Dan Ford

      NOS tuh siz em – A method of false teachings that existed during the early centuries of Christianity. Its name came from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis. The Gnostics believed that knowledge was the way to salvation. Because of this, Gnosticism was condemned as counterfeit and worldly by several writers of the New Testament.
      Origins. Our understanding of Gnosticism comes from various origins. First, there are the Gnostic texts, which are known as the New Testament APOCRYPHA. These texts are not accredited as Scripture because they are comprised of teachings that are not always harmonious with the Bible. Second, there are the arguments against the Gnostics by the early church fathers. Some of the more important ones are Irenaeus, Against Heresies; Hippolytus, Refutations of All Heresies; Epiphanius, Panarion; and Tertullian, Against Marcion.
      A third source about Gnosticism is the New Testament itself. The writers of the New Testament condemned most Gnostics teachings. Paul taught a wisdom and knowledge that comes from God and doesn’t interest itself with worldly knowledge, idle contemplation, myths, and moral laxity, Colossians 2:8-23; I Timothy 1:4; II Timothy 2:16-19; Titus 1:10-16. These heretical teachings were condemned by John in both his gospel and in the epistles.
      Teachings of the Gnostics. The Gnostics embraced the Greek concept of a fanatical dualism between God (spirit) and the world (matter). According to their global view, the creation was depraved, lesser, and hostile to the good. God may have created the initial order, but each sequential order was the work of anti-gods, archons, or a demiurge (a subordinate deity who early Greeks say fashioned the sensible world in light of eternal ideas).
T      he Gnostics believed that the earth is surrounded by a number of cosmic orbs (usually seven) which separated man from God. These spheres were ruled by archons (spiritual magistrates or presiding officers, principalities and powers) who guarded their planets by restricting the rising souls. These souls were seeking to ascend from the region of darkness and captivity below, to the kingdom of light, which is above.
      The Gnostics also taught that man consists of spirit, soul, and body and since the body and soul were considered a constituent of man's mortal being, they were corrupt. However, enclosed in the soul is the spirit, which was considered the only godly element of man. This “spirit” is slumbering and uneducated, and only needs to be awakened and liberated through spiritual knowledge and secular education.
      According to the Gnostics, the goal of salvation is for the spirit to be awakened by higher learning so the inner man can be liberated from his mortal prison and return to the kingdom of light where the soul is reunited with God. But as the soul ascends, it needs to pierce the empyrean orbs that restrict it from its divine destination. The procuring of knowledge through higher education assists in attaining this.
      Moral conduct among the Gnostics differed greatly. Some desired to distance themselves from all baneful circumstances in order to escape impurity, while others elevated themselves above the average man. Paul expressly protests such a view in I Timothy 4:1-5. Still, for other Gnostics, conscientious life took the form of libertinism. To these, knowledge meant the freedom to engage in all sorts of indulgences. Many rationalized that since they had been given divine knowledge, were truly informed regarding their divine nature, and were schooled by the finest establishments, it mattered not how they lived.
      This attitude is a perversion of the gospel. On many occasions Paul reminded the reader that they were saved from sin to holiness and they were not to have a careless temperament of the law. They had been crucified together with Christ. Romans 6:1-11 and so they were to walk in newness of life. John reminded the Christians that once they had been saved they were not to continue living in sin, I John 3:4-10. The pursuit of academic achievement, although a worthy cause, led many of them to feel superior to those that had lessor or no schooling.
      These Gnostic teachings had a disruptive effect on fellowship in the church. Those who were “enlightened,” or “educated” thought of themselves as being superior to those who did not have such secular knowledge. Divisions arose between the educated and those who were not. This attitude of superiority is severely condemned in the New Testament. We are one body, I Corinthians 12, who should love one another, I Corinthians 13; I John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12.
      However, when body members cause sedition and division, we are instructed to mark them and avoid them, Romans 16:17. The word mark here signifies an earnest and continuing inspection and the word avoid denotes a separation; to turn aside from. By marking and avoiding, the offending parties may realize their divisive ways and amend them.
      Gnosticism rears its seditious and defiant head throughout our society, and one would think this form of heresy would not manifest itself inside the Lord’s church. Wrong! It does…and is. Satan is using any and every method to divide true churches. By using the more “highly educated” in the church, by calling on weaknesses in younger members, by causing those who think they can rebuke when they should listen, Satan is achieving his goal of destroying God’s house. We must be on guard that the Serpent does not get us to thinking that because we are better educated, we are better than others.
Portions copied.