Didn't the early Christians believe Jesus is God, but until that was severely challenged by heresy, did they have to deal with it as much as they would, later?

Wasn't that Alexandrian presbyter, Arius, the one who began teaching that Jesus was a creature, rather than the Almighty?

Didn't he teach that God first "made" Jesus, and that then Jesus made everything else?

And didn't he teach that the Son and the Father were of different essences?

Did he not move that way, supposedly because he thought that his bishop was reviving Sabellianism, a teaching from the previous century?

By the first quarter of the fourth century, weren't there already a significant number of "Arians", believing his heresy, in various parts of the Roman empire?

Also, weren't there also a number of "semi-Arians", who tried a middle of the road approach to this heresy, teaching that the Son and the Father were of similar essence?

So, is that not why there was held a council in Nicea, to primarily address the heresy of Arius?

And was not Athanasius able to refute the Arian and semi-Arian heresies, because of the following?

I Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Did not Athanasius argue that the scriptures show the Son and the Father as the same essence?

I imagine that a number of folks who contribute to FiveDoves, have had to deal jehovah witnesses, on this very thing.

And that they also had to study the scriptures, in order to address it.

Or perhaps they had to deal with mormons, muslims, or even worshippers of the goddess (virgen de gaudalupe).

And again, they studied to show themselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth, in order to refute the heresy confronting them.

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