Photo: pravmir.ru
Some people go to church for many years. They know the names of priests, the church schedule, and the order of prayers. They make the sign of the Cross at the right time and follow the rules of fasting. But even with all that, they might still not know Lord Jesus Christ personally. They become “familiar with church,” but that doesn’t mean they are familiar with God.
In the Orthodox faith, being a Christian isn’t about preserving a cultural tradition or repeating a religious routine. Faith is not measured by how often we enter a church building, nor by how much we know about rituals or church history. To be a Christian means to enter into a living relationship with Christ—not as a distant memory or symbol, but as the One who is alive, who loves, and who transforms every hidden corner of the soul. Christ doesn’t stand upon the altar like an idol waiting for offerings. He steps into the human heart like a holy fire that must be tended. And only when His love begins to soften our hearts—to drive out hatred, pride, and illusion—only then do we truly begin the Christian journey. Not only from the outside in, but from the inside out; not only from rule-keeping, but from receiving life; not only from “knowing,” but from being changed.
The Holy Bible says, Even the demons believe—and they tremble”(James II:19). But demons don’t love God. Many people say they believe, but their faith is mixed with fear, superstition, or wrong ideas. They believe in God, but also believe in fortune-telling, lucky charms, or energy healing. Real faith isn’t just in your head. It must change your heart. It must help you forgive others, stop doing wrong, and become more like Christ.
No one can believe on your behalf. In the Orthodox Church, salvation is never inherited—not through bloodline, not through tradition, not even through proximity to holiness. The faith of your parents, your friends, or your priest may inspire you, may guide you, but it cannot substitute your own encounter with the living Christ. You must stand before Him yourself—in prayer that is real, in repentance that is honest, in a desire to be changed not because you fear punishment, but because your soul longs to be near its Creator.
Attending church is not the same as being united to the Church. Salvation is not granted by presence in a building, but by synergy—the living cooperation between your free will and God’s grace. The true path of salvation begins not with steps toward the altar, but with the opening of the heart—broken, humbled, made ready to receive the mercy that alone can heal and restore. For God does not dwell in the places built by hands, but in the soul that makes itself a temple of love and truth.
There are times when we imagine we already know enough—we pray regularly, we fast during the appointed seasons, we observe the rules of Church life. Yet the true Orthodox faith is not a still pond; it is living water, and living water must keep flowing or it turns foul. The Lord Jesus warned us through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 17): The Pharisee was outwardly righteous, confident in his own piety, and thankful that he was “not like other men.” But it was the tax collector—broken, silent, beating his chest in sorrow—who went home justified.
This is the mystery of salvation, it doesn’t begin in pride but in contrition; it does not grow in self-satisfaction but in hunger for grace. So we must always be students in the school of Christ. We must keep reading the Scriptures, not to feel wise, but to be pierced by the Word. We must keep confessing our sins, not to check a box, but to uncover the dark corners of our hearts. We must keep asking God to cleanse us—not once, not twice, but constantly—because only the heart that is purified again and again can become truly illumined.
In Orthodoxy, there is no graduation from repentance, only deeper entry into it, until repentance becomes not a burden, but a joy—the joy of coming home, again and again, to the One who never tires of receiving us.
Being Orthodox is not about wearing a cross around your neck—it’s about carrying the Cross in your life. It’s not about knowing all the services. It’s about becoming a living offering to God, each day, through patience, love, and sacrifice. It’s not about speaking loudly against heresies. It’s about loving the truth so much that you’re ready to live and die for it.
You don’t have to be a theologian to be saved. But you must know the most important things: What do we believe in the Nicene Creed? Who is Christ? What does Baptism mean? What is the Eucharist? That salvation comes through the Church. Many people believe strange things because no one ever taught them. They mix Orthodox faith with folk religion, internet gossip, or popular trends. That’s why we need to learn the basics—even as adults.
Not all of us preach sermons, but all of us teach with our lives. Your family, coworkers, and friends watch you. If they see peace, kindness, and forgiveness in you—they will believe God is real. If they see anger, pride, or division—they may turn away. Your life can be the best lesson someone ever sees! St. Paul said, If I speak in the tongues of angels, but do not have love, I am nothing but noise (1 Corinthians 18). You can fast, pray, and go to church—but if your heart does not love God and other people, you are not truly living the Orthodox faith.
There was once a woman who went to church for thirty years. When she got sick, she was scared and said to her priest, “Father, have I done enough?” The priest didn’t answer her question directly. He said, “God won’t ask how many times you came to church. He will ask when was the last time you truly came to Him.”
That’s the question for all of us. Not, “What have I done?” but, “Have I truly opened my heart to Christ?” Not, “Am I on the church list?” but, “Is my name written in the Book of Life?” Not “do I think I am a good Christian?” But “does God see me as His own?”
And if we are not sure, it is not too late to begin again. Not with rules. Not with pride. But with one simple prayer, whispered with tears: “Lord, remember me.”
