Gnosis -- The Only Source Of Genuine Truth And Knowledge
In most instances, those who portray themselves as Gnostics, are NOT!!! -- and those who judge Gnostics and condemn Gnosis, are in fact clueless as to the meaning of the word s they reject. Why? Because most people who portray themselves as Gnostics, confuse the actual Knowledge with the process of acquiring Sacred Knowledge which is the substance of the Greek word Gnosis. Quoting from The Divine Manna - The Gospels - The foundation of the New Covenant http://BrotherOfJesus.org#NewCovenant . With respect to the meaning of the term Divine Manna (Gnosis), it is not the knowledge and wisdom of man -- it cannot be read in a book -- it cannot be taught in a school -- it cannot be taught by another person -- and can be best portrayed as the Sacred Knowledge that can only be received directly from God -- i.e., the Logos (Mind of God (aka Son of God) that dwells at the core essence of our Being. What is often portrayed as esoteric teachings, is not the Divine Manna. The esoteric teachings of man are designed to lead the seeker along the path of TheWay -- and as they evolve through the process of travailing in TheWay, the process that develops the mind begins to enable the seeker to begin to receive the Divine Manna -- which can only be imparted to the mind of the seeker in accord with that person's ability to receive it. In the parable of the Sower and the Seed (see http://SowerAndTheSeed.Ebionite.com ), the seeker must become the "good ground" to begin to receive the Divine Manna or Sacred Knowledge of the Kingdom.
In the words of the second century Bishop Valentinus: "Gnosis was distinct from the secret teachings they only revealed to initiates once they had reached a certain level of progression. Rather, these teachings were paths to obtain gnosis". What this means is that the body of esoteric teachings are not the Divine Manna of the Kingdom which in the Greek language would be translated Gnosis -- but rather, the esoteric knowledge is the invitation to the seeker on how to receive the Food From Heaven -- i.e., the Body and Blood of Christ. Therefore, in order to acquire Gnosis, the seeker must intimately embrace the Gospel Teachings as the Key of Knowledge (see The Application Of The Key Of Knowledge http://KeyOfKnowledge.org#ApplicationOfTheKeyOfKnowledge ) -- put on the required "wedding garment" (see TheCall To The Wedding Banquette http://TheCall.Nazirene.org ) -- protect and maintain its purity -- and connect with the Logos within them as The One Teacher http://BrotherOfJesus.org#TheOneTeacher -- and as Spiritual Virgins with their Lamps filled with the Oil of Purity, enter into a Coverture-Union with the Son of God (see Coverture-Marriage - Was Jesus God? http://BrotherOfJesus.org#CovertureMarriage ). In the Homilies of Clement, the Apostle Peter conveys to the believer that it is a sin to seek out any other teacher than the True Prophet/Logos/Son of God within them -- as seen in the words: "But the ways in which this garment may be spotted are these: If any one withdraw from God the Father and Creator of all, receiving another teacher besides Christ". And this is why Peter is quoted in the Homilies as warning that "...therefore great care is to be taken, that when the law of God is read, it be not read according to the understanding of our own mind. For there are many sayings in the divine Scriptures which can be drawn to that sense which every one has preconceived for himself; and this ought not to be done. For you ought not to seek a foreign and extraneous sense, which you have brought from without". If we ask the question: What is being said to the believer who desires to be faithful to the Gospel Teachings? In the same way that the believer is commanded to seek out the One Teacher, and the commandment that "when the law of God (scriptures) is read, it be not read according to the understanding of our own mind" -- it is being stated that there is only One Source of Truth -- and that the wisdom and teachings of man will misguide the seeker. By design, human linear-carnal reasoning is incapable of understanding the true spiritual meaning of the scriptures -- i.e., "...therefore great care is to be taken, that when the law of God is read, it be not read according to the understanding of our own mind." And neither should you listen to other men's gravely flawed interpretations of the scriptures -- i.e., "...For you ought not to seek a foreign and extraneous sense, which you have brought from without". What is a foreign and extraneous sense [of the scriptures], which you have brought from without" It is the interpretation of the scriptures in accord with the literal or historical understanding of teachers, self-proclaimed prophets, Bible interpretations or the wisdom of any other authority of this world. Jesus taught that there is only one Source of Truth, and the disciple/seeker must learn directly from that One Teacher -- i.e, "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45). This can only be accomplished by becoming the "good ground" in the parable of the Sower And The Seed (see http://SowerAndTheSeed.Ebionite.com ). And thus, these words which are representative of the New Covenant and the core Gospel teachings, are inconceivable to the modern faith-based believer who is divided and disenfranchised from the very essence and objectives of the Gospel teachings -- overwhelmed and anchored to a carnal mindset that is of the "outer darkness" -- spiritually disenfranchised by innumerable manmade opinions, factions and sects which totally alienate the believer from the Truth and the Kingdom.
As the prodigal sons/daughters, the purpose of the Gospel teachings is the instructions on the process of how each believer can bring this inner connection and Spiritual Union about -- and fulfill the statement "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me" (John 6:45). Gnosis is not the body of esoteric teachings on how to connect with the indwelling Logos -- but rather, that body of Sacred Knowledge that the Logos can only impart to those who have prepared their Mind to receive the Divine Manna or Gnosis directly from the Logos/Son of God. In the case of the man Jesus, he succeeded in entering into a Coverture-Union with the Indwelling Logos/Son of God -- as stated by Edward Gibbon: Jesus was in “...supernatural union of a man and God... In their eyes, Jesus of Nazareth was a mere mortal, the legitimate son of Joseph and Mary: but he was the best and wisest of the human race, selected as the worthy instrument to restore upon earth the worship of the true and supreme Deity. When he was baptized in the Jordan, the Christ, the first of the aeons, the Son of God himself, descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, to inhabit his mind, and direct his actions during the allotted period of his ministry” (Gibbon; The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire, V.4, P.366). Therefore, neither the Divine Manna or Gnosis is the esoteric body of knowledge that is taught to initiates on how to begin to acquire Spiritual Knowledge -- but the actual Divine Manna that cannot be imparted to those who have not yet transformed their mind to receive the Sacred Knowledge directly from God. The process of acquiring the Sacred Knowledge is to become the "good ground" in the parable of the Sower And The Seed http://SowerAndTheSeed.Ebionite.com -- which means that every Sincere Christian should be receiving the Divine Manna or Sacred Knowledge of the Kingdom (see Receiving The Spiritual Eucharist - Who Can Receive It http://Sacraments.Nazirene.org#ReceivingEucharist ).