|
The words "gnostic" and "gnosticism" appear NO WHERE in the New Testament.
There are verses *interpreted* as being in reference to Gnostics by those who are anti-Gnostic. These are human interpretations and nothing more than personal opinions.
The True Gnostic is the person who genuinely *experiences* the Divine, who genuinely *knows* God. Within this context Jesus was obviously a Gnostic.
Where do you find warnings against the teachings of Jesus (his Gnosis) in the New Testament? ONLY from the Pharisees, the scribes & the Sadducees. Thus, con temporarily, only Christians who are like the Pharisees, Sadducees & scribes in the New Testament (knowing only their human opinions, their religious indoctrinations & tradition's interpretation of the letter of the law, *not* knowing the Living Holy Spirit) warn against the Gnostics.
Clement of Alexandria upon the Gnostics has this to say:
CHAP. XIX.--THE TRUE GNOSTIC IS AN IMITATOR OF GOD, ESPECIALLY IN BENEFICENCE.
He is the Gnostic, who is after the image and likeness of God, who imitates God as far as possible, deficient in none of the things which contribute to the likeness as far as compatible, practicing self-restraint and endurance, living righteously, reigning over the passions, bestowing of what he has as far as possible, and doing good both by word and deed. "He is the greatest," it is said, "in the kingdom who shall do and teach;"[1] imitating God in conferring like benefits. For God's gifts are for the common good. "Whoever shall attempt to do aught with presumption, provokes God,"[2] it is said. For haughtiness is a vice of the soul, of which, as of other sins, He commands us to repent; by adjusting our lives from their state of derangement to the change for the better in these three things--mouth, heart, hands. These are signs--the hands of action, the heart of volition, the mouth of speech. Beautifully, therefore, has this oracle been spoken with respect to penitents: "Thou hast chosen God this day to be thy God; and God hath chosen thee this day to be His people."[3] For him who hastes to serve the self-existent One, being a suppliant,[4] God adopts to Himself; and though he be only one in number, he is honored equally with the people. For being a part of the people, he becomes complementary of it, being restored from what he was; and the whole is named from a part.
<...>
*
CHAP. XX.--THE TRUE GNOSTIC EXERCISES PATIENCE AND SELF-RESTRAINT.
Endurance also itself forces its way to the divine likeness, reaping as its fruit impassibility. through patience, if what is related of Ananias be kept in mind; who belonged to a number, of whom Daniel the prophet, filled with divine faith, was one. Daniel dwelt at Babylon, as Lot at Sodom, and Abraham, who a little after became the friend of God, in the land of Chaldea. The king of the Babylonians let Daniel down into a pit full of wild beasts; the King of all, the faithful Lord, took him up unharmed. Such patience will the Gnostic, as a Gnostic, possess. He will bless when under trial, like the noble Job; like Jonas, when swallowed up by the whale, he will pray, and faith will restore him to prophesy to the Ninevites; and though shut up with lions, he will tame the wild beasts; though cast into the fire, he will be be sprinkled with dew, but not consumed. He will give his testimony by night; he will testify by day; by word, by life, by conduct, he will testify. Dwelling with the Lord? he will continue his familiar friend, sharing the same hearth according to the Spirit; pure in the flesh, pure in heart, sanctified in word. "The world," it is said, "is crucified to him, and he to the world."[6] He, bearing about the cross of the Saviour, will follow the Lord's footsteps, as God, having become holy of holies.
<...>
*
<...>
And, in truth, faith is discovered, by us, to be the first movement towards salvation; after which fear, and hope, and repentance, advancing in company with temperance and patience, lead us to love and knowledge. Rightly, therefore, the Apostle Barnabas says, "From the portion I have received I have done my diligence to send by little and little to you; that along with your faith you may also have perfect knowledge.[6] Fear and patience are then helpers of your faith; and our allies are long-suffering and temperance. These, then," he says, "in what respects the Lord, continuing in purity, there rejoice along with them, wisdom, understanding, intelligence, knowledge." The fore-mentioned virtues being, then, the elements of knowledge; the result is that faith is more elementary, being as necessary to the Gnostic,[7] as respiration to him that lives in this world is to life. And as without the four elements it is not possible to live, so neither can knowledge be attained without faith. It is then the support of truth.
<...>
~~from Clement of Alexandria: The Stromata, or Miscellanie. BOOK II.
http://www.gnosis.org/library/strom2.htm
|
what is a gnostic and where can I find the warning against gnosticism in the New test
