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Originally Posted by InChristAlone
Again, I will be speaking from the Orthodox point of view. The verse (John 16:13) had been said almost 2000 years ago, before the New Testament or the Church existed. The Orthodox Church was founded on the Day of Holy Pentecost in Jerusalem in 33 AD, fifty days after the Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, in 2017, I can testify that the Holy Spirit has always spoken in the Church – through the Apostles, the Apostolic Fathers, The Church Fathers, saints, bishops, priests and common people of holy and righteous life. The Holy Spirit has always guided the Church. That’s why we have four Gospels, canon of the Bible, Christian dogmas, liturgical worship, Trinitarian theology, the correct (i.e. the Holy Fathers’) understanding of the Bible.
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If by "Church" you mean the body of Christ, then I agree.
If by "Church" you mean the EOC, then I disagree. Why would the Holy Spirit need to speak to the EOC or guide the EOC, when their liturgy and service structure was completely established almost 2,000 years ago? Your priests and church members have been doing the same thing every week and every year for their whole life. They could have service in their sleep. Some I'm sure do.
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Originally Posted by InChristAlone
The Holy Spirit keeps the unity of faith in the Church. Therefore, we don’t have novelties such as gay marriage or female priesthood. And we don’t have splinter groups with new revelations.
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I have read of groups of believers breaking away from the EOC, to follow the Lord and break free from extra-Biblical and unending traditions. It has not always been as peaceful and unified as you portray. In fact, sorry to say, the EOC leaders have often cooperated with the authorities to snuff out many so-called "splinter groups" over the centuries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by InChristAlone
As for worship in truth, as an Orthodox Christian, I believe that the Orthodox Church preserves the fullness and completeness of the teaching of Jesus Christ and His Apostles. Orthodox Church history can be traced from Jesus Himself, directly to modern times without interruption. Each Orthodox bishop and priest can trace his ordination back to the Apostles. The apostolic lineage of the ordaining bishop is important because bishops preserve the faith. (BTW, the Greek word for bishop (episkopos) means ‘overseer’.) Thus, we don’t have self-proclaimed or self-styled pastors who can preach from their own personal understanding, distorting the Gospel message, getting a new vision, or changing their opinion every new day. So, worship in truth means worship in true faith, in the fullness of the truth, received from the Apostles. At least that is how I understand it.
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I Tim 1.4 tells us, "not to occupy ourselves with unending genealogies." This is why I reject any claims at leadership lineage in the church, whether it be popes, MOTA's, or EOC bishops. Just because you call them bishops (overseers) means little. Names don't a spiritual man make. Neither does belittling other ministers as "self-proclaimed or self-styled pastors" take away their spiritual maturity in Christ.