The Signs of the Times

by Petros Theodoros Presbeftes

This is a workbook about the topic, "The signs of the times".

In a lecture given by Father Seraphim Rose, we learn about the topic of "Living the Orthodox Worldview".

You can order the audio compact disc of this lecture from St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Monastery at the following link - (Please support the Monks at this Monastery by purchasing this product and others at their site):

The Audio Compact Disc is available at: https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/low.htm

Now, with this in mind, I will make a few comments about the signs of the times as we perceive it today:  I am in full agreement with Father Seraphim Rose, when he says, "The Apocalypse is now....The world is coming crashing to its end..."  But, also, as Father Seraphim Rose says, We don't know the time or the hour when our Lord is to return...We must be in a constant state of readiness.  How do we place ourselves in this readiness?  It is simple:  Accept the Gift of the Triune God (above all other gifts), by believing on the Only-Begotten-Son-and-Word-of God.

Then, give agape (unselfish service) to our Benevolent Lord and Saviour by following His commandments:

1.  Give agape to God with all of your Heart, Body, Soul, and Mind; and

2.  Give agape to your neighbor as you do give agape to yourself.

The first gateway to doing these commandments is to institute (begin) a complete change of mind; a catharsis; a 180 degree about face (from sin and sinful behaviours).

At this moment, we are seeing what appears to be abundant signs that lead one to the conclusion that these are the End-times that we are now living in.  Men and women who love darkness or in the alternative have never been illumined, will seek to "Enjoy themselves", to "Relax", to have "Fun" (in a spirit of unseriousness, such that any normal person (from previous centuries), now stumbling upon such a society would think that he had stumbled upon a land of imbeciles!  Really, this is how they think:  how abnormal and strange this new land is!  We don't often take that into account, because we live in this strange land and are desensitized to know or realize how far from the Orthodox Worldview it is!).  This all sets up to demonstrate the seeds of apathy and laziness that have brought in a world, in which the unrepentant attempt to rule over the righteous people of God.  Although mob rule always self-destructs, we should understand that it is the failure of a certain growing number of members of the Holy Orthodox Church who fail to be obedient to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28, verses 19-20 that cause the numbers of the unrepentant to be steadily increasing and overrunning the civilized portions of Society.

SO, WE LEARN THAT GOD WANTS AND DESIRES FOR US ALL TO REPENT OF OUR SINS FOR THE REASON THAT HE CARES ABOUT US; THAT WE SHOULD NOT DIE IN OUR SINS BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

ON THE SAME SIDE OF THAT TOKEN, WE SHALL ALL DIE IN OUR SINS AND BE JUDGED BY THE FEAR-SOME JUDGE IF WE FAIL TO REPENT OF OUR SINS.

THAT IS NOT A FAIRY TALE.  THAT IS REALITY.

The world is a theatre.  It is always interesting and a curiosity to view some of the latest of videos about bible prophecy from Protestant sources, and see how theatrical they are:

100% Proof Pope Francis is Anti-Christ

Prophecy of the Popes FULFILLED! Pope Francis IS Petrus Romanus!!

FINAL POPE UPDATE!! + The Coming Alien Savior Deception with Sid Roth

PROOF: 666 is the Number & Mark of ANTICHRIST TRUMP

Is Obama The ANTICHRIST? WATCH 100% Proof Is There!

The Orthodox manner of thinking brings into focus that we must begin, humbly, where we are and begin the struggle of Living the Life of Christ, in the manner that our ever-to-be-remembered and sainted brother Father John of Kronstadt would teach us in his book, "My Life in Christ".  With all this in mind, let us have a heart of peace that speaks to us with soberness.  We are NOT of this world, those of us who live the Orthodox Worldview.  Let us be obedient to His great Commission:  "Go therefore and and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen."

The Genuine Church of Christ follows and defends the Teachings of Christ, as deposited with the Holy Apostles through Oral and Written Tradition, and follows the Holy Decisions and Holy Canons of its Holy Spirit led councils (The Council of Jerusalem [Acts, Chapter 15]; The First Ecumenical Council:  The First Council of Nice (325 A.D.); The Second Ecumenical Council:  The First Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.); The Third Ecumenical Council:  The Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.); The Fourth Ecumenical Council.  The Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.); The Fifth Ecumenical Council.  The Second Council of Constantinople (553 A.D.);  The Sixth Ecumenical Council.  The Third Council of Constantinople (680-681 A.D.); and The Seventh Ecumenical Council.  The Second Council of Nice (787 A.D.).  The Papal "church" at Rome is in violation of the Holy Decisions and Holy Canons of these Seven Ecumenical Councils, by the various innovations enacted and by its thirst for world domination in religious and secular matters.  The two main areas of disobedience on the part of Rome is: the attempted alteration of the Nicene Creed with the addition of three words to it and its enlargement of attempted jurisdiction beyond the boundaries of its Diocese at Rome.  However, the attempt to add even a small phrase to the Nicene Creed is contrary to the Holy Decisions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council which state (The Definition of Faith of the Council of Chalcedon) in part:

"...therefore this present holy, great, and ecumenical synod, desiring to exclude every device against the Truth, and teaching that which is unchanged from the beginning, has at the very outset decreed that the faith of the Three Hundred and Eighteen Fathers shall be preserved inviolate. And on account of them that contend against the Holy Ghost, it confirms the doctrine afterwards delivered concerning the substance of the Spirit by the One Hundred and Fifty holy Fathers who assembled in the imperial City; which doctrine they declared unto all men, not as though they were introducing anything that had been lacking in their predecessors, but in order to explain through written documents their faith concerning the Holy Ghost against those who were seeking to destroy his sovereignty...These things, therefore, having been expressed by us with the greatest accuracy and attention, the holy Ecumenical Synod defines that no one shall be suffered to bring forward a different faith (ἑτέραν πίστιν), nor to write, nor to put together, nor to excogitate, nor to teach it to others.  But such as dare either to put together another faith, or to bring forward or to teach or to deliver a different Creed (ἕτερον σύμβολον) to as wish to be converted to the knowledge of the truth, from the Gentiles, or Jews or any heresy whatever, if they be Bishops or clerics let them be deposed, the Bishops from the Episcopate, and the clerics from the clergy; but if they be monks or laics:  let them be anathematized."

The attempt to enlarge the jurisdictional reach of a diocese is plainly disobedient to the Holy Canon XV of the First Ecumenical Council:

"On account of the great disturbance and discords that occur, it is decreed that the custom prevailing in certain places contrary to the Canon, must wholly be done away; so that neither bishop, presbyter, nor deacon shall pass from city to city.  And if any one, after this decree of the holy and great Synod, shall attempt any such thing, or continue in any such course, his proceedings shall be utterly void, and he shall be restored to the Church for which he was ordained bishop or presbyter."

and disobedient to the Holy Canon II of the Second Ecumenical Council:

"The bishops are not to go beyond their dioceses to churches lying outside of their bounds, nor bring confusion on the churches; but let the Bishop of Alexandria, according to the canons, alone administer the affairs of Egypt; and let the bishops of the East manage the East alone, the privileges of the Church in Antioch, which are mentioned in the canons of Nice, being preserved; and let the bishops of the Asian Diocese administer the Asian affairs only; and the Pontic bishops only Pontic matters; and the Thracian bishops only Thracian affairs.  And let not bishops go beyond their dioceses for ordination or any other ecclesiastical ministrations, unless they be invited.  And the aforesaid canon concerning dioceses being observed, it is evident that the p. 177 synod of every province will administer the affairs of that particular province as was decreed at Nice.  But the Churches of God in heathen nations must be governed according to the custom which has prevailed from the times of the Fathers."

Also, many clerics in the Papal "church" of Rome have engaged in worldly affairs in the secular realm as admitted by the Roman Catholic Church in their "Catholic Encyclopedia" in an article entitled, "Reformation" (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm).  This practice is disobedient to the Holy Canon III of the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon:

"It has come to [the knowledge of] the holy Synod that certain of those who are enrolled among the clergy have, through lust of gain, become hirers of other men’s possessions, and make contracts pertaining to secular affairs, lightly esteeming the service of God, and slip into the houses of secular persons, whose property they undertake through covetousness to manage.  Wherefore the great and holy Synod decrees that henceforth no bishop, clergyman, nor monk shall hire possessions, or engage in business, or occupy himself in worldly engagements, unless he shall be called by the law to the guardianship of minors, from which there is no escape; or unless the bishop of the city shall commit to him the care of ecclesiastical business, or of unprovided orphans or widows and of persons who stand especially in need of the Church’s help, through the fear of God.  And if any one shall hereafter transgress these decrees, he shall be subjected to ecclesiastical penalties."

The spirit of this world desires to keep us busy with unserious things and one of those past-times is to engage in being a spectator.  The theatrical presentations in the videos posted in this article are a witness to the truth of what I have said.  These elements of the videos, which have material for gossip,  and idle talk, are not going to prepare us for the Second coming of our Lord.  We have to be found doing the work of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to be found obedient to the Holy Decisions and Holy Canons of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.  Otherwise, we will not be able to stand.  So, we learn that all this responsibility begins with us.  The items listed above regarding the Roman Catholic Church are not everything the Genuine Body of Christ has by way of admonishment.  To learn more about the other issues, read an encyclical written in 1895 by the Ecumenical Patriarch Anthimos.

Let us not be hysterical when thinking about the end-times, but let us TRULY be prepared for His Second Coming (seven days a week, 24 hours a day) and live the Orthodox Worldview, in fact and in deed, partaking of all the Holy Mysterions of the Genuine Body of Christ. Then, we need not be concerned at the suddenness of His Returning, but we can rejoice and say, "I am ready Lord.  Take me."  Teaching others to do the same, we can take joy in the knowledge that those whom we reach with ears to hear, shall be also able to say, "I am ready Lord.  Take me."

Grace and Peace be with you all in Christ Jesus our Lord, Who Lives and Reigns as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, now and forever and ever, and unto the Ages of Ages.  Amen.

Back to Greek Orthodox Sermons