[Mad Dawg]

Still it would clearly obvious from the very fact that they had to “debate the matter” that there had been no clear consensus up until that time and debate or differing with the “decision” was not an option after that time for fear of reprimand or excommunication.

Yes. Just as for the Judaizers after Acts 15. That seems to be the way it works.

[MarkBsnr]

Yes. Just as for the Judaizers after Acts 15. That seems to be the way it works.

The Church did tend to let believers be believers until a bunch of them headed off to heretical land and then called a Council to try to define things. The charge comes up against the Church, but I think that it reflects more on human nature and the deviations that humans can invent.