Becoming Christians according to the Gospel of Philip

How to become a Christian according to the Gospel of Philip

How does a person become a Christian according to the Gospel of Philip? We well answer this question below but first we will look at the meaning of the name Christian 

The Name “Christian”

The word christian is used three times in the New Testament (Ac 11:26, Acts 26:28; 1Peter 4:16) It was first Antioch in Syrian that Christ’s followers became known as Christians. 

5546. Χριστιανός Christianos [khris-tee-an-os’]; from 5547; a Christian, i.e. the exponents of Christ: —  Christian.

— Gr. christianous: "Christ-like; Christ-ones." the Bible shows that it was a God-given name; they "were divinely called first in Antioch Christians" (Young’s) it confirmed their identity (Acts 26:28; 1Peter 4:16).

In the Greek Septuagint, christos was used to translate the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Mašíaḥ, messiah), meaning "[one who is] anointed.

Acts 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (KJV)

The word rendered "called" is chrematisai, defined by Strong as "to utter an oracle, i.e., divinely intimate; by impl. to constitute a firm for business; (gen.) to bear as a title." The word is rendered "warned from God" in ch. 10:22. 

The NWT and Young’s Literal Translation specify that God was involed with the court megerstes using  the name “Christian”

Acts 11:26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians. (Young’s Literal Translation)

Acts 11:26 and, after he found him, he brought him to Antioch. It thus came about that for a whole year they gathered together with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians. (NWT)

From this we can see that the name christian was divinely appointed

The earliest occurrences of the term in non-Christian literature include Josephus, referring to "the tribe of Christians, so named from him;" ( Josephus. "Antiquities of the Jews — XVIII, 3:3".)

Pliny the Younger in correspondence with Trajan; and Tacitus, writing near the end of the 1st century. In the Annals he relates that "by vulgar appellation [they were] commonly called Christians" (Tacitus, Cornelius; Murphy, Arthur (1836). The works of Cornelius Tacitus: with an essay on his life and genius, notes, supplements, &c. Thomas Wardle. p. 287.) and identifies Christians as Nero's scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome. ( Bruce, Frederick Fyvie (1988). The Book of the Acts. Eerdmans. p. 228.)

We next see the word appear in other early Christian sources in Ignatius, Eph 11.2; Rom 3.2; Pol 7.3. Cf. too Did 12.4; MPol 3.1; 10.1; 12.1-2; EpDiog 1.1; 4.6; 5.1;

This brings us to the gospel of philip a lost christian text found in 1948 it has been classified as a Valentinian document the word Christian is used ten times in the Gospel of Philip the first few paragraphs in the Gospel of Philip make a distinction between a Hebrew and a Christian this is carried on later in the text which we will look at now

I am a Christian

If you say, “I am a Jew,” no one will be moved. If you say, “I am a Roman,” no one will be disturbed. If you say, “I am a Greek, barbarian, slave, free,” no one will be troubled. If you say, “I am a Christian,” the [world] will be shaken. May I [receive the one] whose name the [world] cannot bear to hear. (Gospel of Philip)

If you say, “I am a Jew,” no one will be moved. If you say, “I am a Roman,” no one will be disturbed. 

no one will be disturbed because the world loves its own

The Gentile symbolizes the material, the Jew symbolizes soulical and the Christian typifies the spiritual  .

If you say, "I am a Christian," the world will tremble 

This passage reflects a period when Christians had begun to be persecute for the name at any rate they are thought of as standing apart from other people

In the early years of the church from the 1st century until the 4th century AD Christianity was still a new and unknown faith. it was viewed with suspicion by many and internally Christianity was full of divisions with a huge variety of sects calling themselves christian. Greek Romam Barbarian and jew are fundamentally ethnic categories whereas Christians could come from any race nationality or culture from slaves or free men and women.

The Anointing

The anointing is superior to baptism, for it is from the word "anointing" that we have been called "Christians," certainly not because of the word "baptism". And it is because of the anointing that "the Christ" has his name. For the Father anointed the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. He who has been anointed possesses everything.

Although baptism is often seen as the major expression of a convert’s faith, the Gospel of Philip regarded it as far less important than the anointing—it is only with the anointing that a convert can truly be termed a Christian. Receiving this title is the most immediate effect of anointing.

Notice that the name “Christian” (coming only after the anointing) is one that will make everyone "tremble.”

"And it is because of the anointing that "the Christ" has his name." Jesus was anointed at his baptism with holy spirit and power ()

The verb xplw and the name Christ occur in association in 2 Corinthians 1:21.

Segelberg (193) compares Theophilus ad Autol. i. 12, where it is said that we are called Christians because we are anointed with the oil of God. Tertullian (de Bapt. 7) also derives the name of Christ from the chrism (c£ Iren. Dem. 53; Froidevaux 114 n. 8).

For the Father anointed the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles [giving them the “power to become sons”], and the apostles anointed us [and still do to this day by the written Word].

"He who has been anointed possesses everything." is joint heir with Christ being joined together in union by the fellowship of the spirit

The anointing with literal oil is only symbolic of the anointing of the holy spirit. The anointing with the spirit appears to happen at the same time as the baptism:

Anyone who goes down into the water and comes up without receiving anything and says, “I am a Christian,” has borrowed the name. But one who receives the holy spirit has the name as a gift. A gift does not have to be paid back, but what is borrowed must be paid. This is how it is with us, when one of us experiences a mystery. (Gospel of Philip)

a definite going down and coming up, that is, it was not a baptism of sprinkling only.'

it is a baptism of full submersion in water

"he has borrowed the name at interest" his sin debt has not yet been forgiven (paid) and is accruing interest - this is what the christo-pagan community is all about.

it appears that at the same time a person goes down into the water they receive the holy spirit:

We are anointed through the spirit
"But one who receives the holy spirit has the name as a gift" 
The name of course is the "Christian" name the holy spirit is the anointing

no longer a Christian but is a Christ

We are born again through the holy spirit, and we are conceived through Christ in baptism with two elements. We are anointed through the spirit, and when we were conceived, we were united. No one can see oneself in the water or in a mirror without light, nor can you see yourself in the light without water or a mirror. So it is necessary to baptize with two elements, light and water, and light is chrism.(Gospel of Philip)

to be born again by the holy spirit is to receive the name christian.to be conceived by Christ is to become Christ

Those who receive the name of the father, son, and holy spirit and have accepted them must do this. If someone does not accept them, the name will also be taken from that person. A person receives them in the chrism with the oil of the power of the cross. The apostles called this power the right and the left. This person is no longer a Christian but is Christ. (Gospel of Philip)

receiving the name christian is only the beginning of the journey the end goal is to be come a Christ

People cannot see anything that really is without becoming like it. It is not so with people in the world, who see the sun without becoming the sun and see the sky and earth and everything else without becoming them.

Rather, in the realm of truth,
you have seen things there and have become those things,
you have seen the spirit and have become spirit,
you have seen Christ and have become Christ,
you have seen the [father] and will become father.

[Here] in the world you see everything but do not [see] yourself, but there in that realm you see yourself, and you will [become] what you see.



A Christian is a person who has been anointed with holy spirit
Christian means Christ-like; Christ-ones
A Christian as both Father and Mother