>>2664849

>Most people here think Gnostics are Satanic.

Maybe because they are.

https://www.gotquestions.org/gnostic-definition.html

Question: "What is the definition of the term Gnostic?"

Answer: The definition of the word Gnostic is about as easy to nail down as a flopping fish. It is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “to know.” In the case of Gnosticism, what is “known” has shifted over the thousands of years since Gnosticism first reared its head during the formation and solidification of the early church.

Basically, the Gnostic believes in acquiring special, mystical knowledge as the means for salvation. According to Gnostic beliefs, there is a Great God that is good and perfect, but impersonal and unknowable. The creator of the universe was actually a lesser deity—a cheap knock-off of the “true God”—who wanted to create a flawless material universe but botched the job. Instead of having a utopia, we ended up with a world infected with pain, misery, and intellectual and spiritual blindness; all matter is now corrupt and evil. However, when this lesser deity created man, he accidentally imbued humanity with a spark of the “true” God’s spirit, making man an inherently good soul trapped in the confines of an evil, material body.

Contrary to a message of salvation through Christ alone (Acts 4:12), the Gnostic Jesus brings a message of self-redemption. Man only needs to examine his inner “spark” to find the knowledge needed to free himself from his material body and reach God. This alleged purity of heart is the exact opposite of what is stated in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Today, Gnosticism has evolved and branched out from the exclusively spiritual into the secular and scientific. Psychologist C. G. Jung praised Gnosticism as superior to traditional Christianity as a way of thinking. Another form of Gnosticism denies the existence of God altogether, while embracing an eternal—but still flawed—universe. This atheistic form of Gnosticism doesn’t see the material world as totally evil, but as flawed and incomplete. Mankind becomes the “deity,” and it is his right to improve the human body and the world around him through his own wisdom.

Christianity and Gnosticism are mutually exclusive; however, it is easy for a Gnostic mindset to seep into our own thinking if we’re not careful (1 Peter 5:8). The Gnostic is pursuing goodness, but, instead of seeking to be regenerated by Christ, he grabs hold of a man-centered purpose for living. Gnostic thought makes man “wise in [his] own eyes” (Isaiah 5:21), something Proverbs 3:7 pointedly advises against: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

Gnostic thinking claims that deeper truth can be found apart from God. But Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Instead of searching our corrupt, flawed “inner selves” for answers, we should instead test everything against the revealed Word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:21). In the end, it is God’s truth alone that can be trusted.

>>2665041

>Is animal sacrifice Satanic?

>

>Is keeping slaves Satanic?

>

>All these things appear in the Old Testament. Is the Old Testament Satanic?

No.

https://www.gotquestions.org/circumcision.html

Question: "What does the Bible say about circumcision? What is the Christian view of circumcision?"

Answer: Circumcision is the surgical removal of the prepuce, or foreskin, of a male. The word circumcise literally means “to cut around.” As a religious rite, circumcision was required of all of Abraham’s descendants as a sign of the covenant God made with him (Genesis 17:9–14; Acts 7:8). The Mosaic Law repeated the requirement (Leviticus 12:2–3), and Jews throughout the centuries have continued to practice circumcision (Joshua 5:2–3; Luke 1:59; Acts 16:3; Philippians 3:5). There are different issues involved in the question of whether or not males today should be circumcised. One issue is that of religious teaching: what does the Bible, God’s Word, say? Another issue is, as a matter of health, should males be circumcised? The Christian view of circumcision is probably best described as a combination of the two.

Concerning the first issue, New Testament Christians are no longer under the Old Testament Law, and circumcision is no longer required. This is brought out in a number of New Testament passages, among which are Acts 15; Galatians 2:1–3; 5:1–11; 6:11–16; 1 Corinthians 7:17–20; Colossians 2:8–12; and Philippians 3:1–3. As these passages proclaim, being delivered from our sins is the result of faith in Christ; it is Christ’s finished work on the cross that saves, not the observance of an external rite. Even the Law acknowledged that circumcision alone was insufficient to please God, who specified the need to “circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16; cf. Romans 2:29). In salvation, the works of the flesh accomplish nothing (see Galatians 2:16).

In Acts 16:3, Paul had a missionary helper, Timothy, circumcised. Timothy was half-Jewish, and Paul circumcised him so that he would not be a hindrance as they sought to reach out to unsaved Jews. Although the Bible did not require Timothy to be circumcised, it was something he did willingly for the sake of reaching the Jews. However, as Paul states unequivocally in Galatians, circumcision does not aid either salvation or sanctification in Christ. Of course, the incident with Timothy does not directly apply today because Christians need not be circumcised in order to reach unbelievers, whether Jews or Gentiles. Once again, the principle of the circumcision of the heart is at the heart of the matter.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html

The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1), but does not outlaw slavery altogether. Many see this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery. What many fail to understand is that slavery in biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was based more on economics; it was a matter of social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their families. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their masters.

>>2665099

The Bible in its original languages is the accurate version. There is always the potential for loss of info when a manuscript is translated. When I look for a reliable translation I want to know who were the translators. Believe it or not, some translators of the Bible are anti-Christian and bring their own bias to their work. But publishers don't care because there's a lot of money to be made from new "translations" and paraphrases of the Bible. It's still a best-seller.

As to what constitutes true Christianity, I can only repeat what the Bible says: "by their works ye shall know them." When a person claiming to be Christian has received the Holy Spirit, then his actions will begin to demonstrate that fact. He will begin to show the love and grace of Jesus, and all the other gifts that the Holy Spirit brings to the true believer. Then, as we mature spiritually, true Christians will find that their faith is strengthened by trials and temptations. The false convert will rapidly fall away when he meets trials. You see, true Christianity involves a supernatural, spiritual rebirth that comes from God. Read the bio of Charles Wesley, for instance. He supposed he had been a Christian for many years; even studied theology and became a Minister. But he was never truly regenerated spiritually until that day when he said: my heart was strangely warmed…" He wrote the hymn, "And can it be.." and, in the fourth verse, describes that experience.

1. Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

fast bound in sin and nature's night;

thine eye diffused a quickening ray;

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

my chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

Only the Spirit of God knows the Spirit of God and thus is capable of accurately imparting knowledge of God.

Denominations are meaningless - they mostly arose from a desire to correct false teaching that had crept into the church, and lasted for a while until they, too, became corrupted through false teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing. But always it is the Spirit of God that leads into all truth. Anything that has its origin in man is corrupt.

>>2665280

>It's a mentality that someone else will save you,

Incorrect.

It's a realisation that there is a perfect and just Judge who created the world and all that is in it, including humankind, and that we have not lived up to the perfect standard our Creator has set for us and are thus eternally separated from Him because imperfection cannot exist in the presence of perfection. Which leaves humankind in a quandary; forever to be cut off from the Creator or…..

That's where Jesus comes in. He is able to save us because He is perfect and can fully represent God and man and Himself bear the punishment we deserve. God cannot be just unless he judges and punishes evil.

There are only two types of man from which we all proceed. Adam, from whom all of humanity issues, and Jesus, the second Adam, from whom all spiritually reborn men proceed.

So, it's not that we have the mentality that someone else will save us, as you suggest, but rather that it needs a perfect man to save us from God's rightful judgement of imperfection/sin. And since we are all OF Adam, and born in sin, and lack perfection, we cannot save ourselves. Therefore we necessarily must look to another to save us - a mediator who fully represents God and fully represents man.

>>2665374

>it's always somebody else, it's never you.

>

>bible-fags.

Not so.

1 Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer;

Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer.

Refrain:

It's me, it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer;

It's me, it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer.

2 Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer;

Not the preacher, not the deacon, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

3 Not my father, not my mother, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer;

Not my father, not my mother, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

4 Not the stranger, not my neighbor, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer;

Not the stranger, not my neighbor, but it's me, O Lord,

Standin' in the need of prayer. [Refrain]

>>2665399

>Off to church today for me!

I'm in the UK so am just back from church. Greetings, brother in Jesus. It's a strange mission field we find ourselves on, is it not? I never, ever imagined I might end up on a place like this where one has to duck all manner of gore and porn and such. I've become expert in the use of the filter option! There are images that I really do not want to remain imprinted on my mind.