Gnosticism is a system of false teachings that existed during the early centuries of Christianity. The Gnostic believed that knowledge was the way to salvation. For this reason, Gnosticism was condemned as false and heretical by writers of the New Testament.

Our knowledge of Gnosticism comes from several sources. First, there are the Gnostic texts which are known as the New Testament - APOCRYPHA - These texts are not recognized as Scripture because they contain teachings which differ from those in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. Many Gnostic teachings were condemned by the writers of the New Testament because apostle Paul emphasized a wisdom and knowledge that comes from God and does not concern itself with idle speculations, fables and moral laxity.

Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some secondhand empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ....................
If you have really died with Christ to the principles of this world, why do you still let rules dictate to you as though you were still living in the world? It is forbidden to pick up this, it is forbidden to taste that, it is forbidden to touch something else; all this prohibitions are only concerned with things that perish by their very use - an example of human doctrines and regulations. This may be argued that true wisdom is to be found in these with their self-imposed devotions and their severe treatment of the body; but once the flesh starts to protest, they are no use at all. - Col. 2:8-23 -

As I asked you when I was leaving for Macedonia please stay at Ephesus to insist that certain people stop teaching strange doctrines and taking notice of myths and endless genealogies; these things are only likely to raise irrelevant doubts instead of furthering the designs of God which are revealed in faith. The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love, coming out of a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. There are some people who have gone off the straight course and taken a road that leads to empty speculation; they claim to be doctors of the Law but they understand neither the arguments they are using nor the opinions they are upholding. - 1Tim. 1:3-7 -

Remind them of this; and tell them in the name of God that there is to be no wrangling about words; all that ever achieves is the destruction of those who are listening. Do all you can to present yourself in front of God as a man who has come through his trails and a man who has no cause to be ashamed of his life's work and has kept a straight course with the message of the truth. Have nothing to do with pointless philosophical discussions - they only lead further and further away from true religion. Talk of this kind corrodes like gangrene as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus, the men who have gone right away from the truth and claim that the resurrection has already taken place. Some people's faith cannot stand up to them.

However, God's solid foundation stone is still in position and this is the inscription on it: The Lord knows those who are his own and 'All who call on the name of the Lord must avoid sin'. - 2Tim. 2:14-19 -

And in fact, you have there a great many people who need to be disciplined who talk nonsense and try to make others believe it, particularly among those of the Circumcision. They have got to be silenced; men of this kind ruin whole families by teaching things they ought not to and doing it with the vile motive of making money. It was one of themselves, one of their own prophets who said, 'Cretans were never anything but liars, dangerous animals and lazy': and that is a true statement. So you will have to be severe in correcting them and make them sound in the faith so that they stop taking notice of Jewish myths and doing what they are told to do by people who are no longer interested in the truth.

To all who are pure themselves, everything is pure; but to those who have been corrupted and lack faith, nothing can be pure - the corruption is both in their minds and in their consciences. They claim to have knowledge of God but the things they do are nothing but a denial of him; they are outrageously rebellious and quite incapable of doing good. - Titus 1:10-16 -

John, both in his gospel and in the epistles countered heretical teaching which in a broad sense can be considered Gnostic.

The Gnostic accepted the Greek idea of a........................

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -