Biblical Church History Following the Hand of God and the Hand of Satan

Revelation 2:8-11 c A.D. PergamosPergamos “ Much Marriage ”

Pergamos (Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

THE EUCHARIST

COUNCIL OF NICEA

H PergamosPergamos  Constantine sends out an invitation to all of the pastors in the empire to come for an all expense paid meeting together with he and the “other” leaders of the church. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. III  Of the 1800 pastors at the time, between 300 and 318 of them actually showed up. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. III

H PergamosPergamos  Eusebius of Caesarea, who is called the “Father of Church History”, who delivered the opening address at the Council, and was seated at Constantine's right hand during the Council.

H PergamosPergamos  We believe in one God the Father All-sovereign, maker of all things. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only-begotten, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made, things in heaven and things on the earth; who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and became man, suffered, and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, and is coming to judge living and dead. And in the Holy Spirit. And those that say 'There was when he was not,' and, 'Before he was begotten he was not,' and that, 'He came into being from what-is-not,' or those that allege, that the son of God is 'Of another substance or essence' or 'created,' or 'changeable' or 'alterable,' these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes.

Transfer of Authority

hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psa 138:2) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

H PergamosPergamos  Making sure we understand the real issues of the council of Nicea, and the practical implications upon Christianity today…  While Constantine and Eusebius and all of these pastors are trying to come to some agreement about the doctrine of the Trinity….And supposedly championing the cause for the real unity in Christianity at that time…  These are the things that are going on in their churches!!!!

H PergamosPergamos Baptismal Regeneration Pagan Holiday Pagan Rituals

H PergamosPergamos  Seeing Beyond the Creed to the REAL issues!!  What belief in this Creed alone will do for you….

(Jas 2:19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

H PergamosPergamos  The new birth is not a matter of accepting as truth the statement of some Creed..It is a matter of receiving the Christ as Savior

H PergamosPergamos  What was lost:  The final authority for the church! From the Council of Nicea on, final authority is vested in the Council To this day, the Roman Church places the creeds developed at these Councils on as equal level with the inspired Word of God.

 Article #80 Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other.

 Article #82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."

 Article #100 The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.

H PergamosPergamos  Now that Satan had a counterfeit church, he now needs a counterfeit Bible!

the life (Joh 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Constantine orders 50 Bibles

H PergamosPergamos  Constantine orders 50 Bibles from Eusebius. Making sure we see the significance of what was really happening as Constantine orders these Bibles… Though Constantine ordered those Bibles over 1600 years ago, the result of what took place then is really at the root of how Satan has been working in the last 100 years to undermine the Church of the Word of God.

H PergamosPergamos  Note: Satan’s attack is not against the Word of God..but with or through the Word of God

I. His strategy is to use the word of God

For it is written (Luk 4:9-11) And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

(Psa 91:11-12) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

II. His strategy is to reinvent the Word of God

1 st question 1 st He tries to get her to question God’s Word Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Gen 3:1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 nd changes 2 nd He changes God’s Word Ye shall not surely die (Gen 3:4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Gen 2:17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

3 rd reinterpreted 3 rd He reinterpreted God’s Word (Gen 3:5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Men, Movements Institutions So while tracing Church History we must be looking for Men, Movements and Institutions that are doubt, change, reinterpret to bring doubt, to change, and to reinterpret the Word of God

H PergamosPergamos  The real “issues” with Christianity today: Do we have the “Words” of God?  The Twentieth century way to play the “Yea, Hath God Said? Game” is :  “Many” manuscripts do not have this verse, the “oldest” or “best” manuscripts do not have this verse, etc.

Examples of Confusion

Turn to Acts 8:34-39

34 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" [f] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.f

Turn to Acts 9:3-6

4 and (H) he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"H 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and (I) it will be told you what you must do."I

it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished (Act 9:5-6) And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Luke 4:4

3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.' [a] "a

3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, [b] “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” [c]bc c. Luke 4:4c. Luke 4:4 NU-Text omits but by every word of God.

Turn to Isa. 14:12

12 "How you have (O) fallen from heaven, O (P) star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 "But you said in your heart, 'I will (Q) ascend to heaven; I will (R) raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; (S) I will make myself like the Most High.' 15 "Nevertheless you (T) will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.OPQRST

p. Isaiah 14:12p. Isaiah 14:12 : 2 Pet 1:19; Rev 2:28; 22:162 Pet 1:19; Rev 2:28; 22:16

2 peter 2:19 So we have (A) the prophetic word made more (B) sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to (C) a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (D) day dawns and the (E) morning star arises (F) in your hearts.ABCDEF

Rev. 2: ' (BP) He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds (BQ) until the end, (BR) TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;BPBQBR 27 AND HE SHALL (BS) RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, (BT) AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;BSBT 28 and I will give him (BU) the morning star.BU 29 ' (BV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'BV

Rev 22:16 16 " (AS) I, Jesus, have sent (AT) My angel to testify to you these things (AU) for the churches I am (AV) the root and the (AW) descendant of David, the bright (AX) morning star."ASATAUAVAWAX

Turn to Psalms 12:6-7

6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. 7 O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.