It is my prayer that we become the Mission of the Church - Each of us as Individuals ,Families and Communities in where the Lord has brought us to remain. Sharing an extract from 'Building Up the Body of Christ -The Treasure of the Armenian Church for Our People Today ' by Bishop Daniel Findikyan to the Armenian Eastern Diocese.(Pages 13,14)
Building Up the Body of Christ: The Treasure of the Armenian Church for Our People Today
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"..Only in the last thirty years did the diocese frame an official mission statement to guide the ministry of the Eastern Diocese: The mission of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to proclaim its message of salvation. This mission is realized through worship, education, witness, service, and the common life in Christ as expressed in the distinctive faith-experience of the Armenian people. All members of the Armenian Church—both clergy and lay—are called to participate fully in its mission.."
A much more theologically refined formula is attributed to St. Gregory our Illuminator in his extraordinary catechism, known as 'The Teaching of St. Gregory'
To bring light to all people who come into this world [John 1:9, 3:19, 9:5];
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
To offer repentance of salvation to all [John 3:17];
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
To wash all people and deliver them from the chains of darkness by means of baptism. [Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21];
"..Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. "
But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit
In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
To seal all nations as Christ’s inner circle [2 Corinthians 1:22]
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
To make the Spirit of God dwell in people’s hearts [Romans 5:5, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Galatians 4:6]
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
