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How do you explain...

LauraForChristLauraForChrist
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
How do you explain to someone non-orthodox about certain things we believe in, such as confession, baptism, and intercession?

I know our job as coptic christians isn't to try to persuade others, but how would you explain these situations to a protestant, non-christian, etc.?

For example, I tried to talk about intercession of the saints with someone one time, and they counteract what I say : ex. I told them that we ask the saints to pray for us, then they say well how would they pray for you, they're dead... etc.

I guess what i am really trying to say is, how to defend your faith?

Comments

  • Basant TawfikBasant Tawfik
    the way that u can defend ur faith with the most is the word of God!!! if u read the bible and understand wut u r reading then u will be able to defend ur faith. 
  • Unknown
    All I can really say about this matter is that RESOURCES and EXAMPlES are a big fraction of it.  If you want to explain intercession to them than go right ahead by first telling them how you do it, why you do it, and so on and so forth and how you benefit from them, than give them an example of miracles that happened to you or a loved one!! Also, make sure that you are getting facts not opinions, I for one do that a lot!!

    Forever,
    Coptic Servent
  • LauraForChristLauraForChrist
    [quote author=*Thirsty+For+Christ* link=topic=6309.msg83305#msg83305 date=1204509492]
    the way that u can defend ur faith with the most is the word of God!!! if u read the bible and understand wut u r reading then u will be able to defend ur faith. 


    I think this is true for everything, you're right, because we wouldn't believe in anything if it didn't have a biblical base..
    but what about the things that aren't really stated directly in the Bible, like confession, intercession, etc? I know there are stories and verses that talk about it, but how would you make it clear to someone, because a lot of things in our church are tradition-- which protestants don't believe in the first place.

    GB
  • LauraForChristLauraForChrist
    [quote author=Coptic Servent link=topic=6309.msg83307#msg83307 date=1204509617]
    All I can really say about this matter is that RESOURCES and EXAMPlES are a big fraction of it.  If you want to explain intercession to them than go right ahead by first telling them how you do it, why you do it, and so on and so forth and how you benefit from them, than give them an example of miracles that happened to you or a loved one!! Also, make sure that you are getting facts not opinions, I for one do that a lot!!

    Forever,
    Coptic Servent


    I think that's a good point because then you're saying what you actually experience as well and not trying to prove someone else wrong

    God bless..

  • kokiiekokiie
    Ask the Holy Spirit to Speak through you, and Let His will be done.

    It's not about standing up for your faith, and if that's the case, walk away.

    God sends people to us to question us about our faith. This could be for us, and comming to the realisation that we need to do some research. Or Perhaps the Lord wants this person for His kingdom. Whatever the case, ask and you shall receive.

    Ask for God to fulfil His purpose.

    +God Bless.
  • Boricua_OrthodoxBoricua_Orthodox
    [glow=red,2,300]In the Name of the fFther+ and the Son+ and of the Holy Spirit, the One True God. Amen. [/glow]

      Read some of HH. Pope Shenouda's works as well as Orthodox websites. Your questions veers towards the field of Apologetics (the theological branch which shows us how to defend the Faith). Concerning prayers to the Saints it's a biblical practice to do handed down to us since the Early Church.

     [glow=red,2,300]The Saints pray for us on earth[/glow]: 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 6:9-10)?”


      [glow=red,2,300]We all are priests on earth and after death[/glow]:  "6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6)".
     
      What do priests do? They offer up sacrifice and the people's prayers up to God:  "1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins (Hebrews 5:1)".
       
       Thus on earth (The Church Militant) and those with God (The Church Triumphant) offer up prayers to God for the living and the dead. The Book of Revelation gives us other glimpses of Divine Liturgy and prayers in heaven. Seek and you shall find ;)!


  • ChristrulesChristrules
    [quote author=egypt45 link=topic=6309.msg83304#msg83304 date=1204509339]

    For example, I tried to talk about intercession of the saints with someone one time, and they counteract what I say : ex. I told them that we ask the saints to pray for us, then they say well how would they pray for you, they're dead... etc.

    I guess what i am really trying to say is, how to defend your faith?


    Please correct me if I'm wrong, but they are not dead, all thats happened is that the spirit and the body have separated, the body stays on earth and turns back into dust while the spirit lives in Paradise awaiting the second coming.
    So they aren't dead they are alive in Spirit.
  • truth.seeker
    If you are going to debate Protestants, you should read H.H.'s book "Comparative Theology."

    Concerning intercession: the saints can pray for us because although they are physically dead, they are more alive than we actually are, because they are in Heaven.  A simple verse in the Bible shows that knowledge in Heaven is greater than knowledge on Earth - "the hosts of heaven rejoice more when one sinner repents than when there are ninety-nine righteous people." 

    Well, if they are not able to see the sinner return, how could they rejoice?

    egypt45,

    Do you know that the Bible itself is within the Church's Holy Tradition?  We only have the books of the New Testament that we have today because the Church approved those books as canonical 1600 years ago.  So, let anyone who discredits the Church's Holy Tradition discredit the Bible as well.

    There are many things that the Apostles did that are not in the Bible.  St. Paul at one point says keep all the traditions we delivered to you, either by epistle OR by word of mouth.  Well, if we do "sola sciptura," then we know there are teachings of St. Paul which we are no longer following, i.e. those that were by word of mouth.
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