Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Modern day Arianism


            Arius, a Christian leader in Alexandra, wrote a letter which launched Christendom into chaos.  In this letter, Arius made heretical comments about the identity of Jesus.  The pain and division in the church which followed led to the First Ecumenical Council. where church leaders assembled, debated, and created a statement, this statement was the basis for the Nicene Creed.  Although the heresies of Arius were devastating, the conflict which followed was good for Christianity.  Unfortunately, history is repeating itself through a resurgence of modern-day Arianism. 

            In 319 AD, Alexander, the Bishop of Alexandria preached a sermon about the similarities between the Son and the Father.  Arius thought the bishop was condoning the heresy of modalism and denying monotheism.  Arius responded with a letter to the Bishop.  The intent of his letter was to bring truth and clarity to questions on the identity of Jesus, but in his letter Arius made his own heretical statements about Christ.  There were three major heresies in Arius’ letter: first, he referred to Christ as a creature created by God; secondly, his statements denied Christ’s divinity; third, he claimed that humans, not Christ, are responsible for the action of their salvation.  All three of these heresies were not just simply wrong, but each was in direct opposition with scripture. Arius influenced many to follow his position.  The Bible gives a harsh warning about those who lead others in the wrong direction.  "What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting" (Matthew 18:7 NLT), the Bible also gives warning that those who take the role of leadership will have a more severe judgment.  "Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1 NLT).  Arius may have written the letter with good intentions, but his outcome was devastating.

            In Arius’ letter to the Bishop of Alexandria he called Christ a “Creature of God”.  Arius wrote that Christ was the first creature that God created; before His creation, He did not exist.  Arius’ theology on Christ was wrapped up in his understanding of the word “begotten”.  There are five passages in the Bible where the word “begotten” is used in description of Christ: John 1:1-3, John 3:16, John 1:14, John 1:18, and John 14:9.  In all of these passages, in which the word begotten is used, it is in the context of “Christ being born” (gennetos) not “Christ being created” (genetos).  John 1:1-3 gives us assurance that the Son who has been born in the flesh is God the Creator manifest.  However, when Arius referenced the word "begotten" he considered the Greek words "gennetos" and "genetos" to be synonyms; therefore, Arius believed the word "begotten" meant that Christ was created.  Those who followed Arius adopted the motto: “There was when He was not”.  Arius did not accept that Christ has eternally existed as one third of the Trinity; this denial logically led to the question of Christ’s divinity.

Arius was a follower of Origen.  One of Origen’s teachings was that God the Father was the Head of the Trinity, and Christ was His subordinate.  Arius took the teachings of Origen to the next natural step; he claimed that Christ was not God at all.  In his letter to the Bishop of Alexandria, Arius described God as being alone everlasting and alone unbegotten, but when he wrote about Christ he said that Christ “is not everlasting or unbegotten with the Father”.  Arius said that Christ “is not true God, even if He is declared God, he is not true God”.    According to Arius, Christ was more than human, but He was short of being fully God. Arius believed that any divinity that Christ had was given to Him by His Creator. 

Just like Arius’ view on Jesus being created, there is no scriptural validity to support that Christ was inferior to God.  Jesus was in the presence of men calling His God; instead of rebuking them for being idolaters, He affirms their claims.  In John 20:28 Thomas says, “my Lord and my God”, making a clear claim to the divinity of Christ.  In Matthew 16:16 Jesus asks Peter, "Who do you say that I am"?  Peter responds, "You are the Messiah the Son of the living God."  After being called equal to God, Jesus tells Peter that this truth was revealed to him by the Father.

Jesus is often quoted in Scripture as making claims of being equal to God. He speaks of Himself using the name “I Am” which was a term designated only for true God.  A clear example is in In John 18:5 which reads, "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.  "I am he," Jesus said.  In John 8 He calls Himself “I Am” three separate times.  In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one”; the response of His audience shows exactly how serious His claim was.  “Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him” (John 10:31).

In the writings of the New Testament men made connections between Christ and references to God in the Old Testament. When Paul wrote “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord” in Romans 10:13, he was referencing Joel 2:32 which says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  In other parts of the New Testament writers make more direct claims to His divinity.  In Matthew 1:23 the word “Immanuel” is used (which means God with us) this points to the divinity of Christ.  Philippians 2:10-11 states that all will worship Christ, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ is equal to God, and He is God.  Arius was wrong about the identity of Christ.  Through the words of Christ and the words of the New Testament writers. it is clear that Jesus is more than Arius believed.  Arius’ view that Christ was created and that He was not God naturally led to his third heresy. 

In Arius’s view, salvation is not something Jesus handles for us.  Arius believed that we are responsible for our own salvation, and Jesus was the first creation who worked out His salvation.  In Arius’ letter to the Bishop of Alexandria, he writes that, “the Son is God by grace and in name only, just as we are.”  In this statement Arius was once again denying Christ’s eternity and deity; he also is claiming that we are to work for God’s grace.   If Arius is right and Christ was a creature and not God, then He lacks the credentials to save us. 

From Scripture, it is clear that the believer has some role in salvation, but it is Christ who does the major portion of the work.  It is Christ who achieves our salvation.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”.  It is not our work, as Arius claims, to connect us to God.  Christ came down to us and gave us the gift of salvation.  We are not equipped to save ourselves.  We are justified through the death of Christ (Romans 5:6-11), and He alone has the credentials to reconcile us to God (II Corinthians 5:13-21).

            The initial outcome of Arius’ heresies were turmoil and division.  Those who followed Arius’ teachings were led contrary to Scripture; fighting, condemnations, and excommunications resulted.  All of the effects of the heresies were not negative.  The conflict that Arius raised had a tremendously positive influence on Christendom, and in hindsight strengthened the Christian faith.  Arius’ false teachings were a catalyst for the arrival of future heroes of the faith.  The debate on the identity of Christ forced people to a healthy reevaluation of their beliefs.  The heresies led to the gathering first Ecumenical council, which had an enormous impact on the Christian faith.

Arian heresies were good for Christianity because they forced people of that time to revaluate what they believed about the identity of Christ.  The Christian world was struggling through an understanding of the Trinity.  They were fighting through Modalism, monotheism, and monarchianism; however, Arius accelerated and magnified the issue.  Many people were convinced by the logic of Arius.  Others followed those against him, but all Christians were forced to work through what they believed.  I Thessalonians 5:21-22 says, “test all things". Hold on to what is good.  Stay away from every kind of evil”, and Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”.  The heresies of Arius led to an open debate, and forced people of faith to work towards a better understanding of their beleifs.  Some people got it wrong, but most Christians had to revaluate their understanding of God.  It was nearly impossible to not be passionate about understanding the identity of Christ.  This created the need for new passionate leaders of Christianity. 

            The second benefit of the Arian Conflict was that Athanasius become a hero of the Christian faith.  When the conflict was at its inception Athanasius was a deacon in Alexandria.  He was twenty-seven years old when he accompanied the Bishop of Alexandria to the First Ecumenical council in Nicaea: Athanasius replaced the Bishop of Alexandria after his death three years later.  The writings of Athanasius were instrumental in bringing salvation to St Augustine of Hippo.  Athanasius was the first to canonize the New Testament in the form that we know today; but he is known for his life-long ambition to fight the Arians.  Athanasius passionately fought for people to have a better understanding of Christ, and many give him the credit for the modern rejection of Arianism in the mainstream church. 
            Another reason Arius was good for Christendom is that his heresies caused a need for the Frist Ecumenical Council.  This council answered some questions, but revealed that other councils were needed.  These councils who fought for a better understanding of God, crafted the Nicaean Creed, which continues to be a pillar of the Christian faith.  Many churches recite the creed as a reminder of the identity of God and His relationship to us.  Most Orthodox Churches who have a statement of faith use the Nicaean Creed as a guideline.  The Nicene Creed, although not divinely inspired, is a document of truth about the nature of the Trinity.  It is a wonderful starting point for future Christians and newly converted Christians to get a better understanding of God.  It is also a powerful tool for mature dedicated Christians to use to stay focused on the truth of God.  The Nicaean Creed is helpful in keeping Christians grounded rather than letting them allow human reason to trump Scripture on God identity.  Arius was instrumental in the Creed being created; therefore, God has used Arius and the confusion he created through his heresies to bring clarity about the identify of God.

            Modern day Christendom is going through a repeat of the same heresies, pains, and revolutions of the time surrounding Arius and the First Ecumenical Council.  Some “so called” Christian speakers, writers, and preachers are modern day Arianist who offer the same confusion on the identity of Christ as Arius did.  The ancient questions of whether Christ is created, whether He is God, and whether He can save us have become modern issues.

Arius’ idea that God created Christ is still prevalent in modern times.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses are the main group who believe this.  They, like Arius, believe that Christ was the first creature God created, and that there was a time when God was alone in the Universe. 

The scripture the Jehovah's Witnesses use to show that Jesus came into existence through a creative act of God is Colossians 1:15 which states, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation”.  Some see this verse as evidence that Christ was the first creature created by God, but According to The Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament the word, “Firstborn” (prōtotokia) emphasizes the pre-existence and uniqueness of Christ as well as His superiority over creation. The word does not mean that Christ was created. 

Another verse used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses is Revelation 3:14.  In the King James version it reads, “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.”  In this verse Jesus uses three names when talking about Himself: The Faithful, the true witness, and the beginning of the creation of God.  It is the word “beginning” which people use as evidence to show that Christ was created.  The Greek translation of the word beginning (archē) means to be the ruler over, the authority, and the power.  Jesus is not the first part of the creation.  He is the ruler, the authority, and the power of creation.  He is God.

Arius’ heresy that Christ is not God is widespread.  This heresy is not just believed by the uneducated.   Theologians, Biblical scholars, and Christian leaders are boldly denying Christ’s divinity. 

In 2006 Dr. Marcus Borg (the Co-director of Center for Spiritual Development at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Portland) said, “I see the pre-Easter Jesus as a Jewish mystic who knew God, and who, as a result, became a healer, wisdom teacher and prophet of the kingdom of God. The latter led to his being killed by the authorities who ruled his world. But I do not think he proclaimed or taught an extraordinary status for himself. The message of the pre-Easter Jesus was about God and the kingdom of God, and not about himself”.  Dr. Borg gives Christ credit for knowing God and gaining power because He knows God.  The Doctor acknowledged no power beyond that. 

In 2009 during a speaking engagement the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, said comments which deny Christ’s deity.  She said, "If you begin to explore the literary context of the first century and the couple of hundred years on either side, the way that someone told a story about a great figure was to say ‘this one was born of the gods.' That is what we're saying. This carpenter from Nazareth or Bethlehem-and there are different stories about where he came from-shows us what a godly human being looks like, shows us God coming among us."  The Presiding Bishop is claiming that Jesus was a human who was called the Son of God because culturally that’s what good men were called.  According to Schori He was a good, Godly, honorable man but not divine.

If God created Christ, then Christ cannot be God.  If Christ is not God, then Christ cannot save man.  According to Isaiah 43:11, Isaiah 45:21, and Hosea 13:4, God is the only one who can save. 

Jeffery Schoti, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal church, has separated Christ from salvation.  She says, “If salvation is understood only as ‘getting right with God’ without considering ‘getting right with our neighbors,’ then we've got a heresy on our hands”.  Salvation is not connected to anything we do.  We are saved not because we get right with God, but because He makes us right. 

Rob Bell, a well-known Christian writer, says that, “salvation is realizing you’re already saved. We are all forgiven. We are all loved, equally and fully by God who has made peace with everyone”.  Bell doesn’t make the mistake of saying that we have to work to earn our salvation.  He instead says we all get salvation, no matter what we believe.  According to other quotes by Rob Bell even those who have no connection with Christ are saved, “If I am a Christian do I have to consign all Buddhists to hell?”

Jesus is the power behind salvation, and without Him there is no salvation.  We do not have to do anything more than believe, but it has to go through Him.  No other religion has a solution.

 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  The heresies of Arius had a major influence on the early church, and the effects of his thinking are still being felt today.  He was wrong on his teaching of the identity of Christ   Although Arius taught the contrary; Jesus is the same as Jehovah.  He was never created. He has been in existence since eternity-past.  Christ is the one true way to the Father, and through belief in Him people can be saved.  God used Arius’ heresies to urge people to work through their faith in an open and honest manner, and He raised up faithful men who stood up and fought for a correct understanding of God.  This controversy was painful, and it was not an easy process; but it was the launching pad for the creation of the Nicene Creed, which is still helping Christ-followers to grasp the identity of God.  In modern times new heretics are repeating Arius’ heresies.  God is once again raising new leaders who may revolutionize what it means to have a correct understanding of God.
  
Works Cited

Bright, Bill. Teacher's manual for the Ten basic steps toward Christian maturity. Arrowhead Springs, San Bernardino, Calif.: Campus Crusade for Christ, International, 1965. Print.

Gumbel, Nicky. Questions of life. Eastbourne: Kingsway, 19951993. Print.

Kelly, Joseph F.. The ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church: a history. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 2009. Print.

Lord, Bob, and Penny Lord. Arianism. CA: Smashwords, 2011. Print.

Morris, Henry M., and  Ph.D.. "God's Only Begotten Son." The Institute for Creation Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. .

"NPNF2-04. Athanasius: Select Works and Letters - Christian Classics Ethereal Library." Welcome to the CCEL - Christian Classics Ethereal Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. .

González, Justo L.. The story of Christianity. San Francisco [etc.: Harper & Row, 1984. Print.

Rienecker, Fritz, and Cleon L. Rogers. A linguistic key to the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 19761980. Print.

No comments: