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A STUDY IN 1 JOHN (4)

Introduction (4):

Gnosticism

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Gnosticism comes from the Greek word “gnosis.”  The word is translated “knowledge.”  The word “gnosis” is not an evil term.  The Greek word is found 29 times in the Biblical text.  After the birth of John the Baptist, his father, Zacharias prophesied regarding his son.  In Luke 1:76-77, he says:  “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:  for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins.”  The word “knowledge” in verse 77 is “gnosis.”  The last time it is used in the New Testament is in 2 Peter 3:18.  Peter commands his readers, saying:  “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever.  Amen.” 

            Unfortunately, men often take terms from God’s word and manipulate them and pervert them into something that is false.  This was the case with the word “gnosis.”  Wikipedia reveals that Gnosticism began to manifest itself among both Jews and Christians toward the close of the 1st century.  They explain its foundation with these words:  “These various groups emphasized personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) above the orthodox teachings, traditions, and authority of religious institutions” (www.wikipedia.com, “Gnosticism”).  The authority for the Christian religion is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Jesus taught:  “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  Paul told Timothy:  “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4).  The Gnostics rejected the apostolic authority (See Acts 2:42).  They rejected the truth recorded in the pages of the Bible.  They proclaimed they had knowledge that superseded the apostles and the New Testament of Jesus Christ.  They were the knowledgeable ones.  They were the ones in the know. 

            One of the main components of Gnosticism involved their understanding of flesh and spirit.  They taught that flesh is all evil.  Spirit, on the other hand, is all good.  This core doctrine brought about many questions that had to be answered.  One of them involved the God of creation.  The question was:  “Can an all good Spirit create flesh that is evil?”  Another question centered upon Jesus and His incarnation.  This question was:  “Can an all good God take on the nature of flesh which is evil?”  The Gnostics did not believe this was possible.  They developed several different theories in an attempt to explain Jesus Christ.  One of the theories denied that Jesus actually came in the flesh.  The third question centered upon man.  Man is composed of both flesh and spirit.  The question was:  “How is this relationship supposed to be lived out in a person’s life?”  Two answers were given to this question.  One said that since the spirit will depart from the flesh at death, it did not matter how a man lived in this world.  The second said that the spirit of man which is good must discipline the flesh and seek to bring it into control while living on earth.

            Paul and John both confront these theories in their writings.  Since John lived near the close of the first century, he saw a more fully developed form of Gnosticism than Paul did.  Thus, his writings confront Gnosticism in greater detail.  In both his gospel and his first epistle, John immediately confronts the Gnostics.  He opens his gospel with these words:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  John boldly declares that “the Word was God.”  As God, He was a spirit being.  As a spirit being, He was all good.  Now listen to John’s words recorded in John 1:14.  “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  The Word was made flesh.  This is something the Gnostics denied.  John said it happened. 

            In 1 John, the apostle of Jesus Christ opens with the same force.  “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us:  and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son” (1 John 1:1-3).  Some of the Gnostics taught that Jesus only appeared to be a man.  In other words, He did not actually become a fleshly being.  John let them know they were in error.  John and the other apostles saw Him.  They heard him.  They touched Him.  The Word of life which was with the Father was manifested unto them.  He was a real, living human being.  He did not appear to be the Christ.  He was actually God in the flesh.

            John boldly addresses the Gnostics in his epistle.  He refers to them as antichrist.  “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:  but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (1 John 2:22-23).  In chapter four, John lays into these false teachers again.  “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:2-3).  In the next to the last verse of his brief epistle John writes:  “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him who is true, even his Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).  John uses the word “know” twice in this verse.  He proclaims:  “And we know…”  His knowledge far surpassed the knowledge of the Gnostics.  Three times he uses the word “true” to describe the Christ.  The Christ wasn’t something that appeared to be a man.  Oh no!  He was the true God, and eternal life.  John and the other apostles knew Him that is true and were in Him who is true.