“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for it is needful for him who draweth near to God to have believed that He is, and that He becometh a rewarder to those who seek Him out” (Hebrews 11:6).
Without faith, we have no basis for a relationship with God. Faith is given as a gift and fruit of the Holy Spirit, and can be acquired and strengthened through prayer, fasting, and giving alms. St James, the brother of the Lord, said, “You see then that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). That is to say, it is by doing good works that we show God our faith, not just by saying, “Lord, Lord!” (cf. Matthew 7:21). For this reason, our faith is lived out through our actions, our love for God and fellow man, and our obedience to God.
The faith of the Orthodox Christian Church can be defined by the Nicaean-Constantinopolitan Creed, which states:
We believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and of all things, visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages.
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one Essence with the Father, through whom all things were made;
Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from the Heavens and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and suffered and was buried.
And He rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.
And He ascended into the Heavens, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose Kingdom shall
have no end.And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father,
Nicaean-Constantinopolitan Creed
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke through
the Prophets;
And in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the Life of the age to come. Amen.
The faith of the Orthodox Church can be experienced through our worship services. The Orthodox Church accepts her congregants where they are, spiritually, but then guides them to growth in their spiritual life toward the Kingdom of Heaven.
