The True Church of Christ - St. Sebastian of San Francisco & Jackson

St. Sebastian of San Francisco & Jackson (Nov. 30), Apostle to all America and first American-born priest, reposed in 1940 after his remarkable labor for Christ and His lost sheep. This essay comes from his book “Preaching in the Russian Church” and shines light, in a clear and simple way, on the truth of the uniqueness of the Orthodox Church. This saint is worthy of far greater recognition than he currently receives for all that Christ did through him.0:09 Introduction by Fr. Seraphim Rose from The Orthodox Word3:02 St. Sebastian: What is the Orthodox Church?3:55 The true and divine doctrine of holy faith5:08 Heresy, or injury to the teaching of Christ7:39 God the Father8:00 God the Son8:23 God the Holy Spirit9:05 To be saved one must belong to the Orthodox Church13:03 conditions of the true of lawful hierarchy13:13 1) grace-filled Apostolic Succession15:06 2) confesses the truth and is foreign to heresy15:22 3) The Sacraments must retain the form and actions, otherwise the Sacrament may not be valid. 16:49 4) the true and lawful hierarchy must obey the rules and canons universally accepted by the Orthdoox Church. 17:27 5) also needed is unity in a spirit of peace and love. 17:59 The Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church”What is the Orthodox Church? The Orthodox Church is a body or community of people who, 1: correctly believe in Divine Revelation; and, 2: who obey a lawful hierarchy instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, through the Holy Apostles.”“In the course of time the Apostolic Tradition, which was transmitted orally at first, was gradually, as the necessities of the Church demanded, committed to writing; and it is found in the works of the Holy Fathers and teachers of the first several centuries.”“A Priesthood to be lawful must administer the Sacraments orderly, according to the rules of the Holy Church Catholic, not changing essential actions, as there are acts and conditions in the rites of Mysteries that are essential, without which a certain Sacrament may not be valid. Should a sacred minister violate an essential rule he is subject to degradation, if the violation has been intentional, or at least, the Mystery is void of power. The seventh rule of the Apostolic Canon enjoins: "Should anyone, bishop or presbyter, administer not three immersions in Baptism in commemoration of the death of the Lord, but one, let him be cast out." And those who were baptized by one immersion, it was ordered that they should be rebaptized.”“The Apostles transmitted the power of conferring the Holy Spirit only to bishops.” -context is the example of how the Deacon Philip could not bring down the Holy Spirit on the Samaritans”Therefore, it is the duty of Christians to obey the Church, for outside of her there is no salvation.”This text can be found in Issue #5 of The Orthodox Word: https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec/001%20V01N01%201965%20Jan%20Feb/ALSO, listen to the Life of St. Sebastian (five parts) here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiAmhiJ6mQaberXVJ0FZePYOrthodox Wisdom is now on your favorite podcast platform! Go to the “About” tab at the top of the this channel to find links to:-Apple Podcasts-Spotify-Stitcher-and more…This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!