The Superiority Of Jesus Christ As Head Of The Church And The Written Word Of God Compared To Ancient And Modern Day Forms Of Gnosticism

Duane Gallentine

The term "gnosticism" is derived from the Greek word gnosis (knowledge) because secret knowledge was so crucial a doctrine in gnosticism. It reflects philosophical perspectives that existed prior to the establishment of Christianity. In reality its origins come from the Garden of Eden when Satan approached mankind with other wisdom, knowledge or understanding. The Devil said, "...and ye shall be as gods, knowing...", thus gnosticism is nothing more than either worldly human wisdom or the wisdom of the princes of this world being exalted and venerated above the Wisdom of God contained in the revelation of Himself which was written down in the Word of God (i.e. Scripture).

Gnosticism emerged in schools of thought (Bible Colleges and Seminaries) within the professing church in the early second century. Even while Paul the apostle was still alive the saints of Colossae were being influenced by gnosticism. Thus Paul writes the Epistle to the Colossians to address the superiority of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the cross as the wisdom and power of God (Col 2:15; 1Cor 1:24). But a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump and soon gnosticism established itself as a way of understanding Christianity in all of the church's principal centers.The church was torn by the heated debates over the issues posed by gnosticism.

The Gnostics who broke away or were expelled from the church claimed to be the true Christians, and the early Christian writers who set themselves to refute their claims are the major source for descriptions of the heretical gnostic sects.

Although wide variations existed among the many gnostic sects in the details of systems, certain major features were common to most of them--the separation of the god of creation from the god of redemption; the division of Christians into categories with one group being superior; the stress on secret teachings which only divine persons could comprehend; and the exaltation of knowledge over faith.

The Word of Truth rejects such teachings as heretical, but many people have continued to find attraction in varieties of these ideas. Ever increasingly people want to follow their wisdom (humanism) rather than the Wisdom of God recorded for them in the A.V. Bible.

Gnostic Theology:

1. Gnostics generally distinguished between an inferior god whom they felt was responsible for the creation and the superior god revealed in Jesus as the Redeemer. This was a logical belief for them because they opposed matter to thought in a radical way. Matter was seen as inferior, sin-causing, and always deteriorating; thought or knowledge distinguished persons from matter and animals and was imperishable, capable of revealing god, and the only channel of redemption.

   In this same vain thinking, the gnostics thus rejected the Old Testament, pointing out that the lesser or subordinate god revealed in it dealt with matter, insisted on law rather than grace, and was responsible for our decaying, tragedy-filled world. They contended that the god who revealed himself in Jesus and through the additional secret teachings was, on the other hand, the absolute god, and was not incarnate in human flesh because the absolute god would not enter evil matter--to them Christ only seemed or appeared to be a person, but He was not.

2. Gnostics divided Christians into groups, usually the spiritual and the carnal. The spiritual Christians were in a special or higher class than the ordinary Christians because they had received, as the elect of the good deity, a divine spark or spiritual seed in their beings which allowed them to be redeemed. The spiritual Christians were the true Christians who belonged to the heavenly world which was the true one. This belief that the spiritual Christians did not really belong to this world resulted in some Gnostics seeking to withdraw from the world in asceticism (Colossians 2:18-23).

   Other gnostic systems took an opposite turn into antinomianism (belief that moral law is not valid for a person or group). They claimed that the spiritual Christians were not responsible for what they did and could not really sin. Thus they could act in any way they pleased without fear of discipline.

3. Gnostics placed great stress on secret teachings or traditions. This secret knowledge was not a product of intellectual effort, let alone from faith in the Bible, but was given by Jesus, the Redeemer from the true deity, either in a special revelation or through His apostles. This knowledge is extra-Biblical being mysterious in its nature.

   The followers of the gnostic Valentinus claimed, for example, that Theodus, a friend of Paul's, had been the means of transmission of the secret data. Supposedly this secret knowledge was superior to the revelation recorded in the New Testament and was an essential supplement to it because only this secret knowledge could awaken or bring to life the divine spark or seed within the elect.

   When one received the gnosis or true knowledge, one became aware of one's true identity with a divine inner self, was set free (saved) from the dominion of the inferior creator god, and was enabled to live as a true child of the absolute and superior deity. To be able to attain to one's true destiny as the true deity's child, one had to engage in specific secret rituals and in some instances to memorize the secret data which enabled one to pass through the network of powers of the inferior deity who sought to keep persons imprisoned. Salvation was thus seen by the gnostic in a cosmic rather than a moral context--to be saved was to be enabled to return to the one true deity beyond this world.

   The Gnostic thought faith was inferior to knowledge. The true sons of the absolute deity were saved through knowledge rather than faith. This was the feature of the various systems that gave the movements its designation: they were the Gnostics, the knowers. Yet what this precise knowledge was is quite vague. It was more a perception of one's own existence that solved life's mysteries for the Gnostic than it was a body of doctrine. The knowledge through which salvation came could be enhanced by participation in rituals or through instruction, but ultimately it was a self-discovery each Gnostic had to experience.

The Attack of Gnosticism

Firstly, the attack is upon the person of the Lord Jesus. If it is successful then, secondly, the cross work of the Lord Jesus is not sufficient. It can not stand as having redemptive value.

Gnostic---believes in God, but extra-Biblical knowledge is superior to faith in the Bible in that personal quest to know what God is. Knowledge higher than simple Bible knowledge reveals this God and illuminates the conscience. The gnostic must keep on trying to find god, never absolutely sure God has been found.

Agnostic---believes there is a God but no way to know or understand whatever God is. There is no knowledge which manifests God in a personal way. Man is left to his own devices and desires, for God has not spoken nor manifested anything except that God exists.

Atheist---believes there God does not exist. All knowledge mankind possesses is humanly good if it benefits man's society which is determined and directed by highly intelligent and wise people.

Major teachings of the Gnostics:

1. A Two God concept---material matter is opposed to knowledge (thought)
   1. MATTER/FLESH----inferior, sin causing, evil, corruption
   2. KNOWLEDGE/CONSCIENCE---superior, redemptive in nature revealing the essence of spirit

      THUS......

      1. Material Universe---is the creation of an inferior god/being (impersonal god), this god was responsible and is to blame for the decadence of mankind having placed man into this decaying world. Thus, the material world is not a real world. Material universe may or may not be real....it could be an apparition, the product of our unenlightened conscience.
      2. Spiritual Universe---thought or knowledge of the conscience level.....revealed by a superior god separate and distinct from the physical creation and its god.
         1. Attacks the testimony of the Bible
         2. Attacks the incarnation of God in human flesh
         3. Attacks the material and spiritual as being under One God
2. Gnostics divide Christians into groups
   1. The Spiritual Minded
   2. The Carnally Minded...both these terms are used by Paul, the apostle, but the gnostic redefines them to fit his belief system......

      REDEFINED:

      1. The Spiritual Christians were in a special or higher class having received a divine spark or spiritual seed in their beings which allowed them to be redeemed. The spiritual Christians were the true Christians who belonged to the heavenly world which was the true real one.
      2. The Carnal Christian were ordinary Christians who were not of the elected elect, not redeemed, had no divine spark or spiritual seed.
         1. Attacks the unity of the Body of Christ
         2. Attacks the blessings of grace unto all who believe Paul's gospel
         3. Attacks the security of all members of the One Body
3. Gnostics emphasizes extra-Biblical knowledge as the key to salvation--salvation defined as deliverance unto a high level of consciousness, never salvation from an eternity in hell.
   1. Secret teaching--necessary knowledge
   2. Special rituals--necessary steps/ceremonies Confirms as binding and necessary----
      1. Works for salvation---progression upward, reincarnation, higher levels of conscience recognition until one become one with the universe or as God
      2. Continued effort to seek for knowledge---ever learning, never able to come to the full knowledge of the TRUTH--PEACE with God not possible
         1. Attacks saving faith which comes by hearing the Word of God
         2. Attacks the Word of God being complete and perfect, without error

         3. Attacks the sufficiency of Jesus as the Redeeming Deity

      Supposedly this secret knowledge was superior to the revelation recorded in the New Testament and was an essential supplement to it because only this secret knowledge could awaken or bring to life the divine spark or seed within the elect.

Today, the "professing" church has fallen victim to and is teaching gnosticism in one of three extremes, or a mixture of them, instead of following Paul the apostle as he followed the Lord according to the revelation of the Mystery.

Those three extremes are: legalism, the charismatic sign gifts and new age teaching.

In doing this we find that the professing church is typified by three of Paul's Epistles wherein he deals with these extremes: Galatians, 1Corinthians, and Colossians.

Legalism is covered and examined by Paul in his epistle to the Galatians. Legalism struggles with the basic issue of justification, either initial or its continued effect, before God. Legalism perverts that gospel which Paul preached making it impossible for the truth of his gospel to continue with believers. Legalism destroys the liberty we have in Christ and brings us back into bondage. Legalism holds close kin to the teachings and influences of John Calvin (1509-1564), who was a chief leader of the Protestant Reformation; commonly called Calvinism which unscripturally over-emphasized the sovereignty of God. Calvinism is often represented by the TULIP acronym:

T is total depravity,
U is unconditional election,
L is limited atonement,
I is irresistible grace, and
P is perseverance of the saints.

Legalism is Moses centered as it resurrects and substitutes the Law of Moses, or some form of it, as the means and measure of spirituality for the One Body of Christ. Rather than being under a faith-grace-Spirit system through the Pauline Epistles the saints are bewitched and persuaded that God has placed them under a Law-works-flesh system. The great difference between these two system is addressed in Paul's epistle to the Galatians.

Charismatic sign gifts are examined by Paul in the Epistle of 1st Corinthians, specifically chapters twelve through fourteen. This searched for charismatic renewal is man centered, exemplifying experience in human wisdom over sound doctrinal teaching from a perfect, complete written Word of God. The Bible becomes an unfinished work as God is supposedly speaking afresh from heaven. As with the Corinthians, of whom Paul rebuked as carnal babes, seeking the charismatic experience demonstrates that a person is a carnal babe who is being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, instead of a workman of God who rightly divides the Word of Truth. The "experience" does not advance, but hinders the inner man growing up into the perfect man, being conformed to the image of His Son. Charismatic doctrine holds close kin to the man- centered teachings and influences of Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), who was a Dutch theologian that unscripturally over-emphasized the freewill of man; this teaching is known as Arminianism.

New Age teaching clearly advances that the historical person known as Jesus Christ was not the only begotten Son of God who made the one and only sacrifice for sin, but he was one of the "sages of the ages" which manifested that which all men have; that being the spirit of Christ in them or that spark of divinity. Jesus just let this 'spark' shine out of his humanity and showed the evolutionary potential of the human conscience. Therefore, Jesus Christ was not anything special but just another link in the chain of those who are in the order of enlightened humans or maybe He was a spiritual being in the order of a spiritual hierarchy. Paul the apostle addresses this heresy in his epistle to the Colossians, setting out that Jesus Christ is the very image of the invisible God. That by Him all things were created and consist, and that He exists outside of all created beings as He was not created, for in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Because of Who He is, believers in Paul's gospel are thus complete in Him. To the proponents of new age teaching any 'god' is ok as long as no claims are made toward their god being the only true god. Today, New Age teaching dominates the thinking in economics, governmental, educational, religious, and environmental issues. To put it bluntly, new age teaching is nothing more than modern philosophical words wrapped around the old lie of Satan which he told Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, "ye shall be as gods".

In conclusion, a serious student of the Bible can understand that not only the secular world, but also the religious world including Christianity, is infected with gnosticism....ANYTHING BUT THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST!! (2 Cor 4:1-7 cf. 2 Cor 10:5)