Whenever you see this symbol followed by a number, that is an
indication that the passage directly relates to a key doctrine of Gnosticism as
numbered below.KEY TO
Gnostic Comparisons and Refutations
Throughout the Book of I John
Whenever you see this symbol followed by a number, that is an
indication that the passage directly relates to a key doctrine of Gnosticism as
numbered below.
G 1 "Knowing God"
G 2 "Special" or "ecstatic" experiences
G 3 Doctrines that are so "different" from orthodox (biblical) doctrines
G 4 Docetism- which taught that the incarnation was in appearance only.
G 5 Cerenthianism- Jesus and Christ were two different beings. Jesus was the man and at his baptism the "celestial Christ" descended upon him and merely spoke through him during the time of His ministry. The teaching then goes on to say that before the crucifixion the Christ left Him. This teaching nullifies the cross since it teaches that only Jesus the man was crucified; not Jesus the Christ.
G 6 Concerning those who thought they were "in the light" and yet looked down on their brethren from their own "privileged" spiritual height.
G 7 Concerning those who considered themselves on such a high "spiritual plane" and able to have "fellowship with God" that they no longer considered the sin done in their naturally "evil" bodies to be of any "spiritual" consequence at all.
G 8 In answer to those Gnostics that worried not about God's biblical laws but only about the Gnostic "laws."
G 9 In answer to many Gnostics who considered themselves to have progressed so high that they looked down on their less "enlightened" brethren as not being worthy of their love.
G 10 An answer to the basic tenet that was universally agreed upon by Gnostics, that Jesus was not Christ come in the flesh.
G 11 A condemnation of the Gnostics stating that they are speaking by the spirit of antichrist and not by the Spirit of God.
G 12 That Jesus the Son was not a distinct personality from the Father.
G 13 That they had some special "new" truth that the orthodox Christians did not have.
G 14 That they "walked in the light" in a way that orthodox Christians could not.
G 15 That they alone "walk in the light," or "had the truth;" i.e., that they alone are "saved."
G 16 That neither Christ nor Jesus were the most high God.
G 17 That "Love" is an eternal being emanated from God.
G 18 That God is aloof and distant; i.e., He is so far removed from the physical reality that He doesn't even know we exist and therefore can have no feelings for nor interactions with us.
(No love, hate, judgment, rewards, Heaven, Hell, therefore, no need for Salvation, etc.)