THE SHIELD XI Nicaea +1700

The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; 

Psalm 28:7a

Almost every week I add another article to The Shield because faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the truth, as revealed in God's eternal Word. It is a shield of faith, after all.

Nicaea was a city in the Anatolian peninsula, where is located today Iznik, Turkey. In 325AD Emperor Constantine called a first ecumenical council in that city to find resolutions on questions of faith and doctrine.

Bishops and other church leaders gathered to especially discuss church divisions over the question of the nature of Jesus Christ.

Thus begun the First Council of Nicaea with about 300 Christian leaders. This month marks the 1700 year anniversary of that occasion.

The nature of Jesus Christ

Jesus famously asked His disciples who the people said He, Jesus, was; then asked Peter for his own opinion.

The full realisation of the nature of Jesus Christ really truly dawned on the followers of Christ when they saw Him levitate and ascend into heaven.

Acts 1:9-11 ERV

[9] After Jesus said this, he was lifted up into the sky. While they were watching, he went into a cloud, and they could not see him. [10] They were staring into the sky where he had gone. Suddenly two men wearing white clothes were standing beside them. [11] They said, “Men from Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky? You saw Jesus carried away from you into heaven. He will come back in the same way you saw him go.”

It was only then that they all believed in Him, especially His brothers. It was then that they were absolutely convinced of His divine nature and identity.

Jesus returned to where He had come from… the throne of God. We know however that He did not come from there as a full-grown man, but through the womb of a virgin. The question is, In what form did Jesus Christ exist before He came to earth?

1 Timothy 3:16 KJV

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

God was manifest in the flesh. The man Jesus Christ was God. In what form was He before?

John 1:14 GNT

The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.

He was always existant as The Word of God and that is who He is today - The Word of God.

Revelation 19:13 GNT

The robe he wore was covered with blood. His name is “The Word of God.”

When you look for Him in the Old Testament, look for THE WORD. Don't look for a human form. The human form came in Bethlehem.

Yochanan (John) 1:1 CJB

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Word = God.

This should excite you, especially if you have been born again, because it is the seed of this same WORD wherewith God reproduces Himself in humanity.

James 1:18 GNT

By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures. 

Nicene Creed, Spanish

Nicene Creed, English

It was with these questions that the participants of the Council of Nicaea wrestled with, amongst others:

• The Doctrine of the Trinity.

• Arianism, which denied that Jesus was fully and eternally divine.

How fully divine is Jesus Christ?

Old Testament:

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

New Testament:

Colossians 2:9-10 AMPC

[9] For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. [10] And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead–Father, Son and Holy Spirit–and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

Conclusion:

Jesus Christ is the mighty God and everlasting Father in whom dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. All of God is found inside of Jesus Christ. He is the body of God and there is nothing of God outside of Jesus Christ. He is what you would see if you looked upon the throne of God. Read it for yourself ☝🏽

SON OF GOD means ‘God in human flesh’ and that is why the religious authorities seeked to kill Him. He made Himself equal with God, for He is very God.

This is what the Nicene Creed seeked to establish - the divine nature of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity. It was drawn up during that first Council of Nicaea and recited in churches till today.

Truly, in His light we see the light. It is in the reflection of Jesus Christ that you find your true image and identity.