WRITING FOR JESUS
My initial reason for writing for Jesus: The inspired scriptures of God in traditional Bibles says, believing in Jesus Christ crucified is the only the only way to God the Father and eternal life (2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 14:6; John 3:16). The Bible states this as God’s only gospel truth of the way of salvation from sin (Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 1:18,21). But in talking to my “niece” Tina she said, she did not believe Jesus is the only way. She spoke of angels and another way. My conversation with her sparked my interest in writing to share more of what I knew about the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ crucified being the only way to God (1 Peter 3:15). I was very concerned about my “niece” being saved and living eternally with the Lord (John 3:16-18).
However, I understood that in conversing and writing, God allows each person to choose what they believe. And ultimately only the Holy Spirt can convince a person of the truth concerning Jesus Christ. (John 16:7-15). But the Bible asks, how can a person believe what they have not heard or do not know (Romans 10:14). Jesus said the Holy Spirit will use what the Lord taught his apostles, to teach others about the Lord (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 2:20). Apostles essentially agreed about what they learned from and taught about Jesus, in the four gospels of tradition Bibles. In lovingly attempting to teach others, I am convinced believers should patiently teach what is in the gospels of traditional Bibles.
EXTRA-BIBLICAL “GOSPELS” OF JESUS
In an extended conversation with Tina, she asked, “What do you know about gnosis?” She mentioned gnostic writings — The Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Mary, which are said to be private meetings with Jesus. And from which things are reported that Jesus said, that are not in agreement with what other apostles have reported. The Scripture say, “every matter must be established by two or three witnesses” (2 Corinthians 13:1; Deuteronomy 19:15). From my study of traditional Christian Bibles, I knew these gnostic “Gospels” were not included in orthodox Christian scriptures, where several apostle basically agree on what Jesus said and did. Tina said what she knew about gnosis came mostly from her gut feelings.
It she was evident that Tina was unversed in traditional scriptures, and in knowledge of gnosis. I decided to study more about gnosis, as I prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to show how its teaching compared to those of traditional Bibles. This might shed some light on the question of Jesus Christ being the only way to God, for Tina and perhaps for others like her.
BASIC BIBLE GOSPEL SHARED THROUGH A LETTER
My Dear Beloved Tina,
This letter comes as a follow-up to a conversation we had about Gnosis and Bible teachings. You asked me if I knew anything about Gnosis. You said personally you knew very little about it; and that most of what you knew came from your gut feelings about it.
However, I know very well that the Bible says: It is appointed unto us once to die, and after death the judgment (Hebrews 9:17). It also says, all have sinned, and if we die in our sins where Jesus is we cannot come (Romans 3:23; John 8:21-24).
Yet the biblical scriptures tell us that God the Father loved us so much that He provided the atoning death of his Son Jesus Christ as the only way of forgiveness for our sins (John 3:16; John 14:6; Acts 4:12)…
Knowing what the Bible says, I decided to study more, and share what I learn about Gnosis in comparison with the Holy Bible. At this time, I write especially with you in mind — who is near and dear to me. As you pray and read what results from my praying and studying about Gnosis and the Bible, please consider it above all, a work of love and concern.
Love, Steve
(I hope the Holy Spirit will cause this letter written to my “niece” Tina to be shared with others who are beloved by the Lord and who would benefit from it.)
THE BIBLE REVEALS THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST IN GNOSIS-GOSPELS
Teachers of gnosis were recognized by Jesus’ disciples and Early Church Fathers as being of the spirit of antichrist. In the Bible, Jesus’ disciple John said, anyone who denies in their teaching that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and died for the sins of the world as God’s only way of salvation is a deceiver of the “spirit of antichrist.” (1 John 4:1-3; John 3:16; John 14:6). Early Churches Fathers said teachers of gnosis did what John said anyone of the antichrist spirit would do.
The apostle Paul said let anyone, even an angel, “be accursed” who teaches any other gospel than what Jesus’ disciples agreed upon and taught concerning Jesus Christ being crucified for the sins of the world (Galatians 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:2; John 3:16). The written gospels of Jesus Christ in traditional Bibles are evidences of what disciples agreed upon as eyewitnesses of and testified to concerning Jesus Christ crucified.
However, the Bible warns us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against …the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). To fight such powerful forces, the Bible lead us to understand we need to rely on God, who is “far above all” (Ephesians 1:19-21). We need to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, pray to the Father, and follow the Holy Spirit as he guides and helps us in understanding and applying the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Tim. 2:15).
Today, in studying traditional biblical scriptures, the deceptive antichrist spirit may be seen working in various forms of gnosis and under new names. (For more about the Bible relating to the workings of the antichrist spirit see my article: ANTICHRIST SPIRITUAL WARFARE)
