FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
CONSTANTINE’S STRATEGY TO MAKE ‘CONVERTS’ IN HIS AMALGAMATED SCHEME
“Having obtained a glimpse of the opposition of God’s people [represented at that time and stage of church history by the Waldenses] to this [prophesied] ‘falling away,’ let us now return to our subject, to get a view of the NOVEL means Constantine employed to make converts in accordance with his amalgamation scheme. Edward Gibbon says:
‘The hopes of wealth and honors, the example of an emperor, his exhortations. his irresistible smiles, diffused conviction among the VENAL and OBSEQUIOUS crowds which usually fill the apartments of a palace…..As the lower ranks of society are governed by limitation, the CONVERSION of those who possessed any EMINENCE of birth, of power, or of riches, was soon followed by DEPENDENT multitudes. The salvation of the COMMON PEOPLE were PURCHASED at an easy rate, IF it be true that, in ONE YEAR, TWELVE THOUSAND MEN were baptized in ROME…..and that a white garment, with 20 pieces of gold, had been promised by the emperor to every convert.’ – ‘The Decline and Fall,’ chap. 20,
par.18.
“Constantine gave the following instruction to the BiSHOPS at the Council of Nicaea [ever heard of the Nicene Creed?], which shows his constant policy:——‘In all way UNBELIEVERS must be saved. It was not everyone who would be converted by LEARNING and REASONING. Some join us from desire of MAINTENANCE, some for PREFERMENT; some for PRESENTS; NOTHING IS SO RARE AS A REAL LOVER OF TRUTh (repeat:‘nothing is so rare as a real lover of truth!’]. We must be like physicians, and accommodate our medicines to the diseases, our teaching to the different minds of all.’- ‘Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church.’ Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, D. D., Lecture 5, p. 271, NY: 1875.” – C. Edwardson, Facts of Faith, pp. 113, 114. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville, TN: 1943.
Any conversion other than by the conviction of the conscience, enlightenment of the mind and change of heart by Holy Spirit in either the spoken or written Word, is either a “half-convert,” or none at all. Such is the “form” not the substance. We must be genuinely born-again or else the “old man” is still alive, not dead, waiting to manifest itself again when the opportunity arises, particularly during crises, emergencies and “mini” and “little” times of trouble! Bless all, NMF