World History, Chapter 14: The Church is Divided

World History, Chapter 14: Edited 12/7/23.

The Church is Divided

Genesis 11:7-8, God said, “Let us go down and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them (the people) abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they (the people) went off to build the city.”

The secrets of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 were revealed in a night vision by God to his prophet. The image would represent the progressive history of the powers of the world, and also point out the limitations of men and nations.

Deuteronomy 32:8, “When the Most High (who rules over the nations) divided to the nations their inheritance, and when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.”

And now the empires of Nebuchadnezzar; Cyrus and Darius; Alexander and Seleucid lay in ruin, and the legs of iron now bring us to Rome. The first three centuries of the young Church brought considerable suffering, pain and death, yet the second century gave definition to ChristianityRome had given the world men such as, Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Diocletian, and eventually Constantine.

Some 20,000 Christians are thought to have died during Diocletian’s reign alone. The persecution of Christians would last until Constantine came to the throne in 313 A.D. He would eventually legalize Christianity, but not until the fourth century would Theodosius 1 make Christianity the official religion of the Empire. During his reign, Constantine ordered the destruction of all pagan temples and also forbid Pagan sacrifices.

The lines of power were never in doubt; Constantine was the absolute source of authority. Like his father he was a successful general, heading the Roman Legions in the West. Because it was the Emperor’s duty to enforce religious unity, he began to persecute those who disagreed with what was then called the true Christian faith. Therefore if a person within, or without the church did not subscribe to the Universal (Catholic) thinking, they were perceived as a threat to the dominance and purity of the so called, “one true faith”. And because of this mindset, certain men dedicated themselves to be the enforcers of the faith. This would eventually lead others to carry out their rampage of terror against anyone who dared disagree with them.

The council of Nicaea in the year 325 A.D

Many of the bishops who attended the council had gone through some form of persecution at the hands of Rome; most had been jailed or tortured in the name of Jesus Christ, but Constantine brought an end to all this. The council brought clarity to the true nature of Jesus Christ, but would soon become the wedge that divided the Christian Church.

Arius was a Deacon of Alexandria Egypt, born 250 A.D. died 336 A.D. gave rise to a theological doctrine known as Arianism. He maintained that Jesus, “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: the Son therefore, could not be absolutely eternal. This is a conclusion anyone would draw if their reasoning was without the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Athanasius was the chief opponent of the Arian doctrine and affirmed that Jesus was God; but Arius said, “They are of God, of whom are all things,” and would admit only that Jesus was of like substance.

Eventually Arius was excommunicated as a heretic, and banished to Illyricum. But, after several years had passed he and his followers were called back to Rome.  The Emperor insisted on Arius 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 would be in turmoil for years to come; each side in their turn being excommunicated, fined, imprisoned, or banished depending on the emperor in power. As was the empire of the Greeks, the two thighs of bronze were divided: North and South; so also were the two legs of iron, Rome and Constantinople East and West. Eventually the doctrine of the trinity was accepted at Rome, and considered heresy at Constantinople, and now the Christian Church was divided, not from without, but from within. Rome fixed the doctrine of the Trinity, while the African and Eastern Churches, supported Arianism.

Before we go any further let’s clarify through the Scriptures the correct position concerning the person of Jesus Christ. I will use the King James Bible:

Matthew 1:23, quotes Isaiah 7:14, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which (is) interpreted, God with us.”

1 Timothy 3:16, “Great is the mystery (the hidden truth) of godliness: God (Jehovah) was manifest (showed himself openly) in the flesh.”

Hebrews 1:3, Jesus “Who being (is) the brightness of His (the Father’s) glory, and the express (exact) image of His (the Father’s) person, and (He, Jesus) upholding all things by the word (because He is the Word) of his power.”

Colossians1:16, “For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him (Jesus) and for him.”

Hebrews 1:2, the Father “Has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son (Jesus,) who He has appointed heir of all things, and by whom also He made (created) the worlds.”

Revelation 1:8, Jesus said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (the title Almighty speaks of the Creator alone.)”

Now let’s draw all of the above together and understand who the God of Creation is. 

Genesis.1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Also, the Arians became divided into various shades of thinking, under their individual leaderships. From this came two distinctions, one being Arians, the other Semi-Arians. The Semi-Arians stripping the character of Jesus Christ into that of a mere creature, while the latter admitted everything except Jesus had absolute equality with the Father.

The thinking of the Arian doctrine has been adopted by the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims, etc. Why, because they listen to the doctrines of men and not those of God! Men like Arius have entered the church and with their pen changed the truth of God to a lie.

After the council in 325 A.D. the Universal (Catholic) Church would begin its rise to power, and also its gradual descent into darkness. They would develop their own systems; their own rituals; practices, endowing certain men with power and the authority that belonged to Jesus alone. It became a church of Pharisees, a religion of blind rituals, idol worship, and traditions. But not far into the future, the legs of iron (Rome) would become the two feet of “Iron and clay.”

The Roman Empire had become one of the most powerful economic, cultural, political and military forces in the world. It was the largest empire of the classical antiquity period, and one of the largest empires in world history. At its height under Trajan, it covered 5 million square kilometers and ruled over some 70 million people. The longevity and vast extent of the empire ensured the lasting influence of the Latin and Greek language, their culture, religion, inventions, architecture, philosophy and law. Throughout the European medieval period, attempts were made to establish successors to the Roman Empire, including the Crusader state, the empire of Romania and the Holy Roman Empire. 

By means of European expansionism through the Spanish, by means of French, Portuguese, Dutch, Italians, Russians, Germans, British, and Belgian empires, Greco-Roman culture would spread on a worldwide scale, and would play a significant role in the development of the modern world.

“The Last of the Roman Emperor was Romulus Augustus from 475 to 476 A.D. He was overthrown by Odoacer, leader of the barbarian mercenaries in the Roman army; he then installed himself, King of Italy.

The Roman Empire in the west had come to an end. However, the Eastern Empire, ruled from Constantinople continued for another thousand years. It was not until 1453, when Mehmed II captured Constantinople that the Empire ceased.

Daniel 7:7, “I (Daniel) saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast (The Roman Empire), dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.”

“Iron teeth:” figuratively in scripture iron represents spiritual barrenness and iron teeth, destructive power. Down through the centuries, this 4th beast has been and continues to be the enemy of God’s people, and today, we are witnesses to the brutality; destructions and murders of this beast. With its iron teeth it tears, divides and disrupts the body of Christ, its holy word and causes nations to bleed.

Psalms 3:7, “Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God; for Thou wilt smite all mine enemies on the jaw; Thou wilt break the teeth of the wicked.” To break the teeth of the wicked is to destroy the falsities by which they destroy the truth.

Daniel 7:19, “I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse (different) from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails (claws) of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces and stamped the residue with his feet.”

Claw of brass are used to scratch, tear and pull apart both the life and land of the Jews and of the Christian community. 

As the Roman army spent more and more time suppressing its own citizens, it became easier for the Germans to defeat those guarding the frontiers. Between AD 406 and 419 the Romans lost a great deal of their empire to invading German tribes.

The Franks conquered northern Gaul; the Burgundians took eastern Gaul, while the Vandals replaced the Romans in Hispania. The Romans were also having difficulty stopping the Saxons, Angles and Juted from overrunning Britain. In AD 410 Emperor Honorius warned the Romans in Britain that they could no longer rely on reinforcements being sent from other parts of the empire.

The Holy Roman Emperor was now the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The position evolved into an elected monarchy, but the emperor elect was until the 15th century required to be crowned by the Pope before assuming the imperial title.

From the time of Constantine I in the fourth century A.D., the Roman emperors had, with very few exceptions, taken on a role as promoters and defenders of Christianity. The title of Emperor became defunct in Western Europe after the deposition of Romulus Augustulus; both the title and connection between Emperor and Church continued in the East until 1453 A.D, when it fell to the forces of the Ottomans. 

And now major shifts were about to take place as the iron legs were to become the feet of iron and clay.

Phil LaSpino   www.seekfirstwisdom.com