What Is a Neo-Gnostic?

Jerking On The Sheepskins

Written by Bill Burkett

The early church was threatened by two main bodies of apostate forms of Christianity; the Judaizers who insisted on retaining observance of many of the ceremonial laws of Moses along with faith in Christ. Paul addresses this nuisance in his epistle to the Galatians. Secondly there were the gnostics. There were many schools of these mystical gnostic groups who followed different teachers. Sound familiar? They opposed any moral law or commandments placing a strong emphasis on love and conditionless salvation. They taught only certain portions of scriptures that supported their own humanist theological views...sound familiar?

The end of the church age seems to be ending as it started...in the hurricane winds of false teachers and false doctrine. Ephesians 4:14

How To Identify The Neo-gnostic

1. He is given to expediency - super preachers are given to what produces effect in people Just as in industry, the business psychologists know how to manipulate people to buy their product, so is it with the media ministries. It's a very simply process. The whole matter is based on "giving the customer what he wants." They have a high tolerance of worldliness and then viciously attack Christians with convictions as being "legalists." They cater to their supporters by this tactic.
2. His message is never moralistic. While they stress "spirituality" they do not teach morality. True Christianity equates spirituality with morality. The false prophet advocates spirituality apart from morality. They place no emphasis on a serious pursuit of holiness of life.
3. He accepts the person of Christ, but refuses the precepts of Christ. They exalt His deity and His benevolent act of redemption, but resent and reject His Word commandments. These are who Jesus was speaking to when He said "Why call ye me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say."
4. He is Arrogant He can blatantly lash out against things and people with an aloofness that is almost humorous. He seems to be absolutely blind to the absurdities of his teachings. The false teachers are very much over confident by nature. They just seem to assume everyone agrees with them and those who do not are only a trashy remnant of legalistic pessimists. They carry an air of being untouchable, irreproachable and infallible and then think everyone sees them as they see themselves.
5. He speaks eloquently but his theology is sloppy and he avoids calm intelligent doctrinal encounters in the Word.

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These are added materials for an expansion on apostates and their beliefs.

3. The Ophites, a Gnostic sect, taught that the fall was an uplifting and emancipation from the Demiurge who had restricted man's freedom.

Note: Apostates are called "separatists" and have the same qualities! In fact the word apostate is one of the synonyms given under SEPARATIST (see below from SPRINT thasaurus). But what is the difference that distinguishes the apostate from the prophet; the flase prophets from the true?...True prophets are separated unto God!

SEPARATIST, Noun
 Dissenter    
 Dissident    
 Heretic      
 Nonconformist
 Schismatic   
 Sectarian    
 Apostate      
 Skeptic      

An apostate separatist is one who departs from the original faith of the apostles. For this he is called a separatist. CHARISMATICS ARE SCHISMATICS.

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Bill Burkett

~ "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him." - 1 John 2:29 ~ Web site - http://www.goshen.net/amen/amen.htm

Copyright ?1996 - Commission, Inc.
Box 90/ Anderson, MO 64831/ U.S.A.

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