A long time ago, there was a pernicious fellow named Arius who troubled the church. He taught that our Lord Jesus Christ was not the eternal God, the Second Person of the Trinity, but rather a created being, not of the same essence with the Father. Arius wrote, "The Unbegun made the Son a beginning of things originated; and advanced Him as a Son to Himself by adoption." Needless to say, the foul heresy, if accepted by the church, would have destroyed Christianity.
The Council of Nicea met in 325 A.D. to resolve the challenges put forth by Arius. Over 100 leaders of the church gathered; some were followers of the hertic Arius, others held to the orthodox doctrine. Arius and his disciples were eloquent in their defense of their blasphemies - so eloquent that some of those who believed the orthodox doctrine were intimidated into silence. Who would defend the deity of Christ?
A relatively young man, small of stature and great in faith and intellect, was in attendance. Athanasius by name. Technically, he attended as a scribe, not as a leader of the church. When others were silent, Athanasius arose and delivered a powerful, irrefutable defense of the orthodox doctrine. This great champion of the faith won the day, and the Nicene Creed proclaimed, "We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father."
During this tremendous challenge to the faith Athanasius virtually stood alone. Others believed as he did, but none fought as he fought. At one point, a friend said to him, "Athanasius, the world is against you." This warrior replied, "So be it. Then Athansius is against the world!" Athanasius contra mundum --Athanasius against the world.
Athanasius seems strange to us today because he believed in something. He believed in something, and believed it to the point of personal inconvenience. He almost single-handedly defended the orthodox doctrine at Nicene. He boldly challenged the ambivalent Emperor Constantine, who wanted Arius re-instated to the church. Athanasius was falsely accused of sabotage, witchcraft, graft, murder, was attacked in his church several times, and was banished from the realm on at least five separate occasions. Athanasius no doubt could have lived a quiet, peaceful, comforatble life, except for one little problem - he believed something.
Athanasius believed something, and thus was willing to defend that which he believed. Athanasius believed something, and thus there was no thought given to his own personal comfort when that which he believed came under attack. Athanasius believed something, and that something was the Truth of God, and thus he received the grace to stand against the world in defense of God's Truth. Athanasius believed something, and that made a difference.
The 21st Century, no less than the fourth, has heresies which would supplant the Truth of God. Idols which would receive the worship which is due to God alone; pagan philosophies which would deform and destroy the people of God. In the 4th century one man prepared himself to stand for God, and the purity of the church's doctrine was preserved. Today there are innumerable abominations which would seek to capture the minds of God's people. And who will arise to defend God's Truth? Perhaps we will not have our names written n the history books as did Athanasius, but every father can stand before his family as God's representative, and proclaim and defend God's Truth. Perhaps our efforts will not influence the entire church, as did Athanasius, but our efforts can bless and prosper our family.
Perhaps we will not turn back the forces of darkness from every corner of the world, but we can say, "In this my house, God's Truth will be established, and honored, and praised. The blasphemies of the world will not breech the sanctity of my home. When pagan philosophies of our age seek to capture my family, I will stand against them, and by the grace of God, defeat them, and destroy them.
Athanasius went to the Council of Nicea as a scribe, and a helper. He left as the Champion of God's Truth. He was prepared, and his preparation was rewarded. Every father has a little flock to guard, and nurture, and cherish. Fathers must be prepared, must study God's Truth, because the enemy will seek to snatch the lambs from the the little flock. Little lambs can't fight this fight; they need a shepherd, a guardian, a champion, a warrior to protect them. They need someone to stand, if need be, against the world. Father contra mundum -- Father against the world!
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