In the early Church, “faith” meant the entire lifestyle of a believer – as opposed to remaining a pagan or a Jew. For it is clear that He who became man without sin, can deify the (human) essence without turning into Divinity, having lifted it up to Himself in the same measure, in which He humbled Himself for man.” St. Maximus refers to God as “desiring salvation and hungering for deification” of men. "Baptism initiates God's life in the one baptized. This quotation reveals the Orthodox belief that a man receives faith only at the time of his baptism. For more information on the Pastoral School, please see their website. Eternal salvation is not something qualitatively new – but a full revelation of what was sown by one in his earthly spiritual struggle. The Patristic answer to this is that the “original damage” cannot be “forgiven” – it can only be cured! This custom arose from different motives, which were attacked by Cyprian, such that it held through the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. Our teaching on salvation can be traced back to the early Apostolic Church through the uninterrupted continuity of worship and practice, of the life of the Church. One can only have true love for God when he realizes the true horror of his sins that God forgave him for free. If baptism were a requirement for salvation, we would certainly say that. Consequently, faith brings about salvation, and lack of faith results in lack of salvation. As was already mentioned above, the Orthodox teaching on salvation is based on the doctrine of free will. Nowhere in his letters did Paul leave even the slightest idea that water baptism could lead to anyone’s salvation. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. It is necessary for salvation. 1:16-7), “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. Ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, writes the Apostle Paul (Eph. “The loss of the Kingdom of God was the most severe consequence of the fall. As far as I am concerned salvation is an ongoing process. When St. John Chrysostom was asked why not everybody is saved, he said, “Because you yourselves do not want to [be saved]. i Rev. xviiiA General History of the Church, Vol. 2:12). I was prompted to choose this particular topic for the present Thesis by my apologetical dialogue in the Apologetics class. How was it then reckoned? "Baptism initiates God's life in the one baptized. Justification that one receives in baptism is Christ Himself (St. Macarius the Great. This reconciliation to God is something we are called to renew again and again. In order to believe truly, it is necessary for one to understand the magnitude of his sins forgiven by God, to realize that he is a sinner worthy of death. [52] Stragorodskii, ibid., Chapter 5, “Vera” (“Faith”). CHAPTER 1. Note from Berean Beacon: This article is adapted from the book Eastern Orthodoxy Illuminated by the Scriptures (Curent: Belgrade, Serbia, 2009) written by Serbian author Ivica Stamenkovic. 6:3-4, and Gal. “Orthodox Baptism symbolizes the actual union of human beings with Christ through spiritual rebirth.” xiii. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. And there was a clear boundary between the Church and the rest of the world: “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them” (Acts 5:13). Their teachings have nothing in common with Christ and the apostolic doctrine. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. [62] Stragorodskii, ibid., Chapter 5, “Vera” (“Faith”). One needs to reject the old life of sin and start the new life. 5:25). John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [56] St. Clement of Rome, “Second Epistle to Corinthians”, http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/2clement-lightfoot.html (accessed April 8, 2010). 1:5, 11:15-16, 1 Cor. Christ’s definition of John 3:5 “…has tied faith to the necessity of baptism. We need to guard that seed and let it grow. One can look at the lives of many baptized people in Orthodox churches (and in many other churches, for that matter) around the world. The events which gave her birth and which constitute the very source of her faith and life have taken place. Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ. “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. For there is no coercion with God, but a good will [towards us] is present with Him continually. “Since the Lord thus has redeemed us through His own blood, giving His soul for our souls, and His flesh for our flesh, and has also poured out the Spirit of the Father for the union and communion of God and man, imparting indeed God to men by means of the Spirit, and, on the other hand, attaching man to God by His own incarnation, and bestowing upon us at His coming immortality durably and truly, by means of communion with God…” (St. Irenaeus of Lyons, “Against Heresies”, Book 5, 1:1). These Scriptures show us the pattern of how the Apostles baptized believers: The apostolic practice of baptism demonstrates that they did not believe in the necessity of baptism for salvation. Finally, it should be noted that, since Christ saved the whole person, our personal salvation involves both soul and body.