The Arian Heresy

[placebofactor]

The following can be found in any history book.
Did early 1st, 2nd, and 3rd century Christians believe that Jesus Christ is God? Yes! Following the first three centuries are the thinking and works of the early 4th-century Catholic Church. The early Catholic Church worshipped Jesus as God, but certain Bishops within the church began to reject this teaching.

One in particular, his name, Arius, a Deacon of Alexandria Egypt, born 250 A.D. died, 336. His teaching gave rise to a theological doctrine known as Arianism. He maintained that "The Son of God was not;" He stated that the Son of God could not be co-eternal, co-essential, and co-equal with the Father. He reasoned that it was inconsistent and impossible, since the Father, who begat, must be before the Son, who was begotten, therefore, the Son could not be eternal. This is the obvious conclusion anyone would draw if they reasoned without the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Athanasius was the chief opponent of the Arian doctrine. He is thought to be the author of the Athanasian Creed known in Latin as “Quicunque Vuit.” Athanasians fixed their reasoning on the sacred writer by scholastic terms, to which the Arians agreed, with various evasive exceptions.

Trinitarians assert that Jesus Christ is God. The Arians allowed it, but only in the same sense as holy men and angels are called, "gods" in Scripture, implying Jesus was not truly God, but a creation of the Father. Athanasius affirmed that Jesus was God, Arius said, "They are of God, of whom are all things."

In the early 4th century, Athanasian collected many texts, which amounted to evidence proving that the Son was of the same substance as the Father; Arians would admit only that Jesus was of like substance.
Arius was excommunicated as a heretic and banished to Illyricu. Several years passed when he and his followers were called back to Rome. The emperor insisted on his being received back into communion with the church of Alexandria. The church leaders refused to receive him, and in 326 Arius died suddenly.

As the years passed successive Emperors took opposing sides to this issue. The peace of the Catholic Church was in turmoil for many years, each side in their turn being excommunicated, fined, imprisoned, or banished depending on the emperor in power.

Eventually, the doctrine was accepted in Rome but considered heresy at Constantinople. Rome had divided into two, the Eastern and Western Empires, as did the Church, one in Rome, the other in Constantinople. Rome fixed the doctrine of the Trinity, while the African and Eastern Churches, supported Arianism or some of its subdivisions of articles.

The Arians were in no way unanimous but divided into various shades of thinking. From this came two distinctions, one being Arians, the other Semi-Arians. The Semi-Arians stripped the character of Jesus Christ into that of a mere creature, while the latter admitted everything except Jesus had absolute equality with the Father.

Little of Arianism was heard from until the 18th century. Arian and Semi-Arian teachings remained at odds with each other. Jesus was reduced to the rank of an angelic being. Does this sound familiar? Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Michael the archangel is Jesus Christ.

At the council of Nice in 325 A.D. the Catholic Church in Bithynia met for two months, intending to deal with the Arian heresy. Between 250 and 318 bishops of the church had gathered together. The Emperor Constantine attended, with Hosins, the bishop of Cordova Spain. He loved God, was a learned scholar, and elected to preside over the council. The profession of faith, or Nicene Creed was drawn up at Nice, and subscribed by all the bishops except a few Arian believers.

Many of the bishops in attendance had gone through some form of persecution at the hands of the Romans, most jailed or tortured in the name of Jesus Christ. Arian teaching is as old as the Catholic Church but is brought to the surface now and then by fringe groups, or individuals such as Taze Russel, the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses.

[1213]

[Replying to Bible_Student in post #29]

Non-trinitarianism, or anti-trinitarianism. If you are a non-trinitarian, look at the company you keep. ...

Moses, Jesus, James, John... and Paul were non-trinitarian. I think they are good company.

You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
Exod. 20:3-5
To you it was shown, that you might know that Yahweh he is God; there is none else besides him.
Deut. 4:35
Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
Mark 12:29-30
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 5:44
This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
John 17:3
Jesus said to her, "Don't touch me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascend-ing to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
John 20:17
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:19
For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;" yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
1 Cor. 8:4-6
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1 Tim. 2:5

[Capbook]

The Bible is clear that Jesus is one person with two distinct, but undivided, natures: human and divine. (...)

No; The Bible doesn't say that anywhere. I wouldn't waste time trying to discover what something like that could mean.

When we won't consult Bible Lexicons what Bible words in Hebrew or Greek means, we can't find its meaning during the time of its usage. In Col 2:9 the word "Godhead", in Greek "theotes",
Louw and Nida Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defined it "as the nature of being God, deity, divine nature. That in Jesus dwells all the fullness of divine nature in bodily form.

NT:2320 "theotes"
the nature or state of being God - 'deity, divine nature, divine being.'
'in him dwells all the fullness of divine nature in bodily form' Col 2:9.
'his eternal power and deity' Rom 1:20.
The expression 'divine nature' may be rendered in a number of languages as 'just what God is like' or 'how God is' or 'what God is.' In Rom 1:20 'deity' may sometimes be expressed as 'the fact that he is God' or '... is truly God.'
(from Greek-English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domain. Copyright © 1988 United Bible Societies, New York. Used by permission.)

[placebofactor]

[Replying to Bible_Student in post #29]

Non-trinitarianism, or anti-trinitarianism. If you are a non-trinitarian, look at the company you keep. ...

Moses, Jesus, James, John... and Paul were non-trinitarian. I think they are good company.

You shall have no other gods before me.

Correct: That's exactly what Jesus said to mankind.

"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

Correct: Jesus is Yahweh our God and Creator.

Exod. 20:3-5
To you it was shown, that you might know that Yahweh he is God; there is none else besides him.

Correct: Jesus is Yahweh

Deut. 4:35
Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

Correct: You have to love the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart.

Mark 12:29-30
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Correct; Jesus is the only Lord and Savior mankind has.
John 5:44

This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

Correct: Jesus is the only true God who was sent by the Father. If Jesus is not the true God, then are you saying he is a false god? Of course you are! You say "the word was a god."
John 17:3
Jesus said to her, "Don't touch me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascend-ing to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

Correct, the Son of God went to present himself to his Father as the perfect sacrifice, a Lamb without spot or blemish. Jesus is our God, and the Father is our God and Jesus God. But for mankind, there is one God, his name is Jesus, the Everlasting Father and mighty God, the Almighty.
John 20:17
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.

Correct: for man their is one God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
James 2:19
For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;" yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.

Correct: "one Lord (Jehovah) Jesus Christ. Look up Lord in 1 Corinthians 8.
1 Cor. 8:4-6
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1 Tim. 2:5

Correct: There is one God and one mediator between the Father and men, his name is Jesus Christ.

I hope that answers your post.

[1213]

...Jesus is Yahweh...

If Jesus is Yahweh, who is the person sitting next to him?

... ‘The Lord (Yahweh) said to my Lord (Adonai), sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’? “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
Matt. 22:41-45 (Ps. 110:1)

[placebofactor]

...Jesus is Yahweh...

If Jesus is Yahweh, who is the person sitting next to him?

... ‘The Lord (Yahweh) said to my Lord (Adonai), sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’? “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
Matt. 22:41-45 (Ps. 110:1)

Psalms 110:1, "The LORD said unto my Lord," The Father called his son sovereign, so what? Does that mean he's not God? Adoni is used in Genesis 18:26, Abraham is speaking to Jehovah, in verse 27, he calls him Lord (Adoni). It's just another title or name for Jehovah.

Adonai is also used for men, but Abraham was speaking to Jehovah, not a man. You will find the same thing in Judges 13:8. Manoah the father of Sampson is speaking to Jehovah and then calls him Adonai in the same verse. In Ezra 10:3, "Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God (Adonai)

[1213]

...Jesus is Yahweh...

If Jesus is Yahweh, who is the person sitting next to him?

... ‘The Lord (Yahweh) said to my Lord (Adonai), sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’? “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
Matt. 22:41-45 (Ps. 110:1)

Psalms 110:1, "The LORD said unto my Lord," The Father called his son sovereign, so what? Does that mean he's not God? Adoni is used in Genesis 18:26, Abraham is speaking to Jehovah, in verse 27, he calls him Lord (Adoni). It's just another title or name for Jehovah. ...

So, you are saying Yahweh says to himself "sit on my right hand"?

If Jesus is Yahweh, as you say, who is the son of Jesus?