About the #Ethiopian #Orthodox #Tewahedo #Religion
👉What is religion?
👉What is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo religion?
👉How is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo religion different from other religions?
👉What is the role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo religion in saving humanity?
Dear and respected members who follow the orthodox education and spiritual service that we transmit through the John's Repentance website, we have sent the following introductory lesson about the Orthodox Tewahedo religion as a starting point for our education.
✍1. What is religion?
For all those who ask what religion is, the first thing they should know is that 'religion' is the lens of conscience of all of us, in which we distinguish between creator and creature, righteousness and condemnation, light and darkness, life and death, heaven and hell. Since the creation of the human world; Religion is the true way to know and reach the invisible, intangible, abstract God (Creator).
Religion is a subtle way of believing and knowing God. Except through religion, we could not see it with our eyes, hear with our senses, think with our hearts, and listen with our senses. Therefore, religion is the secret by which we can accept the divine wisdom, which is distant and abstract to us, with faith that it will be done.In his message to the Hebrews about faith, the Apostle Saint Paul said, "Faith assures us of what we hope for; It explains what we do not see" and he said that 'religion' is a special grace by which we can see God and His subtle work that we cannot see with our eyes (Hebrews 11:1).
The foundation of religion is to accept your Creator. Acknowledging your Creator begins with believing in being a creature. Because there is no one who says that I was created by myself. If a person believes that he is created, then he believes that he has a creator. Then he begins to search for his creator. An example of this is Abraham, the great righteous man. Abraham was born in Karan, in what is now Turkey. His father was Tara and was a pot worshiper. It was not only worshiping, but it was also managed by carving and selling idols. Later, he realized that the material that was carved by his father's hand and carried to the market and sold could not be God and started searching for the creator. In the process of searching, he tried to worship rivers, winds, mountains and the sun. He affirmed that all these are creatures and not creators. In the end, he shouted, "O Creator, speak to me." At that time, God, the Creator of creation, appeared to him. He ordered him to leave Karan, where idols were worshipped, and go to the promised land of Canaan. (Genesis 12:1) From then on, Abraham believed God and lived faithfully to his word. This is to know that Abraham trusted God's word. Even today, what we mean by religion is believing in God and believing in God's commands like Abraham did.
2. What does Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo religion mean?
First of all, it is necessary to briefly understand the words 'ortho', 'dox', '/tewahdo', and 'religion', based on their mystical meaning and theological teaching style and style of expression.
"Ortho Dox" means; The word is Greek. It means "straight path (true religion)".
In the 4th century, ie in 325 AD. 318 scholars (Church Fathers) by making a religious assembly (Synod assembly) in the city of Nicaea; At that time, Arius, a man of disbelief, said, "The Creator; It is a creature”; He caused many to disbelieve with the doctrine of disbelief. Therefore; As the history of our church testifies; In this conference, scholars named it "orthodox (straight path) religion" in order to distinguish the true, direct unified religion from Arius' religion of denial and apostasy.
The Prophet Jeremiah, speaking about the true and straight path (religion), said, "Ask for the straight path that was before you, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls" (Jer 6:16).
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, the life" (John 14:6).
An explanation of #depression, the challenge of #loneliness and perfect #peace and #light
👉🏾 Question from member: I often feel depressed and lonely. Life has no meaning to me, I just want to die and live with Jesus, I've been looking for happiness all my life but I can't find it, I feel like my mind is going to explode, please pray for me, I need prayer, what do you recommend?
✍️Answer:- Why does a person choose loneliness? Why does a person hide? In essence, man is not happy without God, because there is no peace without God. Jesus Christ said in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 27, "Peace I leave with you, and my peace I give you, the peace I give you is not as the world gives; do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid."
The world kisses us today then bites tomorrow; gives today then takes away tomorrow. But God does not take away what He has given, no matter what, there is no peace without God. What is life? Life is the opposite of death, life is living. Life is God, it is written, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."
Therefore, if we believe in the Son, we live with Jesus who is the life. It is Jesus Christ who gave life when human beings could not live according to the commandment, it is Jesus Christ who enlightened the dark world. In fact, this Christmas (birth) season is called the light. And if it is said who is the light: it is Jesus Christ.
This world was dark before God the Son became a man. The world lived in darkness. It is called light because God became a man and enlightened the world by making us members of His body. Many people's lives are in darkness. Darkness is sin, darkness is betrayal, darkness is hatred, darkness is lack of love; On the other hand, light is Jesus Christ, light is life, light is religion, light is peace, light is help, blessing and love. Because it is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave us that, there is no life without Jesus Christ.
As the owner himself told us, John Gospel chapter 15 verse 5 said "without me you can do nothing", so without Jesus Christ nothing can be done. How can peace be found without Jesus Christ? How can you live? Absolutely not possible. When Judas betrayed Jesus Christ for 30 dollars he died because he was separated from Jesus Christ who is life. We remember that when the devil was once the archangel, when he forgot God and said, "I am the creator," and then failed and separated from God who is life.
Also, when Adam lived peacefully in paradise for seven years and did what he was told not to do, he lost peace from God who is life, and found it difficult to live. but then we remember that he found peace when he returned to God, when he reconciled with God, so there is no peace without God.
Our questioner said that they want to die and live with Jesus Christ. So, those of us who do not have peace on earth, those who have fallen into sin on earth, those who have not tried to repent to find Jesus Christ, how can we find peace if we die? What qualifies us for the kingdom of heaven is the work we have done on earth to live with Jesus Christ and enable us to live in heaven. If we die on earth covered in sin, without repentance, confession, and reconciliation with God, we will not be able to live with Jesus. Therefore, it means that we cannot live with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ before we repent.