Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 1
What do you guys think about Gnosticism?
Speaker 2
Well, what is Gnosticism?
Speaker 3
That’s a great question, Jay. Let’s define nasty system. So I’ve heard of nasty system before. I’ll give you the definition that I’m actually reading just to make sure I’m not just coming up with what I think, but what I understand it to be based on my very quick research. Basically, it’s a religious idea that came about around the first or second century that kind of competed with Judaism and Christianity. So it’s not part of it’s not a biblical concept, but basically it’s the idea to not means to know. That’s the Greek word for no Gnost. So gnostics or gnosticism is based on basically knowledge. It’s that they know or they understand spiritual things. And so they have this idea that they’re enlightened. And so that’s why you see here the word like agnostic. People who are agnostic, AG meaning not gnostic, meaning no. So some people are agnostic mean they don’t know if there’s a God. But people who are gnostic believe that they know a divine being, that they have a knowledge of spiritual matters. And the thing is with Narcissism is that they believe that everybody has a piece of divinity within them.
Speaker 3
And so it’s just how much you enlighten yourself or become enlightened so that you know more about this spiritual side of you that they believe everybody has. So it’s kind of an interesting religion or belief, basically. There’s gnostic writings to become more enlightened. Now, as far as it being a biblical concept, no, I don’t believe so. Most gnostics don’t believe in the idea of salvation through Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of the Bible. They believe, like Jesus was, some Nazi believe differently on some things. Some believe that Jesus was the embodiment of the divine being, but most others believe more that Jesus was just a human just like anybody else and just had a lot of good teachings and so on spiritual matters. So I wouldn’t say that nasty ism is anything you would really want to get involved with. I would focus on the Bible, because the Bible is the foundation of truth. And I think the devil has a lot of counterfeits, and I think that Narcissism is definitely one of them because I think it’s very easy to think like, oh, yeah, well, we all have this knowledge. We just want to know more.
Speaker 3
And there’s nothing wrong with that, with wanting to know more spiritual matters, but you want to know the truth. And that’s the thing that it comes down to, is narcissism is just trying to be the state of enlightenment rather than knowing the true God. And as I quoted earlier, John 17 three, this is life eternal. This is eternal life that they would know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. So we want to know the true God. We want to know Him based on his word. What he’s inspired for us to learn, which is that which we see in scripture. So I would say Nosticism is not something I would encourage you to dive into. There’s a lot of interesting things out there, but I don’t think this is something that’s really going to benefit you spiritually. I think that a true and genuine relationship with God and his son Jesus is definitely the best route for anybody. That’s what I would recommend. Jay or Wendy, any other thoughts on that?
Speaker 2
Yeah, I have a great answer on that. I see Narcissism is falling apart of a larger category of these religions based around esoteric knowledge. This idea that there’s this secret truth out there that most other people don’t know and you could be them part of this cool little group because you know it and the others don’t. But that in of itself is completely not biblical. The Bible says in two Peter 120, it says knowing this one, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. So you have the Holy Spirit presenting truth through scripture and then God doesn’t just leave us hanging. That same Spirit then is going to help us interpret. So we come to John 1613. It says, albeit when he the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth or he will not speak of himself. But whatsoever he hears, he will speak it and he will show you things to come. This is how the Holy Spirit works. And the Holy Spirit did come.
Speaker 2
It came on Pentecost. So it’s sort of like Jesus and the Holy Spirit did a swap. So Jesus says, I can only occupy one space at one time, so I’m going to go to heaven and I’m going to send the Holy Spirit down so he could be everywhere. And yeah, holy Spirit is everywhere. God says, jesus says, let me abiding you and you abiding me. But that’s not making us gods. Important to say, but we now have the Holy Spirit that can dwell within us, to teach us and bring us into truth. And if all of us are being led by the Spirit, we should end up at the same truth. And then one more comment, this concept too of just against secret knowledge. Jesus sort of talked about this in the book of Revelation. For example, Revelation 224. It says, now I say to the rest of you, in to you who do not hold to her teachings and have not learned Satan’s socalled deep secrets, I will not impose any other burden on you right here. It’s telling you satan’s playbook. Satan is the one who loves creating these esoteric religions, these deep secrets, and getting people to be interested and get sucked into it.
Speaker 2
I mean, it’s just human nature. Satan knows humans so well and he likes us to get emptied with these things. And so just saying, like, there’s no secrets, the Holy Spirit can bring us all into the truth. God is an open book. He wants to be open, fully, transparent, and the truth is such an amazing thing when it is presented in its full true power. Okay, thank you for asking.
Speaker 1
I’ll just add to that also that just a little bit that I learned about this a while back. It’s been several years since my current understanding, my full understanding is a little bit dated, possibly, but my understanding is that really it is about this pursuit of knowledge to almost an excessive level and it falls short of what it’s missing is the relationship with not what.
Speaker 2
You know, but who you know.
Speaker 1
Yeah, it’s almost this obsessiveness with knowledge that’s missing the relationship with God directly and the understanding of the Holy Spirit working in people’s lives and the experience with that. So I think there’s a lot of elements, as with every religion, there’s a lot of elements of truth within them, but it doesn’t necessarily contain the whole truth and nothing but truth. There’s elements of truth that can look very appealing. But keep in mind that the relationship with God is what Jesus is really here to help us experience and live in connection with.
Speaker 2
And I think about what was one of the original temptations to Eve. We have knowledge of good, of evil.
Speaker 3
Exactly.
Speaker 2
Forbidden knowledge. And she would rather have that forbidden knowledge and have the relationship with God who said, don’t go there.
Speaker 3
Amen. Exactly. Satan. There’s no new thing under the sun. Like it says in the Book of Ecclesiastes, there’s no new thing. The devil is going to try to deceive us in the same way. He knows what works. He’s just gotten really good at it. He’s had 6000 years of practice. Alkohita. I appreciate your comments. Thanks for sharing your vision and we appreciate you sharing your comments and your questions. And we just pray that we’ll continue to answer them accordingly to God’s word and that you’ll be blessed.
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