Notable Gnostics

Living a Full Life - Message 4.5 - Notable Gnostics - 1 John 2:22-23

Gnostic Heresies attack the Person of Christ
a. Cerinthus – Jesus the man, overcome and empowered by the Spirit of Christ at his baptism, which departed before the crucifixion (Adoptionism – Unitarianism), claimed to be inspired by an angel
b. Carpocrates – Libertine Gnosticism, free the spirit from the body by indulgence in sin (Antinomianism, Hedonism) (Marquis de Sade, Lord Byron/Don Juan)
c. Arius – denied the Trinity, claimed Christ was created by God (Arianism, Jehovah’s Witnesses)
d. Marcion – The God of the Old Testament is not the same God of the New Testament, Jesus was only Spirit (phantom) that appeared to have a body but actually was not in any way material (Dualism – Word Faith)
e. Sabellius – one God, one person, different manifestations, single name baptism (Modalism, Oneness Pentacostalism)
f. The Jesus Movement – the “historical Jesus” vs the “Christ of faith”