The Cross and the Holy Trinity

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)

But Love Forgave and Overcame All

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:22-24)

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

For God, who is love, was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our sins against us (1 John 4:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19).

What We Encounter in the Mystery of Baptism

“For God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4)

“What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Romans 6:1-5)

The Restorer of Relationship

 

The Second Death is the Death of Death

“The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:13-14)

“Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be eliminated is death. For he has put everything in subjection under his feet. But when it says “everything” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

The Reality in Whom We Have Our Being

 

The Nature of Reality

 

The Trinity and Human Being

“To say that there are ‘many human beings’ is a common abuse of language. Granted there is a plurality of those who share in the same human nature ... but in all of them, humanity is one.” — Gregory of Nyssa, That There Are Not Three Gods

Incarnation and the Fullness of Everything

 

When Creation Came Into Being

Christ is the Lamb Slain from
the Foundation of the World.

The Arms of Love

 

Once We Say It Is Okay

 

Each Human Being Matters

 

Christian Universalism

“God made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9-10)

“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he ‘has put everything under his feet.’ Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

An Announcement, Not An Argument

“Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling death by death,
And on those in the tombs
Bestowing Life.”
Paschal Troparion

Not By Special Knowledge