John 1:3 Who is Aruis?

John 1:3 - "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

1. What does it say?

2. What does it mean?

3. What does it mean to me?

In my previous hub, John 1:3 Jesus is creator, how to study the Bible, I showed you three simple steps to use when you read the Bible. Using John 1:3, we learned that Jesus created everything. Not everyone believes that this verse is true. I would like to introduce you to a man named Arius, a Libyan priest in Egypt in the early 300’s AD. He was instrumental to spreading the belief that Jesus was not God, but rather a created being. The Son, he claimed, was a creature made from nothing, God’s first production before all the ages. This meant that he had a beginning and was not co-equal with God. These views got him excommunicated by his Bishop, Alexander of Alexandria. After this he continued to spread his views causing uproar and dissention in the church. The Emperor, Constantine heard about the conflict. Desiring peace in his kingdom, Constantine called together the Council at Nicea. Approximately 300 Bishops attended. Arius was there and about 22 of the Bishops were his followers. For over a month the group debated the issue of the Deity of Christ. The debates were heated and the scriptures searched in an effort to reach an agreement on the Truth. In the end, all but two men signed what would become the Nicene Creed, which affirmed that the Father and the Son were co-equal and eternal. The Son was not created but begotten. (Meaning that they were of the same substance, unique from anything else) Constantine banished Arius and had all his writings burned. Later, after the death of the Alexandrian Bishop, the Emperor invited Arius back and demanded that the church accept him again. Arius died just before his first communion. On his deathbed, Constantine was said to be baptized by the Arian priest Eusebius of Nicodemia. His views continue today in the beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

One of the main reasons to study the Bible is to be able to discern the truth. There are many false teachers who want to come into our lives. This is why it is important to know what we believe and why. When we hear something new, we should compare it to what the Bible says to see what is true. In the case of Arius, we can look at this verse in John to see that his views were false. This is further confirmed with similar passages and the previous verses in John. Understanding the term Logos in John 1:1 and what the Greeks and Jews knew about it gives even more support to an eternal Christ, equal with the Father. John chose his words carefully. The Greeks knew that the Logos was eternal and that he was the ultimate Reason behind the universe. The Jews knew Logos as the words spoken by Jehovah. He tells them that they don’t have a complete picture but that the Logos is Jesus. He was in the beginning with God because he was God. So when John says that “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” It tells us Jesus could not have been created if nothing was made without him.

God gave us the Bible and the Holy Spirit to help us understand what He wants us to know. We should approach the Bible with prayer and respect; however we should not be afraid to ask questions, to search the scriptures for the truth. God is not afraid of our questions and an honest question does not show a lack of faith. Remember that He loves you and He promises that “…you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” (Isaiah 29:12 – 14)

Thank you for reading my hub. If you would like to read more, please visit What is Darkness?

For more on Arius and the Nicene Council from a fellow hubber you can read "Who decided Jesus was God?" by busillis22

http://busillis22.hubpages.com/_xlrvaljpe5td/hub/Who-Decided-Jesus-was-God#comment-11447079