The common error in the church today is the belief we have a reasonable hope all men will be saved. Belief in Universal Salvation is popular because the church has lost its sense of sin. In ancient times, all Christians knew that what Christ taught was true. Christ taught that men were evil [Greek poneros; Matthew 7:11].

Christ, said repeatedly and emphatically that all would not eventually be saved, but that the punishments of hell were unending. He referred to the unrighteous being bound hand and foot and cast into the outer darkness (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30), with no suggestion that this punishment will be temporary. In His parable about Lazarus and the rich man, He explicitly said that there was a great gulf fixed between paradise and the place of punishment, so that none may cross over from the place of punishment into paradise (Luke 16:26), and this is an odd thing to say if in fact everyone in the place of punishment will indeed eventually cross over into paradise. Finally He referred to the fire of Gehenna as “the eternal fire.” And in His parable on the Last Judgment, He ended by saying that “these [unrighteous] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). The same word—“eternal” (Greek “aionion”)—is used to describe both the punishment of the wicked and the life of the saved, so if the life of the saved is unending, so must be the punishment of the wicked. The fire of Gehenna is real and eternal.

This truth has a moral dimension, and an urgent one. We are, all of us, fallen human beings with temptation to sin ever close at hand and the devil also close at hand to confirm our decisions to rebel against God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.

THERE ARE FOUR ENDS OF MAN: DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN OR HELL

The real truth is that all will not eventually be saved, and that the conviction that they will contains subjective spiritual dangers for some as well as being objective heresy. God calls us to hate sin and to war against it, not because it impedes our eventual arrival into the Kingdom of Heaven, but because it will prevent it altogether. All will not be saved. The gate to life is small and the way is narrow that leads to it and few are those who find it (Matthew 7:14). All the more reason for us to repent and walk in truth and righteousness and enter by that small and narrow gate.

When we stand before God in judgment, we will be judged for our sins of “commission” as well as for our sins of “omission”. In other words, we will be judged on what we did and what we failed to do.

Christians who vote to legalize same sex marriage are voting to cast their own soul into the eternal fires of hell. Christians who vote for a political party or candidate who supports abortion and infanticide have voted to spend eternity in separation from God. It is not enough to avoid these sins in our personal life, we must speak out against these violations of God’s Law in the public forum and in the voting booth.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH (Romans 6:23)

Christian leaders who speak out in favor of Liberation Theology are misleading the people of God and should not be followed, but rejected for the devil’s minions they are. For information on Liberation Theology see: http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/liberation.html. Perversion, sexual assault on minors, changing church teaching from that which was believed everywhere by all men at all times, is a mark of surrender to the world, the flesh and the devil. People who follow the errant teachings will join their leaders in Gehenna.

“TODAY’S HERESY IS TOMORROW’S ORTHODOXY” (HELEN KELLER)

The modern church is a combination of politics and religion, paganism and Christianity. (see: http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/pagan_church.html

The modern church places entitlements above service; Law above Grace. It is a manmade institution that exists counter to the church of the Apostles. It is most properly called the counter church.

Wrapped in the mantle of religion, politics becomes holy and an exercise of divine authority. The divine right of Kings becomes the divine right of clergy to change and nullify God’s Word, to meet the needs of their political agenda. Religion becomes impotent as the power of politics becomes solidified. Like the Rabbi who blesses pork and calls it fish, the modern church blesses pagan practice and calls it Christianity. Paganism has succeeded in the church more than Biblical Christianity could ever hope to prosper. Pagan practices appeal to the emotion, not the mind. Emotionalism has been allowed to replace the Holy Spirit. Beautiful to look at, lovely to hold; pagan practices can give that warm, cuddly feeling sought by those lacking spiritual discernment. Apparitions on demand, supposed visions from heavenly personages combine to give a false sense of security to those on the precipice. Millions call good, bad; and bad, good. Millions call error, truth; and truth, error. Millions go to hell with the blessing of the counter church. There is an old adage that says it is not what you look at that is important, but what you see. People naturally seek a moral compass and direction from the “leaders of the church”. As the people see clergy dressed in the attire of the Imperial Roman Court or the clothing of the Byzantine Empire they are suitably impressed with this ostentatious demonstration of presumed authority. When these regal authorities speak, the world listens. The claims to divine authority, evidenced by their vestures and clerical adornments, are amplified by titles designed to impress. The people are told not to question, just obey. Pay, pray and obey becomes the express ticket on the glory train. As they look, they no longer see a man before them but a quasi-divine authority with the power to save or condemn. Forced to admit to the human frailties of these leaders as they are discovered having immoral sex with persons of the same or opposite gender, stealing from the church funds and living private lives inconsistent with their divine vocation and calling; seeing the clergy often living the good life of the rich and famous off the back of the church faithful who sacrifice to donate “for the good of Holy Mother Church”, the aberrant behavior and scandalous events are seen through rose-colored glasses.

Rather than admit that Satan and all that is evil have entered into the church, even to the highest levels, the abomination is seen as a ‘personal moral lapse’ of the individual clergy. When the evil is so all pervasive and extends to the entire world; when new cases of clergy sexual abuse or theft is seen as a cliché it is no longer a personal moral lapse; it is a sign of a corrupt institution, it is a sign of the counter church. The clergy are much too busy expanding their power base or satisfying their basest instincts to be of service to the church or a shepherd to souls.

THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

The church established by Christ sets man free; the counter church established by man makes bondservants of all. It is not numerous laws that will set man free; it is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

THE HERESY OF ECUMENISM

http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/ecumenism.html

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/because_you_asked.html

The Celtic Orthodox Church is

so Ancient it demands respect

is so Traditional it is refreshing

and so Conservative it is reassuring.

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Holy Trinity Celtic Orthodox Church

1703 Macomber Street,

Toledo, Ohio 43606

Phone: 419.206.2190

Pastor: Bishop Brian J. Kennedy, O.S.B.

OUR APOSTOLIC LINE OF SUCCESSION IS ACCEPTED BY WORLD ORTHODOXY.

REMEMBER AS YOU READ THESE LETTERS OF AFFIRMATION THE BISHOPS BEING ACCLAIMED AS PART OF WORLD ORTHODOXY WITH GRACE FILLED AND SPIRIT FILLED ORDERS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OLD WORLD PATRIARCH, YET THE PATRIARCHS ACCEPT THEM AS EQUAL BISHOPS IN THE LARGER CHURCH WITH THE SAME APOSTOLIC MISSION.

LETTER OF RECOGNITION FROM THE O.C.A.

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LETTER OF RECOGNITION FROM ALEXANDRIA

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LETTER OF RECOGNITION FROM THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

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WE ARE SUCCESSORS TO THE APOSTLES, IN UNION WITH THE ORIGINAL 12 AND ALL THOSE WHO CAME AFTER THEM AND WITH ALL THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER US.

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION OF BISHOP BRIAN KENNEDY, O.S.B.

http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/succ.html

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HOLY TRINITY CELTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH

CELTIC ORTHODOX BENEDICTINE FATHERS

IS A NOT FOR PROFIT CHURCH CORPORATION

UNDER SECTION 501 ( c ) 3 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE .