For honest orthodox believers!
When Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He was asked: "What is truth?", for Pontius Pilate wanted to tempt the Savior by this question, but Jesus did not answer. Although on another occasion, He prayed: "Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth."- John 17:17 (translated from Romanian Orthodox Bible, 1988).
Thus, the truth is God's Word, the Holy Bible! No other book God gave to mankind; since there is one God, likewise there is one Word (Ephesians 4:4-6; 2Timothy 3:16).
If a man would like to leave his heirs a tremendous wealth, but few generations apart from him, how would he do it? Only telling about it? If so, then it may be possible that after few generations, someone could add or remove some words from the original message of that rich man. After several generations his message of inheritance might be diluted, lost, misappropriated, the legacy could be stolen or lost! The only safe way would be written one, when the message about the legacy is written in several copies and certified by a notary! In such a case an inheritance could reach its heirs after many generations without being defrauded!
God is the One who left a precious heritage to mankind: His Word, that is more valuable than much refined gold (Psalm 19:7-11).
God repeatedly commanded His servants to write what they saw and what they heard from Him (Exodus 17:14; 34:27; Psalm 101:19; Jeremiah 30:2; Habakkuk 2:2).
Dear reader, is the Word of God precious to you too? Do you read it every day, as we were commanded? Do you meditate upon it day and night? Do you fulfill it? Do you live in accordance with its commandments? (Psalm chap. 1).
For example, the Word of God teaches: "And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, the One who is in heaven." - Matthew 23: 9 (translated from Romanian Orthodox Bible, 1988). The honor of being "Father" as a title, is all of God! Those who call people, whoever they are, as "Father", they dishonor God! And they will not remain unpunished for stealing the glory of the Only God who is blessed forever, Amen (see also Romans 1:22-25).
God's Word commands that we believe first, and then be baptized! Baptism is not for children but for those who have faith, repent of their sins, and accept (they do, not others do it for them) to become Christians. Infant baptism is not scriptural, it is not part of the Word of truth, but the priests urge us to turn away from the true and written inheritance from God and run after people's words, which came through so-called "tradition" that has nothing to do with the faith given to the holy ones once and forever (then, in the first century) (Jude 3; Acts 8:12; Colossians 2:11-12), but it has to do with the word of men who want to add to the truth, which was established in the days of the apostles of Christ!
The Holy Scripture forbids idolatry!
Idolatry means worshiping idols, other gods, creatures, but not the only God Jehovah revealed by the Holy Scriptures, as it is written: "Jehovah, Jehovah,
a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34: 6, translated from Romanian Orthodox Bible, 1988).
When a person invokes in his prayer someone, but not God or Christ , the only Mediator to God (1 Timothy 2: 5), he calls extraneous gods, false mediators, such as various people who lived on earth and who are dead now, various angels or other creatures. Those who do so are idolaters, worshiping other gods but not Jehovah, the only God, and therefore, such a person commits idolatry (Exodus 20:1-5; Revelation 22:8,9). And all who are idolaters and do not repent of this grave sin, will suffer eternal punishment (Revelation 21: 8), for they put their trust in someone other than Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in His Son, Jesus Christ!
If you value God's heritage: the Holy Scripture, you will read and fulfill it, for this is the only way you'll prove that you love God (1John 5:3).
But if you follow people, teachings of men, then you are cursed and you will suffer eternal punishment, as it is written:
"This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands and he will not see prosperity when it comes, but he will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in the Lord, For He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream and it does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."" - Jeremiah 17:5-8.
"You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" - Matthew 15:7-9.
"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said: "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."" -John 8:31,32.