Are There Really Seven Sacraments?
Unlike what happened in the West, in the Christian Orthodox country of Greece, whose spiritual state inspired this book, it is not easy to bring the Evangelion regarding repentance, forgiveness, and salvation by Grace alone.
As far back as 1949, the Church reacted vehemently to Christian publications, which relying on Biblical evidence, argued that man needs to go directly to the Throne of God, repent, and only then be able to receive the free gift of forgiveness. To this day, the Church’s stand remains the same.
In his book dealing with the Sacrament of Penance, Spyros Filos explains for everyone – especially the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholics – the simple truth about the Reformation. He believes that the sincere, evangelical brokenness of man before God and the submission to free forgiveness is offered by the Father to all who take off the mantle of their own worthiness and put on that of Christ, who took upon Himself the sin of humankind, paying for it in full to give everyone the free gift of salvation.
The supporting arguments come from the original Greek text of the NT, Church Fathers, Local and Ecumenical Councils, The Holy Canons, and a rich list of references.
About the Author
A former civil servant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Greece and in Germany, Spyros Filos is a senior pastor of the Alkiviadou Free Evangelical Church in Athens, Greece. He is the author of 33 books and the translator of 20, the editor in chief of Pergamos Publications, and of “The Evangelical Tribune” (1994-2011). In 2016, he was awarded a doctorate from The Institute of Pentecostal Theology for his contribution to the widely known translation in modern Greek of the Bible.