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FOURTH CENTURY
GOVERNMENTAL FAVOR BRINGS DARKNESS
- The enemy of our souls changed his tactics from persecution to favor. The church was largely lulled to sleep.
- Constantine favored Christianity, but it's doubtful that he ever experienced a true conversion.
- Constantine used Christianity for political gain, in effect, bringing the world into the church.
- The degradation of the church had already begun previously, but the door now opened to a church of many unsaved Christians.
- Much more of the Scriptural pattern for the church was lost during this time.
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- Church became one of many tolerated religions.
- Church was largely polluted by Gnostic paganism and the God-given pattern was all but gone. The moving of God?s Spirit was nearly non-existent. In a sense, the church ceased to be the church.
- 367 AD, canon of the Scripture officially recognized.
- Now, it became politically correct to become a "Christian," and many became notional "Christians" without any relationship with Christ.
- New laxity of behavior and belief introduced.
- The church now began to use coercion and persecution against any who dared to disagree with it.
- More disorders and heresies introduced into the church during this century.
- Civil government was centered at Constantinople. Church government was centered at Rome.
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- 305, Diocletian attempts to annihilate the church.
- 307, Constantine began his rule
- 311, Persecution of Christians in Rome comes to an end. Christian church was not made the state church under Constantine.
- 313 AD, Edict of Milan: All religions legalized
- 313 AD, Donatists come into existence.
- Council of Nicaea decides against Arian theology.
- AD 381, Theodosius IX makes Christianity the State religion.
- New commitment to building church buildings and acquiring real estate.
- An estimated 1,540,000 Christians were martyred during the 4th century.
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Truth
History
History
World History 4th Century
