by Travers and Jewel van der Merwe
Chapter 10: Neo-Gnosticism
Truth is absolute! That is why Jesus could say, "I am the Way, the Truth
and the Life." His words give understanding to the simple. Those who perish
are those who do not have love for the truth. When the love for the truth
is absent, . . . God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie. The delusion is interpreted in the text as "straying
from orthodoxy".
The orthodox position on truth, or "sound doctrine" is being slowly
undermined by a desire to build an earthly political kingdom, self-centred
ministries and marketing the anointing. As a third generation Pentecostal,
it is sad to see the inroads the New Age is making amongst our own ranks.
Sadder still, Shepherds are too busy hooking up to the latest fad to realise
that in the process they are selling the truth. Proverbs 23:23 tells us
to Buy the truth and sell it not . . . God's truth is to be valued above
thousands in gold and silver. (Psalm 119.72)
Today people are so "experience" oriented and so busy looking for
a "new anointing" and "new thrills" that they are willing candidates for
just about anything!
An evangelist from South Africa (Rodney Howard-Browne) is drawing
huge crowds because of an unusual phenomenon. People roll on the floor
and howl with hilarious laughter. Upon watching a videotape of several
services, it was amazing to note how the laughter broke out, cackling and
derisive, during the reading of the Word of God. The overtones of the comments
of those laughing were sexual and very carnal (i.e. comparing their "experience"
with that of those drinking alcohol in very graphic terms). Amid all the
hilarity they were trying to find a Scriptural basis.
It is very interesting to note that New Age writers refer to laughter
as being "healing", "therapeutic" and "a way to break down reserves".
Solomon (a king to whom God granted wisdom) also speaks of laughter
in Ecclesiastes:
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, what doeth it? (2:2)
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance
the heart is made better . . . but the heart of fools is in the house of
mirth. (7:3,4)
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter
of the fool: this also is vanity! (7:6)
It was heart-rending to note pastors, leaders of the sheep, falling
for this absolute deception! Listening to the bedlam was like hearing all
the demons let loose from their abode.
There isn't time to worry about being labelled "critical", "judgmental",
or "touching God's anointed." This is the blind leading the blind! First
it was "falling out" that was the anointing. Everyone swoons and falls
and believes that they have a "new anointing". Now it is taking leave of
one's senses as they roll on the floor thinking the "anointing" is being
drunk! What on earth is next? It will have to be a good one. Will it be
levitating? Rodney Howard-Browne needs to be strongly rebuked and taught
the Word of God!
What has put so many of the NEW ANOINTERS beyond the Word of God?
In Acts 18:24-28 there was Jew names Apollos who was very fervent, an eloquent
man and MIGHTY in Scriptures! He spoke very diligently the things of the
Lord - but his DOCTRINE WAS NOT RIGHT! Obviously this was very important
because when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and expounded
unto him the way of God more perfectly! Today Aquila and Priscilla would
be called heresy hunters. Yes, they were! Praise God! They loved the Word
of God! They were jealous with a Godly jealousy for truth! As a result
Apollos left Ephesus and mightily convinced the Jews from the Scriptures!
The truth is powerful! It convinces the soul of righteousness and true
standing before God.
Gnostic Thought and Practices
When a high value is placed on personal experiences or revelations,
Scriptures are then unscrupulously twisted and misquoted. We find those
who believe the feelings of a congregation must be hyped up in order to
"feel" the Presence of the Lord or else the church is thought to be "dead".
Instead of music being used to worship and glorify God, it is used as a
means of "connecting" or "feeling" the Presence of God. If the "location"
(or a feeling within) of God is not aroused and sensed, the Spirit is said
to be either absent or bound. To counter this passive situation, worship
is intensified, the devil is "bound" and certain forms of excitement are
encouraged until "God's Presence" is "felt". Many times music is used as
the conduit for the "feeling". A popular slogan to advertise a certain
music company is: "Feel the Presence of the Lord". The church has been
taken down this primrose path for so long that they equate the Presence
of God with a certain feeling that they obtain by doing certain things.
The "goose bumps" or the "warm fuzzies" or tears of comfort, is their way
of "knowing" that God is present. So what this thinking boils down to is
simply: "To know God's Presence you must feel Him." In actuality this is
pure Gnosticism.
If knowing God is contingent on feeling, then Gnosticism and pantheism
have a place in Christian thinking.
Pantheism (from two Greek words meaning 'all is God') is that system
of thought which identifies God with the universe. Trees and stones, birds
and animals, land and water, reptiles and man - all are declared part of
God, and God lives and expresses Himself through these substances and forces
as the soul expresses itself through the body. [Knowing the Doctrines of
the Bible by Myer Pearlman, Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO, pp.
53]
Gnosticism is linked with pantheism in that it supports and overlaps
the idea of the sould (self) harmonizing with nature and the universe as
the means of perceiving God. The common tie between Gnosticism and pantheism
is that both purport to find "God" in creation. Gnosticism finds "God"
within man - relating to the feelings and pantheism finds "God" in creation
as a whole. The two blend in that both worship and serve the creature more
than the Creator. The Gnostic god is localised in a subjective experience,
a soulish feeling of being in union with creation and God. It rejects the
relationship with the Creator based on faith in His written Word - regardless
of feeling. A very tough pill for experience-driven Christians to swallow.
True Worship vs Gnostic Worship
Worship is an integral part of the Christian faith. Sometimes feelings
of ecstasy are experienced. The Presence of God is rightly acknowledged
by true worship. However, when emotional feelings become the doctrine of
God's Presence, then God has been reduced to a "gnosis" form of Presence.
For many, the doctrine of "knowing the Presence of God" is sought in a
subjective experience. An emotional experience, especially a repetitive
one during a worship service, if not kept in proper perspective or check,
can lead to an altered state of consciousness in which the capacity for
rational reasoning is greatly reduced. At this point the congregation is
open to delusion and can be easily led astray. In many charismatic groups
an altered state of mind is explained as "getting into the Spirit" or as
a manifestation of the presence of God. Uncontrolled spiritual feelings
transcend sound scriptural rationalism and give rise to the doctrine of
"the Presence of God" built on an experience.
The Serious Gnostic Deception
A very serious practice which gives deceiving spirits the opportunity
for deception, is the notion that God is localised in them (consciously)
or around them (consciously). The desire on the part of some is to "feel"
the presence of God through prayer, worship or otherwise as evidence of
His presence. They are disappointed if they leave a service and don't think
that they have "felt" God. They will run from church to church looking
for this "feeling".
Sensing the presence of God is revered. We do "enjoy our religion".
God has made us emotional creatures. However, when experience becomes the
evidence of our relationship with God, it is then dangerous and could prove
spiritually counterproductive. "The just shall live by faith" is still
the only principal the righteous live by and relate to God.
Some believers so live inwardly in communion, worship and vision,
that they become spiritually introverted, and cramped and narrowed in their
outlook. As a result, their spiritual capacity and mental powers become
dwarfed and powerless. Others become victims to the "inner voice". They
go about declaring, "God told me this, God told me that". Many times very
impractical decisions come as a result of that which is thought to be God
speaking.
. . . Turning inwards to a subjective location of God as indwelling,
speaking, communing and guiding, in a MATERIALISTIC OR CONSCIOUS SENSE,
is open to gravest danger; for upon this thought and belief, sedulously
cultivated by the powers of darkness, the most serious deceptions of deceiving
spirits have taken place. [War on the Saints, by Jesse Penn-Lewis, The
Christian Literature Crusade, 1977]
"New Age" thought with its strong emphasis on the supernatural, feelings
and paganism is so preponderate in today's society that it is no wonder
the present generation of Christians are becoming more and more Gnostic
in thought.
The Gnostic Approach to the Bible
The Gnostic believes it is wrong to use only the Bible to interpret
the Bible. Besides the Bible they believe there are additional inspired
manuscripts and books on a par with the Bible and hearing the Voice of
God apart from the Scriptures. A Rosicrucian writer neatly puts it:
In order to obtain a satisfactory comprehension of Bible teachings,
it is essential to give careful consideration to its symbolic, allegorical
and mystic elements. The student and interpreter must learn to consult
the vast library of Legend, symbol and myth as faithfully and as accurately
as he would resort to a Lexicon of Hebrew and Greek terms and radicals.
These elements - symbolic, allegorical and mystic . . . are skillful devices
for concealing yet half-revealing the deepest truth. [The Sons of God:
A Foreshadowing of the Coming World of the Messenger of the New Age, R.
Swinburne Clymer. The Philosophical Pub.Co., Quakerstown, PA, 1923]
Preaching today is filled with allegory. Symbolism has replaced substance
and in the modern day "prophetic" movement it is revelation apart from
the Scriptures. A pamphlet advertising a newsletter ("Streams of Shiloh",
John Paul Jackson) gives some topics that will be discussed in the future
such as:
The Prophet and the Gift. The manner in which revelation comes is
of vital importance. The role that dreams, visions, trances, impressions,
visitations, translations, and transportations play will be discussed.
Pick up any New Age magazine and what is it full of? Dreams, visions,
trances, impressions, visitations, translations and transportations! Yet
the "prophetic" enjoys cloaking their delusion (departure from orthodoxy)
in such ethereal terms as: "Intimacy with Christ" and "renew the body of
Christ."
It is no wonder that the Word warns us all, the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears (2 Tim. 4:4).
John Paul Jackson goes on to say:
Interpretive skills need to be developed in order to communicate
what is meant by revelation. The meanings of colours, numbers, types and
symbols, as well as personal symbols will be studied. Ways to enhance interpretive
skills will be covered . . .
Heavy duty occult activity sanctioned and encouraged! Numerology, auras,
symbology, astrology, out-of-body experiences, trances given prominence.
At the expense of what? The Word of God! Rather than training believers
in the fear and admonition of the Lord, develop "revelatory" skills. You
might even end up thinking you are David Koresh.
There is a concentrated effort, especially in psychology, to bring
about a blending of ancient wisdom and modern techniques. Shamanism is
being reintroduced in an unprecedented manner to the modern society. One
of the ancient practices is Huna (a Hawaiian esoteric philosophy.) This
philosophy teaches that we are to be able to
develop intuition, work with our dreams, make shamanic journeys
and vision quests, raise our personal energy profile . . . dialogue with
the spirits of nature for two-way teaching and healing, and work with visible
and invisible energy patterns to influence the past, present and future.
Journeying through other dimensions, we gather information, explore the
unknown and the mysterious, and release our powerful creativity. [Omega,
Summer 1993, p.76]
We cannot separate Christ from His Word. He is the Word and the word
became flesh and dwelt among us. We can not know Christ apart from
His Word. John 5:39, Search the Scripture; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.
There will never be any revelation apart from the word of God. Revelatory
gifts apart from Scripture take the soul into fables, myths and gnosticism.
For the Scriptures to be properly understood, the Gnostic holds that
they need to be interpreted symbolically, spiritually or allegorically.
The literal interpretation is thought to be presumptuous and unspiritual.
Most of the theological controversy dividing the church stems from the
rejection of the literal interpretation of the Bible. In the 2nd and 3rd
century the church came to prefer the allegorical interpretation to the
literal. It was this change that opened the church to Gnosticism. No wonder
Gnosticism is so deeply entrenched in Christian theology. As long as the
allegorical method of interpretation is used, Gnosticism will continue
to have influence on Christian thinking.
It is quite common to find Christians interpreting the Bible allegorically.
In fact, most of the preaching behind the pulpit today is allegorical.
The literal method is steadily being phased out in preference for the spiritualising/allegorical
method. Generally, Christians are so accustomed to subjecting their ears
to allegorical preaching they automatically make good candidates for Gnosticism.
It comes as no surprise why this new wave of Gnosticism is flooding the
church and why the Gnostic prophets have a hold on the Christians.
A Note of Warning to the Churches
The church that strays from the literal method of interpretation and
fails to use Scripture to interpret Scripture is in danger of being absorbed
into Gnosticism or mysticism. The church that slides into the Gnostic school
of thought will inadvertently depart from the authority of Scripture and
become a law unto itself. Most of the new and weird teachings can be traced
to the allegorical method of interpretation. The only way for the fundamental
and evangelical churches to guard against this Gnostic method is to stand
firm on the literal method of interpretation, i.e., on the literal meaning
of all Scripture.
The Internal Deity/Authority
The Gnostic believes that the real spiritual birth comes from a consciousness
of the divine spirit dwelling in every man. Through this experience the
presence of the "Spirit" is perceived, the "knowledge" of God is learned
and spiritual maturity is reached. Their reference point is not the Scriptures
although sometimes they misapply Scripture in their support. Their reference
is an internalised experience, based on the idea that "God" dwells in every
man and knowing this is the start of spiritual life and maturity to godhood.
On the authority of this concept they build their spiritual lives. It is
from this viewpoint they emphasise "holiness', "intimacy with God", etc.
This form of Gnosticism is often detected in teachings and preaching.
With the modern emphasis on the Holy Spirit, Christians are conditioned
into thinking, sometimes unwittingly, that the Scriptures are insufficient
to be a total effective authority. Therefore, they feel the Scriptures
should be supplemented and substituted by some internal authority such
as feeling, experience, conscience, intuition, inner voice, etc. The ever
increasing problem with this form of authority is that it is being rated
above the Scriptures in the name of the Holy Spirit. Christians are encouraged
to give greater heed to their self-conscious internal authority over their
faith in the voice of the Word.
When a Voice, be it conscience, intuition or a subjective impression
replaces the authority of the Scriptures and takes precedence over "God's
Word", then it is cultic. Cults have always sought divine authority in
man, while Christians seek divine authority in God's Word. The cults, like
many modern Christians, place the inner voice above all else. They teach
that the real guiding Voice or Light comes from within. The emphasis and
substance of their religion hinges on an inner voice or experience which
they claim is the light of God. For example, consider the following statement
by R. Swinburne Clymer, a Rosicrucian:
This light, to a lesser or greater degree, is in all men. It is
that which the Philosophers and Initiates of all ages have called the Divine
Spark, the voice of conscience, which, to the degree of its growth and
development, speaks unto all men. He who possesses but alittle of this
light and wisely uses it, shall perceive (develop) a greater light and
this process shall continue until he has all light necessary for his Immortalisation
. . . The voice of conscience speaks to all men more or less clearly unless
it has been totally destroyed through continued acts of evil. It is essential
that man should listen for and heed this voice which is his light. If he
does this, then gradually the light that leads the way - the Voice - will
become strong and ultimately always will be with him . . . This is the
light that is in man and is the Voice that must be obeyed . . . The light,
which is the LIFE, leads to the CHRISTOS. He who follows the light assuredly
follows the CHRIST, the MANISIS, and with each good deed, kindly act, loving
thought and compassionate servce, the CHRIST child in the manger (the body)
grows stronger, until at last manhood is attained and man has become (glorified)
the Son of God. [The Sons of God by R. Swinburne Clymer, The Philosophical
Publishing Company, Quakerstown, Pennsylvania. (Emphasis theirs)]
Any authority apart from Scripture will lead to apostasy. When the voice
of Scripture is quenched in favour of a personal internal authority, disaster
follows. History readily proves this:
During the Middle Ages, the Church of Rome concentrated in itself
through its episcopacy all the authority of tradition, bishops, councils
and anything else that held sway over the mind of the church. This movement
culminated in the degree of Papal Infallibility of 1870, which holds that
'the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, has that infallibility
with which the Divine Redeemer endowed his church, in defining a doctrine
of faith or morals'. [Unger's Bible Handbook by Merrill F. Unger, Moody
Press, Chicago, p.6]
As a result of a Gnostic emphasis on the internal authority of man as
a substitute for the authority of the Scriptures, the church has and is
being inundated with popes - "apostles and prophets" - exercising ministries
centred on self, each being a law unto himself. The Gnostic "popes" interpret
their internal authority to represent the presence of the Holy Spirit and
divine inspiration. Here is where error, such as the New Age and satanism
starts. Unfortunately many well meaning Christians at the expense of God's
written Word have faith in an internal authority. Unknowingly they are
grieving the Holy Spirit and could experience a strong delusion from Satan.
Nationally acclaimed so-called prophets and apostles, are notorious for
their claims to having internal authority and knowledge on a par with Scripture.
One of the prophets gave a word to a pastor and his wife regarding
their personal affairs. As a result they resigned their pastorate and heeded
the word of the prophet to move to another city. When questions, "How did
you know it was God's direction?" The answer came back, "Oh, I felt it,
I just knew it was God. The prophet told me things no one could ever know."
The questioner persisted, "But how did you know it was God? What was your
reference point?" The conversation couldn't get beyond the point of internal
feelings. Shortly afterwards it was learned by the questioner that the
prophet involved exercised an unscriptural ministry, sometimes prophesying
the most bizarre thoughts and concepts to be imagined. His outrageous prophecies
have been well documented. However, the point being made here is that the
couple followed their own intuitive or internal dictates without regard
whether or not the situation they were getting themselves into lined up
with the Scriptures. Had they only turned to the authority of the Word,
they would have found the prophet as well as the church in which he ministers
in gross error. Unfortunately, they preferred to stay with their internal
thoughts and feelings instead of with the authority of the Word.
The Hidden Voice
In the following quote, a typical "Christian Gnostic" position can be
detected.
We felt all unworthy and overwhelmed by the wonder of it, (the wonder
being they could hear directly from God without Scripture) and could hardly
realise that 'we' were being taught, trained and encouraged day by day
by Him Personally, when millions of souls, far worthier, had to be content
with guidance from the Bibe, sermons, their churches, books and other source.
[God Calling by Two Listeners]
In essence, the above quote is a Gnostic testimony because the source
of their knowledge is attributed to a personal subjective experience believed
to be the voice of God. Their experience sets them apart as spiritual elitists.
There is enough leaven in this short quote to trigger off a whole new doctrine
in favour of Gnosticism.
According to the new Gnostic emphasis, spiritual maturity comes from
being attuned to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. Unless the Spirit
is subjectivelyheard in one form or another on an ongoing basis, mature
spirituality has not been reached. In other words, spiritual maturity comes
from hearing God beyond the sacred page (Scripture).
Christians that insist on the Holy Scriptures as their only most
trusted source of spiritual knowledge are considered to be into idolatry
and bondage. Because Christians faithfully reverence the Holy Scriptures
as the VOICE of GOD, they are accused of worshipping a book and of over-reverencing
the Bible. The following quotes are typical examples:
Most of the people in this faction have gotten themselves in bondage
to the written Word of God and seem to be bent on dragging everyone else
into prison with them. They have let their respect for the scriptures run
overboard and plunge into idolatry. [Restoration, James Robison, James
Robison Evangelistic Association, Fort Worth, TX]
We see it today in people's reverence of the Bible. I remember the
day I stood in the pulpit and played the role of the iconoclast. I was
decrying 'bibliolatry' - worship of the Bible. I wanted to call people
to the God of the Bible for many had made the Bible a god . . . So I took
an old Bible and began ripping the pages out of it, throwing it to the
floor to demonstrate it was only a book - not a sacred idol. Some of the
people were shocked, offended and infuriated. I had pulled down their idon.
[Jamie Buckingham Ministries Today, Buckingham Report, Jan/Feb 1989, p.19]
Any Christian in his right mind will not worship a book, binding, pages
or ink. But he certainly will utterly reverence God's inspired Holy Scriptures.
It is impossible to over-reverence the written Word just as it is impossible
to over-reverence God to the point of making Him an idol - absurd! Even
God shows utter reverence for His Word when He says, . . . for thou
has magnified thy Word above all thy name (Psalm 138:2)
The Peril of the Gnostic Voice
The "Christian Gnostic" religion is a mystical form of godliness experienced
intuitively and all too often is construed to represent the Presence or
Voice of the Holy Spirit. The peril of this concept relegates the inspiration
of the Scriptures to a subordinate position to personal "inspiration" or
to "private interpretation" of Scripture.
It is quite commonplace to read or hear messages sometimes by popular
preachers saying, "Hear from God". This emphasis is ostensibly to improve
a Christian's quality of life. The problem with this well-sounding phrase
is that it invariably disregards the written Word of God and gives self
preference over the Word of God. Christians hooked on "hear from God" without
regard to Holy Scripture are not only open to serious error, but also disposed
to strong delusions. This could lead to a self-centred "cult like" religion
at the expense of God's precious written Word.
If a man truly hears from God, he will reverence and honour the written
Word of God more than ever and over everything else. Many Christians are
into a form of Gnosticism dangerous to themselves and to others. They have
a real problem distinguishing the voice of God from their own thoughts,
feelings and imagination. The reason is they don't align their minds with
the written Word of God. Many have never learned to understand their experiences
in the light of Holy Scriptures. How can anyone know God's voice or will
apart from Scripture and how can anyone know the truth of God if he allegorises
the Scripture or takes a text out of context in support of his own ideas,
thoughts and wishes? Any other way of assuming to know God's voice apart
from Scripture is perilous. However God chooses to minister to His children
will always confirm and accord with Holy Scripture.
The Gnostic school of thought subtly divides the ministry of the
Holy Spirit from the Holy Scriptures. This position demises the Scriptures
and pits the church against God's final voice of authority. The switch
of emphasis to the Holy Spirit at the expense of the Scriptures is seen
by some as a NEW THING God is doing in the believer and the world. This
is a strong delusion.
The Still Small Voice
Because God at one point in time chose to speak to Elijah the prophet
through a still small voice, and at another time to Balaam the prophet
through an ass, it no way obliges God to repeat the performance in our
day and age. It would be wrong on the part of a Christian to turn inward
to self in the hope of hearing a still small voice, just as it would be
to go to an ass out in the country in the hope of hearing God speak.
The "still small voice" concept is such an obsession in certain segments
of the church it is no surprise that bizarre messages and presumptuous
judgments and decisions are made in the name of the Lord. The concept has
sown more confusion in the church than any other presumption. If only Christians
would learn to line up their thoughts and intuitions with Scriptures, we
would have more of the Spirit and less of the flesh.
God's Sovereign Voice to the Church
God in His sovereignty gave man the Holy Scriptures. All we need to
know about God, redemption, holiness, eternal life and ourselves is recorded
in the written Word of God. The Holy Spirit provided the Scriptures so
that by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ the world might come to know
the Lord Jesus Christ. By the preaching of the Gospel of Christ according
to the written Word, the Holy Spirit speaks to sinners and saints alike.
Holy Scriptures remain the final Voice of God - whether the world believes
it or not. The Holy Spirit uses the written Word of God to save, sustain
and mature the believer. Any other source used to determine spiritual growth
other than the Scriptures is false. It is wrong for a man to presume he
knows the mind of God if it is not according to the Scriptures. To do so
is to be grossly presumptuous. God is Sovereign. He will speak whenever
He chooses and in whatever manner He wills. But, if and when He speaks,
it will be a Sovereign Act. God's sovereignty is not negotiable. It cannot
be monopolised or manipulated by our wishes, thoughts, prayers, cries,
meditations or even by our communion with Him. It is impossible for man
to control God's sovereignty. When God speaks or acts, He never contradicts
His written Word.
Christianity vs Gnosticism
The Christian does not look inward for his redemption. He looks UPWARD
to God who is seated in heaven far above principalities and powers. His
redemption was bought and brought nigh by the blood of Jesus Christ. The
Christian's approach to God is by faith in Christ's complete work of redemption
at the cross. Redemption is not an experience, it is God's salvation bought
by the precious blood of the Lamb - and is a free gift.
Christians know they are saved, not by any experience they might
have had along the way, but because they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
according to the Scriptures. Even their faith from the heart is the witness
of the Holy Spirit and their redemption. Sometimes Christians have great
spiritual experiences, but refuse to glory in the flesh. Their glory is
only in the Lord.
The only premise the Christian builds his life on is not by "self-consciousness",
but by the written Word of God. The only God the Christian knows and desires
to know is the God of the HOLY WRITTEN WORD. The god of the imagination
and the god of self was resoundly crushed and defeated at Calvary some
two thousand years ago.
The Christian's affections and thoughts are not turned inward, but
rather upward toward heaven from whence they expect the personal and glorious
appearing of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. For at the wound
of the trumpoet and the voice of the archangel, the saints in Christ, both
the living and the dead, shall put on immortality, incorruption and see
Jesus Christ face to face and be like Him. Amen!
