WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.080 Hey, everyone, thanks for tuning in today. I have the 2 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.759 opportunity to answer some questions that have been posed by 3 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:10.880 our listeners and sent into patristic nectar. So here we go. 4 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.519 Welcome to our Q and A. This question is about 5 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.600 how to do violence against the passions? Give me your blessing, Father. 6 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:20.320 I want to root out as much sin out of 7 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:22.839 my heart and mind as possible on this side of 8 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:26.320 the grave. But i''m sure as to how to accomplish this. 9 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:29.399 How do I do violence against the old man and 10 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:33.159 tank the kingdom of heaven by force? Please please help me, 11 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:37.920 and thank you very much. That's from David Austin. Great question, David, 12 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.159 fantastic question. And this is what I would say. I 13 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:43.719 want you to think with me about your spiritual acquisition 14 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:49.439 with the image of the rabbit and the what is it, 15 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:54.679 the rabbit and the hair, the tortoise and the hair. 16 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.799 I want you to think with me about the relationship 17 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:00.000 with the tortoise and the hair with regards to spiritus. 18 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:05.920 Many people, when they are inspired by a word from 19 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.400 Jesus or they come to church and they see so 20 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:12.519 much beauty, they want to gather it as quickly as possible. 21 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:16.599 It's a very natural feeling. But you want your Christian 22 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:19.680 life to be a matter of conviction, a matter of principle. 23 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:23.719 When you feel like it, you run to the top 24 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.719 of the mountain. And then when you don't feel like it, 25 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:29.239 you don't do anything, and you end up just rolling 26 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.480 back down to the place where you started. You actually 27 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:36.560 made no progress at all. The important thing is consistency. 28 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:42.239 I would say start where you are. For instance, learn 29 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:45.319 to keep a basic prayer discipline, what we call a 30 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:50.560 canona or a prayer rule. Make the agreement with your 31 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:54.000 father confessor, make your agreement with your pastor. Let him 32 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.280 look at it and say, this has seem reasonable to you. 33 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:58.200 And you want to make your prayer discipline something that 34 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:00.840 you can actually accomplish. It's something that you do on 35 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.280 your best days, something that you do on your worst days, 36 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:07.280 so that no matter what, you build the habit, the 37 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:13.280 perpetual practice of praying. This is the way you want 38 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:16.879 to start. You want to lay a good foundation. If 39 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:19.120 you're going to build a big house, you have to 40 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:22.360 have a solid floor. If you're going to be a 41 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:24.280 big tree with a lot of fruits, you have to 42 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.080 have roots that are sunk into the ground. So start 43 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:31.360 where you are, build a discipline that you'll never break. 44 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.840 Tell yourself, I'm going to put prayer, my prayer rule 45 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:38.840 in the same category I put other things in my 46 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:44.879 life that are non negotiables, like eating something, brushing your teeth, 47 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.800 putting on your clothes. That all takes time, and it 48 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:50.280 all takes effort, but people don't think about it because 49 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:54.599 for them it's non negotiable. Put your prayer rule in 50 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:58.639 that category. Put going to church on Sunday morning on time, 51 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:02.159 and going to the great feasts in that category. Where 52 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:04.599 you don't feel like you've done a great thing, like 53 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:08.599 you're somehow some special Christian. No, you're just doing the basics. 54 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:13.159 You're just doing what is it essential? And then once 55 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:16.919 you have those basics, then you can make more progress. 56 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:21.240 You can develop your alms tradition in your own life. 57 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:23.840 Who are you going to serve? How can you use 58 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:27.439 your gifts to build people up? These are the steps 59 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.159 if you take them, to draw near to God, to 60 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:33.000 learn to pray, to learn to fast, to learn to give. 61 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:36.639 These are the fundamental disciplines prayer, fasting, and alms giving 62 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:39.199 that Jesus put right smack in the middle of the 63 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:42.240 sermon on the mountain for a reason. They're basic to 64 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:46.319 be for any Christian to make progress, and if you 65 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:50.199 practice them sustained practice over time, you're going to find 66 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:56.639 yourself making tremendous progress and you'll have victory over your passions. 67 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:00.439 This mother wants to know how to talk to her 68 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.719 children who are fifteen and twelve about sex. It's a 69 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:06.759 great question, dear Father Josiah. I am writing to you 70 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:09.360 because I need your kind advice and support on two 71 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.000 aspects of my life. How I should speak to my 72 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:16.240 boys fifteen and twelve about sexual life without scarring them 73 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.480 or to put a mark on their heart like a prohibition, 74 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:22.720 and how to discuss with them about chastity. And second 75 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:26.800 is that I like I live with guilt that I 76 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.040 no longer want to pro create, and I know that 77 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:33.720 is against God's will. How can I ease my guilt? 78 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:37.639 Thank you very much, and God help us well. I 79 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:40.360 ask my blessing on you, sweetheart. Thank you for sending 80 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.240 these questions in and I'm so glad you're asking the 81 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.560 question about how to properly teach your own children, who 82 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:51.000 are definitely at an age where they need to hear 83 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:55.199 from you about this. Fifteen and twelve about sex. I'm 84 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:59.160 glad you're asking it because a lot of parents abandoned 85 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:03.120 their duty to this because it's uncomfortable. Sometimes it's uncomfortable 86 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.160 because the parents are ignorant. Sometimes it's uncomfortable because the 87 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.839 parents have not been good examples, and sometimes they just 88 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.120 feel very nervous to raise the question. But this is 89 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:15.360 one of the most important areas of parenting. So I'm 90 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.680 glad you're thinking about this, and you most definitely should 91 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:21.040 talk to your children about it. If you don't, I 92 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.120 promise you your children will get their education from the 93 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:28.920 secular society. And the secular society, forgive me, is clueless 94 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:34.040 about sexuality and the purpose of sexuality. Our secular culture 95 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:37.680 and especially our secular schools, could not tell up from 96 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:40.480 down when it comes to sexuality at all. In fact, 97 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:45.160 they will teach your children to abandon their Christian faith. 98 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:49.000 If there's one area that has hurt our Christian children 99 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:52.920 more than anything in the secular schools, it's this. It's 100 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:57.279 being exposed to the most grotesque forms of sexual perversion 101 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:02.399 and being told that it's normal. This is calling good 102 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:06.040 evil and evil good. So to speak with your children, 103 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:08.800 I would say the most important thing is for parents 104 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:13.879 to model mature Christian sexuality in their own relationship with 105 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.680 their spouse. So for your children to be able to 106 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:20.079 see that you love one another, and that you appreciate 107 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:23.120 one another, you respect one another, you hold one another, 108 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:29.079 you kiss one another, that you're not ashamed of your bed, 109 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.519 which has God's blessing on it. We say in the 110 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:35.560 wedding service, Jesus put his blessing upon marriage and the 111 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:39.319 marriage bed. There is nothing shameful about the marriage bed. 112 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:44.000 People can become shameful, but there is nothing shameful about marriage. 113 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:46.519 In fact, Saint Paul says, let marriage be held in 114 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:50.040 honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled. 115 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:53.399 This is Hebrews thirteen, Verses four and five very important 116 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:57.920 texts to share with your children. Sexuality is something intimate, 117 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:04.319 so it's not something that you treat casually or bring 118 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:07.800 your children into the intimacies of your own marital union 119 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:10.279 with your spouse. But to talk to them about the 120 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:15.759 glory of being one, about caring for one one another, 121 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:20.199 and also having children, the glory of actually having them, 122 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:22.759 for them to see that they mean more to you 123 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:27.160 than any possessions you have in your life or any job. 124 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:31.800 But they these children who are God's gifts to you. 125 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:35.079 This is very important for them. And then to talk 126 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.319 with them about their their interest in the opposite sex, 127 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:40.560 and to sit with them and ask them, what are 128 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.240 you looking for in a partner? What would who would 129 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:46.879 you like to marry? And what are the important qualities? 130 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.399 And help them think about this and ask them what 131 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:53.800 do you know about sexuality? And what do you think 132 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.959 is the purpose of God giving you these desires? And 133 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.240 how do you determine between a good desire and a 134 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:03.519 bad desire? All of these are natural questions that if 135 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:06.839 you open a line of communication, you'll be able to 136 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:12.279 have very fruitful discussions with your sons about this, and 137 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:16.639 then they won't be surprised about what they see or 138 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:19.920 the temptations that they're confronted with, and they'll know, through 139 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:25.079 your good counsel, how to manage those temptations. And if 140 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:27.879 they don't know, because you've opened the line of communication, 141 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.439 they will come to you and ask you, and you 142 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.799 can also go to them and ask them. You don't 143 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:37.120 have to be an expert suitor. God will help you 144 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:41.600 make all of your concerns known to Him and concerning 145 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:45.759 your question, dear about your sense of guilt because you 146 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:50.159 don't want to have any more children. From one perspective, 147 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:54.039 it's very understandable, because having a child is a great feat, 148 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.039 and raising a child is a great feat and often 149 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:03.320 an exhausting feet. Sometimes when we're thinking about the burdens involved, 150 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:08.960 we step away from an enthusiastic attitude. But I would 151 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.120 say this anything anytime you find your heart, when we 152 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:15.240 find our heart out of a chord with the scriptures, 153 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:17.480 out of a chord with the mind of God, we 154 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:20.879 should ask the Lord to alter our hearts and think 155 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:25.720 of those beautiful psalms like someone twenty seven and someone 156 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:28.279 twenty eight, or if you read the septuagen one twenty 157 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:32.919 six and one twenty seven. Children are a gift of 158 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:36.399 the Lord. The fruit of the of the womb is 159 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:40.039 a reward like arrows in the hand of a warrior. 160 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:42.840 So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is 161 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:47.039 the man whose quiver is full of them. God's given 162 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:50.600 you to beautiful children. That's nice, but all you have 163 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:54.360 done is reproduced yourself. You actually haven't even done that. 164 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.759 Because the ab you have to have two point one 165 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:59.240 children just to keep the population alive and the first 166 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:01.559 words that ever I went into the human ear from God, 167 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.720 whorre be fruitful and multiplied, filled the earth, rule it, 168 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:08.120 and subdue it. Nothing's more glorious than a child who 169 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:10.240 wants to go into battle with two arrows in your 170 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:13.840 quiver if you could have three, or four or five. 171 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:17.399 So even though you're a little scared, make your cross 172 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:21.720 and be open to life. Watch what God will do 173 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:24.679 for you. This new question is about a man who 174 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:29.840 finds himself having a hard time stopping his sins. Hey, 175 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:32.480 Father Josiah, God bless you well. Thanks a lot, and 176 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.440 God bless you. I felt compelled to send you a 177 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:39.120 question after watching some of your great responses to difficult matters. 178 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:42.360 A little backstory. I've been an atheist most of my life, 179 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:44.360 even though I was baptized as an infant. Now I'm 180 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:46.799 twenty two and I live in Norway, and i became 181 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:49.720 a Christian about seven or eight months ago. Good for you, 182 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:53.799 Good for you, serve Christ. You will never regret it. 183 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:57.080 And I'm currently going to Katechisis in the Catholic Church. 184 00:10:57.480 --> 00:11:00.720 I was deeply enveloped in sin of all kinds, drug addiction, 185 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:04.200 full of hate and anger and very sexually immoral acts, 186 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:09.399 both with others and myself. I'm sorry with you, Brother, God, 187 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.639 bless your humility to tell me this. I praise God 188 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:14.639 for pulling me out of this darkness I was in 189 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:17.480 and calling me to repentance. I never wish to go 190 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.039 back to a life without him. Sadly, I still struggle 191 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:23.440 a lot with pornography and masturbation. I have a tendency 192 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:26.639 to start hating myself for desecrating the Temple of the 193 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:29.159 Holy Spirit in this way. But I thank the Lord 194 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:32.240 for pulling me out of my despair, Considering I'm not 195 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.240 a fully converted Catholic yet, I can't go to confession, 196 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.759 but I go to church. I read the Bible, I 197 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:40.519 study the Catechisis. But I feel years of weight of 198 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:43.519 the sins of neglecting God and my horrible sexual immorality. 199 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.159 Especially weang on my heart. I want to cry, but 200 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:49.200 I just can't. I get angry and frustrated, and I 201 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:52.360 start to doubt if I'm truly sorry. I get depressed 202 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.559 because my heart feels empty. I'm terrified of having convinced 203 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:58.200 myself of loving the Lord, lying to myself, and especially 204 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:00.720 lying to the Lord about truly wishing repents, but my 205 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:03.679 heart not truly being in it. All I want is 206 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.000 from my love for the Lord to be genuine and wholehearted. Wow, 207 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:10.679 what a thing to say. What a thing to say. 208 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:17.720 You're experiencing the horror. You're experiencing the horror of inner division. 209 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.399 My dear brother, you find that in your heart you 210 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:25.200 love God. But you also discover, in Saint Paul's words, 211 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:28.120 that within you there's another law at work in your members, 212 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:32.600 waging war against you, causing you to cry out, wretched 213 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:35.879 man that I am, who will deliver me from this death. 214 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:40.000 That's the end of Romans seven. And then the next 215 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:43.720 verse in Romans eight one says that there is therefore 216 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:48.159 now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 217 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:52.960 This is the guidance that Paul provides for people. Don't 218 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:58.840 be discouraged because the war is great. And whenever you 219 00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:04.320 see yourself feeling down on yourself or tempted to be angry, 220 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:07.320 don't allow yourself to go there. You said a beautiful thing. 221 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:10.120 You said, I want to cry, but I can't ask 222 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:14.720 God to give you tears. God hears the cry of 223 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:17.000 the broken hearted, and he will give you tears, and 224 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.320 those tears will put out the flames of lust in 225 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:24.320 your life. Keep fighting until you're free. Don't give up 226 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.279 until you have the victory. You're a young man, Saint Paul, 227 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:29.639 I'm a saint John Rather. In his first epistle, he says, 228 00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:32.879 I write to you young men, because you're strong and 229 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:36.919 you've overcome the evil one. Those words are for you. 230 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:41.879 You're young, You're strong. Fight until you're free. Engage in 231 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:45.679 the battle until you win, and be satisfied with nothing less. 232 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.240 Don't reconcile with any sin in your life, and instead 233 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:55.440 of anger, cry be sad, because blessed are those who mourn, 234 00:13:56.320 --> 00:14:00.279 for they will be comforted. God be with you. This 235 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:03.879 next question is about a jaded lover who wonders what 236 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.679 to do. I have recently met a very kind and 237 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:11.120 godly woman who expresses interest in me. However, due to 238 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:14.399 multiple bad experiences of betrayal in the past, I have 239 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:18.279 become jaded and fearful of romantically entangling myself ever again, 240 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:23.919 what advice would you have for overcoming this maladaptive defense mechanism? 241 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.200 Thank you for your time. Glory be to God in 242 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:29.480 all things. This is from Samuel Grubbs Well my dear brother, 243 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:35.240 I think I would first recommend that you watch a 244 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:39.840 video that I posted some years ago called the twelve 245 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:44.200 Rules for Courtship. I think it's important for you to 246 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.840 get your mind clear about how to court a woman. 247 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.480 This will provide a new path for you such that 248 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:52.720 you'll guard your heart and it won't be such a 249 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:57.799 bloody experience. You should know that, no matter what, trying 250 00:14:57.799 --> 00:15:02.600 to fashion a relationship is always going to be a 251 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:06.440 sensitive matter. This is why the late and great Elder Emilianos, 252 00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:08.960 the abbot of siemon Opit from monastery on man Athos, 253 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.080 used to give this counsel to people that even when 254 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:15.039 you have a sense and it's clearly blessed for you 255 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.519 to begin a relationship, put both of your hands on 256 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:22.840 your heart and hold on. It's very important to do that. 257 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:29.639 Protecting yourself with this protective mechanism of withdrawal won't help 258 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:34.879 you at all, So just abandon it. Abandon that temptation 259 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:39.240 to withdraw. Withdrawing within yourself is no solution. It's better 260 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:42.000 for you instead to put your whole focus on giving 261 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:44.919 your heart to God, preparing yourself to be the man 262 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:48.960 that a woman will need, the woman that God's chosen 263 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:51.279 for you and put your faith in God. This next 264 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:54.120 question is about the Book of Romans. Does the Book 265 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:59.720 of Romans fit Lutheranism better than Orthodoxy? Hello, Patristic Nector. 266 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.120 It has been truly a blessing in my life, and 267 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.840 I appreciate what you all do. I have purchased a 268 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:07.519 copy of your book, Rock and Sand. I hope it's 269 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.399 helpful to you, especially the two chapters on Lutheranism, and 270 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:13.960 was very much edified by it. I grew up Baptist, 271 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:16.879 but when I attended college for my undergraduate I was 272 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:21.000 exposed to different Protestant denominations. Long story short, I have 273 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:24.480 been questioning if the faith that I knew growing up 274 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:28.320 is the true faith that Christ established. I currently am 275 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:32.320 taking some seminary courses through my local church. While going 276 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:35.399 through Romans in our New Testament class. I can't help 277 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:38.840 but think that our reading of Romans fits too conveniently 278 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:42.720 with Luther and his Solas. This makes me wonder what 279 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:47.120 would an Orthodox reading of Romans emphasize? Any pointers to 280 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:50.120 ways that I can further research this. Please pray for 281 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.759 me as I look into orthodoxy. This is from Dalton 282 00:16:53.960 --> 00:17:00.759 p Well, my dear brother. I do have examples that 283 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.679 you should look into. The most important would be for 284 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:09.440 you to read Saint John Chrysostom's commentary on Romans. In 285 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:13.079 my opinion, it is the best commentary in the history 286 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:16.359 of the Church on that epistle, and I think you'll 287 00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:19.880 find there that the faith that he articulates is a 288 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:23.000 faith that had been expressed from the time of the 289 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:27.039 Apostles until the fourth century, and it's kept today. The 290 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:32.160 problem with the solas is that they're made up. They're 291 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:36.440 made up. This next question is about being offended. Thank 292 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.799 you for your blessed work. I have a question regarding 293 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:43.160 the spiritual life. I'm struggling with taking offense. For example, 294 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:49.279 if someone often unintentionally is rude or says or does 295 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:51.519 something to me which I then take in the wrong way, 296 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:55.400 I find myself inadvertently offended. I forgive these people and 297 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.880 pray that God shows me humility because I know this 298 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:01.640 is my own pride at play. Good discernment. Yet a 299 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:05.680 sense of injury and slight remains. How can I concretely 300 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:09.279 combat these feelings? Thank you for your time. Many greetings 301 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:13.680 from Germany in Christ Boniface are What a great name 302 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:17.279 you have. Boniface thank you for your question too, and 303 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:19.599 I'm glad that you already know half of the answer. 304 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:22.359 You've already identified that your offense comes from pride. That 305 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:24.680 should tell you most of what you need to know. 306 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:28.599 If you're feeling offended, it's because you think you're somebody. 307 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:32.160 And if you were more focused upon your own sins 308 00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:36.000 and the offense that your daily life brings to God 309 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:39.400 and to others, your energy could be directed on correcting 310 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:43.799 yourself to be a blessing to everyone instead of expecting 311 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:45.720 everyone to be a blessing to you, which is what 312 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.079 they offended man expects. The person who's offended is walking 313 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:52.720 around expecting to be treated. Well, where do we get 314 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:56.759 that idea? As Christians? Then we pick up a cross. 315 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:59.960 It may be you can't even be saved unless you 316 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:03.079 have a lot of offense in your life. Certainly, if 317 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.279 everyone was nice to us, this would be the quickest 318 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:09.400 road to hell possible. So change your mind, my dear brother, 319 00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:12.960 about offense. Trust the providence of God. Trust that he 320 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:17.000 brings just the right amount of offense into your life 321 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.759 every day so that you can cover it over with love. 322 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:23.200 Because if you cover over others offenses, God will cover 323 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:27.880 over yours. This next question is on female vanity and 324 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:33.039 only fans ooof Hello Father. I saw your video regarding 325 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.839 the illness of vanity for men, and it helped me 326 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.559 a lot. It would be a blessing if you made 327 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:41.680 one about the specific struggles of vanity for women and 328 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:44.079 how to overcome them. I agree with you on that. 329 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:48.519 My physical appearance has been an idol of mind for years, 330 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:52.079 and I'm tired of it interfering with my relationship with God. 331 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:56.079 I really appreciate your videos. They have been a useful 332 00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:59.200 tool in my spiritual journey. Thank you and God bless 333 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:08.720 you Father. Well. Certainly, feminine vanity is a traditional female vice, 334 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:12.559 something that is addressed by Saint Paul and Saint Peter 335 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:17.000 in the New Testament, where both warn women from paying 336 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:22.400 too much attention to their appearance and wearing fancy chains 337 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:31.359 and jewels and cosmetics. Simplicity, beauty, these things are wonderful, 338 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:37.200 but the idea of vanity, this is a great vice. 339 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:41.759 So you're very wise, Dear Sea, You're very wise to 340 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:47.920 run from this instead pursue simplicity and the beauty of 341 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:51.640 the inner person. This is Saint Peter's advice. The beauty 342 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:56.400 of the heart is what all women should seek to cultivate. 343 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.160 Of course, we should take care of ourselves and you 344 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:06.279 should always want to not be offensive to anyone in 345 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:10.240 any way, and to please your husband and etc. But 346 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:15.880 be very very careful with vanity. Unfortunately, in our digital age, 347 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:20.599 the exterior, especially for women, has become the dominant force. 348 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:23.599 This is what's behind so much of the social media crazes. 349 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:29.240 Women even developing psychological conditions because they're constantly thinking about 350 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:31.599 what other people are thinking about them, how they look, 351 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:33.599 how they compare with other women, and what men think. 352 00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:37.839 It's very shallow. This is a very shallow way of interaction. 353 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:40.839 So I would say, don't put a lot of pictures 354 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:44.359 of yourself on the internet. Stay very far away from 355 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:48.440 the immorality of and pornography of only fans. Those are 356 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:51.400 for women who don't fear God. And we want all 357 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:53.720 of the women who are involved in this to walk 358 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.400 away from it and return to a beautiful life of modesty, 359 00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:02.640 because if they carry themselves with modesty, then they can 360 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:06.240 have the great gift of a husband who will appreciate 361 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:10.039 their modesty. No man wants to marry a woman who 362 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:17.440 displays her sexuality to everyone. She doesn't need a million 363 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:21.480 husbands touching her with their eyes. She needs one man 364 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:24.119 who will embrace her with his whole heart. And you're 365 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:26.279 never going to get it if you sell yourself cheap 366 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:32.960 like that. Oklahoma Orthodoxy, I'm just getting into Orthodoxy. I 367 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:35.359 live in Oklahoma and was wondering if there was a 368 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:38.440 church here in the state that you could recommend that 369 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:41.640 is true to our Father. This is from thy Well, 370 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:44.400 certainly I can. My dear brother, there is a friend 371 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:47.039 of mine. His name is Father John Salem, and he's 372 00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:50.200 the pastor of a fantastic church called Holy Prophet Elijah 373 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.160 Church in Oklahoma City. I would encourage you to contact 374 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:57.519 Father John. Father John's sister used to be a parishioner 375 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.799 here in my parish many moons ago. In fact, she 376 00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:03.799 was the babysitter for some of my oldest children, who 377 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.960 are now grown and have their own families. She is 378 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:10.079 now a nun, in fact, an abbess nun a Holy 379 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:14.880 Assumption monastery in Calastoga, California. So that family that's called 380 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:18.240 good stock, and I would recommend you go see Father John. 381 00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:21.720 How to pursue Orthodoxy when involved in ministry in a 382 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:25.240 non orthodox church. Oh This is a good question. I'm 383 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.440 part of a Pentecostal church and I have been baptized 384 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.319 for two and a half years now. I have no 385 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.119 family that is Christian. I went through things that no 386 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.880 kid should go through. Who I'm sorry, and it led 387 00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:39.440 to a dark path until I had a spiritual encounter 388 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.880 with Jesus. He gave me that love that couldn't have 389 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:46.400 been received anywhere else in this world until this day. 390 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:49.240 And I've still never felt his presence like that before. 391 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:53.160 I just started studying church history for about two months now. Well, 392 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:55.680 you better put your seatbelt on, my dear brother, if 393 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:58.359 you started studying church history, you know, the church didn't 394 00:23:58.359 --> 00:24:00.599 start yesterday, and it didn't start in nineteen oh one. 395 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:04.920 When the Pentecostal movement started. It started from our Lord 396 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:08.640 in the early first century, and he said I will 397 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:10.559 build my church and the gates of Hell will not 398 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:13.559 prevail against her. You want to make sure that you 399 00:24:13.720 --> 00:24:18.160 are in the church that Jesus built, not a contemporary creation. 400 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:22.119 He continues, I've been struggling so much with confusion and 401 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.720