Boy, those guys doin' all that mendin' and blendin' sure were stupid. They left all there for anybody to see. How blessed we are that we got so much smarter in the last 200 yrs. God must have done it all for His most favored people—us.
While the most important thing to remember is that God had it "figured out" all along, I think that what you are referencing as progress in man's understanding is the result of the emphasis being placed in a particular area of study at a particular time. During the early church period most emphasis was placed on God, His nature, attributes, and relationship to creation. Those questions are foundational to the church, just as they are to Art and hummer. Clarity, or confusion, there determines the understanding of all other, frankly less important, issues including justification, sanctification, salvation, and glorification. Has there been progress? I'm reluctant to voice an opinion; but I am convinced that we have been blessed by God with many wise and faithful men to lead us on His path; and equally convinced that He has provided for us many contrasting examples in those that would claim a greater privilege at God's hand as a consequence of the passage of time. To the list of Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, rich or poor, can be added ancient or modern, because in every rendition of the concept there exists the opportunity for egocentric man to claim greater favor before God for his individual or class identity.We did figure out grace over works and election over free will. I think in due time we may be able to see much more than "those guys" back then. Each generation learns a little bit more about the truth and the light. (Luther)
As people run to and fro, knowledge will increase.
While the most important thing to remember is that God had it "figured out" all along, I think that what you are referencing as progress in man's understanding is the result of the emphasis being placed in a particular area of study at a particular time. During the early church period most emphasis was placed on God, His nature, attributes, and relationship to creation. Those questions are foundational to the church, just as they are to Art and hummer. Clarity, or confusion, there determines the understanding of all other, frankly less important, issues including justification, sanctification, salvation, and glorification. Has there been progress? I'm reluctant to voice an opinion; but I am convinced that we have been blessed by God with many wise and faithful men to lead us on His path; and equally convinced that He has provided for us many contrasting examples in those that would claim a greater privilege at God's hand as a consequence of the passage of time. To the list of Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, rich or poor, can be added ancient or modern, because in every rendition of the concept there exists the opportunity for egocentric man to claim greater favor before God for his individual or class identity.
Here are a couple of reads for you relating to grace and faith in the early church Fathers.
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/did-the-early-church-teach-faith-alone/
http://www.riemerroukema.nl/downloads/RiemerRoukema-0143.pdf
Are you bitheist, tritheist, or tetratheist?Thanks, I'll check out the links later. You mention in the early Church most of the emphasis was on God. Is this why we don't see as much about the Holy Spirit?
Are you bitheist, tritheist, or tetratheist?
Don't worry about being able to describe the relationship. Those who claim to have succeeded are the ones to worry about.The thing is I'm not really sure how I would describe the unity the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Have you seen identical points made that were not quoting the same source?I can see the points Trinitarians see.
I still don't know just what that is, nonetheless, my Trinitarian comment still applies here as well.I can see the points Oneness believers see.
To me they are just attempts to explain the unity, just not very good attempts.
This is my 4th response, the first three I erased. I will be a gentleman and say "go in peace"I have thought about this long and hard and I believe that you are not looking for reasonable explanations, but rather looking to defend your belief that all scripture is not God breathed and inspired by God. So I won't bother to give any reasonable explanation and you can continue in your belief. The fact of the matter is all of scripture both Old and New point to the One Lord Jesus Christ. The Old points forward to Him and the New points back to Him. He is the focal point in all of History and the Only One in revelation who is worthy to even open the book. It is also in Him the only way to the Father. So I will continue to be blessed by God's revealed will for us clearly written for us in His Word, which He also pointed to and quoted from while here on earth when He tabernacled with us.