'World War 3 is at Hand'
While we wait for Israel and the West to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities to start World War 3, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.
Mission of Constantine
The Church generally regarded the definition of doctrine as the responsibility of the bishops; the emperor's role was to enforce doctrine, root out heresy, and uphold ecclesiastical unity.
Council of Bishops
Immediately after legalising Christianity, Constantine must have followed Jesus' instruction by inviting the 1,800 faithful, godly and persecuted bishops from around the empire to form the Council of Bishops. Just like the earlier Council of Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem, the Council of Bishops under the guidance of the Holy Spirit rectified the errors and wrong doctrines of the various sects by producing the official doctrine and providing the basis for a unified Church.
Council of Nicaea 325AD, the first Ecumenical Council (unless the Council of Jerusalem is so classified). The Council of Nicaea is the first major attempt by Christians to define orthodoxy for the whole Church.
The bishops with the guidance of the Holy Spirit produced the Nicene creed. The purpose of a "creed" is to provide a doctrinal statement of correct belief.
The Nicene creed summarises the apostles' preachings and teachings concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. With the Nicene Creed in place (similar to Apostle Creed), Arianism, which denies the existence of the Triune Godhead or Trinity, and threatened to destabilise the entire empire, was classified as heresy.
Later Council meetings were held to canonise the various books and to rectify any flaw, dispute and heresy.
OT Canonical Books
Evidence suggests that the OT was canonized between 400-200 BC. For the sake of the majority of the Jews, who no longer understand Hebrew, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–247 BC) sent 72 Jewish scholars to translate the OT into Greek, which was named the 'Septuagint".
NT was written in Greek
The New Testaments were also written in Greek, which was the language used by our Lord Jesus and the other writers.
Canonical Books of the Bible
The Council of Laodicea 363 AD, concluded that only the Old Testament (along with the Apocrypha) and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches.
Christianity the Official Religion
In 380 AD, Theodosius I made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. By then the councils of bishops had produced the following:
1. the Apostles Creed
2. the Septuagint, the Greek version of the OT
3. 27 canon books of the New Testament in original Greek.
Thank God that He has given the Christian creed and His pure word (bible) for Christians to grow in Him..
Translation of Bible
The Bishop of Damascus ordered Jerome to translate the OT and the 27 NT books written in Greek to the Latin Vulgate, so that every Roman can read and understand the Bible.
Most Accurate Bibles
The Eastern Roman Empire (Greek speaking) adopted the original bible in Greek, but the Western Empire (Latin speaking) adopted the Vulgate Bible - the original Latin Bible.
The World Hates God's Chosen
John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Beware of non Christian's (Jewish, pagan, heretic) false and evil historical records concerning our Lord (false gospels) and His chosen servants (e.g. Constantine) for they tend to have the Antichrist's spirit to tarnish their reputations.
Unfortunately, many misled Christians are deceived with the flawed and erred texts, non canon writings, false history and worldly wisdom as truth.
On the advice of the Council, Constantine set aside December 25 for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus (Christmas), and Sunday (the Lord's Day in Rev 1:8) for Christians worldwide to worship the Almighty God in unity.
