INTRODUCTION TO GNOSTICISM Rolan D. Monje, APLA 2011
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1.0 Why study Gnosticism? Today we have to deal with numerous
attractive teachings: New Age Movement Astrological Prophecies But
these have their roots in schools of counterfeit Christianity we
find in Early Church History
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1.1 The Threat of Gnosticism First Christian Generation (AD
30-60) Apostolic presence and effect of eyewitnesses Strong Gentile
missions Second Christian Generation (AD 60-90) Waning apostolic
presence Emergence of false prophets and false messiahs (2 Peter
2:1-3 etc). Cooling off (Matthew 24:12) Spurious writings
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2.0 How did Gnosticism develop? Combination of elements present
before and during NT times with Christian teaching (blending
religions). To Aristotle and Plato it owed much of its
philosophical form and tendencies. It was further developed by
Philo: To Philo, the creation of the universe was a gradual molding
out of matter; hence, arises evil. He also teaches the preexistence
of the soul, which is now imprisoned in the flesh. The wise man,
therefore, will break the thralldom of the flesh, and will rise by
a sort of ecstasy to the immediate vision of God.
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3.0 What it is about? Gnosticism is complex of religious
philosophies (alternative Christianity, which is heresy ) Refers to
different strands of philosophical interpretations of
Christianity
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[Gnosticism] involves, as the name denotes, a claim to
'knowledge,' (Grk: gnosis) knowledge of a kind of which the
ordinary believer was incapable, and in the possession of which
'salvation' in the full sense consisted. - G. Orr The Gnostics
prided themselves in being gnostikos, i.e. having or claiming
knowledge (Grk: gnosis, knowledge).
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Key concepts Gnosis: A claim on the part of the initiated to a
special knowledge of the truth, a tendency to regard knowledge as
superior to faith Dualism: The essential separation of matter and
spirit, the former of these being essentially evil, and the source
from which all evil has arisen.
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God-emanations: There are aeons or emanations extending between
God and the visible universe. Docetism: A denial of the true
humanity of Christ, a docetic Christology, (which looked upon the
earthly life of Christ and especially on His sufferings on the
cross as unreal.
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Gnostic Thought Characterized This world is unredeemably bad.
Salvation is escape from the world, by means of self- knowledge.
God is completely transcendent. Between God & the world are
numerous intermediate spirit beings, called aeons, one (or more) of
whom made this world. Somehow, some of the divine spark was trapped
in the world in (some) humans. The Redeemer came down to give
knowledge by which humans may be saved.
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Gnostic "Aeons" in system of Valentinus The Ogdoad, Decad,
& Duodecad make up the PLEROMA. Sophia, also called Acamoth
(Wisdom), consists of spirit, animal, and matter. Her child is the
Demiurge, the God of everything outside the Pleroma, the Creator in
Genesis.
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From Gospel of Judas Come, that I may teach you about [secrets]
no person [has] seen (GJ) Characters such as Nebro, Yaldabaoth,
Saklas, Galila, Yobel, Adonaios, Seth. The first is Seth, who is
called Christ (GJ) Jesus is Seth, one of the five rulers of the
underworld.
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From The Gospel of Thomas (supposedly quoting Peter) Let Mary
go away from us, because women are not worthy of life. (GT) Then
Jesus allegedly tells Peter that he will make Mary male so that she
may enter the kingdom of heaven.
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4.0 So whats wrong with it? The intellectual pride of the
Gnostics refined away the gospel into a philosophy. Gnosticism puts
knowledge in the place which can only rightly be occupied by
Christian faith. To the Gnostic the great question was not the
intensely practical one, What must I do to be saved from sin? but
What is the origin of evil? How is the primitive order of the
universe to be restored?
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Creator God is an inferior being. Matter is evil: asceticism or
hedonism as responses; no resurrection. Jesus is not a true human.
Docetism (dokeo + seem) troubled the communities of the apostle
John (1-2 John). Salvation is enlightenment, not freedom from sin.
Historians comment: they made it rather a redemption of the
philosophers from matter, than a redemption of mankind from
sin.
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5.0 How did the early church react to it? They were passionate
and relentless in dealing with false teaching. Paul John Peter
Irenaeus
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Some NT letters addressing Gnosticism Colossians 1 Corinthians
1 and 2 Timothy 1 and 2 John Jude Sample verses in 1 Timothy: 1:3,
2:5, 2:12, 2:15, 4:3, 4:7, 6:3-5, 6:20-21.
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NT addressing Gnosticism Colossians: In the Epistle to the
Colossians, accordingly, there are definite references to ascetic
practices which were inculcated by the false teachers at Colosse.
The very terms which they employed have been preserved, Touch not,
Taste not, Handle not. See Colossians 2
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Corinthians: They thought themselves wise, they were always
disputing, they professed that they all had knowledge (1Co 8:1) and
they could know all mysteries and all knowledge (1Co 13:2); but
this knowledge did not edify them, did not build them up, it only
puffed them up (1Co 8:1) Knowledge did not make them sympathetic or
tender-hearted toward the weak (1Co 8:7-11).
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Refuting Gnosticism - Pastorals 1Tim 1:7 They want to be
teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking
about or what they so confidently affirm. 1Tim 2:4 who wants all
men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 3:9
keep hold of the deep truths of the faith 1Tim 4:3 They forbid
people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which
God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe
and who know the truth.
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1Tim 1:4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless
genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work
which is by faith. 1Tim 4:7 Have nothing to do with godless myths
and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 2Tim 4:4
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to
myths. Tit 1:14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the
commands of those who reject the truth.
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1Ti 6:16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable
light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might
forever. Amen. 1Ti 6:20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to
your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of
what is falsely called knowledge, 2Ti 2:25 Those who oppose him he
must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them
repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth
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Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ
for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that
leads to godliness Tit 1:2 a faith and knowledge resting on the
hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before
the beginning of time, Tit 1:14 and will pay no attention to Jewish
myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.
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6.0 What should we do today? 6.1 Know the proponents 6.2 Know
their terminology 6.3 Beware of watered-down Christianity
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Popular proponents of New Age Shirley Maclaine Neal Donald
Walsh John Lennon Deepak Chopra Jane Roberts Elaine Pagels Hillary
Clinton John Travolta
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Terms and Taglines Christ Consciousness or Raising
Consciousness Lost books of the Bible The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus
We are all manifestations of Christ Renewal of Moses God in all of
us or Universal Mind Dream Induction Field of Awareness or Field
beyond the Mind Channeling
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Beware of watered-down Christianity Today, many popular
churches and mega-churches teach ecumenism, fuzzy Christianity, and
easy believism. Remember, not everyone who calls themselves
Christian is truly a Christian.
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27 Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 130-200 A.D. When we come to refute
them [the Gnostics], we will show in its proper place that this
class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that
baptism which is regeneration to God. Thus, they have renounced the
whole faith. For the baptism instituted by the visible Jesus was
for the remission of sins. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.346.)
Salvation by mental assent (faith alone). Perhaps evangelicals dont
realize that by downplaying baptism they are being somehow
gnostic!
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Paul and Ignatius According to Paul, the false teachers and
their followers, were lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful,
haughty, rollers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without
self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong,
puffed-up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God They had a
form of godliness, but denying its power. (2Ti 3:2, 2Ti 3:3, 2Ti
3:4).
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Ignatius (Law, The Tests of Life, 30) They give no heed to
love, caring not for the widow, the orphan or the afflicted,
neither for those who are in bonds, nor for those who are released
from bonds, neither for the hungry nor the thirsty. Such persons
professed that they knew God, but by their works they denied Him;
they were abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate (Tit 1:16). They enticed others into sins of impurity
(2Ti 3:5, 2Ti 3:6).
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Personal Learning We need to seek and adhere to true knowledge.
One sign of false teaching is the lack of conviction about sin. Let
us keep growing in our love for the Bible and our passion to help
people meet the true God!