A Pastors Perspective

Contra Mundum
By Kenneth Jones

As illustrated in other articles in this issue, the fourth century was a very interesting time in the
history of the church. Having undergone a great deal of persecution as a despised religion in the
eyes of Rome, the conversion of Constantine and the Edict of Milan in 313 brought about a
policy of toleration for Christianity. The external threats to the church having somewhat
subsided, internal threats once again began to mount. Heresy was not new to the church. The
apostle Paul took on the challenge of the Judaizers in the first century, and, among others,
Irenaus refuted the Gnostics and Marcionites of the second century. In the fourth century, the
number one heresy was the teaching of a presbyter in Alexandria named Arius, concerning the
person of Christ. Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, refuted the teaching of Arius and his
followers and this eventually led the emperor Constantine to call the first ecumenical council in
Nicaea during the winter of 324325.
Controversy is never a pleasant thing, but in the life of the church some of the most bitter
controversies have yielded the sweetest and most enduring fruit. The Arian controversy produced
not only the Nicene Creed of 325 (which is still recited in many churches today) but it also
brought to the fore a truly heroic figure of the faith, namely, Athanasius of Alexandria. Born
around 296, Athanasius was somewhat of a theological prodigy and was brought up from an
early age in the home and under the tutelage of Bishop Alexander. At the time of the Council of
Nicaea, Athanasius was a deacon and attended the council as a secretary for Alexander. Even in
the role of secretary, Athanasius was a significant contributor to the wording of the creed. But it
was in the aftermath of the council that Athanasius legacy was forged as he ascended to the
office of bishop in 328 upon the death of Alexander. There are three things concerning this
champion of orthodoxy that I would like to commend to the contemporary church for

(2004). Tabletalk Magazine, August 2004: A Defining Era: The History of the Church in the
Fourth Century.
Page 1. Exported from Verbum, 12:35 AM March 28, 2017.
consideration.
First of all, Athanasius was driven in his rebuttal of Arianism by its practical implication. In
other words, in this finely nuanced theological debate he was concerned about the implications
of this heresy on salvation. Two of Athanasius writings reflect his practical and pastoral
concerns. On the Incarnation outlines the fact that in the incarnation, God the Word, Jesus
Christ, became human to renew what was human, to sanctify what had become corrupt in Adam.
And in Against the Arians, he asserts that God alone initiates and accomplishes salvation, and he
argues that it was necessary for our Savior to be both fully human (to renew humanity) and fully
divine (to accomplish reconciliation).
p 55 Evangelical Christians have a tendency to stand back from theological controversies
assuming that its just a matter of theologians flexing their intellectual muscles in speculative
debates that have no bearing on personal faith. While there may be instances where this is true,
many of the current controversies, such as the Lordship debates, E.C.T. (Evangelicals and
Catholics Together), and the New Perspective controversies are very practical. And, like
Athanasius, we must understand their implications in relation to the faith once delivered.
A second thing we can learn from Athanasius is that unity should not be sought apart from,
or at the expense of, truth. The Council of Nicaea produced the creed that established the
orthodox formula of the nature of Christ. All those who did not conform to this creed were
deemed to be heretics, and this resulted in the exile of Arius and those who sided with him. Ten
years later, key leaders of the church prevailed upon the Emperor Constantine to restore Arius.
Constantine in turn wrote a letter to Athanasius (who had become a bishop by this time) urging
him to receive Arius whose opinions had been misrepresented. Athanasius refused to re-admit
Arius and his followers on the grounds that there could be no fellowship between the church
and the one who denied the divinity of Christ. Seeing that the Emperor and many of his fellow
officers were pushing for restoration, concession would have been easy if not understandable for
Athanasius, but he would not budge. The lesson for us is obvious: when those with whom we
have fellowship depart from the fundamentals of the faith, it is nothing less than a breach of that
fellowship. This is the clear teaching of Scripture: Galatians 1:69; 2 John 711; Jude 34.
Separation is painful, but sometimes it is necessary. The eventual restoration of Arius and his
followers eventually led to Arianism becoming dominant in the Eastern provinces of the church.
A third thing we can learn from Athanasius is bold tenacity for truth. The restoration of Arius
and his followers eventually led to Athanasius expulsion in 335. Although he was restored
shortly before the death of Constantine in 337, this was only the beginning; in all, Athanasius
was exiled five times. Two things can be gleamed from Athanasius expulsions. First, he did not
allow the experiences to make him bitter or wallow in pity. Like Paul during his various
imprisonments, Athanasius was quite productive while in exile. Second, exile did not cause this
saint to cave in and compromise. Our adversary seeks to wear us down in his assaults, and if the
first attack doesnt do the trick maybe the third or fourth will. Athanasius was just as bold for
truth after his fifth and final exile as he was after the first. What can we learn from this
courageous man of faith? We can learn that the Gospel is defended or denied in the doctrines we
hold and that Christian fellowship is first a matter of doctrinal unity. Finally, we must firmly
hold to the Gospel in spite the consequences.
Rev. Kenneth Jones is senior pastor of Greater Union Baptist Church in Compton, California and
is a co-host of The White Horse Inn radio program.

(2004). Tabletalk Magazine, August 2004: A Defining Era: The History of the Church in the
Fourth Century.
Page 2. Exported from Verbum, 12:35 AM March 28, 2017.