Bible Study GNOSTICISM (from Greek word gnosis, which means "knowledge," cf. I Tim. 6:20)

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GNOSTICISM (from Greek word gnosis, which means "knowledge," cf. I Tim. 6:20)

I. The setting of the first century

The Roman world of the first century was a time of eclecticism between the Eastern and Western religions. The gods of the Greek and Roman pantheons were in ill repute. The Mystery religions were very popular because of their emphasis on personal relationship with the deity and secret knowledge. Secular Greek philosophy was popular and was merging with other worldviews. Into this world of eclectic religion came the exclusiveness of the Christian faith (Jesus is the only way to God, cf. John 14:6). Whatever the exact background of the heresy, it was an attempt to make the exclusivism of Christianity (i.e., John 14:6; 1 John 5:12) plausible and intellectually acceptable to a wider Greek-Roman audience. It is possible that Gnostic thought originated in fringe Jewish sects (i.e., one example: DSS Sect). This may explain some of the Jewish elements of NT books related to Gnosticism.



II. Some of the basic tenets of the heresy by internal evidence from 1 John.

A. a denial of the incarnation of Jesus Christ

B. a denial of the centrality of Jesus Christ in salvation

C. a lack of an appropriate Christian lifestyle

D. an emphasis on knowledge (often secret)

E. a tendency toward exclusivism and elitism



III. Incipient Gnosticism of the first century

A. The basic teachings of Incipient Gnosticism of the first century seem to have been an emphasis on the ontological (eternal) dualism between spirit and matter. Spirit (high god) was considered good, while matter was inherently evil. This dichotomy resembles

1. Platonism’s ideal versus physical

2. heavenly versus earthly

3. invisible versus visible There was also an overemphasis on the importance of secret knowledge (passwords or secret codes which allow a soul to pass through the angelic spheres [aeons] up to the high god) necessary for salvation.

4. possibly an influence from Zoroastrianism

B. There are two forms of Incipient Gnosticism which apparently could be in the background of 1 John

1. Docetic Gnosticism, which denies the true humanity of Jesus because matter is evil

2. Cerinthian Gnosticism, which identifies the Christ with one of many aeons or angelic levels between the good high god and evil matter. This "Christ Spirit" indwelt the man Jesus at his baptism and left him before his crucifixion.

3. of these two groups some practiced asceticism (if the body wants it, it is evil), the other antinomianism (if the body wants it, do it)

C. There is no written evidence of a developed system of Gnosticism in the first century. It is not until the middle of the second century that documented evidence existed (see Nag Hammadi Texts). For further information about "Gnosticism" see

1. The Gnostic Religion by Hans Jonas, published by Beacon Press

2. The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, published by Random House

3. The Nag Hammadi Gnostic Texts and the Bible by Andrew Helmbold



IV. The Heresy Today

A. The spirit of this heresy is present with us today when people try to combine Christian truth with other systems of thought.

B. The spirit of this heresy is present with us today when people emphasize "correct" doctrine to the exclusion of personal relationship and lifestyle faith.

C. The spirit of this heresy is present with us today when people turn Christianity into an exclusive intellectual eliteness.

D. The spirit of this heresy is present with us today when religious people turn to asceticism or antinomianism as the best way to find favor with God.

 

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study.com Gnostics Beliefs & Symbols

Gnostics on creation

Gnostics believed that the story of creation found in the Bible was a lie and that God wasn't actually the one responsible for the creation of our world, at least not directly. They claim the evidence of this comes from the imperfection, tragedy and evil in our world. A good God could never have created it.

Gnostics believed that God did not set out to create the world. Instead, his divine essence went out from him to fill existence. Some of that essence traveled so far that it was unrecognizable as being part of God. In many ways, it mutated into something else, something imperfect but still possessing a fragment of divinity within.

God's emanation created the first beings, called Aeons, who were less than God but still powerful and possessed a great deal of divine spark. They lived with God in Pleroma, the realm of divine fullness. Among them was one Aeon named Sophia, a term meaning wisdom, who traveled existence seeking knowledge and wisdom.

During her travels she attempted to emanate her own creation forming a flawed being called Demiurge who, believing he was a supreme god, created a physical universe infected with his own flaws of evil and suffering.

Thus the world around us was actually created by a distorted being claiming to be God, and we as his creation are also flawed. This solves the dilemma of explaining why there is suffering and evil in the world when God is a being of pure goodness.

Gnostics on nature and salvation

While they were created by a flawed and evil being, humans still posses enough of the divine spark to recognize the flaws in the world around them. They know the difference between good and evil and struggle with both forces within them. This dualism reflects the nature of existence itself.

While the divine spark helps them sense reality, most are unaware of the spark inside them, a condition encouraged by the evil Demiurge and his wicked servants, the Archons. They know that if humans recognize the divine spark within themselves they may be able to free themselves from the flawed existence in Demiurge's universe.

Some humans are so removed from the real God they lack the divine spark or have extinguished it through evil. Given this premise, those lacking the spark are some of the most evil people throughout history such as Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin.

Gnostics believe the greatest course of a personas life is to seek liberation from this world of darkness. Death, however, is not salvation from this world. Unless the spirit is made ready, it will just return to earth and be subjected to another life of suffering at the hands of the evil creator.