The Nature of Neo-Gnosticism: Influence within the Church Today

The greatest enemy within the Church today is that of Gnosticism. The basic premise and belief of neo-Gnosticism is, "Spirit is good; flesh is evil."  For example: When it comes to Christ's resurrection is that most Gnostics within the professing church today believe that Jesus Christ resurrected "spiritually"; not that of such glorified physical bodily resurrection (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).  For Gnostics to deny the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is deny the true nature of the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  The appeal of Gnosticism is to compete with the teaching (e.g. the "divinity" of Christ), but seek to destroy the true faith and to ruin the moral lives of believers.

   Within this article I will begin to address (1) the nature of Gnosticism. (2) the worldview knowledge of Gnosticism. And (3) the anti-cosmic attitude of Gnostics within the professing church today.  In order to see the "ugliness" of Gnosticism for what it truly is and "how" it has greatly influenced that of the Church today is to look at it from its historical basis and theological analysis (1 John 4:1, 2-4).  The leadership of many evangelical churches and "liberal" mainline Protestant denominations are unaware the most powerful influence of neo-Gnosticism and its potent tool in destroying the faith of the Church as well in ruining the moral lives of believers (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).

    The nature of neo-Gnosticism is that of its own radical dualism. Dualism belief is that of its sharp contrast between Spirit/flesh.  When it comes to the Person of Jesus Christ is that most Gnostics believe that it is impossible for the Spirit Christ to indwell in the Man Jesus thus they deny the full deity/humanity of Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1, 2-3).  Jesus Christ is fully God-Man. Thus Jesus Christ is just as much God as Man; just as Man as God. For Gnostics to deny the incarnate Christ as to be revealed in human flesh (Jn. 1:14) is to clearly deny that of the sacrificial death of the Person of Jesus Christ. The most controversial of the African American Word of Faith televangelist, "Dr." Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International of College Park, Georgia contend that Jesus is not the Christ. He was only a Man who had to be "anointed" to do miracles. Jesus is not the Christ. For Gnostics like Dollar to deny the Jesus of the Bible to not be the Christ is the spirit of antichrist. There are many antichrist that are in the world today (1 Jn. 4:1, 2-3).  That of libertinism is associated with the system of Gnosticism: that of the "spirit" as to not be contaminated by the flesh. Most Gnostics are not law-abiding citizens despite the contrary. They are engage in all kinds of immorality and spiritual vice (Gal. 5:22-24).

    The worldview philosophy of neo-Gnosticism is that of its epistemology of knowledge and experience. The "knowledge" of mysticism is what is "revelatory" in nature as to transcend such sensory or Sense Rule knowledge ("intellect").  Most Gnostics will contend that it is also impossible to comprehend the Bible with one's own intellect, but it must be revealed within a person's [human] spirit that are beyond the senses.  Gnostics will have the Church to believe that, "The letter kills, but the spirit gives life."  There is such an anti-establishment, anti-creedal attitude within the church today.  The avenue of salvation taught by many Gnostics within the professing church today is to recognize the spark of "divinity" from within: that of the Christ Spirit or the God within you (Gen. 3:5). Salvation is through the Person of God's Son; not the "fleshly" knowledge of mysticism (Col. 2:18, 19). Along with the worldview knowledge of mysticism is that of the experience in and of itself. Experiential knowledge of mysticism takes precedence over what is the content of biblical truth (2 Tim. 4:3-4) which is susceptible to all kinds of doctrinal error.Whenever mystics are driven by what is experiential theology is steeped in deception and hallucination (1 Tim. 4:1).

    The anti-cosmic attitude of Gnostics within the professing church today is its denial of worldly amusement and activities (Col. 2:20-23).  Within many Faith circles it is taught we are "spirit" beings that live far above the earthly realm so as to conquer sin, sickness, disease, and death. Adam's sin and disobedience is the result of losing his "godhood" so as to be "infused" with the nature of Satan whereby man is subject to all kinds of illness and physical abnormalities. Despite of the pervasive theology of the Word-Faith doctrine that men are "spirit" beings, but the Fall of Man is the a result of Adam disobeying God's divine law (Gen. 2:16, 17).  Man is a sinner by nature whereby he is prone to sinning. Man will experience both spiritual and physical death (Rom. 6:23) by which we will all return unto the durst of the ground. The anti-cosmic attitude of many Gnostics is its hatred of the flesh as oppose to the "spirit" of man: that of safeguarding one's own [human] spirit from the contamination of the flesh. Even though we are "in the world and not of this world" does not guarantee that we are "free" from any illness or physical abnormality. 

    The Church today must be proactive and counterproductive against the intrusion of neo-Gnosticism or Gnostics within the professing church today. The goal of mystics within the professing church is to appear that they are in the interest of the Church today but whose ulterior motive is to destroy the faith of the Church and in ruining the moral lives of God's people (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).  Gnostics are like "spiritual" parasites that eat away at the superstructure of the foundation of true biblical Christianity and the historic Christian church through that of radical dualism (spirit/flesh),  revelatory ("spirit-reveal" theology), anti-cosmic attitude ("worldly" amusement) and libertinism ("spirit" beings). This is the chilling graphic description of neo-Gnosticism within the professing church today whereby it has greatly influenced that of the Church throughout this new millennium in the form of the Word of Faith movement, Coptic churches, and The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International based out of Atlanta, Georgia. 

    The Church must be arm with such spiritual discernment in an age of deception (Acts 17:11). The stakes are high whereby many of souls have been adversely affected by the "crisis" within Christianity: that of a "wrap" sense of Who God Is and the world around them as a result of the militarization of Gnostics within the professing church today.

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is founder and president of Darryl Miller International Ministries of Atlanta, Georgia  and travel extensively throughout the United States and continents. He is also the author of his bestselling book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From?: Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? As a apologist, senior researcher/editor, pastor, evangelist, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of metro Atlanta, Georgia with their puppy "Little" Baby.