The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

I. Scope of Gnosticism’s Sinister Heresies

Only as one realizes the nature of the subtle sophistries and basic errors of these movements that arose to imperil the Early Church is it possible to understand what the early apologists were actually fighting against, and why, and the significance of their arguments, the logic of their reasonings, and the expressions sometimes employed. This alone explains why they wrote so much on the origin, nature, and destiny of man, as well as on the deity, the redeeming power, and the life-giving prerogatives of Christ, and His position as judge. CFF1 854.1

They felt impelled to expose fundamental fallacies, as well as to declare primary truths. It is therefore necessary, at this point, to pause long enough to survey the ramifications of Gnosticism—the first great heretical movement of major dimensions, whose postulates were a direct attack on the primary positions of the subapostolic church, as reflected by the Apostolic Fathers. If not checked Gnosticism would ultimately overthrow, or at least gravely confuse, the primitive beliefs of the church on the Godhead, Christ, Creation, the fall and redemption of man, his ultimate resurrection and immortalization, as well as the final disposition of sin and sinners. To the ramifications of this early crisis we therefore now address ourselves, as we turn the spotlight on the multiple subversions of Gnosticism. CFF1 854.2

1. BLIGHTING CHARACTERISTICS OF GNOSTICISM

Gnosticism (from the Greek gnosis, “knowledge”) stood for salvation by “knowledge.” The Gnostics claimed to know the mysteries of the universe, this knowledge being esoteric (private or secret) rather than exoteric (public and open), and transmitted by tradition—of which they claimed to be the special custodians. In its pagan form Gnosticism antedated the Christian Era, borrowing its formula from various ethnic religions and having a distinctly pantheistic tinge. Later, borrowing certain additional terminology from Christianity, it took on a “Christian” form, and by the second century A.D. had become highly aggressive. Professing to solve the great questions of the universe, it had a certain subtle appeal. CFF1 854.3

Gnosticism led the way in the amalgamation of pagan concepts with Christian thought and terminology. Its fondness for mysteries, or secret rites, was derived principally from Hellenistic and Egyptian mysteries. And its elaborate and pompous liturgical service stimulated a taste for similar ornateness in the regular churches. It made definite inroads among Christians—espoused by some but bitterly fought by others, especially by Irenaeus of Gaul. Because of these exposures, by the fifth century Gnosticism had spent its force. ¹ CFF1 855.1

2. STRANGE MEDLEY OF BORROWED ELEMENTS

The Gnostic movement was a syncretism, a composite of various borrowed elements. It drew its concepts from pagan philosophies and Oriental mythologies, as well as Jewish cabalistic sources, and, as mentioned, finally drafted upon certain Christian terms and teachings. It combined the esoteric philosophy of Egypt with the deadly Dualism common to Zoroastrianism, old Babylonianism, Platonism, and even the Jewish cabala. And it drafted upon the Brahmic concept of successive emanations from the Absolute Being—these emanations being the workings of the Eternal One, supposedly overflowing from the Central Being, without decreasing the reality or the fullness of that source. CFF1 855.2

Gnosticism also adopted the Buddhist antagonism of spirit and matter and the unreality of derived existence. It similarly incorporated the Buddhist concept of a god in process of development, and spiritual souls longing to be freed from the bonds of matter and raised above the things of sense—and ultimately being reunited with the divine Source of Life. CFF1 856.1

It laid hold on the Platonic idea of a god withdrawn entirely within itself, intelligible only to the initiated, with an eternal antagonism between god the spirit and the lower world of matter. It similarly took over the idea of a fall of spiritual beings through this material element. It presented a theory of the universe based on speculation instead of revelation—how it was originally projected, and how it will finally be restored to harmony. Harnack defined Gnosticism as the “Hellenization of Christianity.” CFF1 856.2

Its philosophical basis centered on the origin of evil, blending Pythagorean and Platonic concepts with those of Philo of Alexandria ² concerning the Supreme Being. Its chief practical concern was the knowledge of God and the origin and destiny of mankind. Central in emphasis was this gnosis, by which the spiritual element in man might receive redemption. It was a scheme of salvation. The Gnostics claimed a knowledge higher than that of common men, founded on intuition rather than historical evidence or logical reasoning. CFF1 856.3

Draft was likewise made upon the Pythagorean notion of numbers, and the Parsi conception of the divine essence as light, and a Dualism in which God is continually subjected to the aggressions of matter, and in which the principle of goodness and light is in unending conflict with the principle of evil and darkness. But the brightness of the light decreases continually, and loses itself in the surrounding darkness. So the power of the Absolute expresses itself in an increasingly diluted form. CFF1 856.4

These derivations were all so evident as to indicate their sources. They constituted a strange medley, confusing to the world and perilous to the church. Moehlman calls it a “syncretistic whirlpool.” ³ Now to certain definitions. CFF1 857.1

3. “DEMIURGE,” “EMANATIONS,” AND “AEONS.”

Gnosticism made sharp distinctions between the remote and unknowable Supreme Being, or Great God (the Source of all), and the “Demiurge,” ⁴ believed to be one of the “Aeons” ⁵ resulting from “emanations.” ⁶ The Demiurge, as the Creator-God, was held to be the immediate source of the visible world and the originator of matter. Finite existence was accounted for as a progressive falling away from the oiginal perfection. The Demiurge therefore occupied an intermediate place between the Supreme God and the material world. But while the Gnostics held that he created and ruled the world, they claimed that he was actually in rebellion against the Supreme God. The Demiurge was not originally evil, only limited and imperfect. But evil sprang from the defects of his work and plans. Nevertheless, he transformed the chaos of matter into the organized universe, which they averred is under his control. CFF1 857.2

According to these concepts the Demiurge created man, but could only impart to him his own weak principle—the sensuous soul. Only the highest and really Great God could impart the divine rational soul. But the Demiurge, while claiming to be the highest god could not bring his creatures to the true knowledge of God, and was really only the god of the Jews, and to some extent that of Christianity. Thus Jesus, coming as the promised Messiah, could only prepare the way for redemption. Such were some of its sinister aspects broadcast to the pagan world as the Gnostic concept of “Christianity,” and spread among Christians to confuse. CFF1 857.3

4. MANKIND CAST INTO THREE BASIC CATEGORIES

Specifically as concerns man, Gnosticism held that there is a spark of the Divine in the constitution of some. And through gnosis this spiritual element may be released from its material environment, and assured of a return to its home in the Divine Being. Thus the origin, nature, and destiny of man were tied inextricably with the vagaries of Gnosticism. That, we would emphasize, is why we must examine it. It was basic with Gnosticism that the Demiurge was himself subject to imperfections, and the world he created was a fallen world. CFF1 858.1

Man, they held, partakes of three elements in varying proportions—the Supreme God, the Demiurge, and matter. In consequence, all men are divided into three categories—the spiritual, psychical, and fleshly—higher or lower according to the predominance of the elements of deity within them, and in proportion to their freedom from matter, which is ever and only evil. Note the distinctions: (1) The highest (or spiritual) class comprises those who share largely in the nature of the truest Aeons, and are the only ones capable of attaining perfection; (2) the intermediate (or psychical) group who have the nature of the Demiurge, and to some extent have power to rise above the debasement of matter; and (3) the lowest (or fleshly) category, constituting those who are wholly under the control of matter, and will share its tragic fate. Such cannot be saved, for their nature is only evil, devoid of any spark of the Divine within them. CFF1 858.2

They held that historically the fleshly was predominant in past paganism, the psychical flourished in the Jewish dispensation, and the spiritual was now to be found in the Christian dispensation—though with some intermingling. While some Gnostics allowed of no transition from one class to another, others held that such was possible, because of divine communication of special powers. Some of these sought to be saved by faith, faith being considered vastly inferior to knowledge. The Gnostics considered themselves as constituting the first, or spiritual, group, regarding their special knowledge as their assurance of immortality, for only the souls of spiritual men are immortal. They were very group conscious, and their salvation would result from their esoteric knowledge and ascetic life. CFF1 858.3

5. REDEMPTION CONCEIVED OF AS LIBERATION FROM MATTER

The Gnostic idea of redemption was the notion of the liberation of the spirit from its connection with matter, but it was restricted to the upper two classes. Some, however, held the more liberal view that there were certain favored ones in each group—sparks of light having fallen into the breasts of those sighing for redemption. The work of redemption was consequently the liberation of the spiritual nature in man from the evil material existence by which it is enslaved, thus affording escape into the Pleroma (divine fullness). That was one of its most blatant perversions. CFF1 859.1

6. GNOSTIC DUALISM VERSUS APOSTOLIC MONISM

The distinctly dualistic concept characterizing Gnosticism was based on pagan ideas accounting for the universe as caused by two eternal and equal but distinct and perpetually conflicting principles—good and evil, spirit and matter, ideal and material, light and darkness. Dualism held that these are the outcome or product of separate and equally ultimate “first causes.” Such a Dualism flourished among the Persians under the names of Ormuzd and Ahriman. And while Dualism was introduced into the church through Gnosticism, it was perpetuated by Manichaeism, as will later be observed. Its ultimate is seen in the contention that makes Satan the chief of an imperishable kingdom of immortal sinners like himself, in an ever-burning Hell. So it is definitely involved in our quest. CFF1 859.2

On the contrary, primitive Christianity was Monistic, ⁷ asserting that “all that exists” was derived from a single, ultimate Source—the absolute, infinite God of the Old Testament and the New, of whom Paul says, “who only hath immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16). Monism involved the thought that the day is coming when evil will be utterly banished from the universe, and God will be “all and in all.” CFF1 860.1

But this leads logically to the concept of the ultimate annihilation of the devil and his followers, both demonic and human, along with the principle and practice of evil. Since God is the sole source of life, all who separate themselves from Him in rebellion are doomed to ultimate death. Thus the annihilation of sin and sinners is the necessary outcome and inevitable consequence of such a concept of sin, whether viewed from the metaphysical, juridical, or moral standpoints. CFF1 860.2

7. DUALISM INVOLVES ENDLESS DURATION OF WICKED

The point must not be missed that Gnosticism’s dogma of the soul’s immortality was based on Dualism. And, granting its premises, the ultimate philosophical consequence of the system seems inescapable. Gnosticism starts with the axiom of the indestructibility of the immortal soul, and the final result of the exercise of human freedom, in persistent revolt, involves the eternal suffering of a certain number of such creatures. It involves the eternal duration of the evil principle, in a state of rebellion against God. Infinity of evil stands in eternal opposition to the infinity of good. That was another of the inevitables of the system that struck at the primitive faith. CFF1 860.3

8. BLASPHEMOUSLY DENIED DEITY OF CHRIST

More than that, the deity of Christ was impugned. The Gnostics held that, though Christ was not the highest God, He came as an emissary of the Supreme God, bringing gnosis. But the Gnostics taught that Christ, as a Divine Being, did not assume an actual human body, but either temporarily inhabited a human “Jesus” or merely assumed a phantasmal human appearance. That, of course, was Docetism, noted later. They thus denied the actual deity of Christ, degrading Him to the category of other Aeons of the higher category. This was still another of the vicious aspects of the system that Irenaeus and others felt forced to battle. CFF1 860.4

9. REJECTED OLD TESTAMENT AND MALIGNED “JEHOVAH.”

Still further, Gnosticism rejected the Old Testament and the Mosaic account of the creation of the world. Adam was regarded as purely mythical. The Gnostics held the pernicious belief that the Jehovah of the Old Testament was the enemy of the true God. Nevertheless, he was the alleged creator of the world and of Hell, holding his captives by error and indulgence. They taught that Christ, though defective, came to rescue those shut up in Hell, and to unmask the wiles and evil character of Jehovah. And Marcion taught that Christ descended into the underworld to release those souls who refused to obey the demons worshiped by the Jews. CFF1 861.1

Such are some of the leading aspects of the devastating perversions taught by the Gnostic sects. But they become even more sinister when examined in greater detail. It thus becomes increasingly obvious why Christian leaders believed that this colossal system of anti-Christian error must be met in head-on conflict. It was an inescapable part of the struggle we are surveying. CFF1 861.2

10. LIKE TERMITES ERODING BASIC STRUCTURE

We should bear in mind as we progress that Gnosticism was just one—but a weighty one—in a series of disintegrating developments that sought to infiltrate the early Christian Church and subvert its fundamental teachings. These various related heresies might well be likened to termites boring into the basic structure of the temple of Christianity. These all sought to emasculate the apostolic concepts of God and man, particularly as regards man’s nature and destiny. The groundwork was thus laid for further inroads through Platonism and kindred regressive developments in the days to come. That is the tie-in, and why we must scan it. It was one early segment in a vicious circle of circumstances that boded ill for the future integrity of the church. CFF1 861.3