.Continued from Page 1
9.  313 AD. Constantine now becomes the ruler of the Roman Empire and chooses Christianity
      as the best of religions and began to control the affairs of the Church. God's Word says that
      Jesus is supposed to be the head and control the Church. (Eph.1:22-23, Col.1:18) 
      The Church was declining fast!

        Note: By the beginning of the 3rd.century, Biblical interpretation was greatly influenced by the Catechetical
      School of Alexandria, which had become the great melting pot of Greek philosophy and Judaism. Origen was
      the chief representative of this School and DID NOT believe in the Deity of Christ. (i.e. that Jesus Christ was God
      manifest in the flesh) Alexandria was also a theological ferment where "philosophers attempted to fuse the
      doctrine of Christianity with the ideal's of Greek philosophy" Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 96 / Funk & Wagnalls
             Encyclopedia, Vol.1. p.372  (Review Phase 1)
      

10. By 323 AD. A quarrel threatened to split the Christian Church in two camps, over Arius (Arian)
      and the doctrine of the Godhead (i.e. the trinity). Arius was a priest of Alexandria that denied
      the Deity of Christ. (That Jesus was God manifest in the flesh) 

       As in the illustration of Samson, the Church was not to "come at no dead body" (Num.6:6,
       Judges.13:5, 1Cor.3:17; 6:15-20, James.4:1-4, 2Cor.11:1-3)  Dead meaning, "dead works"
       (Heb.6:1, Eph.2:1) Our self righteousness. He was to remain consecrated to God. Samson
       did not remain separated, and neither did the Church, and now by the 2nd.century they are
       being "entangled" with "affairs in this life." (2Tim.2:3-4)

         Note: Not only was the Church forsaking truth, this Arian heresy was corrupting the scribes who were 
       hand copying* the Greek manuscripts. They were changing the Greek manuscripts claiming they were 
       correcting them. (Sounds like today!) They were leaving out words that proclaimed Jesus as Deity, and
       the creator of the worlds.
       * The printing press would not be invented until the 14th. century. This left opportunity for a copying scribe to alter God's Word.

       (Compare this time with the Church at Pergamos, (Rev.2:12-17) and the parable of the Fowls of the air lodging 
       in the branches. (Matt.13:31-33) (Review Phase 1)


11. To correct this corruption, Constantine called for the Council of Nicaea. 325 AD. 
       This was an ecumenical, or worldwide council of Bishops to correct the Arian heresy.
       (The denial of the Deity of Christ)  The Nicaean Council overwhelmingly condemned the
       Arian heresy, and drew up the "Nicaean Creed." However, like that of Samson's brethren, 
       (Judges.15:9-10) the Church under the hand of Constantine, gave up truth to the Philistines.
       (i.e. the vain deceit, philosophy and traditions of men - Col.2:8, Matt.15:6) This would
       eventually lead the Church to the captivity of the "dark ages" as it did to Samson.

       In spite of the (Nicaean) council's decisions' the problem of Arianism was not solved for 
       some decades. The Emperor Constantine II, Constantine's son, supported Arianism, as did
       Valens, one of his successors.  This doctrine persisted until at least the 7th.century. 
       Arianism today, is held by Unitarians, Jehovah Witnesses.23  The next 300 years, all the
       Bishops in the Roman Catholic Church were Arian in belief.24
       
       "...Constantine, the wolf of paganism openly assumed the sheep's clothing of
            the Christian religion."25

12.  350 AD. Now Christianity is the religion of the state. (Rome)
       Heathens were forced into the Church without being born again. Many heathen preferred
       to be called Christians rather than face the sword. Needless to say, the doctrine of
       Justification by Faith and the new birth were no longer emphasized.

13.  By 392 AD. Theodosius went even further when he outlawed heathen worship. It now
       came under penalty of death for any one to have any religious connection other than that
       of the established Roman Church.  WHAT A TURN AROUND!


     During the Dark Ages very little translation was attempted...the Word of God was locked up in the Latin
     tongue which was unknown to the common people.  Thompson Chain Ref. Bible. Condensed Encyclopedia, p.181

     Compared this time with The Church at Thyatira, and the Woman Jezebel. (Rev.2:18-29) and the Parable
     of the Woman hiding leaven in the bread. (Matt.13:33)


The Church is now in the "dark ages"

Dark Ages, meaning spiritually dark, no light from God's Word. (Psa.119:130, Prov.6:23) Outwardly man had built great Cathedrals "which appear beautiful...but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (Matt.23:27)  The House of God was now a natural building and not the people of God. (John.2:18-20, Matt.16:18; 23:36, 1Cor.3:16-17; 6:19, Eph.2:1-22)      Nevertheless, during the "dark ages" there were individuals "grinding in the (spiritual) prison  house" as Samson was. Just as the Philistines thought they had the upper hand, Satan thought he had finally crushed the Church. (Judges.16:21-23) HE WAS MISTAKEN!

1.  There was Nicholas of Lyra (1279 -1340 AD.) Spoken of as the bridge between the Middle
     (Dark) Ages and the Reformation. His work had a profound influence on Luther and help "seed"
     the Reformation.

2.  Next was John Wycliffe (1330 -1384 AD.) An English theologian and religious reformer 
     whose rejection of the biblical basis of papal power and dispute with the doctrine of the
     transubstantiation of the host anticipated the Protestant Reformation. He was the "morning 
     star" of the Reformation," and recognized scripture as the final authority, not the Catholic
     Church. Wycliffe also translated the Bible from Latin to English.  The Catholic Church (the
     Church of the spiritual decline and "dark ages") response was, "Such a version would  also
     make it easier for him (Wycliffe) to propagate his teachings."
     The New American Bible, The English Versions of the Bible, p.1452

     Wycliffe declared
     "...that the people had the right to read the Bible and interpret it for themselves..."
     During the "dark ages" the Bible was locked up in the Latin tongue which was unknown
     to the common people.26 Only the "educated priests"27 interpreted the Bible for the people.

     Note: Some today still wait for those who have theological degrees to tell them what the
     Bible means, rather than let the Holy Spirit lead them into all truth. (John.16:12-13) 
     Leadership is there not to have "dominion over your faith," (2Cor.1:24, Matt.20:24-28)
     but to be "helpers of your joy" in understanding what God is teaching YOU! (1John.2:27)

3.  After Wycliffe was John (Jan) Hus (1372-1415 AD.)  Wycliffe's ideas spread into Bohemia,
     where Jan (John) Hus widely preached them in powerful sermons and was burned at the stake
     by the Roman Catholic Church for his Bible based belief's inspired by Wycliffe)



Remember, the Nazarite Vow is a Vow of separation and consecration unto God. (Num.6:1-21) Just as Samson was to be a "Nazarite unto God from the womb," (Judges.13:5) the Church was birthed to separate unto God. (2Cor.6:14-18)  

The Church is about to come out of the "dark ages"

Samson's hair beginning to grow back  is a picture of the Church beginning to separated from "dead works" and having " faith towards God" (Heb.6:1)  From the end of the 1st.century until the 15th.century, the Church like Samson went to sleep (spiritually) on the knees of the harlot Church, (Delilah). This resulted in their consecration and separation (hair) being shaved off and they became "weak like any other man." (Judges.16:17) This gave the "advantage" to Satan (the Philistines) who put out the spiritual eyes of the Church and bound them with spiritual "fetters of brass;" leaving them to "grind in the prison house" of the dark ages. But now, Samson's hair is beginning to "grow again." The Reformation was about to break out! God was about to call a people out unto Himself, just as He did when He called Israel out of Egypt.

Note: It is not coincidental that before the Reformation, (a) God's Word had been placed back into Greek without the corruption of the 2nd. century. (b) Tyndale had translated this Greek text into English, and (c) the printing press had been invented which allowed the Bible to be put in the hands of the common people. Now "religious texts, once read only by scholars...and educated priesthood, were now available to an ever-widening audience."


The Reformation and Martin Luther (1517 AD.)

Just as Samson had seven locks of hair, before it was cut off, (Judges.16:19) God was revealing to Luther the first, of seven principles of the doctrine of Christ. (Heb.6:1-3)  Repentance from dead works and faith towards God. Luther rejected the authority of the Pope and selling of indulgences (temporary pardons) for sin). He preached the "Bible is the sole source of Christian truth and he denied the priests hand any more power that the layman did not have.28

1.  Repentance from dead works and faith towards God. (Heb.6:1) The first lock of hair.
     This is Justification in the redeeming, (1Cor.6:20, 1Peter.1:18-19 [Num.31:50, Exod.30:12])
     sinless blood of Christ our Passover. (1Cor.5:7-8, Rom.1:17, Hab.2:4, Eph.2:8-9) This 
     truth had vanished in the spiritual decline of the Church by 350 AD.

    a.  This compares with Passover in the "blueprint."
                  Review God's Purpose and Plan, Page 1 of 3. "Israel was delivered from Egypt because
            of the Passover," #1-4

    b.  Denominations that formed out of this restored truth was the Lutheran, Episcopal and  
         Presbyterian Churches.
         ________________________________________________________________

         Keep in mind  the "natural man receiveth NOT the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
         foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
         (1Cor.2:1-14)  "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
         the things which God hath prepared for them that love. But God hath revealed them unto
         us..."(1Cor.2:9-10)  Understanding Justification by faith was none of Luther's doing, it was 
         God that allowed this truth to revealed first.

         With this in mind, a study of Church history reveals an order of truths that have have been 
         restored, that parallels Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, ending with
         Solomon's Temple.

         During this time Erasmus had placed the Word of God back into the Greek, eliminating the corruption of 
         Clement, Origen, Eusebius and Jerome from the 2nd. and 3rd. century.

         Compare the period of time from Wycliffe, Erasmus, Luther and Tyndale with the Church at Sardis, 
         (Rev.3:1-6) and the Parable of The treasure in the field. (Matt.13:44)



     

         
Continued on "God's Purpose and Plan," page 3 of 3


____________________________________________________________________


23. Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996 "Constantine"

24. E. H. Broadbent, The Pilgrim Church, pp.21-22

25. Sir Robert Anderson, L.C.B.L.D., p.48, The Church and the Bible  /  E.H.Broadbent, The Pilgrim Church, pp.21-220 22  /  Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996

26. Thompson Chain Ref. Bible. Condensed Encyclopedia, p.181

27. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996 "Printing Press"

28. Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996 "Reformation"- Luther sparks revolt in Germany."