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Holy Holy Holy

Holy, Holy, Holy 9 January 2011 Elder Boaz Boon Two months ago, during ‘Calvary Tengah’s Turkey Bible Study Tour’ we visited Iznik, that town where Nicaea stood several hundreds years ago. The town seemed quite ordinary but in A.D. 325, a very important debate was held there. It was the ‘First Council of Nicaea’ convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who had merged the church with the state in A.D. 313. Emperor Constantine had thought to give the decaying Empire new life and unity by embraci

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78 views2 pages

Holy Holy Holy

Holy, Holy, Holy 9 January 2011 Elder Boaz Boon Two months ago, during ‘Calvary Tengah’s Turkey Bible Study Tour’ we visited Iznik, that town where Nicaea stood several hundreds years ago. The town seemed quite ordinary but in A.D. 325, a very important debate was held there. It was the ‘First Council of Nicaea’ convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who had merged the church with the state in A.D. 313. Emperor Constantine had thought to give the decaying Empire new life and unity by embraci

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Calvary Tengah Bible-Presbyterian Church
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Holy, Holy, Holy 9 January 2011 Elder Boaz Boon

Two months ago, during Calvary Tengahs Turkey Bible Study Tour we visited Iznik, that town where Nicaea stood several hundreds years ago. The town seemed quite ordinary but in A.D. 325, a very important debate was held there. It was the First Council of Nicaea convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who had merged the church with the state in A.D. 313. Emperor Constantine had thought to give the decaying Empire new life and unity by embracing and supporting the Christian faith and making it the religion of the Empire. However, when he saw his fondest hopes about to be dashed to pieces by internal conflicts in the church, he resolved to attempt a settlement by calling an ecumenical council. Present at this council were delegates from the church in every part of the Empire. It was estimated that about 250 to 318 Christian bishops attended this meeting who had responded to the invitation of the Emperor. The main issue at hand then was to debate on the Person of Jesus Christ whether He was 100% God and 100% man. This difference was expressed by two key words - on the one hand the Orthodox held to the truth that Christ was homo-ousios (of the same essence) with the Father; but the Arians, as they were known, held to the view that Christ was homoi-ousios (or similar essence) with the Father. Essentially, the debate was between Arius and Athanasius. Arius (whose followers were called Arians) believed that they were different and that the Son, though He may be the most perfect of all creation, was only a creation of God the Father. To most of the bishops present, the teachings of Arius were heretical and dangerous to the salvation of souls. In the other camp was Athanasius of Alexandria. He was a young deacon and companion of Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. Athanasius battled against Arius whose view of Arianism he strongly opposed. Notwithstanding, at one juncture, the meeting was seemingly being persuaded towards Arianism to the extent that Athanasius was almost standing alone. A colleague said to Athanasius, The whole world is against you! Unwavering and unperturbed, Athanasius replied, Then it is Athanasius against the world. At the end, by Gods almighty working, the Council declared that the Father and the Son are of the same substance and are co-eternal, on the basis that the declaration in the claim was a formulation of traditional Christian belief handed down from the Apostles. Under Constantine's influence, this belief was accepted by the bishops in what would be thereafter known as the Nicene Creed. As I stood at the place where the debate was held, I cannot help but thank God for the triumphant victory of the truth of Gods Word over the heresy of mans make-belief! Satan, our adversary tried to poison the minds of Christians at that time and continues to do so even today. Therefore, we must heed to the injunction from 1 Peter 5:8-9, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. We must also study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) A proper understanding of Gods Word is both essential and needful to help us discern truth from error and our best teacher is the Holy Spirit Himself who indwells us and abides with us forever. Gods Word is very clear in declaring the deity of Jesus Christ, our Lord For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7). Do you know that this verse can only be found in the King James Bible because it is based on the verbally and plenary preserved text underlying the King James Bible? Also note the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5-6, 9-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God...Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Quoting the words of Christ Himself when He said, I and My Father are one. (John 10:30) In 1826 Reginald Heber who pastored a flock in Shropshire, England, wrote the poem entitled Holy, Holy, Holy to affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. He wanted his congregation to remember and understand this very important doctrine. A person who denies this cardinal doctrine cannot be saved

in the Lord Jesus Christ because that person would have believed in a different god, not the God of the Bible! Years later, in 1861, the musician John Dykes, wrote a melody to this poem penned by Reginald Heber and entitled the tune as Nicaea. Dearly beloved, thank God for this precious truth which is enshrined in the words of this hymn. May the Holy Spirit help us to live holy lives in 2011, for our God is holy (1 Peter 1:15). And the four beasts had each of them six wings about Him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8) And together let us serve Him with clean hands and a pure heart .that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10) Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see; Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, Perfect in powr, in love, and purity. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! Amen.

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