Gnosticism

• From gnosis, “to know.” They declared

themselves to be “in the know.” Gnosticism

taught that salvation could be obtained

through knowledge instead of faith. This

“knowledge” however, could only be gained

by those who had been initiated into the

mysteries of the Gnostic system.

• Agnostic – No knowledge! Latin =

ignoramus

• Gnosticism taught that all matter is

inherently evil and only the spiritual or

nonmaterial is good. This led to denying the

doctrines of Creation and the Incarnation -

Since Jesus was a man and had a body

made up of matter, he had to be inherently

evil (so they believed).

• Gnosticism was a hodgepodge of a lot of

philosophical beliefs. It had legalistic

Judaism mixed in, it had Christianity mixed

in, philosophy mixed in, astrology mixed in

and the worship of angels as mediators of

God.

• Some gentiles were also promoting a form

of mysticism that viewed Jesus as a Higher

Power but not God.

7 Churches of Asia (Revelation)

Acts 198 And he went into the synagogue and

spoke boldly for three months,

reasoning and persuading concerning

the things of the kingdom of God.

9 But when some were hardened and

did not believe, but spoke evil of the

Way before the multitude, he departed

from them and withdrew the disciples,

reasoning daily in the school of

Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two

years, so that all who dwelt in Asia

heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both

Jews and Greeks. NKJV

Colossians 1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the

will of God, and Timothy our brother,…

NKJV

Acts 242 And they continued steadfastly in the

apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the

breaking of bread, and in prayers.

NKJV

The Old Testament is the New

Testament concealed.

The New Testament is the Old

Testament Revealed!

Colossians 12 To the saints and faithful brethren in

Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to

you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

NKJV

You see, if we have a new world, we will need a

new church. We wont need a new religion per

se, but a new framework for our theology. Not a

new Spirit, but a new spirituality. Not a new

Christ, but a new Christian. Not a new

denomination, but a new kind of church in

every denomination.

Brian McLaren

In a post-Christian world, pluralism is the

norm. Buddhism, Wicca, Christianity, Islam,

Hinduism, or an eclectic blend-it’s all part of

the soil…The basis for learning has shifted

from logical and rational to the realm of

experience and the mystical.

Dan Kimball

Colossians 13 We give thanks to the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying

always for you,…

NKJV

Colossians 14 since we heard of your faith in Christ

Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up

for you in heaven, of which you heard

before in the word of the truth of the

gospel(evangelion),…

NKJV

1Thessalonians 15 For our gospel did not come to you in

word only, but also in power, and in the

Holy Spirit…

NKJV

Romans 116 For I am not ashamed of the gospel

of Christ, for it is the power of God to

salvation for everyone who believes, for

the Jew first and also for the Greek.

NKJV

1Corinthians 912 If others are partakers of this right

over you, are we not even more?

Nevertheless we have not used this

right, but endure all things lest we

hinder the gospel of Christ.

NKJV

Colossians 16 which has come to you, as it has also

in all the world, and is bringing forth

fruit, as it is also among you since the

day you heard and knew the grace of

God in truth;

NKJV

Colossians 123 if indeed you continue in the faith,

grounded and steadfast, and are not

moved away from the hope of the

gospel which you heard, which was

preached to every creature under

heaven, of which I, Paul, became a

minister. NKJV

The Christian share of the U.S. population is

declining, while the number of U.S. adults who

do not identify with any organized religion is

growing, according to an extensive new survey

by the Pew Research Center….While the drop

in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced

among young adults, it is occurring among

Americans of all ages…

The Pew Research Center finds that the

percentage of adults (ages 18 and older) who

describe themselves as Christians has dropped

by nearly eight percentage points in just seven

years…Over the same period, the percentage

of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated –

describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or

“nothing in particular” – has jumped more than

six points…

The Pew Research Center

Colossians 17 as you also learned from Epaphras,

our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful

minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who

also declared to us your love in the

Spirit.

NKJV

Colossians 19 For this reason we also, since the day

we heard it, do not cease to pray for

you, and to ask that you may be filled

with the knowledge(epignosis) of His

will in all wisdom and spiritual

understanding; NKJV

We believe in prayer but we do not pray very

much. We subscribe to the idea of prayer but

when we announce a prayer meeting a

minimum number of people come. We believe

in prayer if an emergency lands into our lives.

Otherwise, we show little interest in prayer. We

are eloquent in prayer if it involves our family or

our person. If it involves someone else we are

quite casual about prayer.

Grant Richison

John 450 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and

departed. 51 While he was still on the way,

his servants met him with the news that his

boy was living.

NIV

Colossians 110 that you may walk worthy of the

Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in

every good work and increasing in the

knowledge of God;

NKJV

Ephesians 517 Therefore do not be unwise, but

understand what the will of the Lord is.

NKJV

Colossians 111 strengthened with all

might(dynamis), according to His

glorious power, for all patience and

longsuffering with joy;

NKJV

Colossians 112 giving thanks to the Father who has

qualified us to be partakers of the

inheritance of the saints in the light.

NKJV

Colossians 113 He has delivered us from the power

of darkness and conveyed us into the

kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in

whom we have redemption through His

blood, the forgiveness of sins.

NKJV

The church today desperately needs the

message of Colossians. We live in a day when

religious toleration is interpreted to mean “one

religion is just as good as another.” Some

people try to take the best from various

religious systems and manufacture their own

private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ

is only one of several great religious teachers,

with no more authority than they. He may be

prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent.

This is an age of “syncretism.” People are

trying to harmonize and unite many different

schools of thought and come up with a superior

religion. Our evangelical churches are in

danger of diluting the faith in their loving

attempt to understand the beliefs of others.

Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions,

asceticism, and man-made philosophies are

secretly creeping into churches.

They are not denying Christ, but they are

dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful

place of preeminence. As we study this exciting

letter, we must heed Paul’s warnings: “Lest any

man should beguile you” (Col. 2:4), “Lest any

man spoil you” (Col. 2:8), “Let no man therefore

judge you!” (Col. 2:16) Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p.

105). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.