[pegleg]

While there was not an official Canon until after 397, the early church did not use just the OT as your statement said. As the Muratorian Fragment, the writings of Ignatius and others clearly show us, there was a well-developed NT canon (though unofficial) which the Church used for doctrine.

I see the confusion here. I did not mean to imply the Church had only the OT prior the NT canon being closed. My point was in the year 325 A.D. there was not a published and bound copy of the NT as we have today. Therefore a Christian trying to refute the Arian heresy would have had a hard time reading thru his/her bible to figure this out.

[the808bass]

Therefore a Christian trying to refute the Arian heresy would have had a hard time reading thru his/her bible to figure this out.

This is true. Probably one of the reasons that the Arian heresy almost won. However, could a person depend upon the church for the teaching of truth? Aren't there some councils that have some Arian problems? Where would the individual turn to then?