My Index of Personal Orthodoxy

For whatever reason, people today love to throw around the term heretic, wolf and false teacher. They really don't understand what is essential for belief, and what is to be worked out in our sanctification through our differences of thought because of culture, background or hermeneutical school of thought. People seem to not understand how to stand shoulder to shoulder with people that have the essentials of the faith, yet might differ in superfluous (although still important) theological convictions. What I have found interesting in studying Scripture is how much the apostles left the sanctification and growth of new followers of Jesus to the power and wisdom of God, not man. People would ask, "How shall I be saved?" For the most part, this came after a clear presentation of the redemptive Gospel, but the response was almost always the same, "Repent and believe." (or something very close to this every time) What I have found very interesting through this study is that the one thing that was always presented was redemption, then repentance and belief. People have decided that they want others to present the gospel in a wider way, yet in the New Testament, and especially in Acts, it was mainly, redemption (through the death and resurrection of Jesus), repentance and belief. That's it.

So, with this in mind, I figured that I would just put a quick index of my posts on the Five Solas of the Reformation and also my posts (they aren't finished yet) on my small commentary on the Nicene Creed. If after reading this, you find myself or my church, to be heretics or wolves, I honestly believe that you aren't fighting against us, but against the historic orthodox church of God. Know that I am not perfect in my commentary or writing, but you'll see that what I write (and believe, along with my church) is historic in its roots and orthodox in it's beliefs.


The Nicene Creed:

Introduction

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

The Five Solas of the Reformation:

Introduction

Sola Scriptura: Part 1

Sola Scriptura: Part 2

Solus Christus: Part 1

Solus Christus: Part 2

Sola Gratia: Part 1

Sola Gratia: Part 2

Sola Gratia: Part 3

Introduction to Sola Fide

Sola Fide: Part 1

Sola Fide: Part 2

Soli Deo Gloria: Part 1

Soli Deo Gloria: Part 2

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Nicene Creed: Part 5

Rising on the third day according to the Scriptures (Luke 24:1-12, 46; Matthew 16:21;28:1–8; Mark 16:1–8; John 20:1–8; Acts 2:24-28; 1 Cor. 15:4)

I believe that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Man, not only literally died in the flesh on the cross and was buried, but on the third day he rose again. He conquered death, showing that he was truly more than a mere man and showing that he truly had paid for our sins. For, if Christ did not rise from the dead, he is like any other martyr dying for a cause. But, because Jesus did rise again, he showed us not only that he was The Way and that those who follow him will go to where is at, but he also showed that his payment for sin was enough. He truly was the perfect and righteous sacrifice that was a shown throughout the Old Testament imperfect sacrifices who all died and turned to dust. He, the perfect priest, did not offer up another animal, but he laid his own life down on the alter and conquered death. I believe that Jesus Christ rose on the third day.

And ascending into the heavens (Luke 24:51-53; Acts 1:9-11,22)

Jesus didn't merely raise from the dead, but was carried up into heaven. This was to show the complete satisfaction of redemption by God the Father to not only raise him from the dead, but to receive him back into his right function as God, with all power and might. We are also promised that Jesus will come back, just as he left. He went up into heaven, and will return again to judge all men. If Jesus did not satisfy the redemption of mankind, he wouldn't have been raised, and he wouldn't have been publicly displayed to be entering back into the heavenly tabernacle. I believe that Jesus Christ ascended into the heavens.

He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Ps 110:1; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; 7:55f; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet 3:22)

If raising from the dead and ascending to heaven wasn't enough to show that Jesus truly satisfied the wrath of God, then being seated at the right hand of the Father truly sums all this up. The right hand is a place of honor and the Father would give this honor to no other than to Jesus Christ, who completely satisfied for us redemption and fulfilled the work he was sent for as John 17 shows us:

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Further, Hebrews tells us that Jesus was what David was speaking about in Psalms 110 as Jesus had authority over all things, as all things were under subjection to Him. I believe that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father.

And coming again in glory (Matthew 24:3,27,37,39)

The story isn't over. Jesus will return just as he left. He will come this time, not as a humble servant born in a stable, but he will come again in glory. He will not lay aside his Deity as he did the first time, but he will show forth the fullness of God and His glory to all nations and to all peoples. He will show them his power and majesty. This is the hope of all people who follow Jesus, that someday, at a time unknown, Jesus will return for His people. His coming won't be in a little town where no one knows of it, but he will return as lightning comes to earth for all to see his power and his glory and his majestic reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. I believe Jesus Christ is coming again in glory.

to judge the living and dead (Acts 10:42; John 5:22, 27; Acts 17:31; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5)

This day, the return of our Christ, our Messiah, who comes in all glory, will be a judge. He will judge all people and separate the goats from the sheep based on deeds. Those who have sinned, will be cast into outer darkness, into hell forever. Those who wear the garments of the Saviour, the Messiah, the Trusted Sacrifice, the blood of the Lamb, will enter into heaven. Not because they have their own deeds that cover their sin, or their own deeds that make them righteous, but they have the deeds of the only perfect Priest who died in their place. They exchanged their filthy sin for the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This culminates from the belief and understanding of the entirety of the Creed up to this point. It is only by faith that one enters into eternal heaven, worshiping God. And it isn't just any faith, but the faith that believes in the Way, the Truth and the Life found only in Jesus Christ. I believe that our Messiah, Jesus Christ, is coming again to judge the living and the dead.

His kingdom shall have no end (2 Sam 7:13, 16; Ps 89:36, 37; Dan 2:44; 7:14, 18, 27; Matt 28:18 Luke 1:30-33; 2 Peter 1:11)

This is a great promise and shows his complete sovereignty and complete omnipotence. One loves to work under a king, who's kingdom and reign last for a long time as this promises them a long employment and much riches. This goes even further. We are told that we are sons of the Most high, and that our King's Kingdom will have no end. Not only this, but our King is perfect and rules justly and mercifully and that this Kingdom will be perfect. What a great promise to know that this will never end. That our joy will be totally complete, because the perfection that we gaze upon in heaven, as we worship our God, will never end and he will never be defeated. We will never be slaves again of the despicable god of this earthly world, but forever will be sons and adopted children of the One who encompasses love and who's whole being is defined by love. I can think of nothing more to be joyous about than to be able to be in the presence of the Most High King with a kingdom that never ends. I believe that our King will sit on the throne and that his Kingdom will have no end.

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Nicene Creed: Part 4

Crucified for us (Mark 15:25; I Corinthians 15:3; John 1:29; Gal 1:4; Heb 5:1, 3; 1 Pet 2:24)
Jesus Christ was crucified for us. He not only literally came from heaven and walked among us, but he literally was nailed to a cross and died for us. The Qur'an claims that Jesus was not crucified by the Jews (Surah 4:157), as the Jews were seemingly bragging about it during their time, and we accept this. We believe that although the Romans literally nailed Jesus to the cross, not the Jews, this plan of crucifixion for our sins was the predetermined plan of God alone and not man. The fact remains that my Christ died on a tree to pay for my sins, as my atoning sacrifice. Because, as all monotheistic faiths believe,

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
Leviticus 17:11

Hebrews 9 explains why Jesus, the eternal One, had to be the sacrifice for our sins, instead of merely a finite animal:

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Hebrews 9:22-28

I believe that Jesus the Christ, the Son of Man, was crucified for me.

Under Pontius Pilate (John 18:29-19:30; John 19:10-11)

Jesus was merely crucified under the local rule of Pontius Pilate. This is mentioned for historical reasons and for the reminder that only God has authority to put to death his own Son. Not only that but Proverbs reminds us the following:

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Proverbs 21:1

The conversation between Pilate and our Lord reminds us of the sovereignty of God and that his will is the only will that is perfect and worked out every time.

So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
John 19:10-11

I believe that Jesus was crucified under the rule, not authority, of Pontius Pilate.

He suffered (Mark 8:31–9:1: Matt 16:21–28; Luke 9:22–27)

Jesus Christ was a real man, because of this, he suffered. Jesus was not as the Gnostics say, merely looking like man, but really only spirit. Jesus was a real man, in the flesh (sarx), came down and became man (carne), so suffered like one. He was not released from the duties of suffering, but because he became like us, he suffered like us. He did this to be our closely related high priest, who can truly understand our sufferings, yet say that he suffered much more. He suffered to be our mediator between us and God (read Job 9). Jesus was not rescued, he in no way was allowed provision from suffering, but truly suffered as any man would suffer if he were to be scourged and killed on a cross. But, because he is the Word incarnate, his eternal suffering, is far more, not far less than man's. I believe that Jesus the Christ, the Jesus of Nazarath, born of the virgin Mary, suffered.

and was buried (Luke 23:50–56: Matt 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; John 19:38–42; 1 Corinthians 15:4)

Because Jesus, the incarnate Word, was crucified on the cross, he literally died. Because of this, like any other Jewish man, was buried in a tomb. He was treated like any other man, by being buried as local tradition and culture would have buried him, hence the burial spices and linen cloth. But, most men who were crucified were then thrown into the trash pile to be eaten by the animals, yet our Lord was prophesied to be laid in the grave of a rich man, instead of with those who were called, "cursed."

His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
Isaiah 53:9

Jesus' traditional burial, being wrapped in white linen and over 100 lbs. in spices, shows that according to every "professional" that saw him, saw him actually dead. Even if somehow he survived the cross and merely passed out, after being wrapped tightly in burial linens and spices, he would have then suffocated. This pronouncement of death included the Romans, the Jews and Jesus' followers. No one in the days of Jesus ever had reason to suspect that Jesus of Nazareth survived such a gruesome day, but all were under the correct conclusion that Jesus had literally died. I believe that not only was Jesus scourged and crucified, but was buried because he literally died.

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Nicene Creed: Part 3

true God of true God (John 1:1; 17: 1-5; 8:58; 17:24; Phil 2:6)

Not only is Jesus called the Light of Light, but He is called true God of true God. He is one with the Father and as the Word, He is not created, but has always been, just as God has been. They have always been glorified together from all eternity. Never changing, always in unity, perfect communion. I believe that Jesus Christ is true God of true God

of one essence with the Father (John 10:30;38; 17:11,21)

Jesus is in one essence with the Father. They are distinct persons, as you and I are distinct persons, but of essence, they are One and are Deity. As we have distinctions in beings and persons, so we have a distinction found in the Scriptures. This is why we can still call ourselves monotheists, although we believe in One God and three Persons. I do not believe in three gods, I do not believe in tritheism, I am not a polytheist. I wholeheartedly believe in only one God with One essence, and three distinct persons. I believe in Jesus Christ who is of one essence with the Father.

through Whom all things were made (Hebrews 1:1-2;11:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16)
Being of one essence, and three persons, we can start to understand why in the Old Testament that we find the terms "Us" and "We" when speaking of our One God. This is not only meant to be showing the royalty of our Almighty El Shaddai, but it is also to show the unity of the Trinity in creation. God created all things, through the Son, the Christ by which all things are held together and made for Him. I believe that God alone created all things, through Jesus Christ.

Who for us and for our salvation (1 Timothy 2:3-5; Ezek 18:23, 32; John 3:17; 1 Tim 4:10; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet 3:9)

Jesus Christ came down to save us. This was His mission. He came to save us for the glory of God so that we might be in heaven with God worshiping Him. Without our sin, there would be no need of salvation, but because of our first father, namely Adam, we needed redemption. Because of our sin, Jesus was sent by the Father to save us from our sin and our condemnation. Because of Jesus, God can show us mercy and forgiveness through His Son, His Christ for us. God is our Saviour and shows through whom He is our ultimate Saviour, which is Jesus. I believe that Jesus came for us and for our salvation.

came down from the heavens (John 6:33-35;41,48,50)

Jesus, the Word, who is eternal, did not start his existence at his birth, but he has always been, therefore, came from heaven, not from the earth as our first father, Adam, did. Being that the cross was predetermined before the earth began, it was not predetermined without the Christ's knowledge, but was predetermined in congruence with the Christ's knowledge, knowing that when the time came, he would come from heaven as the bread of life to show us the straight way to God. Uncreated, He came down to us from the throne room of God. I believe that Jesus, the Christ, came down from the heavens.

and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38; Isaiah 7:14;8:10; 9:6-7; Matthew 1:18-25)

Jesus is called the Son of God because, like Adam, He has no earthly Father, but only one Father, who is in heaven. He was not conceived through traditional ways, but like Adam, was conceived through the Spirit of God. Born of the virgin Mary, she was his earthly mother. Mary was truly a virgin and was not like the pagan myths of earthly women having sexual relations with the gods, but she was truly a virgin in every since and miraculously was with Child, by the Spirit of God. Jesus had to be born of a virgin, so that he would be born sinless and could fulfill the role of the Son of God, which was to be the Messiah, the God of our salvation. I believe that Jesus was incarnated by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.

and became man (John 1:14; Rom 1:3; Gal 4:4; Phil 2:7f; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 2:14; 1 John 1:1f; 4:2; 2 John 7)

Jesus, the one whom the fullness of Deity dwells, laid aside his power and became man. This does not mean that he was only man, as some regard, but he, as fully God, became fully man. It wasn't 50/50%, it wasn't 0/100%, it was 100/100%. Jesus' mission was two parts. One, as God, to fulfill the satisfaction of wrath upon the heads of man for eternity, namely the eternal death due. And, to live as man, to become like us, so that he could actually die as man. Not only did Jesus become man to die for us, but to sympathize with us. He was like us, yet without sin. We can go to Him, our Christ, who like us never sinned and can aid us in our temptations. Jesus became fully man and I adhere to any verse, any statement, any word that associates Jesus as anthropos, as fully man without ever denying that Jesus is also fully God. It is like calling myself a "father". By doing so, it never denies that I am also a husband or a brother. By calling Jesus anthropos, never does the Scriptures deny His Deity. I believe that Jesus became man.

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The Nicene Creed: Part 2

and of all things visible and invisible (Colossians 1:15-16; Eph 1:10; John 1:3; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 8:6)

Here is where we start to get the specifics on creation and through whom all things were created, namely through and by Jesus Christ. He is called the first of all creation, not because he was created, but because he is preeminent and before all things. Everything and everyone we can see, and everything and everyone we cannot see were created specifically through Jesus Christ. I believe in the person of Jesus Christ, whom all things were created.

and in one Lord, Jesus Christ (Acts 11:17; Romans 5:11; 15:6; 16:20; Eph 1:15; Phil 4:23; 1 Thess 5:9; Jude 4; 21)

Jesus is the one whom I follow. I am his disciple and He is my Lord. He teaches me by His words and His actions how to fully glorify God who is in heaven. He has always been before me and will always be above me. I surrender my life to Him knowing that He bought me with a price. I am not my own but I am His. I am only His because God loved me first, and through the grace of God I am allowed to be a follower of Jesus. He is my Master, I am His servant. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ.

Son of God (Matthew 14:33; 16:15-17; 26:63-64; Mark 3:11; 5:7; Luke 1:35; 4:41; Luke 22:70; John 1:34,49; 11:4; Acts 9:20)

Jesus, my Lord, is also the Son of God. He is not called the "Son of God" because The Holy Spirit and Mary had sexual relations, as Mormons believe, nor was there any sort of sexual relations between the Father and Mary as some Muslims think we believe. Jesus, is the Son of God, because he was born of the Spirit of God and has no earthly father. He is also the Son of God, because the title itself is closely related to the term "Christ" or "Messiah". He is the long awaited Messiah from the line of David, which started with Adam, who was first called the son of God in Luke 3:38. Adam, our first father failed in the garden and we have been awaiting for the Messiah, the Son of God, from the line of David to come ever since. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.

begotten of the Father before all ages (John 1:2; 1:18; 3:16-18; 8:24; 1 John 4:9)

Jesus is eternal. He, like the Father, can only be described in his truest form as "I AM Who I AM." (John 8:24) Jesus exists because of Himself, because of the Godhead. He is not created and is called "begotten" because there is only one of His kind. There is no other. He is the only true Son of God, the only Messiah, the only true Christ, the only One who can explain God perfectly for us to see. He is called the radiance of God's glory (Hebrews 1:3) because He shows us who God is, because He has always been, the same today, yesterday and forever. I believe in the Son of God, the Messiah, who was begotten of the Father before all ages.

Light of Light (Psalm 27:1; 18:28; Is 60:20; Mic 7:8; John 1:4; 9:5; 12:35,46)

In the Old Testament God was referred to as "light". From this, the Light is called "my salvation" by David. Through Jesus, salvation has come. Jesus calls himself the Light of the world, He is the one whom those that are in darkness will come to salvation through for the glory of God. Because Jesus is described as "I AM" He is also referred to as being the Light, who proceeds from the Light. Those found to be against God are said to be in darkness. Being that Jesus is perfect and is the great I AM, He has no darkness in Him at all and not only is He in the Light, He IS THE LIGHT. I believe in the Light of Light.

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The Nicene Creed: Part I

This is how this will work. I am going to break up the creed with Scriptural support, then a quick summation of my belief on each one. Whether or not this is how the original writers intended some of these summations, one can debate, but isn't my intent. These posts are going to be scriptural support of my own study and the summation my own as well. The reason is because the very first term in the Creed is, "I believe..." and I want the reader to know what I believe to be true and the reasons, not just what those who first put this forth in AD 325.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in (Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:8-13; Matthew 10:32; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Luke 12:8; Phil 2:11)

When I speak of the following, this is what I believe. The following statements are what one would call the things I consider to be "closed." I believe the following to be of so much importance that this is what I consider to be true if one desires to stand beside me as a follower of Jesus. It has nothing to do with denomination, nothing to do with which culture you come from, which 5 points you follow or don't follow, what color your skin is, whether rich or poor, man or woman, deaf or dumb. The following points that are made in the Creed cannot be dismissed. They are the truths that...I believe in.

One God (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4; Mark 12:29; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4-6; Eph 4:6)

I fully believe there is only one God and besides Him, there is none. I stand with the other monotheistic faiths and adhere to the strong belief that God is only one and that all other gods are mere demons disguising themselves as angels of light. I believe that this understanding is far above my knowledge and I believe that God's own description of himself is so perfectly described, I cannot define it any clearer: I AM Who I AM. God is the only perfect describer of himself and we should not ascribe worship to anyone else but our one true God. This description of God by God, through the Scriptures continues in the following verses of the Creed. I believe in One God.

Father (John 8:42; Matthew 6:9; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3; 4:6; Ephesians 1:2; Phil 4:20; Colossians 1:3; 1 John 3:1)

Our God is One. Within this Oneness there are three persons. The first to describe, is the Father. In the Arabic and the Qur'an, the term is "Rabb" and in the Bible, he is known as Abba, or Father. He is the One who sent us the Christ, He is the One whom Jesus submitted to while on earth. He is the One with whom the Spirit proceeds from. He is the One who is invisible. He is the One whom Jesus glorified while he walked this earth. He is the One whom we are called to glorify in all things. I believe in the Father.

Almighty (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3; Exodus 6:3)

God the Father is described as El Shaddai, or God Almighty. We describe this as God being omnipotent, meaning he is all powerful. Because our God is El Shaddai, the Almighty One, the Omnipotent One, none can overpower Him. He alone is the one whom none can conquer, and if it seems He is conquered, it is only because He has allowed it to be perceived as such to accomplish His will. Many verses allude this understanding and my trust in anything other than God shows my ineptitude to understand the power of God. Like the apostle Paul asked, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). I believe that a correct title of God is truly, El Shaddai, my God is Almighty.

Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1; Job 38:4; Is 42:5; 45:18; Rev 4:11)

God the Father, the Almighty, created the heavens and the earth. I reject those sciences who ascribe the creation of our earth or heavens to anything else. Although our finite minds cannot understand how God created all things ex nihilo, I affirm it. Our One God, who was never created, created all things. From Him all things were made, although in Himself He was not made, but eternally existent. Some have started to speak of intelligent design, which I object to. We should ascribe the design of the earth to the correct designer, which is God alone. The specifics of the seen and the unseen, and of which source it was created comes in the further statements of the Creed. I believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth.

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The Nicene Creed: Introduction

At the end of our church service, gathering, or whatever you want to call it, we, as a church, read aloud the Nicene Creed. I wanted to take some posts to go through it and give the Scriptural references for each point and then a brief commentary. In this introduction, I want to give a quick background from The Moody Handbook of Theology so you'll know what the creed is and why it was formed.

ARIANISM
The most prominent name in the Trinitarian controversy is Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria. In opposition to modalistic monarchianism, Arius taught that only one who is called God is eternal and, in fact, is incompre hensible. To suggest that Christ is eternal would be to affirm two Gods. Arius taught that the Son had a beginning; there was a time when the Son did not exist. The Son was not of the “same substance” (Gk. homoousios) as the Father; the Son was created by the Father—also referred to (incorrectly) by Arius as being generated by the Father. Arius further taught that Christ was created prior to all other creation, He being the medium through which God later created. As such, Christ is the highest ranking of all created beings, however Christ is subject to change because He is not God.

Arius was opposed by the highly capable Athanasius of Alexandria. Athanasius stressed the oneness of God while maintaining three distinct Persons within the Godhead. He also propounded the eternal existence of the Son. Athanasius stands out in the history of the church as one of the brilliant defenders of orthodoxy.

COUNCIL OF NICEA
Because of the Arian controversy, the Council of Nicea met in a.d. 325 to deal with the problem. Three hundred bishops attended. The council rejected Arianism and any concessions to Arius and, with the approval of the emperor, adopted the following creed.

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 substance [ousias] of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance [homoousion] with the Father, through whom all things came to be, those things that are in heaven and those things that are on earth, who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and was made man, suffered, rose the third day, ascended into the heavens, and will come to judge the living and the dead.

The designation homoousion stressed that Christ is not merely like the Father but He is of the identical substance as the Father. The terms “God from God” and “true God from true God” further stressed the deity of Christ. At the same time “begotten, not made” and “came down” stressed His eternality.

Following the council of Nicea controversy continued, with the center of controversy revolving around the term homoousian, a term to which many objected. The controversy shifted back and forth, with both Arius and Athanasius being banished at different times. The West favored Athanasius’s view, whereas the East wanted a modified statement. In a.d. 381 Emperor Theodosius convened the Council of Constantinople and accepted the Nicene Creed, reaffirming the homoousian clause.

COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Good as it was, the Nicene Creed only affirmed “We believe in the Holy Ghost.” There was no clear doctrinal formulation concerning the Person of the Holy Spirit. Arius, meanwhile, taught that the Holy Spirit was the first creation of the Son. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, taught that the Holy Spirit was a creature, like angels, subordinate to the Son. Athanasius emphasized that the Holy Spirit was also of the same substance (homoousian) as the Son and the Father. It was not until the Council of Constantinople in a.d. 381, however, that the matter was settled. The council adopted the following statement: “We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.” The statement emphasized that the Holy Spirit was not subordinate to the Son nor the Father but was of the same substance as Father and Son.
Enns, Paul P.: The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, Ill. : Moody Press, 1997, c1989, S. 420

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