THE GREAT APOSTASY.
THE GREAT APOSTASY.
There are several complicating factors with calling the apostasy at the time of Constantine "The Great Apostasy" as there are many apostasies in the bible into cults
1) Early cults such as
a) Antinomianism (Rom 3:8)
b) The first Judaizing heresy (Galatians)
c) The Nicolaitan heresy - which there is evidence is the sacerdotalim heresy, that later grew in numbers and isolated cults, was amalgamated together under Constantine, and later morphed into Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
d) The doctrine of Balaam.
e) The Jezebel Cult.
f) The Luke warm
g) Those that say they are apostles and are not.
(etc)
2) End time cults - one is a resurgence of the Judaising heresy (see 1 Timothy 4:1-4)
3) A mass apostasy or a uniting of those already apostate, or heretical and simply at no time ever true believers, into a new bigger churchianity religion / cult, based on sacerdotalism, rites, rituals and the scarlet and purple heresy (secular and religious power melded) under Constantine. The fact that the melding of church and state power now takes on a form of political voting influence rather than having dictator type rulers does not at all mean the Orthodox and Catholics do not still fulfill that profile, far from it, as Putin proves, who is today very strongly persecuting Evangelicals in Russia.
4) An End Time more generalised mass apostasy from worldly temptations, mockery of the delayed return of Christ, and temptation to take the mark of the beast and not suffer.
see wiki link