On the third day after the death of Jesus Christ (i.e. on Sunday), very early in the morning, the earth shook violently. An angel of the Lord appeared near the cave where the body of Jesus lay, rolled away the stone from the entrance to it and sat on it. Jesus Christ rose from the cave in all Divine majesty and glory. The soldiers guarding the coffin fell from fear as if they were dead; and then, coming to their senses, they ran to the Jewish leaders and told them about what had happened. Bribed by them, the soldiers began to spread a false rumor that the disciples stole the body of Christ while they were sleeping.
Has anyone risen from the dead except Jesus Christ?
They rebelled. In the Old Testament, for example, it is told how the prophet Elijah resurrected the son of the widow of Sarepta. Jesus Christ himself raised the dead more than once: he raised from the dead, for example, Lazarus, who had been lying in the tomb for four days. But the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead not because he was resurrected by anyone, like others, but by His Divine power He rose from the dead.
Why was the word added to the Creed: according to Scripture?
To mean that the Lord Jesus Christ died and rose again exactly as it was written about by the prophets, who for several hundred years predicted the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (the suffering of Jesus Christ is spoken of in Isaiah in the 53rd chapter of the Holy Bible; about His resurrection in David in Ps. 15:10 and in Acts 13:37), and the three-day stay of the prophet Jonah in the belly of a whale was a type Jesus Christ's three-day stay in the tomb.
How is the sixth article of the Creed read?
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
Right hand - on the right side.
What does this term say?
About the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.
How did He ascend to heaven?
On the fortieth day after His resurrection, He led the apostles from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. Here, raising his hands, He blessed them and, as He blessed them, He began to rise higher and higher from the ground. Finally, a cloud hid Him from them. The apostles looked at the sky in surprise. Then two angels appeared to them and said that Jesus, who had ascended into heaven, would come in the same way as they had seen Him ascend into heaven. The apostles worshiped the Lord and returned to Jerusalem.
What do the words of the Creed mean: sitting at the right hand of the Father?
These words mean that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has equal power and glory with God the Father.
How is the seventh article of the Creed read?
And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
Paki - again. The future - the coming one. Egozhe - whom.
What does this term say?
About the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth, His judgment and eternal kingdom.
Will the second coming of Jesus Christ be like the first?
No. The Son of God came to earth for the first time in humiliation to save us from sin and death; the second time he will come in glory to judge people (Matt. 25:31-46).
Will He judge all people?
All people, both living and dead, who will all be resurrected by that time.
How will He judge?
Memory will then reveal to every person all sins; Then, not only deeds, but also all the secret thoughts and desires of each person will be revealed by themselves before angels and people.
Will Jesus Christ come soon to judge people?
This is unknown not only to people, but also to angels. Only God knows; therefore, we need to always be attentive to ourselves in order to always be ready to stand before the terrible judgment of God (Matt. 25:13).
What great misfortune will happen for Christians before the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth?
The Antichrist (the enemy of Christ) will appear on earth, or a person who will try to do only evil to Christians all his life on earth, because the devil will move into him; but for that he himself will die in a terrible way.
What kind of kingdom is meant in the words of the Creed: His Kingdom will have no end?
That eternal and glorious kingdom that will come after the general judgment of Christ.
How is the eighth article of the Creed read?
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
Life-giving - life-giving. Verb - speaker.
What does this term say?
About the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
What is being said about Him here?
That He is the life-giving Lord, proceeding from the Father, that He is worshiped equal to the Father and the Son, and that He spoke through the prophets.
Why is the Holy Spirit called life-giving?
Because He gives life to all creatures, especially spiritual life, i.e. virtuous life for people.
What do the words of the Creed show: Who proceeds from the Father?
They show the difference between the Holy Spirit and the other persons of the Holy Trinity. The special, distinctive property of the Holy Spirit is that He proceeds from the Father, as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said: The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26).
What do the words mean: the prophets spoke?
These words mean that the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets.
Who are the prophets?
These are people who taught the people to live holy and predicted about the future. Some of the prophets taught orally - in words, leaving nothing written behind them, for example, the prophet Elijah and his disciple, the prophet Elisha; others wrote down their teachings and deeds in books: the prophet Moses, David and Isaiah...
What is the most important prayer to the Holy Spirit?
Heavenly King.
How is the ninth article of the Creed read?
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
What does this term say?
About the Church.
What is the Church?
A society of people who Orthodoxy believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How many such societies or Churches are there?
One society, one Church; There cannot be another Church like this.
Why?
Because the Church is, as it were, one great family, although scattered across different countries, the Head and Chief of which is one Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is the Church called Holy?
Because the people who make up the Church are sanctified by the sacraments and strive to be saints.
Why is the Church called Cathedral?
Because it is collected or composed of people of all times and peoples.
Why is the Church called Apostolic?
Because it invariably preserves the teaching received from the apostles, and is governed by bishops whom the apostles appointed in their stead.
Who are the apostles themselves?
Disciples of Jesus Christ, whom He sent into the world to preach His teachings. There were twelve of them at first; then seventy more people were elected apostles. By origin they were simple people: some of them were engaged in fishing; Enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they became wise teachers of the Christian faith and almost all died as martyrs.
How is the tenth article of the Creed read?
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
I confess - I admit, I openly declare.
What does this term say?
About baptism, and of course other sacraments.
What is a sacrament?
A sacrament is such a sacred action through which the grace of God or the saving power of God is given to us secretly and invisibly to us.
How many sacraments are there?
Seven. Baptism (baptism), confirmation, communion, repentance (confession), priesthood, marriage (wedding) and consecration of oil (unction).
Do every person need to receive all the sacraments?
Every adult must certainly receive the first four sacraments, and every infant the first three; the other three sacraments are received by those who are willing and able to do so.
What does baptism consist of?
The fact is that a believer is immersed in water three times in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and through this he is cleansed of sins and reborn into a new life.
Why are there godparents at baptism (godfather and godfather, or otherwise, godfather and godmother)?
To make a solemn promise before God that they will raise the baptized person in true faith and piety and then confirm him in the Christian life.
Why is the person being baptized wearing a white shirt?
As a sign that the person being baptized is clean from sins.
Why do they put a cross around his neck?
As a sign that he can be saved by faith in Jesus Christ crucified on the cross.
Why does the Creed not simply say: I confess baptism, but also add: one?