2016-08-19
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Consider the fact that Paul was in house arrest unable to travel to spread the Gospel in the ways he wanted. But Paul had friends like Epaphras and Archippus, who had to be his “legs.” Paul wrote his letter called “Colossians” to the city of Colossae [in the Lyrcus River Valley of what is modern day Turkey] and its two close neighbors, Hierapolis and Laodicea, which he had his friend, Epaphras deliver. Paul was worried over the need for these believers to remain accurately to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage the faith of others in Biblical truth. The reason for his great concern had to do with competing human-crafted philosophies beginning with the “Colossian Heresy” which grew into the practice of Gnosticism. Epaphras was chosen for this task, since he was from Colossae and was a true servant of Jesus Christ.
Understanding the differences between true Christianity and Gnosticism helps us to gain perspective on why accuracy to our beliefs is so important. One of the basic beliefs of Gnosticism is the separation of spirit and matter. All matter is evil or the source of evil. All spirit is good, impervious to defilement by anything the body (which is made up of matter) does. The Old Testament of the Bible is considered entirely allegorical, with no literal interpretation by Gnostics. The name Gnostic comes from gnosis in Greek, meaning knowledge. Knowledge was only given to certain people, the enlightened ones (or pneumotiko in Greek); the average person couldn’t have it or be considered enlightened. Thus, it became secret knowledge, something Christianity certainly doesn’t share. We must remember JN 15: 13-15 which makes the point that nothing is held back from believers in Christ. The Gnostics denied that God took human form to bring redemption and salvation to mankind. Docetic Gnostics held that it is impossible for Jesus to be both God and man, since matter (man) is evil, and spirit (God) is good. Followers of Cerinthus believed that Christ’s power [His aeon] is separated from His body. He received it at baptism and lost it at physical death.
Gnostics also believed in radical dualism. This is the belief that the earth is surrounded by seven comic spheres that separate humans from God. These are ruled by archons (spiritual principalities and powers), who guard them. They bar the souls of men in darkness, trying to get to the realm of light above. All humans in this fallacy are body, soul, and spirit. The first two are evil, and the third is good. The spirit is ignorant and asleep, in need of being wakened by knowledge. Ethical behavior among Gnostics varied a lot. Paul, of course, opposed teaching that people must keep apart from evil matter to avoid contaminating spirit. As we can see, Gnosticism gave rise to people ranking themselves in importance. It was disruptive to the kind of fellowship that Christ teaches us. Divisions arose because some Gnostics held themselves above others, having an attitude of superiority. A feature of Gnosticism is libertinism the freedom enlightened ones had to participate in certain activities no matter how they lived from an ethical point of view.
If we look at Christianity, we see from 1 TIM 4: 1-5, Paul had plenty to be concerned about and expressed this here. We’ll look at what he wrote and Christian ideals opposing these heresies in the next devotion.
PRAYER: O Lord, heresies like Gnosticism which place humans above You are works of the evil one. We stand before Your mighty throne to reverently and with awe for You to ask for Your help through the Holy Spirit. Using Your prayers, PS 51: 6 and PS 119: 125, “Sincerity and truth are what You require; fill my mind with wisdom…I am Your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know Your teaching.” We need both wisdom and discernment, because there are always false teachers trying to sway us from the truth. You have told us, in EPH 4: 15, “Instead speaking the truth in love in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, that is Christ.” Growing up in Christ takes being teachable. IS 50: 4, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like the one being taught.” We acknowledge You and the truth You teach us through the Holy Spirit. It is only with Your intervention and teaching that we will discern between lies and the truth. So, we not only appeal to You to edify us but to give us the strength of our faith that we need to fend off whatever form the evil one uses to teach us lies. We understand our need for You as Christ expressed in JN 15: 5. “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” To serve You in a way which honors You, we must know You and Your word and live by them. Then, we can witness to others with accuracy and love. We thank and praise You for the patience and love You show us in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I am led to discuss the Christian teaching from Paul’s letters and the writings of others, which oppose such a man-centered philosophy as Gnosticism was. I am always in awe of God’s power to make IS 46: 9-10 true. “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning; from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” Our God is not being a hypocrite or boasting here. He is telling the truth. If one looks back over time, he will see that God’s love of Israel is so great that while all her enemies have perished, she remains. He has told us, in DN 9: 24-27 and in the book of Revelation how our future will lay out. He will indeed overcome evil. Christ’s Atonement on the cross makes 1 COR 15: 55 true---“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” So be encouraged and hold accuracy to Biblical truth as precious. Our Lord blesses us enormously with His word and open communication through prayer. Praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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