The Arian Controversy and the Council of Nicea: The Outbreak of the Controversy

Our History of Christianity Scripture passage today is Romans 10:9-10 which reads: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Our History of Christianity quote today is from D. L. Moody. He said: "Salvation is worth working for. It is worth a man’s going round the world on his hands and knees, climbing its mountains, crossing its valleys, swimming its rivers, going through all manner of hardship in order to attain it. But we do not get it in that way. It is to him who believes."

Today, in the History of Christianity, we are looking at "The Arian Controversy and the Council of Nicea: The Outbreak of the Controversy, Part 3" from Dr. Justo L. Gonzalez's fine book, The Story of Christianity (Volume 1). 

Although these were the issues debated in the course of the controversy, quite possibly at the heart of the matter was also the question of how it is that Christ saves. For Alexander, and particularly for those who subsequently defended his views - especially Athanasius - Christ has achieved our salvation because in him God has entered human history and opened the way for our return to him. Apparently Arius and his followers felt that Christ's role as Savior was imperiled by such a view, for Jesus had opened the way for salvation by his obedience to God, and such obedience would be meaningless if he himself was divine, and not a creature.

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