Among those saved are schismatics who have preserved apostolic succession, and some heretics (for example, Monophysites and Nestorians). Thus, those Jehovah's Witnesses who have not received the bath of life in the Church, but have been defiled by false baptism only in the bosom of their society, enter the Church in this way. First, like Jews and Muslims, they publicly renounce their errors and confess the Orthodox faith, and then, having previously confessed their sins, they accept worshipful Baptism through triple immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Those members of the sect who were baptized in the Church, but went into heresy, return back through public renunciation of their errors and holy Chrismation, in accordance with the rule of St. Methodius of Constantinople on apostates. This practice of receiving these sectarians was blessed, with the consent of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei, by His Eminence Arseny, Archbishop of Istra, who annually conducts such rites in the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (Joy of All Who Sorrow) on Bolshaya Ordynka.

In the same way, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, the rite of accession in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Krutitsy is performed by the hieromonk Anatoly (Berestov).   Priest Daniel Sysoev. Candidate of Theology. Foreword   "Brethren! If any of you deviate from the truth, and any one converts him, let him know that he who turns a sinner from his false way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).   St.

St. John Chrysostom taught: "Heretical teachings that do not agree with those we have accepted must be cursed and impious dogmas denounced, but people must be spared in every possible way and prayed for their salvation" (St. John Chrysostom, vol. 1, p. 766). In our time, a huge number of different sects have spread in the country. But, unfortunately, many Orthodox Christians turned out to be unprepared for the challenge that the sectarians threw at us.

Some say that this problem should be solved at the level of legislation, in the presidential administration, parliament and courts, with the involvement of law enforcement agencies of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Such would-be missionaries push aside the Bible and take up the Civil or Criminal Code, hoping for "telephone law". In general, supporters of such repressive methods are engaged only in collecting compromising evidence on sect leaders and even on ordinary sectarians.

They do everything in order to create for heretics a halo of persecuted and "martyrs." From a religious point of view, their research seems to be obviously useless, and their activities play into the hands of the opponents of Orthodoxy. Sometimes it seems to me that communion with non-Orthodox Christians is dangerous for me, and then the truly diabolical egoism of subjective soteriology begins to be exalted above the faith of Him "who wills that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4)

, and I decisively banish this temptation from my heart. In the moral sense, the sectarians themselves sometimes stand much higher than such immoderate zealots of patristic traditions. Many of the accusations they make against heretics can be used against them. Of those like them it is said in the Gospel: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of heaven to men, for you yourselves do not enter in, and those who would enter in you do not admit" (Matt. 23:13).

In connection with this, it seems impossible to conduct polemics with sectarians outside the biblical plane. Other would-be missionaries went so far as to completely refuse any meetings and contacts with sectarians and engage only in armchair battles. They forgot that heretics can be turned away "after the first and second admonition" (Titus 3:10). Such a position is called St.

John Chrysostom is satanic, diabolical and inhuman. Supporters of this position have forgotten that 90% of sectarians in Russia are former Orthodox, Russian people who, out of ignorance, left the holy faith of our fathers. And our task is to return them at all costs. St. St. John Chrysostom, speaking of Orthodox Christians and sectarians, said: "And do not say to me such heartless words: 'Why should I care? I have nothing in common with him."

We have nothing in common only with the devil, but we have a lot in common with all people. They have the same nature as us, inhabit the same earth, eat the same food, have the same Lord, have the same laws, are called to the same good as we do. Therefore, let us not say that we have nothing in common with them, because this is the voice of Satan, the devil's inhumanity.

Let us not say this, but let us show the solicitude befitting brothers. And I promise with all confidence, and I vouch for all of you, that if all of you will share among yourselves the care of the salvation of those who dwell in the city, then the latter will soon be completely reformed... Let us share among ourselves the concern for the salvation of our brethren. One man, inflamed with jealousy, is enough to correct the whole people.

And when there is not one, not two, not three, but such a multitude of those who are able to take upon themselves the care of the negligent, then for nothing else but our carelessness, and by no means weakness, many perish and lose heart. Isn't it reckless, in fact, that if we see a fight in the square, we run and reconcile the fighters – what do I say – a fight? If we see that a donkey has fallen, we all hasten to stretch out our hand to lift it to its feet; Do we not care about our perishing brothers?

He who blasphemes the holy faith is the same as a fallen donkey; Come, then, lift him up in word, and in deed, and in meekness, and in strength; Let the medicine be diverse. And if we arrange our affairs in this way, if we seek salvation for our neighbors, then we will soon become desired and loved by those who receive correction" (St. John Chrysostom, vol. 2, pp. 25-26). Thus, the saint teaches us to be caring brothers for those who have lost their way.

Of course, we cannot communicate with them in prayers, sacraments and rites, but we are obliged to bear witness to them about Orthodoxy. Up. Paul taught: "If anyone will not listen to our words in this epistle, let him be rebuked, and do not associate with him, so as to shame him. But do not consider him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (2 Thess. 3:14-15). Decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church "On Pseudo-Christian Sects, Neo-Paganism and Occultism" (December 1994)