Christ is in our Midst

“I assert, therefore, that the perseverance by which we persevere in Christ even to the end is the gift of God; … Therefore it is uncertain whether any one has received this gift so long as he is still alive.” (St. Augustine of Hippo)

Calvinists, particularly those who seek to portray St. Augustine as a proto-Calvinist or as one who laid the groundwork for their deterministic doctrine of unconditional election and irreversible perseverance, often misuse this quote. The quote in question is from De Dono Perseverantiae 16:41.
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I have been receiving these types of email for a few years now. I usually do not respond to most of them because of the filth they contain.

For nearly a month, this individual has pelted me almost daily with the exact same message, turning his obsessive repetition into something as tiresome as it is fruitless. It is truly regrettable to see someone who professes to be a Christian stoop to such conduct. Sadly, this style of correspondence is not uncommon among members of certain sects and cults, and in some cases, it is even worse. I finally chose to respond to this particular message, though I strongly suspect the effort was wasted. From the original emails, I have removed part of the name of their sect and one offensive term.
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Though the way may seem unending, the Lord grants the grace to endure. Trust that each moment of steadfast faith is blessed from above and brings you nearer the goal.

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
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Growth is forged not in a comfortable lifestyle, but in the crucible of trials—stand fast today in quiet confidence. Each challenge faced is a step deeper into endurance, each moment of faith edging you nearer to the promise kept.

“My power is made perfect in infirmity.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
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Do not measure your worth by the ease of the path, but by the faith with which you climb. The ascent may be steep, but every upward step is seen and sustained by God.

“The Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and keep you from evil.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

“Whoever has not experienced temptation cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Without temptations no-one can be saved.” (St. Isaac the Syrian)
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The Eastern Orthodox Church is not a denomination, a sect, a branch, or a reimagining of early Christianity. She is the original Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). She is not a renovation, nor a restoration, for she has never collapsed. She is not a movement toward some ideal Church; she is the Church.

From Pentecost until the present hour, the Orthodox Church has preserved without alteration the fullness of the Apostolic Faith. She has neither added to the deposit once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3), nor subtracted from it. Her councils are ecumenical, her doctrine is patristic, her worship is the unbroken continuation of the heavenly Liturgy. Her bishops stand in direct, physical, and spiritual succession from the Holy Apostles, and her sacraments are grace-filled mysteries, not symbolic gestures or human inventions.
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Though the trials you face may feel overwhelming, they are but passing storms—not permanent walls. Steadfast in faith, walk forward assured that the calm and reward prepared for you will arrive.

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“Take courage … The storms will pass, and calm will return. God’s providence watches over us, and He never allows us to suffer more than we can bear … Our trials here are temporary; the reward is eternal.” (St. John Chrysostom)
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