Cornelius ....
"One possible way of looking at the status of heterodox believers is to
compare them to New Testament "God-fearers" like Cornelius (Acts 10:2)
or the Roman centurion (who, by the way, had greater faith than anyone
in Israel; St. Matt. 8:10).
Virtue has its own value, wherever it is to be found. And yet these
virtues are insufficient in themselves, without faith in Christ and
reception into His Church. Before meeting the Apostle Peter, Cornelius
neither believed aright concerning God, nor taught others the truth. But
God, beholding his diligence in that which he knew, and foreseeing also
how willingly he would embrace the truth, brought him to know Christ
in a wondrous manner. ....
Saint John Chrysostom, commenting on [Acts 10:2ff] has written "....
if He did not overlook the Magi, nor the Ethiopian, nor the thief, nor
the harlot, much more them that work righteousness and are willing,
shall He in anywise not overlook." The righteousness of Cornelius was
not overlooked by God; it prepared him to receive the Gospel and so
to be joined to the Church, wherein was the fulfillment and reward of
that righteousness." (1)
[pp. 73-74.].
Notes.
1. The Reverend Dorraine Snogren, "Holy Tradition, The Road That
Leads Home, " The True Vine, Issue 5 (Spring 1990), pp. 8-9. Mr.
Carlton makes similar statements in his book The Way:
I have come to view my Protestant past in a way similar to the way
the Fathers of the Church viewed the history of Israel -- as a
preparation for the Christian Gospel. Historically, of course,
Protestantism represents a movement away from the historical Church
rather than a movement toward it. Nonetheless, Christ did not abandon
the Christians of the West, in spite of the increase of heresies. If in no
other way, He was and is present in the Holy Scriptures. While
Protestantism, in all of its variety, is a heresy, God works in the lives
of individuals to bring them to the fulness of the truth. (Op. cit., p.
27).
Carlton is a convert [to the Orthodox Church] from the Baptist
confession."
Barnes, Patrick. (1999). THE NON-ORTHODOX: The Orthodox
Teaching on Christian Outside of the Church. Salisbury, MA:
Regina Orthodox Press.
Regina Orthodox Press Online Store
God save us.
God save Protestants, Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, Anglicans,
Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox. God rescue the Nestorians
from their error and save them. God save us in America, especially.
America has sinned. We really need God's mercy, because we are
not righteous by our deeds (Titus 3:5).
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington January 2012 AD
"One possible way of looking at the status of heterodox believers is to
compare them to New Testament "God-fearers" like Cornelius (Acts 10:2)
or the Roman centurion (who, by the way, had greater faith than anyone
in Israel; St. Matt. 8:10).
Virtue has its own value, wherever it is to be found. And yet these
virtues are insufficient in themselves, without faith in Christ and
reception into His Church. Before meeting the Apostle Peter, Cornelius
neither believed aright concerning God, nor taught others the truth. But
God, beholding his diligence in that which he knew, and foreseeing also
how willingly he would embrace the truth, brought him to know Christ
in a wondrous manner. ....
Saint John Chrysostom, commenting on [Acts 10:2ff] has written "....
if He did not overlook the Magi, nor the Ethiopian, nor the thief, nor
the harlot, much more them that work righteousness and are willing,
shall He in anywise not overlook." The righteousness of Cornelius was
not overlooked by God; it prepared him to receive the Gospel and so
to be joined to the Church, wherein was the fulfillment and reward of
that righteousness." (1)
[pp. 73-74.].
Notes.
1. The Reverend Dorraine Snogren, "Holy Tradition, The Road That
Leads Home, " The True Vine, Issue 5 (Spring 1990), pp. 8-9. Mr.
Carlton makes similar statements in his book The Way:
I have come to view my Protestant past in a way similar to the way
the Fathers of the Church viewed the history of Israel -- as a
preparation for the Christian Gospel. Historically, of course,
Protestantism represents a movement away from the historical Church
rather than a movement toward it. Nonetheless, Christ did not abandon
the Christians of the West, in spite of the increase of heresies. If in no
other way, He was and is present in the Holy Scriptures. While
Protestantism, in all of its variety, is a heresy, God works in the lives
of individuals to bring them to the fulness of the truth. (Op. cit., p.
27).
Carlton is a convert [to the Orthodox Church] from the Baptist
confession."
Barnes, Patrick. (1999). THE NON-ORTHODOX: The Orthodox
Teaching on Christian Outside of the Church. Salisbury, MA:
Regina Orthodox Press.
Regina Orthodox Press Online Store
God save us.
God save Protestants, Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, Anglicans,
Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox. God rescue the Nestorians
from their error and save them. God save us in America, especially.
America has sinned. We really need God's mercy, because we are
not righteous by our deeds (Titus 3:5).
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington January 2012 AD