The Schism of Novatian, the Heretic

WHAT !?!

Was this the Novatian (d. 257 AD), a distinguished Presbyter (elder) in the early church at Rome, who wrote so clearly about the Paraclete ?

Yes.

That very man, Novatian, was declared a heretic by the unified Primitive Christian Church. 

Why ?

Novatian's writings are some of the clearest statements of faith in the Ante-Nicene writings. They are in line with the Christian doctrines of the Early, Pre-Nicene Church. Novatian was an excellent apologist for Christianity. It was NOT BECAUSE his doctrines were different from Early Christian doctrines that he was pronounced a heretic in the time of total Christian unity.  

So what... ? 

Novatian was a heretic for what he did:

start his own church. 

He broke away from the unified church and established his own.

They viewed him with horror for splitting the Body of CHRIST. How did he do this heinous thing ?

• He re-baptized believers.
• He sent out his own apostles from city to city.
• He did their "own" communion.
• He appointed himself bishop or overseer.
• He rejected the duly ordained bishop... ordained by 16 godly co-bishops.

Novatian who was an elder in the church at Rome was a disciplinarian. He followed the Letter of the Law in the New Covenant. Yet, his doctrines or teaching were orthodox with Early Christianity.... but his spirit was not. 

Thus, he decided ON HIS OWN that those  believers who denied CHRIST ... and who had repented... should not be allowed back into The Church... based on the Letter of the Law in the New Covenant.  

The ONE, unified Christian Church disagreed with him.

Since he was an elder, he wanted to become the Overseer and enforce his decision... but the other Overseers did not agree with Novatian. They said CHRIST had shown Peter mercy when he lapsed and denied CHRIST. The church should show mercy also if the ones who denied CHRIST were repentant.

Novatian refused to recognize their authority and created his own church, creating the schism. 

Thus, even though his DOCTRINES WERE CORRECT,   his discipline was seen as too harsh and out-of-line with the Ancient Church. Because he disagreed with the Church, he would not  submit to the ordained authority. So, he established his own... a totally un-lawful thing to do.  He and his followers were cast out.

[Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 5, Cyprian's writings, pgs. 321, 333, 380 and the Treatise Against Novatian  by an unknown bishop, pgs. 657, 658, according to summaries in David Bercot, A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs  , page 476-478, Hendrickson Publishers 1998. See Scroll Publishing at www.scrollpublishing.com]

+  +  +

Although we have seen that Paraqlita  or Paraclete was used by the ancient Pre-Nicene, Pre-Peshitta Christian writers to mean HOLY SPIRIT or Advocate and not "Redeemer+," there is a more important issue at hand for those in the publishing house of the Netzarim and those in the  Hebrew Roots camp, in general.  

That issue is
SCHISMATICS = heretics.

(more to come)

NOVATIAN: Paraqlita in the PRE-Peshitta, Pre-Nicene Writings of the Early Christian Apologists

 

NOVATIAN, (d. 257)  p. 639 , Vol 5 ANF , excerpts from chapters 28 and 29. Treatise Concerning the Trinity,

>>> Let the reader take note of the verses quoted in John, in reference to the Paraqlita,   and its translation by this Early Christian apologist, that it is in line with the other Early Christian apologists, never being translated as "Redeemer+".  

 

Here is what Novatian wrote: And HE+ further subjoins [John 14:15 and 16],

“If ye love ME+, keep My+ commandments; and I+ will ask THE FATHER, and HE+ will give you another Comforter.”

After which also HE+ adds this [ John 14:23]:

“If any one loveth ME+, he shall keep My+ Word: and My+ FATHER will love him; and WE will come unto him, and will make OUR abode with him.”

Moreover, also, HE+ added this too [John 14:26 ]:

“But the Advocate, that HOLY SPIRIT whom THE FATHER will send, HE will teach you, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I+ have said unto you.”

And the LORD said,

“Receive ye the HOLY SPIRIT: whose sins ye remit, they shall be remitted; and whose ye retain, they shall be retained.”

But this HOLY SPIRIT the LORD CHRIST calls at one time “the Paraclete,” at another pronounces to be the “Spirit of truth.”

And HE is not new in the Gospel, nor yet even newly given; for it was HE Himself who accused the people in the prophets, and in the apostles gave them the appeal to the Gentiles.

For the former deserved to be accused, because they had contemned [ i.e., despised ... SrJH ] the Law [ i.e, O.T./ Mosaic Law ... SrJH] ; and they of the Gentiles who believe deserve to be aided by the defense of the SPIRIT, because they earnestly desire to attain to the Gospel Law  [ i.e., the Royal Law of CHRIST, as spoken of in Matthew 22:37-40,  in James 2:8, and in John 15:12... SrJH ] .

Assuredly in the SPIRIT there are different kinds of offices, because in the times there is a different order of occasions;

and yet, on this account, HE who discharges these offices is not different, nor is HE another in so acting, but HE is one and the same, distributing HIS offices according to the times, and the occasions and impulses of things.

Moreover, the Apostle Paul says,

“Having the same Spirit; as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.”

HE is therefore one and the same SPIRIT Who was in the prophets and apostles, except that in the former HE was occasional, in the latter always.

But in the former [i.e., the O.T.  Prophets] not as being always in them, in the latter [ i.e., the Apostles] as abiding always in them; and in the former distributed with reserve, in the latter all poured out; in the former given sparingly, in the latter liberally bestowed; not yet manifested before the LORD'S Resurrection, but conferred after the Resurrection.

For, said HE+,

“I+ will pray THE FATHER, and HE will give you another ADVOCATE, that HE may be with you for ever, even the SPIRIT of TRUTH.” [John 14:16, 17 ] 

And, “When HE, the ADVOCATE, shall come, Whom I+ shall send unto you from My+ FATHER, the SPIRIT of TRUTH Who proceedeth from My+ FATHER.”[John 15:26 ]

And, “If I+ go not away, that ADVOCATE shall not come to you; but if I+ go away, I+ will send Him to you.”[John 16:7 ]


And, “When the SPIRIT of TRUTH shall come, HE will direct you into all the truth.”

And because the LORD was about to depart to the Heavens, HE+ gave the PARACLETE out of necessity to the disciples; so as not to leave them in any degree orphans, which was little desirable, and forsake them without an ADVOCATE and some kind of PROTECTOR.

For this is HE Who strengthened their hearts and minds, Who marked out the Gospel sacraments, Who was in them the enlightener of divine things;

and they being strengthened, feared, for the sake of the LORD'S name, neither dungeons nor chains, nay, even trod under foot the very powers of the world and its tortures, since they were henceforth armed and strengthened by the same SPIRIT,

having in themselves the gifts which this same SPIRIT distributes, and appropriates to the Church, the Spouse of CHRIST, as her ornaments.

THIS [ HOLY SPIRIT ] is HE who places prophets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts there are of charismata; and thus makes the LORD'S Church everywhere, and in all, perfected and completed.

THIS is HE Who, after the manner of a dove, when our LORD was baptized, came and abode upon HIM+, dwelling in CHRIST full and entire, and not maimed in any measure or portion;

but with HIS whole overflow copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from HIM others might receive some enjoyment of HIS graces:

the source of the entire HOLY SPIRIT remaining in CHRIST, so that from HIM might be drawn streams of gifts and works, while the HOLY SPIRIT dwelt affluently in CHRIST.

For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said:

“And the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding shall rest upon HIM+, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety; and the Spirit of the fear of the LORD shall fill HIM+.”


This selfsame thing also he said in the person of the LORD HIMSELF+, in another place:

“The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME+; because HE has anointed ME+, HE has sent ME+ to preach the Gospel to the poor.”

Similarly David:

“Wherefore GOD, even Thy+ GOD, hath anointed THEE+ with the oil of gladness above Thy+ fellows.”

Of HIM [ The HOLY SPIRIT ] the Apostle Paul says:

“For he who hath not the SPIRIT of CHRIST is none of HIS+.”

“And where the SPIRIT of the LORD is, there is liberty.”

HE [ The HOLY SPIRIT ] it is who effects with water the second birth as a certain seed of divine generation, and a consecration of a heavenly nativity, the pledge of a promised inheritance, and as it were a kind of handwriting of eternal salvation;

Who (the HOLY SPIRIT) can make us GOD’S Temple, and fit us for His house; Who solicits the divine hearing for us with groanings that cannot be uttered; filling the offices of advocacy, and manifesting the duties of our defense, — an inhabitant given for our bodies and an effector of their holiness.

Who, working in us for eternity, can also produce our bodies at the resurrection of immortality, accustoming them to be associated in Himself+ with Heavenly power, and to be allied with the divine eternity of the HOLY SPIRIT.

For our bodies are both trained in Him and by Him to advance to immortality, by learning to govern themselves with moderation according to His decrees.

For this is HE Who “desireth against the flesh,” because the flesh resisteth against the SPIRIT.”

This is HE who restrains insatiable desires, controls immoderate lusts, quenches unlawful fires, conquers reckless impulses, repels drunkenness, checks avarice, drives away luxurious reveling, links love, binds together affections, keeps down sects, orders the rule of truth, overcomes heretics, turns out the wicked, guards the Gospel.

Of this says the same Apostle:

“We have not received the spirit of the world, but the SPIRIT which is of GOD.”

Concerning HIM he exultingly says:

“And I think also that I have the SPIRIT of GOD.”

Of HIM he says: “The SPIRIT of the Prophets is subject to the prophets.”

Of HIM also he tells:

“Now the SPIRIT speaketh plainly, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, who speak lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience cauterized.”

Established in this [ HOLY ] Spirit, “none ever calleth JESUS anathema;” no one has ever denied CHRIST to be the SON+ of GOD, or has rejected GOD the Creator; no one utters any words of his own contrary to the Scriptures; no one ordains other and sacrilegious decrees; No one draws up different laws.

Whosoever shall blaspheme against HIM, “hath not forgiveness, not only in this world, but also not in the world to come.”

THIS is HE Who in the apostles gives testimony to CHRIST; in the martyrs shows forth the constant faithfulness of their religion; in virgins restrains the admirable continency of their sealed chastity;


In others, guards the laws of the LORD’S doctrine incorrupt and uncontaminated; destroys heretics, corrects the perverse, condemns infidels, makes known pretenders;

Moreover, rebukes the wicked, keeps the Church uncorrupt and inviolate, in the sanctity of a perpetual virginity and truth.