1 Peter 3:4-5
4 But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].
4 But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].
Category
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00As I have
00:29shared with you before, dear listeners and followers, I have been very surprised by the many
00:35differences between my former Protestant and charismatic differences versus the Orthodox
00:41Church in many doctrinal or theological beliefs. And as a newcomer and catechumen, which means
00:49one who is studying the Orthodox faith for baptism and chrismation, I have been amazed at
00:56many of these differences, which make a significant discrepancy in the depth and meaning and even the
01:03validity in doctrinal beliefs for the Church. One of these differences is how the teaching of
01:10the cross differs from Protestantism and Orthodoxy in several key ways. So obviously, you know the
01:20title will reflect the sharing today, which is called the beauty and significance of the cross
01:27in a Christian's life. I believe that no other Christian faith places such relevance and
01:35importance on the Holy Cross as the Orthodox Church does. In fact, it has become the central
01:41significance for the Church. The Holy Cross as a symbol of Christianity has a deep and complex history.
01:51Originally, the cross was used as a means of Roman executions, but it became a central symbol of faith
02:00after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As an instrument of death, it has become an instrument of salvation
02:08for the Church. Early Christians saw the cross not as a sign of shame, but as a victorious emblem or image
02:18of Christ's resurrection and salvation. And there is a hymn that is sung and declares,
02:25Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.
02:33The phrase, Christ trampling down death by death, comes from the Paschal Troparian, which is a hymn sung in
02:43Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions during Easter. It expresses the belief that through his own death,
02:50Jesus Christ defeated death itself and granted eternal life to those who believe in him and live in
02:58in obedience to his ways and truth. The idea is that Christ, by willingly dying on the cross,
03:07overcame the power of death and being resurrected, he opened the way for humanity to share in his victory
03:14over sin and mortality. This is a central theme in Christian theology. Death was not an end for Christ,
03:24but rather a means by which he conquered it. By the 4th century, Emperor Constantine legalized
03:33Christianity and authorized excavations in the Holy Land, and his mother, Helena, is said to have
03:42discovered pieces of the true cross believed to be the actual cross on which Jesus died and was
03:49crucified. Over time, the cross evolved into various forms, including the Latin cross, the Greek cross,
03:58and others, each carrying distinct meanings in Christian tradition. One of the ancient fathers named
04:06John Christosom said,
04:08The cross is wood, which lifts us up and makes us great. The cross uprooted us from the depths of evil
04:18and elevated us to the summits of virtue. We learn that the Holy Cross is key and primary for the
04:27Orthodox Church and emphasizes Christ's victory over death and the healing of humanity rather than just a
04:34legal transaction. Orthodox theology teaches that salvation is a process, a journey of transformation
04:43where believers participate in God's grace. It certainly is not a once saved, always saved salvation doctrine
04:53coined by John Calvin. The cross is seen as a part of Christ's incarnation and resurrection,
05:01which restores human nature and allows people to become more like God. In short, Protestants often focus
05:10on forgiveness and justification, while Orthodox Christians emphasize restoration and transformation.
05:19I have learned that the ancient fathers of the church teach that the cross is a symbol of Christ himself
05:26and is infused with miraculous power and also that Christ's energy or grace is present on the cross.
05:37Over time, however, the anti-Christian and satanic imagery of the upside-down cross has also been adopted
05:46and often shown as a way to reject or invert Christian beliefs. Popular culture, horror movies,
05:55and certain music genres have reinforced this association, making it a symbol of rebellion
06:02or opposition to Christianity. The ancient Orthodox fathers have profound reflections on the cross,
06:11seeing it as both a symbol of sacrifice and victory. St. John Christosom also said,
06:19At the very time when he, Christ, was nailed, and they were mocking him, deriding him, and spinning upon him,
06:26he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And he did forgive them if they wished to repent.
06:36The early fathers of the church saw the cross not just as an instrument of suffering,
06:42but as a gateway to salvation and divine love. And because of such reverence,
06:49let me add, the cross is not worshipped. The early fathers taught that Christians not only made crosses
06:57and placed them on the same level as icons in churches, which were to be revered and venerated,
07:03they also wore crosses, hung around their necks, and made the sign of the cross over themselves and
07:10blessed each other with the sign of the cross. And one of the early Christian prayers devoutly prayed
07:17was, Enlighten my soul with the love of thy cross. Enlighten my heart with the purity of thy word.
07:24Enlighten my body with the passionless passions. Keep my thoughts in thy humility,
07:30faith, and roused me in good time to glorify thee. For thou art supremely glorified with thy eternal
07:38Father and thy most Holy Spirit forever. Amen. And I must say, coming from Protestant and charismatic
07:47background, I personally didn't have the deep reverence or understanding of this precious
07:53instrument on which our dear Savior shed his blood and gave his life for the salvation and life-giving
08:00repentance and forgiveness unto all who embrace and love him with all of their hearts. This knowledge
08:07that I am sharing with you has really opened my eyes, my spiritual eyes, even more as to the greater
08:15reverence, honor, and worship that is due our precious Savior. Some Protestant traditions avoid crucifixes,
08:24believing that focusing on Christ's suffering detracts from the hope and the victory of his resurrection.
08:31The Orthodox Church even has such deep reverence for the cross as something capable of hearing them when
08:38they sing, Rejoice, life-bearing cross, O most honorable and life-creating of the Lord.
08:46Dear listener and follower, this is true reverence for what Christ has done for all of mankind.
08:55The veneration of the cross has deep roots in early Christianity.
09:00An apostle Paul himself emphasized the significance of the cross in 1 Corinthians 1,
09:07verse 18, calling it the power of the cross. And let's read that in verse 18.
09:15For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being
09:22saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to
09:30nothing the understanding of the prudent. So why is it that apostle Paul says the message of the
09:37cross is foolishness to unbelievers? Well, you see, it is a mark of those who perish, not to recognize
09:46the things which lead to salvation. And those who bear witness to Christ must not be discouraged when
09:56those who are distant or oppose him mock this practice. An apostle Paul himself was one of these
10:04before he had his great visitations from the Lord. Being saved in present tense refers to the process
10:12by which the cross transforms us with the power of God himself. Just think about it, dear listeners.
10:21The early church Christians revered the cross as a symbol of Christ's victory over sin and death,
10:29using it in their daily lives and practices or rituals to worship the Lord. In the first few centuries,
10:37the cross was not widely used as a public symbol because crucifixion was seen as a shameful form of
10:45execution. But by the second century, the cross became more closely associated with Christianity to the
10:53point where Christians were mocked as adorers of the givet, which is a reference to the cross. By the
11:02second and third centuries, church fathers like Tertullian documented the use of the sign of the cross in
11:10Christian practices. And let us be reminded that the early church began at Pentecost 29 AD. And just to
11:18mention that St. Tertullian lived in 155 to 225 AD and was a theologian who was first to refer to the
11:30Trinity as three persons in one essence. The tradition of reverence of the cross became more formalized in
11:38the fourth century when St. Helena, the mother of the emperor of Constantine, traveled to Jerusalem and is
11:47said to have discovered the true cross. And for that, she is honored for her role in discovering the true cross
11:55and promoting Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. St. Helena, also known as Helen, is venerated as a saint in
12:05the Eastern Orthodox Church. She is commemorated alongside her son, Emperor Constantine the Great, on May 21st, a feast known as the
12:15feast of the holy great sovereigns, Constantine and Helena, equal to the apostles.
12:23This discovery led to widespread veneration of the cross, with relics of the cross being distributed to
12:31various churches. I must say that I was even more surprised to learn about the birth and the continuity of the
12:40Orthodox Church's existence from her beginning at Pentecost 29 AD until this present time in which you and I now live.
12:50Coming from a Catholic Protestant background, I was very surprised in learning missing truths,
12:56for instance, like the timeline of the church's history, which saying it began at Pentecost 29 AD.
13:03And for the first thousand years of her history, the church was essentially won until AD 1054,
13:12the Roman patriarch pulled away in what is called the Great Schism, to where he was pursuing his long-developed
13:19claim of universal headship of the church. And it was out of her today. It is estimated there are over
13:302,600 groups who lay claim to being the church, or at least the direct descendants of the church
13:37described in the New Testament. Dear listeners and followers, I couldn't ignore these truths and facts
13:45regarding the history and the beginning of the early church, and many dear saints who are not mentioned in
13:51the King James Bible, but many others who worked and labored laboriously along the apostles and who are
13:58mentioned like Peter, Matthew, John, Mark, Paul, and so on, were authors or instrumental in the formation of the
14:09early church beginning. So with all of this, I realize that the Orthodox Church practices seem very foreign to me,
14:19but they must be true and valid because they were passed down from early time and beginning of the church.
14:25My conscience wouldn't let me ignore these things. I knew this was the Holy Spirit witnessing these truths to me.
14:34Some of the practices like the veneration of the cross, which we are talking about today, but also the
14:41veneration of holy objects such as the icon, prayer rope, holy communion, divine liturgy, and so on are
14:48slowly being added to my understanding and practice as a catechumen. And a catechumen again means one who
14:55was studying Orthodox faith to become a baptized member of the church. Well, I have learned in the Orthodox
15:03Church, the veneration of these sacred objects, the veneration of these sacred objects hold great and
15:08deep spiritual significance. And it is to be understood that these various holy objects are not
15:16worshipped, but rather are honored as holy reminders of faith and God's divine presence. The Orthodox Church,
15:25unbeknownst to most of the world and many other denominations that have come out of her at the time of the
15:31great schism in 1054, know little about the saving and healing power of the cross and the sign of the cross from
15:40her experience through all of these generations of time. We have learned that the cross protects an
15:47individual when traveling, working, sleeping, and praying. The cross is the protector of the whole world
15:56and the cross is the beauty of the church. In Eastern Orthodox Church, the cross is revered as a symbol of
16:04protection, of faith, victory over death and sin, and Christ's passion and sacrifice. It represents atonement,
16:13resurrection, and eternal life. Several rulers in early history venerated the Holy Cross of Christ,
16:23considering it a sacred relic. One of the most notable mentioned before was Emperor Constantine the Great,
16:32who after his conversion to Christianity, promoted the veneration of the true cross. His mother,
16:39Saint Helena, is credited again with discovering the true cross in Jerusalem in the fourth century.
16:45Also, the Romanov rulers of Russia were devout Orthodox Christians. The last imperial family, including Tsar
16:57Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandria and their children were deeply committed to their faith. They were canonized
17:05as saints by the Russian Orthodox Church for their suffering and cruel martyrdom. The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia
17:14for 304 years from 1613 to 1917. Their reign ended with cruel martyrdom of Tsar Nicholas II and his whole family
17:27during the Russian Revolution. The Romanov's maintained a close relationship with the Orthodox Church throughout
17:35their reign. Their rule was often intertwined with religious tradition and beliefs. The Romanov rulers,
17:43including Tsar Nicholas II, visibly displayed the cross as a symbol of their deep Orthodox faith.
17:51And the Romanov's devotion to Orthodox Christianity was evident in their attire, their ceremonies,
18:00and even the jewelry which they commissioned. Their faith played a significant role in their rule and
18:07personal lives. The teaching of the Holy Cross is a symbol of divine appointment and as an object of religious
18:16veneration is made clear by Isaac the Syrian in his newly discovered works from the fourth century.
18:25According to Isaac, the power of the cross is no different from that through which the universe came into being
18:32and which governs the whole creation in accordance with the will of God. Dear ones, I was very surprised
18:41and amazed and touched in my journey of learning that in the cross lives the very same power that existed
18:49in the Ark of the Covenant, which was the object of fearful veneration by the people of Israel.
18:57Israel. And I have learned in my search of the cross that Metropolitan Hilarion Elfeo, a prominent figure and
19:06writer in the Russian Orthodox Church, was known for his theological works and leadership. He reposed on May 16,
19:142022. And in making his point of the importance of the power of the cross and its likeness to the Ark of the
19:22Covenant, he writes, The limitless power of God dwells in the cross, just as it resided in an
19:32incomprehensible way in the Ark, which was venerated amidst great honor and awe by the Jewish people,
19:39performing by it miracles and awesome signs in the midst of those who were not ashamed to call
19:46it God. That is, they would gaze upon it in awe as though upon God, because of the glory of God's honored
19:54name was upon it. The cross was not only honored with this name by the Jewish people, but by foreign peoples
20:03and their enemies who said, Woe to us, for the God of the people has come to the camp today. You see, that power which
20:12existed in the in the Ark is believed by the Orthodox Church to exist in this revered and honored form
20:21of the cross, which is held in honor by the Church in great awareness concerning God. What then was in the
20:30Ark, asked Isaac the Syrian, that made it so awesome and filled with powers and signs. The Ark was venerated.
20:39He answers, because of the visible Shekinah glory, the presence of God dwelt. Did not Moses and the
20:47people prostrate themselves before the Ark in great awe and trembling? Did not Joshua, son of none, lie
20:55stretched out on his face before it from morning until evening? Were not God's fearful revelations
21:02manifest there as to provide honor for this object, seeing that the Shekinah is now residing in the
21:10cross? It is departed from the Old Testament Ark and entered into the New Testament Cross. Dear
21:19listeners and followers, this was a very revealing and powerful teaching which parallels both the Old and
21:27of the New Testament. The New Testament symbolic but yet a real eye-opening importance of the cross of
21:34Jesus Christ as a central theme of veneration and honor. The cross is venerated primarily because of our
21:43love of Christ who accomplished our salvation through it. When contemplating the cross, Christians enter the
21:52vision of the mystery of faith. They see the face of Christ himself. St. Isaac again lived in 613 AD to
22:02around 700 AD and he explains, For true believers, the sign of the cross is no small thing, for all symbols
22:11are understood to be contained in it. But whenever they raise their eyes to gaze upon it, it is as though they
22:18were contemplating the face of Christ. And accordingly they are full of reverence for it. The sign of it
22:25is precious and fearful to them. And at the same time, beloved. And whenever we approach the cross,
22:33it is as though we are brought close to the body of Christ. And this is what it seems to us in our faith in
22:40him. And through our drawing near to him, and our gaze towards him, straightway we travel in our intellect
22:49to heaven mystically. As though at some sight that cannot be seen or sensed, and out of honor for our
22:57Lord's humanity, our hidden vision is swallowed up through a certain contemplation of the mystery of faith.
23:04You see, according to Metropolitan Hilarion Elville, the material cross, whose type was the Ark of the
23:14Covenant, is in turn a type of the final things concerning the Kingdom of Christ. The cross links the old
23:25covenant with the new, and the new covenant with the age to come, where all material symbols and types
23:32will be abolished. The whole plan of Christ concerning the final things, the limitless regarding the
23:40ultimate destiny of mankind, which began in Old Testament times and continues until the end of the
23:47world, is encircled in the symbol of the cross. Saint Isaac ends with the hymn of thanksgiving to God,
23:56who intended from eternity to give true knowledge to humanity by the means of the cross, which is the
24:03material symbol of his management or plan for salvation, how he orders it, administers and dispenses
24:11his grace throughout history, mainly through Christ's life, his death and resurrection. Saint Isaac's hymn begins,
24:19Blessed is God, who uses corporal or material objects continually to draw us close in a symbolic way
24:30to a knowledge of his invisible nature. Let our hearts rejoice in the mysteries of the faith in which we
24:37hold. Let us exult in God, who is so concerned with us. How much to be worshipped is the God who for our
24:46salvation has done everything in the world to bring us close to him, before the time when he had been
24:53prepared will be revealed. How much to be worshipped is the symbol or image of the cross, seeing that it has
25:02given to us all these things, and through it we have been deemed worthy of the knowledge of the angels,
25:09that is, through the power by which all things are created, both visible and invisible were created."
25:19End of quote. End of his song or his hymn. Dear listener and followers, it's always amazing to me when I read
25:29and learn and journey through what our ancient fathers, especially like Saint Isaac, who again lived in
25:37613 AD to around 700 AD, and have taught in the early church such profound wisdom and revelation of
25:46personal spirituality and union with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. In wrapping up this
25:54sharing today called The Beauty and Significance of the Cross in a Christian's Life, I want to add that
26:01many of the modern day interpretations of the cross often emphasize personal spirituality, social justice,
26:09and inclusivity, where the early church's teachings focus more on the atonement, sacrifice, and divine redemption.
26:19And I believe it's important to mention that inclusivity within the context of Christianity refers to the
26:28concept of the concept of welcoming and including everyone, regardless of their background, their beliefs,
26:35social status, or sexual orientation into the Christian community and the Kingdom of God.
26:42This includes creating a space which diverse individuals feel valued and respected accompanied with a
26:51come-to-come-as-you-are motto. In the early church, the cross was primarily seen as a means of salvation.
27:00Christ's suffering and death were understood as necessary sacrifice to reconcile sinful humanity with God.
27:09Teachings of the rational thinking of mere man, creatures of clay, does not change the way and
27:15doctrines and doctrines of the Orthodox Church. The early church fathers like Saint Ignatius of Antioch and Saint
27:24Cyril of Alexandria emphasized that the cross's redemptive power and victory over sin and death.
27:32These are the things they emphasized. Modern interpretations of the cross have endeavored to reshape how early church
27:41teachings are understood and applied today. But this is not possible because the ancient faith of the early
27:48fathers has not changed since before it was conceived at Pentecost 29 AD. The church's history has been traced
27:58from her birth and has maintained continuity for over 2,000 years. Just think about that.
28:05Ponder upon that. I ceased to be amazed. Dear listeners and followers, I can say again that my journey into the
28:15missing truths of the early church, I have learned another of God's precious truths that hold great
28:22significance in shaping one's spiritual life. Our great God who has created all things uses material objects
28:30continually to draw his people in symbolic ways to understand knowledge of his invisible nature.
28:39Our hearts should rejoice in mysteries of the faith which we hold dear at this time and exalt in God who is
28:47so very concerned for us and with us. Our great God is worthy to be worshiped for giving us his Son,
28:55Jesus Christ for our salvation and who has done everything in the world to bring us closer to himself.
29:03And dear ones, how true it is that the symbol of the cross of Jesus Christ is to be incorporated into
29:10worship through prayers, visual displays in the church, hymns and so on. And being that the cross has given us all
29:19these things and through it, we have been deemed worthy of the knowledge of the angels, that is,
29:26through the power by which all things created and both visible and invisible were created.
29:34Let us next time we gaze upon the cross, make the sign of the cross and rejoice and say and sing with
29:41all the church. Rejoice, life-bearing cross, O most honorable and life-creating cross of the Lord. Hallelujah. Amen.
30:11Amen.