No study of mysticism can be complete without a mention of Gnosticism. Gnosticism is the mother of modern, so called, Mystery Schools or Mystery Religions . While all of them may not be direct descendants, they are at least stepchildren, receiving nourishment from the many philosophies spun-off from Gnosticism.First century Christians understood that the life of the church depended upon the existence of apostles. [1] This dependence is due to the keys that the apostles held. [2] Among the keys, that if lost, would signal the end of the church, were the keys to the mysteries or ordinances. Even a modern day bishop, who has some keys, can only rightly exercise those keys under the eventual direction of an apostle (an apostle holds all the keys).
Before leaving the first century church, Jesus gave Peter the authority to bind the mysteries or ordinances on earth, which shall be binding in heaven:
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)
When the Prophet Joseph was given those same keys in this dispensation, the associated instructions tied the keys to the mysteries:
“And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed , even things which were from the foundation of the world” (D&C 35:18)
When the apostasy of the original church began, and there were no longer apostle available, there was no one to correct the doctrines of men, and administer the mysteries.
The mysteries are the center of the church. The true church is built upon the mysteries. When the first original church fell:
“… a horde of deceivers ‘who up until then had been lurking in dark corners,’ as soon as they saw that there were no more apostles left to call them to account, came boldly forth, each claiming that he alone had the gnosis which the Lord had secretly imparted to the apostles after the resurrection.” [3]
The reason for this claim of the gnosis, hidden knowledge, or ordinances; is because the authorized (keys) holder of the true gnosis is the prophet of God on earth, and the leader of God’s church. [4]
The false prophets lured membership by a claim that they had the gnosis. To convince onlookers a whole arsenal of tricks were employed. They put on airs with pomp and circumstance, wearing robes, fancy hats, ringing the bells, making smoke, and burning incense. All of which were hollow gestures because they had no authority and only a corrupted version of ordinances.
These would be usurpers divided into groups, and come down to us today as the Mystery Schools .
Since the beginning of the apostasy, even until today they have fed off of each other by integrating each other’s claims into their own philosophy. They have become a hybrid of hidden and occult practice, a great “esoteric sponge.”
Gnostics, Rosicrucians, Theosophist and others initiate their members into what fragments of the gnosis they can find, mingled with the philosophies of men, and the doctrines of devils.
The watered down versions of these Gnostic views are the modern esoteric and New Age movements.
The well-grounded, mature saint can study Gnosticism and find truth, and all truth is beneficial. But, a steady diet of Gnosticism, without a daily good portion of a gospel meal, tends to sicken the soul.
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[1] Ephesians 2:20
[2] Matthew 16:19, Revelation 1:18, Doctrine and Covenants 13:1, 27:6, 9, 12, 13, 42:69, 65:2, 81:2, 90:2 and so on.
[3] Hugh Nibley, Todd M. Compton, Stephen D. Ricks, Mormonism and Early Christianity, Deseret Book, Chapter 5.
[4] Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. Each one holds all the keys necessary to maintain the church on earth. If there is more than one apostle on earth, the senior (by setting apart date) is the leader of the church.
13 comments:
hmm..ordinances are associated with mysteries and symbols, fascinating. What is an example of the basics of a 'gospel meal' that we need to balance with mysteries?I've been having fun cruising your links here.
Gnosticism (Greek: γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge) refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect spirit, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God." WIKI"
The subsequent identification of the Fall of Man as an occurrence with its ultimate foundations within divinity itself, rather than as occurring either entirely or indeed partially through human agency; this stage in the divine emanation is usually enacted through the recurrent Gnostic figure of Sophia (Greek 'Wisdom'), whose presence in a wide variety of Gnostic texts is indicative of her central importance;
Gnostic Witch Bible - A collection of Luciferan Gnostic material and Luciferan Witchcraft material. A comparison is made between Lucifer and the Gnostic Sophia as well as a comparison to Christ. Sources such as excerpts from the Nag Hammadi are included.
We lay claim to the lineage of the Universal Gnostic Tradition and are
descendants of the Dracosanguis succession of the Dracozonei. In addition, we hold
consecratory authority by way of the Neopythagorean Gnostic Church, the
Western Esoteric Tradition, and the mysteries of the Order of Melchizedek.
http://www.solarphallic-cult.org/
Luciferianism is the product of religious engineering, which sociologist William Sims Bainbridge defines as "the conscious, systematic, skilled creation of a new religion" ("New Religions, Science, and Secularization," no pagination). In actuality, this is a tradition that even precedes Bainbridge. It has been the practice of Freemasonry for years. It was also the practice of Masonry's religious and philosophical progenitors, the ancient pagan Mystery cults. The inner doctrines of the Mesopotamian secret societies provided the theological foundations for the Christian and Judaic heresies, Kabbalism and Gnosticism. All modern Luciferian philosophy finds "scientific" legitimacy in the Gnostic myth of Darwinism. As evolutionary thought was popularized, variants of Luciferianism were popularized along with it (particularly in the form of secular humanism, which shall be examined shortly). A historical corollary of this popularization has been the rise of several cults and mass movements, exemplified by the various mystical sects and gurus of the sixties counterculture. The metastasis of Luciferian thinking continues to this very day.
http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/Commentary/
Luciferianism.htm
A Doctrine that Mormonism borrows from the Masons.The Idea of the Fall being a Leap of Faith and a Good and Godly thing before the Lord, the Sin.Disobedience to the Lord and to obey Lucifer is looked upon as Great. In the Mormon view the Fall is more like the First Step Up toward Exhaltation.
4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
The "Fall" came as a result of obeying the Serpent("lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice"). and as a Result of not obeying God and then in contradiction to the whole seen Eve speaks of "the Obedient"
10 And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;
11 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
In Praise of Obeying the Serpent Adam says "because of my transgression my eyes are opened" and Eve says "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil,
Eve desires Wisdom and Finds the Fruit Pleasant and Good.
The real question is did Adam and Eve really feel repentant and a have desire for forgiveness for such a praise Worthy and Nobel deed in following the Serpent.
This is Gnostic/Masonic doctrine and this "View" of the Fall is a Gnostic view and not Christian.
A note on how the Masons view the calander and Time.The Mason Date time with the following
A.L.6007 Anis Lucis (Lucifer/Light) or the year of light and Wisdom A.L. 6007 or in our time 2007 from the Light of Christ as the Mason date to the Time of Lucifer Light and the "fall"
A Doctrine that Mormonism borrows from the Masons.The Idea of the Fall being a Leap of Faith and a Good and Godly thing before the Lord, the Sin.Disobedience to the Lord and to obey Lucifer is looked upon as Great. In the Mormon view the Fall is more like the First Step Up toward Exhaltation.
4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
The "Fall" came as a result of obeying the Serpent("lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice"). and as a Result of not obeying God and then in contradiction to the whole seen Eve speaks of "the Obedient"
10 And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;
11 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
In Praise of Obeying the Serpent Adam says "because of my transgression my eyes are opened" and Eve says "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil,
Eve desires Wisdom and Finds the Fruit Pleasant and Good.
The real question is did Adam and Eve really feel repentant and a have desire for forgiveness for such a praise Worthy and Nobel deed in following the Serpent.
This is Gnostic/Masonic doctrine and this "View" of the Fall is a Gnostic view and not Christian.
A note on how the Masons view the calander and Time.The Mason Date time with the following
A.L.6007 Anis Lucis (Lucifer/Light) or the year of light and Wisdom A.L. 6007 or in our time 2007 from the Light of Christ as the Mason date to the Time of Lucifer Light and the "fall"
I Did not mean to double post.
I found an interesting Article on the Mormon View of the "FALL" and you must admit that the Mormon View is More Gnostic than Christian , But you might like that
http://www.angelfire.com/ms/seanie/
mormon/originalsin2.html
1Objection #1:"The Fall was not a sin because God planned it”
Objection #2: " It was not a sin ; it was a transgression”
Objection #3: "It was not a sin because it was not a command”
For some gnostics and early Christian sects, the serpent of Genesis was viewed not as the villiain of the book, but as the hero. It was he, after all, who brought divine wisdom to man. The god in Genesis had told Adam not to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, for if he did he “would surely die.” But Adam and Eve did eat the fruit, and they didn’t die. In other words, God was wrong and the serpent was right. The serpent told the truth, and God had lied. Certain Gnostics and Christians thought that this was surely the intended subtext of Genesis. Evidence that they may have been correct can be seen in what amounts to an Aramaic pun. In this now-dead language, used at the time of Christ, the words for “serpent” and “to instruct” are nearly identical. The serpent had instructed Eve to eat of the Tree of Life, and in following his advice, she gained wisdom. Viewed in this light, how could the serpent not be seen as the hero of Genesis?
"The well-grounded, mature saint can study Gnosticism and find truth,
and all truth is beneficial "???????
I Think Not !!!!
Molly:
Please let me clarify what I mean.
I contend (see my earlier posts) that the mysteries, at least in scripture, are the ordinances. That Gnosticism is the corrupted remains of earlier gospel periods.
What needs to be balanced by a good gospel meal is Gnosticism, not the true Mysteries, or ordinances of the church.
-David
Anon:
The problem here is that you don't understand Mormon doctrine. Above you repeatedly misrepresent LDS views, then you make a false connection to Gnosticism or Masonry.
-David
In "LIGHT" of the above written about Gnostics and Gnosticism, The Mormon view of the "FALL" is a Leap forward in exaltation, and in no way a fall.
This Gnostic view is against the Whole and Holy Nature of God and is in contradiction to Truth,
I Make mention that Mormonism borrows this "Fallen View" from the Masons and Gnostics it seems fitting to the place and time of early Mormonism and the leadership of the church being Masons.
Masonry and Mormonism is more Gnostic than Christian on the view of the Fall.
Do you agree ???
Its just good ole Gnosticism,
No such thing all of those Ideas
(SOPHIA, PHILO-SOPHIA, LILITH,PHILOSOPHY,
LIGHT-BEAR) all have their roots going back to the Garden story and making the Decision to Love and Trust in God (faith) OR those who would of their own choice "become like God KNOWING (Gnosis) and Evil,
Knowing and Gnosis is a "More" intimate knowledge of as in "Adam knew his Wife"
The Gnostics are Plain in sight in the scriptures
although their acts, words and deeds are
secret, and the Gnosis can only be imparted thru a secret society or Rite,
This Group of Gnostics tried with the work of their own hands tried to enter or work their way to Heaven and Built a Tower (Masons)
"Happy Climbing"
God was not Happy and destroyed the Work of their Hands.
Gnostic then try to make Claim that Jesus Christ imparted Secret Gnosis in Secret and with out the Secret" No salvation"
And That Gnotion is not true
It is a Rather Interesting Picture in your Gnostic Heading.
If you Notice you see the Sun,Moon,and Stars
You see the Lions (King Symbol) Head Crowned with the Sun , However this "Lying Lion" has the Heart and Body of the Serpent. and is encompassed in an oval Egg
as to bring about or to Hatch.
And this Serpent is the Same serpent that Promised Gnosis and the Path of "Wisdom" that you may be "Wise" as the Gods
The whole Battle for souls is played out in the Garden story. at the Tower of Babel .
Paul the apostle took issue with the Greeks and Sophia (Lilith Lucifer Wisdom Secret Gnosis)
And Jesus Was crucified by the 'Learned" of his Day.
These would be usurpers divided into groups, and come down to us today as the Mystery Schools .
Since the beginning of the apostasy, even until today they have fed off of each other by integrating each other’s claims into their own philosophy. They have become a hybrid of hidden and occult practice, a great “esoteric sponge.”
Gnostics, Rosicrucians, Theosophist and others initiate their members into what fragments of the gnosis they can find, mingled with the philosophies of men, and the doctrines of devils.
The watered down versions of these Gnostic views are the modern esoteric and New Age movements.
DID ANY OF THE "MYSTERY SCHOOL" DOCTRINE seep into MORMON DOCTRINE? sometimes tradition is seen as the truth, but is not. If so what? Why? When? and now what What?
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