True Christianity # 638
638. The apostolic church, which worshiped the Lord God Jesus Christ, and at the same time God the Father in him, can be compared to the garden of God. Arius, who arose then, is like the serpent sent in from hell. The Council of Nicaea is like Adam's wife, who offered fruit to her husband and persuaded him to eat it. After eating the fruit, they appeared naked to themselves, so they covered their nakedness with fig leaves. Their nakedness symbolizes the innocence they had before that point. The fig leaves symbolize the truths belonging to their earthly self, which were falsified more and more.
That early church can also be compared to the twilight before dawn and the early morning, and on through the day until late afternoon. Then dark clouds came up, lasting until evening and continuing into the night. During the night, some places saw the moon rise. Some of the people in those places saw something in the Word in the light of the moon, but the rest continued on into such thick darkness of night that they could no longer see anything of divinity in the Lord's humanity, even though Paul says that "all the fullness of divinity dwells physically in Jesus Christ" (Colossians 2:9), and John says that "the Son of God who was sent into the world is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).
[2] The early or apostolic church could never have guessed that a church was yet to come that would say there is one God but worship three gods at heart; separate goodwill from faith; separate forgiveness of sins from repentance and the effort to lead a new life; and conclude we are completely powerless in spiritual matters. Least of all would they have guessed that some Arius would raise his head, and once dead, would rise again and secretly rule the church to the bitter end.
Matthew 7
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Judge not, that ye be not judged.
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For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and the measure which ye give, shall be measured to you again.
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And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thy own eye?
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Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thy eye; and behold, a beam is in thy own eye?
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Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
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Give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
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Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you:
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For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, the door shall be opened.
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Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask bread, will give him a stone?
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Or if he shall ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
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If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
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Therefore all things whatever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in by it.
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Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there are that find it.
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Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
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Ye shall know them by their fruits: Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles:
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Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
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A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
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Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
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Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,
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Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
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Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
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And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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Therefore whoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:
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And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
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And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:
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And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
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And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.
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For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
