The Dangers of Neo-Gnosticism: Understanding Gnosticism
As Christians, we must be aware of the dangers of false teachings that can lead us astray from the truth of the Gospel. One such danger that we face today is Neo-Gnosticism, a repackaged and slightly adjusted version of the old heresy of Gnosticism. In this article, we will explore the key tenets of Gnosticism and how they are still prevalent in modern Christianity, and how we can combat them.
At its core, Gnosticism is a dualistic belief system that separates the spiritual realm from the material realm. According to Gnostic theology, the spiritual realm is good, while the material realm is bad. To solve the problem of evil, Gnostics postulated two gods: a supreme God and a demiurge who created the material world. This view led to a moral distinction between the spiritual and the material, ultimately resulting in the rejection of the Old Testament. Because the material world was viewed as evil, the God of the Old Testament was rejected as the Creator of the material world.
Because Gnostics rejected the God of the Old Testament they also rejected the authority of the Old Testament. Such views lead to an anti-Jewish sentiment that is not in line with the teachings of Christ. When Gnosticism was established the New Testament had not yet been established, so ultimately they were rejecting the Bible in its entirety.
One particular form of Gnosticism that still exists today is Manicheanism. This belief system sought to eliminate all Judaistic elements from Christianity, replacing the Old Testament with Zoroastrianism, an ancient Iranian religion. Manicheanism was a dualistic religious system that believed in the struggle between good and evil forces in the world. According to this belief system, the material world was created by an evil deity, while the spiritual world was created by a good deity. As a result, the followers of Manicheanism believed that the goal of human existence was to liberate the spiritual essence from the material world to attain salvation.
In order to achieve this salvation, Manicheans engaged in rigorous asceticism and meditation practices to separate the spiritual essence from the material world. However, this emphasis on spiritual liberation led to a rejection of objective morality, as the material world was considered inherently evil. This rejection of objective morality also led to the rejection of a God’s moral law because it based morality on individual feelings and experiences rather than objective truth.
Furthermore, Manicheans believed in the existence of "hidden knowledge" that could only be revealed to the select few who were spiritually advanced enough to receive it. This belief in hidden knowledge led to a rejection of traditional religious authorities and the development of a secretive, mystical community. Ultimately, Manicheanism led to a rejection of orthodox Christianity and a syncretic fusion of Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and other religions, resulting in a unique form of Gnosticism. So Manicheanism led to mysticism and a rejection of God's moral law, replaced by subjective feelings and "hidden knowledge.” The hyper grace movement is a child of Manicheanism as it rejects the commands and moral laws of the OT and focuses on feelings and experiences rather than objective truth.
Marcion was another prominent figure in the development of Gnosticism. He founded his own sect, Marcionism, which rejected the authority of the Old Testament and emphasized the differences between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. Marcion believed that the God of the Old Testament was a wrathful and vindictive deity, whereas the God of the New Testament was a loving and merciful God. He taught that the Old Testament was irrelevant to Christians and that it should be entirely discarded.
Although Marcionism was declared a heresy by the early Christian Church, his teachings continued to have an impact long after his death. Marcion's rejection of the Old Testament and his emphasis on the dichotomy between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament influenced other Gnostic groups and even some neo-Gnostic Christian movements.
Those who reject the Old Testament completely are among the modern-day followers of Gnosticism. Others effectively unhinge themselves from the Old Testament by removing its authority. They may still acknowledge the Old Testament as a historical document, but they deny its authority in matters of faith and practice. This perspective often leads to an emphasis on subjective experience and individual interpretation of Scripture, which can lead to a rejection of objective moral standards and a focus on personal enlightenment.
Ultimately, Gnosticism led to a spiritualizing of the body of Christ, resulting in a rejection of the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. This view causes issues in the atonement and undermines the fundamental truth of the Gospel.
To combat Neo-Gnosticism, we must look to the teachings of the Apostle John in 1 John 1:1-4.
“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, concerning the Word of life-- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
John emphasizes the importance of the physical reality of Christ, as he witnessed and touched Him. This physical reality is essential to the atonement and the Gospel.
As Christians, we must be aware of the dangers of Neo-Gnosticism and this means we must understand where it comes from.