What is Christian Gnosticism? - GotQuestions. org There is actually no such thing as Christian Gnosticism, because true Christianity and Gnosticism are mutually exclusive systems of belief The principles of Gnosticism contradict what it means to be a Christian Therefore, while some forms of Gnosticism may claim to be Christian, they are in fact decidedly non-Christian Gnosticism was perhaps the most dangerous heresy that threatened the
What is the definition of the term Gnostic? | GotQuestions. org The definition of the word Gnostic is about as easy to nail down as a flopping fish It is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “to know ” In the case of Gnosticism, what is “known” has shifted over the thousands of years since Gnosticism first reared its head during the formation and solidification of the early church Basically, the Gnostic believes in acquiring special
Who are the Nicolaitans mentioned in Revelation 2:6, 14-15? They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4) Jesus commends the church of Ephesus for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans as He does (Revelation 2:6)
What are the Gnostic gospels? - GotQuestions. org The Gnostic gospels are writings by early "Christian" Gnostics After the first century of Christianity, two primary divisions developed - the orthodox and the Gnostics The orthodox Christians held to books we now have in the Bible and to what is today considered orthodox theology The Gnostic Christians, if they can truly be described as Christians, held a distinctly different view of the
Who are the ones forbidding marriage in 1 Timothy 4:3? Gnosticism flourished in the first three centuries AD, and because many Gnostics claimed to be Christians, the heresy might have caused confusion Christianity and Gnosticism diverge on several fronts, one of which is the forbidding of marriage
What is the Demiurge? - GotQuestions. org In this way the Gnostics consider all material things evil—the physical world is the product of a hostile Demiurge—and all spiritual, incorporeal things good Some Gnostics identify the Demiurge as the God of the Old Testament and place him at odds with the God of the New Testament
What is the Gospel of Truth? - GotQuestions. org The Gnostics believed that this knowledge was not revealed in the canonical Gospels or in the rest of the canonical writings of the New Testament but is revealed in the Gnostic writings, including the Gospel of Truth According to Gnosticism, Christ came to save us from ignorance more than from the penalty of sin
Who was Saint Irenaeus of Lyons? - GotQuestions. org Irenaeus (AD 130–202) was the bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern Lyons, France), a stalwart opponent of heresy, and an influential witness concerning the development of the biblical canon Little is known about the life of Irenaeus We know that he was from Smyrna in Asia Minor and a student there of Polycarp (who was a disciple of the apostle John) Irenaeus moved to Rome and studied under
What is Docetism? - GotQuestions. org What is Docetism? Why did the early church so strongly condemn Docetism as a heresy? What did the Docetists believe?