Why We Preach the Glorious Gospel

Why We Preach the Glorious Gospel: A Distinctive Trinitarian Path in the Christian Faith

In today’s world, Christianity is often portrayed through popular streams that emphasize personal salvation, prosperity, or emotional experiences. While these approaches resonate with many, they often leave believers without the foundational depth and understanding that sustain a truly transformative faith. The Glorious Gospel, centered on the Trinitarian nature of God and the four foundational streams of Orthodoxy—Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis, Orthotomia, and Orthopathia—offers a comprehensive approach, contrasting sharply with popular Christian movements focused primarily on individual or material benefits.

Unlike popular gospels that center on blessings and personal fulfillment, Glorious Gospel’s approach returns believers to the roots of the Christian faith, emphasizing a life that mirrors the sacrificial love and unity found within the Holy Trinity.

The Glorious Gospel vs. Popular Christian Streams

Popular Christian streams often present a faith that emphasizes emotional worship experiences, individual blessing, and prosperity. They encourage personal intimacy with Jesus, but they sometimes overlook the broader context of the Holy Trinity and communal aspects of faith. The Glorious Gospel, in contrast, guides believers to a life balanced in right belief, right practice, sound doctrine, and genuine compassion—forming a truly holistic Christian life. Here’s how it differs from some prevalent streams:

1. Prosperity Gospel vs. Orthodoxy:
   The prosperity gospel promotes a transactional view of faith, often focusing on material blessings as proof of God’s favor. This gospel appeals to the desire for immediate rewards but risks overlooking the suffering, sacrifice, and call to humility that Jesus exemplified.

   • Orthodoxy, as practiced in the Glorious Gospel, redirects believers from seeking material gain to experiencing spiritual enrichment in the love of the Trinitarian God. It emphasizes worship of God not as a means to worldly gain but as an act of reverence and devotion, rooted in the teachings of the Church Fathers like St. Athanasius, who defended the nature of Christ over materialistic interpretations of faith. This foundation calls us to a faith that seeks eternal union with God, not temporary rewards.

2. Emotional Christianity vs. Orthopraxis:
   Emotional forms of Christianity center on immediate personal experience and feelings. While genuine emotion is part of faith, an overemphasis on personal feelings can lead to an unstable faith that fluctuates with emotional highs and lows.

   • Orthopraxis within the Glorious Gospel encourages faith that is evidenced by consistent action, not just fleeting feelings. It invites believers to live out their faith daily through acts of charity, justice, and service, following the example of St. Basil, who established the first Christian hospitals and cared for the marginalized. Orthopraxis cultivates a faith that transforms the world, not just a private spirituality, emphasizing that true faith manifests in love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of justice.

3. Selective Scripture vs. Orthotomia:
   Many modern streams use selective interpretations of Scripture to fit particular narratives or personal agendas, often bypassing challenging teachings or historical context.

   • Orthotomia in the Glorious Gospel, or “right doctrine,” promotes a faithful and careful approach to interpreting Scripture in alignment with the early Church's teachings and communal understanding. Inspired by figures like St. John Chrysostom, who cautioned against interpreting scripture for self-benefit, Orthotomia aims for an authentic engagement with God’s word that leads to true wisdom. It respects the complex nature of Scripture, inviting believers to uncover the depth and breadth of God’s message, which transcends personal agendas and points us to a communal, sacrificial life.

4. Individualism vs. Orthopathia:
   Popular movements sometimes emphasize an individualistic faith journey, prioritizing personal spirituality over communal growth and accountability. This approach risks creating isolated believers, disconnected from the collective body of Christ.

   • Orthopathia in the Glorious Gospel, or “right affection,” is about transforming one’s heart in harmony with the community and the Spirit. This stream encourages believers to develop genuine love, empathy, and a sense of unity with others. Inspired by saints like St. Isaac the Syrian, who focused on inner humility and love, Orthopathia offers a path of inner transformation that shapes how believers connect with God and others. It challenges the self-centered tendencies of modern spirituality, urging believers to experience faith as a shared journey of compassion and mutual growth.

A Path Back to the Roots of Faith

The Glorious Gospel does not dismiss the importance of personal experiences, blessings, or emotions, but it calls for a balanced faith grounded in the Trinitarian understanding. It encourages believers to go beyond seeking comfort or personal gain, calling for a life aligned with Christ’s sacrificial love, grounded in the communal, apostolic faith handed down by the Church Fathers. By integrating the four streams of Orthodoxy, the Glorious Gospel provides a path back to the roots of the Christian faith:

• Orthodoxy reminds us that true belief is in the Trinity, leading us to worship not for self-gratification but to honor God in unity with the Church.

• Orthopraxis calls us to live out our faith by actively serving others, creating a faith that has tangible impacts on our community.

• Orthotomia invites us to deeply engage with Scripture, protecting us from misinterpretation and drawing us closer to God’s wisdom.

• Orthopathia encourages the transformation of our hearts, helping us develop the genuine love and compassion that Jesus exemplified.

This path challenges the often-individualistic, materialistic, or emotionally-driven Christianity that has become popular. It offers a richer, deeper faith, one that does not depend on circumstances but is rooted in the eternal truth of God’s nature.

Walking the Glorious Path: Living a Life that Reflects the Trinity

The Glorious Gospel is not about mere adherence to religious routines or seeking personal benefit. Instead, it is a call to live a life that reflects the Holy Trinity’s unity, love, and truth. Embracing this path shapes every part of our being—our thoughts, actions, relationships, and even our emotions—in alignment with God’s will. By following the Glorious Gospel, we participate in the divine life, fostering a faith that extends beyond ourselves to bless and transform the world.

This approach invites Christians to rediscover their faith with renewed purpose, inspired by the teachings of the early Church and the love of the Trinitarian God. The Glorious Gospel’s emphasis on the four streams of Orthodoxy redefines what it means to live as a Christian, guiding believers to an authentic, lasting relationship with God and a meaningful, impactful life in His service.