"Christ is born, give glory
Christ is upon earth, be exalted ! "
In Christ's love and many blessings,
the author
NEW EDITION
A CHRISTIAN OR AN ACTOR? (128 pages)
by Archimandrite Vassilios Bakoyiannis (CV)
Introduction
Our life is beautiful, but it is corrupted by passions. The greatest damage (destruction), is done by the king of passions; selfishness. In this book we will see how this passion works in our soul, but also how we will overcome it, so that we can transform our lives, by truly living with the humble Jesus, being heirs of His Kingdom. Amen
A chapter from the book
1. “You will be like gods”
(Gen. 3:5)
God created Adam and Eve “in His image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26). With the
ability to improve their position; to come closer to Him. The devil knew this, and in order to deceive them, he told them if they eat the forbidden fruit, they “will be like gods” (Gen. 3:5). They believed and ate it, losing both God and themselves.
Coming out of Paradise, they did not forget that they had been created “in the image and likeness” of God. That they were once small gods. This has passed through their DNA, as a result all their descendants inherit it. Thus, every man is born with the illusion that he is an earthly god; that he is on top of the world, and everyone else is down below, looking and admiring him. Or, as the late Professor Nikolaos Nissiotis said, “we have the illusion that our ego is the center of the world. And everyone else is revolving around ourselves.” “Do not think, as you look at yourself, the others look at you when you are crossing crowds of people. The only thing they give attention, is to themselves”, a Priest said to a young man who suffered from agoraphobia.
As we view ourselves as god, we want the other person to think of it, and this is why we are expecting praise from that person, even if it is false. “You are great and powerful” , Queen Amalia used to say to Theodore Kolokotronis. “Do not believe her. She’s pulling your leg” Makriyiannis whispered in his ear. “I know, but I like it! ”. Take a look at this crazy fact: On the one hand, we consider ourselves to be on top of the world, seeing our fellow humans as a “footstool of our feet ” and on the other hand, we want from these trivial people, praise and applauses...!
This feeling (deception) of being earthly gods, makes us judge one another on our own merits. If you regularly wake up at seven in the morning, then, according to you, a person who wakes up at eight, wakes up late. Whereas the one who wakes up at six, according to you, he wakes up early.
A 9th grade (Middle School) student was asked: “How old is your theologian professor?” “He is old. Forty years old.” He was old, because the student who judged him, was young. “How old are you?” A 95-year-old man asked his fellow villager. “I am 85 years old.” “I see! You are young.” The 95-year-old responded, judging also (as the student) according to himself.
The struggle of a Christian is how to uproot from within himself the illusion, of being an earthly god, and gain the feeling that he is “dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), so God may dwell within him, becoming like Him.
But most people cultivate the thought that they are earthly gods, going as far as to believe they are great and important, but may be small and trivial...! Do you see? We ourselves assemble, feed the passion of selfishness. Within us there is simply the tendency, the predisposition.
Publisher: Archangels Publications. www.ArchangelsBooks.com
E-mail: archangelsgiftshop@gmail.com
