We are living in terrible times.....if we chose to close our eyes and ignore what is truly happening then we are not true Orthodox Christians!
I agree with Justionios....
The Antichrist will come at a time where the truth is distorted and ready for him.
Because of so much diheavel in the world......from war to earthquakes and natural disasters all over the world ,people will begin to ask if there is truly a God .....this is when the Antichrist and his forerunners will go out into the world and deceive ''even the elect'' ....for as Orthododx Christians we must pray and ask our Orthodox Saints and the Theotokos for our prayers to be heard..
Whether people beleive this or not ...it is written and told by many pious people and Saints that have lived a prayerful life with much fasting and tears of true repentance.....why must we be silent to what the times and the signs are....
quote///"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith." (In the 1st Holy Epistle of the Apostle Peter 5:6-9).
Here the Holy Apostle Peter urges us to humble ourselves beneath the strong hand of God, so that he can lift us up in the appropriate time -- urging us to not be concerned for earthly things, but to throw the care of our lives onto God, Who is our provider.
We are currently living in Apocalyptic times!
What can we ourselves do to avoid Apostasy? "Get to know it, protect yourself from it and that is enough for you. Get to know the spirit of the times, study it so that you can avoid its influence whenever possible", wrote the humble Bishop Igantius.
If someone is teaching you outside of the things which the holy catholic Church received from the Holy Apostles, Fathers and Synods and preserved up till now, do not listen to him..., close your ears." (St. John Damascene)
"The Church of Christ is not comprised of the many, but of those who keep the correct and saving confession of faith, even if they are few" (St. Theodore Studite)
"And in the latter times of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." (Daniel 8:23)
"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders...." (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/theantichrist.htm Christ tells the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to Him, "Ye can discern the face of the sky," that is, tell what the weather will be; "but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" In other words, He's telling them that this has nothing to do with science, or with knowing our place in the world, or anything of the sort. It's a religious question. We study the signs of the times in order to be able to recognize Christ.
During the time of Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees did not study the signs of the times in order to see that Christ had come, that the Son of God was already on earth.
There were already signs that they should have recognized.
For example, in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, there is a prophecy concerning the seventy weeks of years, which means that the Messiah was to come about 490 years from the time of Daniel.
Those Jews who read their books very carefully knew exactly what this was all about, and at about the time that Christ came they knew that it was time for the messiah.
I.X
helen
Lord have mercy on us sinners.
