The Gnostics considered themselves to possess secretive or superior knowledge that exceeded their counterparts. None of the various Gnostic divisions, which were regarded as heretical splinter groups by the apostles, would acknowledge that Jesus Christ came as fully God and fully man. Theologians refer to this as the hyper static union whereby Jesus walked on the earth as the perfect God-Man. Two thousand years later similar discussion forums continue.
The Cerinthian Gnostics
Cerinthian Gnostics taught that Jesus was an excellent man and that God’s Spirit was with him but left prior to his work on the cross. For them it was inconceivable that God could possibly die.
H. A. Ironside, former Pastor of Moody Memorial Church, relates Cerinthian doctrine with contemporary thought.
‘Cerinthian Gnosticism is the basic doctrine in Christian Science, the Unity School of Christianity, Theosophy and other modern cults. But this doctrine is thoroughly contrary to scripture. 1 John 5:1 says “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God’ (Ironside p17)
The Docetist Gnostics
On the other hand Docetist Gnostics taught that evil was linked with the flesh whereby it was unthinkable that deity should ever manifest in a human body. Therefore they could have seen Jesus during His earthly ministry but couldn’t have touched Him as he had the form of something like a ghost.
However, John 20:27 rejects that particular view. When Thomas doubted who Jesus really was, He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.’ Jesus permitted Thomas to touch Him to demonstrate to Thomas that He was both the Son of God and Son of Man which refuted both the Cerinthian and the Docetist approaches.
John’s Epistles
John had no tolerance for any view that contradicted Biblical principles. He wrote ‘If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.’ (2 John: 10) Similarly, there are a multitude of Christian cults prevalent today with Gnostic tendencies that oppose the equality of Jesus the Son with His Father. The Watchtower Society claims Jesus was ‘a god’ and the Mormon Church contends that people will become gods in heaven. In fact, in one form or another, every Christian cult denies the essential deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His equality with the Father.
John’s Test for Truth
As a litmus test for testing beliefs, John also wrote ‘By this you know the Spirit of God. Every Spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.’ (1 John 4:2) John’s epistles are basically a commentary on his gospel. In his gospel he wrote ‘you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’ (John 8:32) and in the second and third letters of John, he encouraged the readers to know the truth, dwell in the truth and walk in the truth.
References
Ironside, H.A. Epistles of John and Jude Loizeaux Brothers New Jersey 2001
