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Originally Posted by
allodial
I suspect most don't have any problem with knowledge that is true and profitable and worthy of knowing. It is "Gnosis" in the sense of heresies and baiting unto error that is the stuff of what many seem to dislike about "religion" which isn't in the Bible to begin with. Salvation is through faith/believing. However it is also written that: "Faith without works is dead". Much if not all of the burdensome doctrines or ideologies that came to be associated with the Bible or "Christianity" seem to have come from the "Gnostics".
Divine knowledge and wisdom continues to be available to and helpful the believer of course. Knowledge isn't the problem. But not all "knowledge" is profitable. Not all doctrines are sound.
The primary type of Gnostics being referred to are the types that felt that people had to be part of a secret clique in order to "approach the Divine" or had to join a secret society in order to have "true knowledge". The Nicolaitans were said to be of the Gnostics.
Agreed. See: http://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseact...nism-Today.htm
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Unfortunately, it is in the context of syncretism that Nicolas is last mentioned in the post-biblical, historical record. Both Irenaeus (Against Heresies 1.26.3; 3.10.6) and Clement of Alexandria (Miscellanies, 3.4.25f) consider Nicolas of Antioch to be the founder of the Gnostic sect known as the Nicolaitans. Another early writer, Hippolytus, adds that Nicolas "departed from sound doctrine, and was in the habit of inculcating indifferency of both life and food" (Refutation of All Heresies, 7.24), meaning he taught the Gnostic belief of the irrelevance of physical things.
1 Tim 6:20-21
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20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"- 21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 Cor 1:18-24
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The Wisdom of God
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Isa 29:14
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14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment [knowledge] of their discerning men will be concealed."
Isa 29:14 is the result of the literal fulfillment of Holyday 2 - the Desert Miracle! The abundant Scriptures supporting this "Desert Miracle" are found under Holyday #3 – The Pentecost Nation.
The "wise" will be so embarrassed and ashamed of their "wisdom", "higher consciousness", "new age enlightenment", "I AM pantheism", that they will hide it!
This is the "gnosis" I am referring to.