Have you ever encountered anyone who claimed they had a corner on God’s truth? Or maybe someone who believes it doesn’t matter what they do with their body because only spiritual things are important. Would you be able to recognize these ideas as contradicting scripture?

When the writer of 1 John warns his readers that “many false prophets have gone out into the world” (4:1), he is specifically speaking of the gnostics (from the Greek “to know”) who believed they were “the few, the proud, and the knowledgeable.”¹

Gnostics thought they were the intellectual elite.

They believed they possessed special knowledge and were saved by ascending to an intellectual plateau that few could reach. This is why John uses the word “know” 29 times in this short book. He explains that we can truly know God and know that we know him (2:3). Beware of any who claim to possess special knowledge known only to them. For God’s spirit has given us all the ability to know the Truth—Jesus himself (2:20; 4:13; 5:13; 5:20).

Gnostics believed in dualism.

According to their belief, there were two gods, one that was good and one that was evil. The evil one was the creator god, which led them to consider anything related to the physical or bodily realm as bad. Only the spirit was good, in their opinion. This meant that they had trouble with the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. And if only the spirit was good, the deeds of the body did not matter. Therefore, they believed they could not sin and certainly did not need a savior.

But John clearly states in his opening words that Jesus, while being fully God, had a physical body (1:1; 4:2). Everything God created is good. Enjoying the senses of our body brings pleasure and awe and delight. Watch out for those who say that anything related to our physical body is evil. John also pointed out that it was a lie to say we have no sin (1:8).

Gnostics emphasized the individual over the institution.

John addresses the fact that they are not part of the church and invites them into fellowship (1:3). We are a community (1:7) of believers who need each other (3:17). Be careful when you hear that only your faith matters.

Gnostics were anti-Jewish so disregarded the Old Testament.

Remember that while the new covenant that Jesus brought did away with the laws in the Old Testament (2:1–2), we still need it in order to see the movement of God from creation to Christ (2:7-8). 

Gnostics preferred the imminence of God over his transcendence.

John reminds us that God intimately loves us as his children (3:1) and is also eternal (5:20) and greater than the evil one (4:4). Notice whenever you hear teaching that camps out on the extremes of God’s character rather than holding the tensions between God’s closeness and his grandeur.

Understanding Gnosticism helps us make sense of John’s writing and shines a light on why he emphasizes what he does. Knowing his target audience allows us to more accurately interpret his words. Secondly, gnosticism still exists in various forms. You may be surprised what the hashtag reveals.

Can you detect this same false teaching today?

Study the scriptures to know what it teaches so that when you encounter something false, you will recognize it. Do as nurses do. When they learn how to recognize an infected ear, they look at lots of healthy ones, not sick ones. This way they are able to spot an infected one quickly and easily. Don’t rely on what others have said or what you were taught as a child. Study anew for yourself.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, please keep renewing my mind so that I might discern what is contrary to your word. Give me humility as I study because I might be wrong and I desire to continue to learn. Help me contend for the faith in matters of importance and let go of my grip on things that are not. Show me where I may be letting Gnostic thinking infiltrate my world.

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1. https://www.petebriscoe.org/message/just-one-thing/ ↩︎