October 29, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS SITUATION EXISTING BETWEEN THE BISHOP OF ROME, EMPERORS, AND THE THREE ARIAN NATIONS
How the “little horn” power of Daniel 7 was enabled to “uproot” the three Arian kingdoms was facilitated by unique conditions due to political and religious interlocking, self-serving agendas and strategies:
“A brief statement on the political and religious conditions in the ROMAN world is necessary here in order that the reader may better grasp the real situation in which these three Arian kingdoms [The Heruli, Vandals, and Visigoths] found themselves.
“After Emperor Constantine [who issued the very first Sunday law in 321 AD.] removed the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople [Eastern Rome], the Roman people were (at intervals) rules from that Eastern capital, UNTIL the pope had grown to power in Rome. While the Papacy was GRADUALLY gaining control over the people of the West [Western Rome], the Eastern Emperors [secular powers] were COURTING the goodwill of the Popes in order to hold their Western subjects. [This is how remorseless, immoral politics works anytime, every time, everywhere].
“From the time of Constantine to that of [emperor] Justinian there was a deadly struggle between the TWO LARGEST FACTIONS of the CHURCH, THE CATHOLICS and the ARIANS. Often there was terrible strife and even bloodshed [“winds,” in prophetic symbols]. The streets of Alexandria and Constantinople we’re deluged with blood by the partisans of RIVAL BISHOPS. – ‘History of Christianity,’ H.H. Millman, Book III, ch. 5, par. 2, p. 410.
“Most of the BARBARIC nations into which the Roman Empire was now split, had accepted the [Roman] Catholic faith. But the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths were ARIANS. [who rejected the claims of the pope as Christ’s vicar but also accepted Arius’ teachings that Jesus was not fully divine, often called the ‘Arian heresy ” by papal apologists].
“While the emperors courted the help of the popes for POLITICAL reasons, the popes sought the assistance of the emperors to DESTROY THE ARIANS.
“Theodosius, the Emperor of the East, had already (380-395 A.D.) given ‘fifteen stern edicts for HERESY, one on the average for every year of his reign….So began the campaign which ended in the VIRTUAL EXTINCTION OF ARIANISM in the Roman world. – ‘Italy and Her Invaders,’ Thomas Hodgkin, Vol. 1, pp. 368, 369, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899.
“In A.D. 380, the Emperor Theodosius issued an edict which said: ‘We order those who follow this law to assume the name of CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS: we pronounce all others to be MAD and FOOLISH, and we order that they bear the ignominious name of HERETICS….They are to be visited….by the STROKE of our authority. – Ibid, p. 187.
‘Thus did the reign and legislation of Theodosius MARK out the lines of FUTURE RELATION BETWEEN POPE AND EMPEROR.’- Ibid, p. 187.
“Embassies passed continually between the Pope of Rome and the emperor of Constantinople, and in 381 A.D. Theodosius arranged for a General Council of the CLERGY at Constantinople, which finally ESTABLISHED THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE: ‘To Him also, at least as much as to Constantine, must be attributed the PERMANENT ALLIANCE between the CHURCH and the STATE.’ – Ibid, pp. 182, 183.” – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwarson, Southern Publishing Asso., 1943, pp. 36, 37.
“The Bible never refers to a “Catholic Christian,” “Protestant Christian,” “Baptist Christian,” “Coptic Christian,” “Seventh-day Adventist Christian,” etc. They are Christians, meaning “true followers of Christ.
Note the following: “And when he (Barnabas) found him (Saul, later called Paul), he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the CHURCH, and taught much people. And the DISCIPLES were called CHRISTIAN FIRST in Antioch.” Acts 11:26, KJV. See also Acts 26: 24-28; 1 Pet. 4: 12-16.
Will the true Christian please stand up? Jesus calls them His saints on earth: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (CHRIST).” Rev. 14: 12, KJV.
God bless His living saints, members of His church on earth and in heaven! See Eph. 3:15-21. NMF