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Point of Reference
by Fred Price
"…he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) So says Jesus concerning the Holy Spirit’s role of revelation in and through the Word. Yet the world continues to echo Pilate’s question, "What is truth?" John 18:38 Time magazine’s article, "The Lost Gospels"1, addresses this on-going search for truth in surprisingly balanced fashion, citing mankind’s desire for full disclosure and understanding while voicing dissatisfaction with that disclosure, seeking additional revelation to either support or supplant what they’ve learned.
The so-called gospels of Peter, Mary, Thomas and Truth, along with the Acts of John, the Homilies of Clement and the Origin of the World are mentioned as examples of non-canonical writings being explored today as alternative authorities or "lost Christianities." This is merely a resurgence of difficulties Paul and the early church dealt with; an attempt to re-package the Gospel of Christ to meet man’s expectations rather than attempting to measure up to His – a user-friendly gospel.
Author Marcus Borg bluntly says, "There’s a lot of interest in early Christian diversity because many people who have left the church – and some who are still in it – are looking for another way of being Christian."2This allows them to bypass what they perceive as some of their faiths theological restrictions, appealing to those searching for a mystical inner path to the divine; one where a relationship with God is not strictly aligned to formal worship. This in turn promotes a Christianity less concerned with foundational doctrines (Hebrews 6:1,2) such as the virgin birth and Christ’s divinity while embracing a tailor-made salvation based on personal experience.3
Author Bart Ehrman contributes to this examination of the more striking of Christian paths not taken.4Among them are: The Ebionites, who – much to Paul’s chagrin – insisted on full obedience to Jewish law; Jesus considered by them a Jewish Messiah yet not truly divine. (They reciprocated Paul’s intolerance of them by branding him the "enemy.") The Marcionites were exact opposites, refraining completely from any reference to or obedience of Jewish law, embodying good and evil in two separate entities; evil in the harsh Jewish God of the Old Testament, good in Christ and his message of salvation through love. The Gnostics too believed in inferior and superior spiritual beings, humans possessing a spark of divinity within themselves yet having lost the knowledge to exercise it. Re-attainment of this knowledge (Gnosis) would allow them to leave the delusional material world for a genuine spiritual existence. The Gospel of Thomas promoted self-knowledge, encouraging a realization of God through one’s own capacity for the divine; circumventing Christ’s claim of exclusive authority in John 14: 6,7. It’s amazing how little man has changed!
Those promoting these discredited variations of Christianity are guilty of what Frederica Mathewes - Green calls theological cherry-picking. "They take the parts they like and reject the rest,…"5 (Their search for and attempt to be ‘like God’ mirroring Adam and Eve’s – Genesis 3:4 – on their terms) Paul’s verdict of such behavior rings true yet today. "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools."; exchanging, "…the truth of God for a lie,…"; as they, "…claimed to know God, but by their actions deny him." Romans 1:22,25 and Titus 1:16 Some may very well be zealous for God, "…but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they (do) not know the righteousness that comes from God…", they seek to establish their own. Romans 10:2,3As such, Paul declared, "We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you." Colossians 2:25 (See also Titus 1:9-11)
His resolve was such because of the real danger exposed in the lives of those who practiced, "…a form of godliness but (denied) its power."; who were, "…always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." 2 Timothy 3:5,3:7 And he exhorts us to be prepared at all times to defend, correct, rebuke and encourage those who need it with careful instruction. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their won desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2Tim. 4:2-4,2 Timothy 2:15,16 (See also 1 Peter 3:15 and Isaiah 5:20)
What needs remembering is that the story of Christ was being converted from oral tradition to a written gospel within about 60 years of his life and death with the church’s identity being developed along with it. Luke assures us that he was one of several publishing eye-witness accounts of Jesus ministry and that his was carefully investigated and written in an orderly fashion. (Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-3) Paul, writing his first letter to an established church in Corinth around 55 A.D., recounts the essentials of the faith and lists a number of eyewitnesses, including a group numbering 500, most of whom were still living; thus able to corroborate or deny what was being written. (1 Corinthians 15:6) John’s stated purpose in writing his account was echoed by the other gospels, "…that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ… and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:30 (see also Romans 15:4)
Most alternative gospels ceased to exist by the late 300’s, there being imperial laws against the possession of heretical texts by this time; heresy being defined as opinions opposed to established views and doctrine. Questioning established tradition is not always a bad thing, rebellion against God’s word is; and even though some early church leaders were not above the politics of their day, God’s hand should not be discounted in the preservation and selection of the gospel message and its designation as canon. (Which is defined as the straight rod or rule of the church – by which all other divergent writings were compared and judged.) In essence, the many councils called, such as the ones at Nicea and Chalcedon, merely recognized the core Christian beliefs already accepted and practiced by the majority of believers.6
Self-seeking individuals who reject God’s truth will find only wrath. (Romans 2:8) For the gospel of the cross is the power of God for the salvation of man (Romans 1:16 and 1 Corinthians 1:18), and any spirit of prophecy that does not acknowledge the Christ of the cross is not of God. (1 John 4:3) Paul exhorts us to stay true to the pattern of sound teaching we have received through the gospel and subsequent pastoral writings (2 Timothy 1:13), while John cautions in his Revelation against adding or subtracting from his prophecy and, I believe, the scriptural message of our Bibles as a whole. (Revelation 22:18,19 – see also Proverbs 30: 5,6, and Deuteronomy 4:2) God’s desire is for all men to be saved through the knowledge of truth concerning his will for man expressed in his Son, granting us salvation through belief in that truth. (1Tim. 2:4,2 Thessalonians 2:13)
Footnotes:
1 The Lost Gospels, reporters Maggie Sieger and Chris Taylor, Time Magazine, Dec. 22,2003
2 The Heart of Christianity
3Elaine Pagels, author of The Gnostic Gospels
4Bart Ehrman, author of Lost Christianities: The Battle for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
5 Author of The Illumined Heart: The Ancient Christian Path to Transformation
6 See F.F. Bruce’s excellent book titled, The New Testament Documents – Are They Reliable?, Eerdman’s
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Fred Price - married (50 years), father of two grown children, grandfather of six.
Fred retired earlier this year after 42 years as a factory worker. He has always had a heart for young people and the challenges they face today. Over the years Fred has taught Discipleship Groups for High School and college students.
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