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[ FK: Yes, in many ways I couldn't agree more. And this truth [Christianity was divided from the getgo, just as it is today] is why many of those on my side have trouble understanding or accepting the idea of "always and everywhere believed". ]

So true; its always been so.. even among the Jews, pre-Messiah.. Its the observer problem again.. Whatever mankind observes he can pick up some things differently.. Reminds of the classroom lesson where you tell one kid something who whispers it to another to another, at the end of the chain the story is totally morphed into a different story.. More so when time/history is involved..

The "observer problem" is with us upon many levels.. not just spiritually.. Even with mathematics.. the Neils Bohr and Albert Einstein dichotomy of the telescope and microscope looks at physics..They were both fairly correct as Bohr seem to observe..

Could be that there is a "telescope/microscope" element to spirituality too.. with literal/metaphorical takes on spiritual reality.. I've noticed that the "religious" can Obsess on different things.. i.e. universality, presbytery, baptism, the method, and even charisma.. The observation or obsession on a view observed can tend to group like observers together.. A self sorting dynamic that appears to be "of God"(John ch 10).. When even the "Goats"(non believers) self sort themselves into groups.. Its quite remarkable when you think of it.. A wonderful plan observed by the Ultimate Observer.. "GOD"... who has a much wider Vista to observe from..

Gives a unique "Perpective" to "Judge not unless you be Judged".. Judged by Whom?.. Judged by Yourself when you self sort yourself into SOME group because of picayune obervations of your(MY) OWN.. LoL...

Thank you so very much for sharing your insights, dear brother in Christ!

I strongly agree that the "observer problem" applies universally - and thus, in matters of faith, it is not unusual for a mere mortal to project his own perceptions and reasoning onto God rather than simply believing Him and only Him.

When he does this, he anthropomorphizes God into a small "god" of his own imagining, some “thing” he can wrap his mind around and which seems reasonable to him. And if he is charismatic – or a good marketer - he may gather followers.

Some of these “contrived” beliefs ended in tragedy:

Heaven’s Gate (Applewhite)
Jim Jones
Branch Davidians (David Koresh.)

And some thrive in our modern culture:

LDS (Joseph Smith, 1830)
Jehovah’s Witness (Charles Taze Russell, late 1800’s)
Scientology (L. Ron Hubbard, early to mid 1900’s)
New Age movements (1970’s)

As they obviously did in the past:

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. – Mark 7:5-9

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. – Matthew 23:13

It is evidently a tendency of man to embrace a “god” of his own making rather than to submit to God, Who IS.

And some with apparently no ill motive – cannot see the difference (borrowing here from an earlier post by DouglasKC:)

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron.

And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow [is] a feast to the LORD. – Exodus 32:4-5

As DouglasKC pointed out, Aaron et al were thinking that they were worshipping the Lord [Jehovah – I AM] by making the calf and an altar before it. It seemed right to them, but they were tragically in error.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. – Proverbs 14:12

But thank God that despite all the slick salesmanship, and in the midst of all the noise of men and spirits, Christ’s sheep hear His voice and are not deceived.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. – John 10:1-15

Love God. Believe Him. Trust Him.

To God be the glory!

FK In response to Kosta- Yes, in many ways I couldn't agree more. And this truth [Christianity was divided from the getgo, just as it is today] is why many of those on my side have trouble understanding or accepting the idea of “always and everywhere believed”.

There were divisions for sure,but the divisions of Apostolic Christians were worked out within the Church,not outside of it.

The Church has needed reform and HAS been reformed throughout its history ,but reform does not constitute breaking away from the Church and forming other so called Churches.

Those who broke from the Church were the heretics who out of pride made themselves their own authority. They were the ones who denied Christ's divinity and so forth.

Using the argument that the early Christians were divided to try and justify the protestant reformation is not any different than what the arians and others were doing.

They are one in the same,all grounded in self pride.