6-Church History: Patristic Period, pt3 (Defending Deity of Christ)

The earliest church council we learn about after that which took place in Jerusalem (Acts 15) is the Council of Nicaea that affirmed and defended the deity of Jesus Christ against Arius. Its Creed affirmed: "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 His Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which are in heaven and in earth. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate and was made man. He suffered and the third day He rose again, and ascended into heaven. And He shall come again to judge both the living and the dead. And we believe in the Holy Spirit." So, far from being created, and much more than being of merely similar substance as the Father, Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, co-equal to the Father. Join us Wednesday at 6:00 for our next lesson in church history where we'll even consider the church tradition of the true & original "Santa Claus" or Saint Nicholas who purportedly slapped Arius in the face for blasphemy.