talking about teaching as being a necessary ministry:

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Originally Posted by loveme1

Religions that feel the need to write extra's are saying that they know better than God! Who are we, other than sinners?
We have a Saviour and that is Jesus.
Trust in your God.

Going to a church who will sing the tune that keeps you coming, is not a church.
The truth is the truth, it may take you out of your comfort zone, trusting in God is the only comfort you need.

12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

The Saints and early Church Fathers of the Church were servants of God, how could you judge them as "saying that they know better than God"? They have expounded the Scriptures to us that which they learned through the illumination of Christ.

You think that the Church does not take me out of my "comfort zone" when it commands me to keep the fast and go to holy confession and communion? On the contrary the Church of Christ is the narrow way that leads to salvation.

You are speaking evil of the things which you know not.


Jude_1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not:

[loveme1]

You are speaking evil of the things which you know not.

How is speaking about the truth found in the Bible evil?

Where in the bible did it tell you to honor Mary?

[loveme1]

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

Originally Posted by loveme1

You are speaking evil of the things which you know not.

How is speaking about the truth found in the Bible evil?

Where in the bible did it tell you to honor Mary?

Where did you ever learn that it was the Will of God that we take ONLY the Bible for our standard for the Truth and not the Church (assembly) of the living God? For it was written in the Scriptures themselves that it is the Church which is the "Ground and pillar of the Truth", not the Bible.


1Ti 3:15 But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how it is necessary to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.



Note that it does not tell us that the Bible is the "Ground and pillar of the truth", but the Church.

Sola Scriptura is not an Apostolic Teaching, the Bible is not the Ground and guardian of the Truth of the Christian Faith, the Church is. Without the Church, the Bible and Christianity cannot be understood properly, you can interpret it 1 million different ways and still end up in the dark; because you do not have the proper teachers but false teachers, you don't have the fullness of the Faith.

Have you ever understood Ephesians 4? You will never understand it without the Church of Christ. The Church is here for one of these among many other reasons:

Eph 4:14 that we may no longer be infants, being tossed as by waves, and being carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in regard to deceitful scheming,

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

Originally Posted by loveme1

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Yes, and this is what we who belong to the ancient Church believe, that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

[loveme1]

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

[babyboyblue]

Originally Posted by StMichaelTheArchangel

Where did you ever learn that it was the Will of God that we take ONLY the Bible for our standard for the Truth and not the Church (assembly) of the living God? For it was written in the Scriptures themselves that it is the Church which is the "Ground and pillar of the Truth", not the Bible.

John 17:
Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth.

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesus to the church door claiming "soula scriptura" - the bible and the bible alone.

You keep saying that Mary is simply honored as if it's a good thing. I havent found a single scripture suggesting this to be something followeres of Christ should do. Mary was the door, a gateway for God to come into this world. If He had come through a metal gate, would you "honor" the metal gate? Your faith should be based on the bible alone. Not the church or other writings and teachings.

Romans 10:17
*17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

Originally Posted by babyboyblue

John 17:
Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth.

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesus to the church door claiming "soula scriptura" - the bible and the bible alone.

You keep saying that Mary is simply honored as if it's a good thing. I havent found a single scripture suggesting this to be something followeres of Christ should do. Mary was the door, a gateway for God to come into this world. If He had come through a metal gate, would you "honor" the metal gate? Your faith should be based on the bible alone. Not the church or other writings and teachings.

Romans 10:17
*17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So you want to follow Sola Scriptura because of Martin Luther? That is not how the Christians of the preceding centuries viewed things, that the Bible was all that we needed. You want to claim Bible Alone but which Bible? There are literally hundreds and even thousands of different Bible translations, so which one do you choose as the right one? If it was really God's will that we read the Bible as the sole Truth, don't you think that God would have given us only One Translation? Even the Muslims have one translation of their holy Koran and would never want to pervert the translation in a thousand years, for that would be ultimate blasphemy. But yet there are Christians today who claim Bible Alone and still believe that all of these different translations of the Bible do not negate Sola Scriptura - but it does for the aforementioned reasons.

Yes, I would honor the metal gate if Christ came into the world through one because it would be the only proof that we have of Christ's Incarnation. It would be a great place to go visit because we could see with our own eyes the proof of the Incarnation. It is the same thing with the Orthodox Church doctrine of the Virgin Mary, she is the proof of the incarnation.

Bringing up verses which talk about God's "word" does not automatically mean that the author is referring to the Bible. The Word (Logos) of God is Jesus Christ, and the "word" of God signifies the Holy Spirit, and also God's will.

When it says in John 17: "Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth", it is not talking about the book of the Bible but of the Holy Spirit, and this Holy Spirit is not limited to a book. There are also other books other than the Bible which contain the "word" (Holy Spirit) of God. Works of Saints and holy men.

For how could the Apostles of the Lord have been sanctified by a book? He was speaking of the Spirit.

[loveme1]

[QUOTEYes, I would honor the metal gate if Christ came into the world through one because it would be the only proof that we have of Christ's Incarnation][/quote]


Mary is the only proof that Jesus came?

Seriously you should consider what you just typed.

[OldOrthodoxChristian]

Originally Posted by loveme1

Where did Jesus say to worship his Mother? I only recall him talking about his Father....

Making idols for one self is not following the Bible, there is too much pick and choosing going on.

God's son Jesus is the way.

God gave his only son to be our Saviour, yet man decided they knew best, and made Jesus's Mother someone to be worshiped.

Read the bible for yourself, let the holy spirit be your teacher.

You can not selective read the Bible, it is not up for debate, God is Almighty and if he said no idols then no idols.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit... Do not add anything to the scripture, we have no authority.
Read it, believe it, live it. You do not need any other man to explain the truth for you, it is all in the scripture.

Religions that feel the need to write extra's are saying that they know better than God! Who are we, other than sinners?
We have a Saviour and that is Jesus.
Trust in your God.

Going to a church who will sing the tune that keeps you coming, is not a church.
The truth is the truth, it may take you out of your comfort zone, trusting in God is the only comfort you need.

12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

Dear loveme:
Where do any of the Church Fathers and the Orthodox Church say, "Worship Mary"? None of them do.
So you are barking up the wrong tree!
The Truth is the Truth.
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington

[OldOrthodoxChristian]

Originally Posted by

loveme1;616641

[QUOTEYes, I would honor the metal gate if Christ came into the world through one because it would be the only proof that we have of Christ's Incarnation]

Mary is the only proof that Jesus came?

Seriously you should consider what you just typed.

[/quote]


Dear loveme:
So, all generations shall "not" call Mary blessed, and that Scripture with Mary talking is not correct? You are saying Mary didn't say the Truth, and therefore the Bible is not true, since it endorses what the Virgin Mary prophesied here.
All generations are to bless Mary because Mary is blessed by God. To fail to bless Mary is to disobey God.
God save us. Amen. In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington

[OldOrthodoxChristian]

Originally Posted by

loveme1;616598

You are speaking evil of the things which you know not.

How is speaking about the truth found in the Bible evil?

Where in the bible did it tell you to honor Mary?

dear loveme:

The Bible says all generations shall call Mary blessed.

"And Mariam [Mary] saith: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for He looked upon the low estate of His slave. For behold. from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For the mighty One did great things to me, and holy is His name." Luke 1:46-49 ONT Orthodox New Testament, volume 1, page 213.
All generations shall honor Mary, shall call her blessed. If you don't do that, you do not believe the Bible in Luke 1:48.
God save us. Amen. In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington January 2012 AD

[loveme1]

Well if it is God's tree then so be it


Jesus is our saviour son of God.






Also, my original post, was about prosperity Gospel too. It was not limited to Orthodox.






48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.


Jesus does not feel the need to honor is Mother here.

[OldOrthodoxChristian]

[quote=loveme1;616649]Well if it is God's tree then so be it


Jesus is our saviour son of God.






Also, my original post, was about prosperity Gospel too. It was not limited to Orthodox.






48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.


Jesus does not feel the need to honor is Mother here.[

/quote]


Jesus DID honor His own Mother by asking St. John to take care of her, at the end of the Gospel of John. He was concerned for her welfare after He left the earth.
Jesus did feel sympathy for her. Not out of "need", but out of love. Surely, Jesus loved His own Mother.
Protestants don't seem to understand that, and they don't seem to love Mary. They act as if they think that loving anyone else besides God is dishonoring and taking glory and worship away from God (alone). Strange belief!
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington

[loveme1]

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.


And blessed she was.


Blessed is the man that endures trial: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.

and blessed we all can be, in Jesus our saviour

[loveme1]

Of course Jesus loved his Mother, he loved us all.

But why would we make an idol of her?

[StMichaelTheArchangel]

Originally Posted by loveme1

Of course Jesus loved his Mother, he loved us all.

But why would we make an idol of her?

Its not making an idol out of her it is rightly interpreting the Holy Scriptures.

Read this book by Fr Peter Gillquist who was a convert from evangelical protestantism:

Facing Up to Mary

By Fr. Peter E. Gillquist

"Is it safe to say that no woman in history is more misunderstood by modern Christendom than the Virgin Mary? And is it also probable that in a discussion concerning Mary between two Christians, if their differences remain unresolved, most likely it will be due to differing interpretations of the biblical data? If I have heard him say it once, I have heard Billy Graham say it at least a half-dozen times over the years: We evangelical Christians do not give Mary her proper due. There is no doubt in my mind that he is correct. But his statement raises a crucial question about Mary. What is her proper due? Before we look to the Scriptures for some answers, let us acknowledge right up front a problem which makes our task much more difficult than it should be. The highly charged emotional atmosphere which surrounds this subject serves to blunt our objectivity in facing up to Mary. Therefore, those of us who were brought up to question or reject honor paid to Mary in Christian worship or art often have our minds made up in advance. That is why we have allowed our preconceptions to color our understanding even of the scriptural passages concerning her. We have not let the facts speak for themselves. As we attempt to face up to Mary honestly and openly, let us turn first to the Bible, the source book of all true Christian doctrine. We will consider what the New Testament teaches about her, and then we will turn to the Old Testament. To understand how the biblical record has been applied through the years by Christians, we will look specifically at Church history to understand both how she has been properly honored, and how excessive beliefs concerning her have crept into the picture. Lastly, we will look at how we must face up to her in light of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORD
What is it, then, that the New Testament clearly teaches concerning the Virgin Mary? The Gospel of Saint Luke, the book of the beloved physician, gives us at least four crucial answers.

1. Mary is the greatest woman who ever lived.
Whereas our Lord Jesus Christ tells us there is no greater man to walk the earth than John the Baptist, both the Archangel Gabriel and the saintly Elizabeth confess to Mary, "Blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:28 and 42). She is the most blessed of women for several reasons, the greatest of which is that she conceived, carried, gave birth to, and nurtured the very Savior of our souls. The One who today occupies the heavenly throne of David, seated regally at the right hand of God the Father, entered the human race and became our Savior through her womb. She was sovereignly chosen by the Father to bear His only begotten Son. In that role, Mary is the first person in all history to receive and accept Christ as her Savior. You and I are called to enthrone the Lord in our hearts and lives-to follow her example in doing so. Early in Christian history she is called "the first of the redeemed". I remember entering a church some years ago and seeing a painting or icon of Mary with open arms front and center on the wall (the apse) just behind the altar. My first impulse was to wonder why Christ alone was not featured at that particular place in the church, though He was shown in a large circle that was superimposed over Mary's heart. When I asked why she was so prominently featured, the Christian scholar with me explained, "This is one of the greatest evangelistic icons in the entire Church. What you see is Christ living as Lord in Mary's life, and her outstretched arms are an invitation to you and me to let Him live in our lives as He has in hers". The power of that icon stays in my mind to this day. For she has set the pace for all of us to personally give our lives over fully to Jesus Christ. Mary is also blessed because she found favor in the sight of God. Gabriel's words of encouragement to her were, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). Then he comforted her by saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30, italics mine). What does one do to become one of God's favorites, to be favored by Him? Remember Cornelius in Acts 10? He was the first Gentile to convert to Christ, "a devout man and one who . . . gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always" (Acts 10:2). Two verses later he is told in a vision, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God". The Lord took notice of his deeds of devotion and brought him salvation. In a similar way, Mary's purity found favor with God, and she was chosen to bear His Son. You say, "Wait a minute! Are you suggesting human merit earns salvation?" Not at all! As commendable as it is for us to live in purity, a devout life never merits salvation. Else why would Mary be called first of the redeemed, or why would Cornelius be baptized into Christ by Saint Peter? Prayer and devotion, however, do gain God's attention. When we seek Him with all our hearts, we do find Him! Do you want to be favored of God? Then give Him everything you have, give Him your very life. This is precisely what Mary did, and why she is to be considered the greatest woman who ever lived.

2. Mary is our model for Christian service.
While God certainly knew Mary desired to please Him, He did not take her service for granted. The angel explained how she would bear Christ. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest [God the Father] will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Now Mary had a decision to make. Was she willing? Hear her answer, for it is the doorway to the life of spiritual service for all of us. "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!" she said. "Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Even if we are totally sincere about wanting to follow God, He will never conscript us apart from our consent! This is why He is called "the God of all grace" (1 Peter 5:10). We are to choose freely to obey Him and do His will. Some thirty years later, by the way, Mary again had opportunity to exalt her Lord. She was with Jesus at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The servants who were in charge of the celebration discovered they were out of wine. Mary had no doubt as to who could solve their problem. Referring to her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, she advised them, "Whatever He says to you, do it" (John 2:5).

3. Mary is the Mother of God.
Now things get a bit more touchy for some of us. Here is one of those emotional trouble spots I mentioned earlier. Whether we like to face it or not, the Bible teaches Mary is the mother of God. First let's look at the text, then we will discuss why this title is so important to our lives as Christians in the Church. After Christ had been conceived in her womb, Mary paid a visit to the home of relatives Zacharias and Elizabeth, soon to be parents of John the Baptist. When Mary greeted her cousin, Elizabeth called her blessed and said, "Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). Elizabeth knew that her Lord, the Messiah of Israel, was in the womb of Mary. The title "Mother of God" took on great importance in the fourth century, when a heretic named Nestorius-a man who held high office in the Church-claimed that the one in Mary's womb was certainly man, but that He was not God. Orthodox Christians, with one accord, said, "Wrong!" To see Jesus Christ as something less than God in the flesh is sub-Christian. For unless the one in Mary's womb was and is God, we are dead in our sins. To safeguard the full deity of Christ, the Church has always insisted that Mary be rightly called-as Elizabeth called herthe Mother of God. This title, of course, does not mean mother of the Holy Trinity, for the Holy Trinity has no mother. Neither does it mean she originated the Person who is God the Son. It refers instead to Mary being the Mother of the Son of God, who assumed full humanity in her womb. Just as we insist on the Virgin Birth of Christ, we also insist that for the nine months Mary carried Him in His humanity He was at every moment fully God as well. Thus we say boldly and with great insistence that Mary is the Mother of God, Theotokos, God-bearer. To say anything less is to side with those who deny His deity. When a man buys a large plot of land and turns cattle out to graze on it, he fences in his acreage. He does so to protect his cattle, to keep them from wandering off, and to discourage rustlers. Similarly, the Church sets doctrinal fences around its foundational truths. And nothing is more basic and important to us than the deity of Christ. Because Christ is God, we set a firm and non-negotiable fence around His divinity by our unmovable confession that Mary is Mother of God.

4. We are to honor Mary and call her blessed.
Now comes the toughest test of all. Not only is Mary the most blessed of women, our model for obedience, and the Mother of God, we are called to honor her and to bless her. How do we know? The Bible tells us so. During her three-month stay at Elizabeth's house, Mary offered one of the most beautiful prayers of praise to the Lord in all the Scriptures. It begins, "My soul magnifies the Lord", and thus it has become known as "The Magnificat". In that prayer, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Mary prophesied, "henceforth all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). Essentially, all generations in Church history have done so; only the last few centuries have faltered. Our generation of American Christians is filled with those who refuse to bless her, and we must change our ways. For some Christian bodies have come to stand dogmatically against Christ and the New Testament by refusing to bless her. From the beginning of recorded Christian worship, Orthodox Christians have taken special care to venerate or honor Mary in the Liturgy. There is an ancient hymn which begins, "It is truly right to bless you, O Theotokos (Mother of God)". She is also called in this hymn "ever-blessed and most pure". The biblical injunction to honor Mary is followed and taken seriously. We do not, of course, worship Mary, for worship is reserved for the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But she is most certainly to be honored and venerated. And because Christ is our elder brother, the firstborn of many brethren, we honor the Virgin Mary as our Mother, our Lady, as well. Just as Eve was mother of the old Adamic race, so Mary is the true Mother of the new race, the Body of Christ, the Church. Perhaps in part because we refuse to honor Mary, our generation seems to struggle with honoring anyone. For example, next time a presidential news conference comes on T.V., watch closely how most of the press corps behave! Far from merely trying to get the story, many are out for intimidation and willful dishonor. While God's word tells us to honor the king (1 Peter 2:17) and to give preference to each other (Romans 12:10), our generation seems to delight in challenging and humiliating other people, especially those in authority. Not only are we who are Bible-believing Christians urged to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7), we are called by God in no uncertain terms to bless the Mother of our God. We cannot get around that point in Scripture.

THE OLD TESTAMENT AND MARY
We know that the Old Testament is more than just an inspired account of the history of mankind, or of Israel in particular. In its pages-indeed central to its message-is also the prophetic record concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. He is typified throughout. Moses is a type of Christ, in that he leads the people out of bondage into the land of promise. David typifies Christ as King of Israel. Adam was a type of Christ as head of the human race. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that the Virgin Mary is also seen in the prophetic pages of the Old Testament. Most Christians are aware that the Prophet Isaiah predicts Mary's virgin conception of Christ when he writes: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). But there are numerous other passages which speak of Mary as well.