Tuesday, 4 September 2018

The Teaching of Renunciation 2 Corinthians 4:2

The Doctrine of Renunciation




Early Christianity went through a great cycle of renunciation and it is still held in many conservative sects that the renunciation of worldly ambition, worldly appetites and worldly goods is indispensable to spiritual salvation

During the 3th century a Christian Gnostic sect arose called the Apotactics or Apotactites (from the Greek apotassomai, to renounce) and spread through the western and southern parts of Asia Minor (present Anatolia, Asian Turkey). Very little is known about them only that they places great importance of the doctrine of renunciation

The Apotactics believed that "a renunciation of property is necessary to salvation. It seems the Apotactics took there understanding from Luke 14:33

Lu 14:33 So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce<657> all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple.

Peter answered and said to him, "Lord, you have taught us to forsake the world and everything in it. We have renounced them for your sake. What we are concerned about (now) is the food for a single day. Where will we be able to find the needs that you ask us to provide for the poor?" The Lord answered and said, "O Peter, it was necessary that you understand the parable that I told you! Do you not understand that my name, which you teach, surpasses all riches, and the wisdom of God surpasses gold, and silver and precious stone(s)?" (The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles)

Say to them :Renounce the entire world and all matter within it and all its concerns [fear, worry, lack of faith] and all its sins, and in general all associations with it, that you may be deserving of the mysteries of Light and be delivered from all the chastisements which are in the judgments.” (The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles)

XLVII. The Word does not bid us renounce property; [12] but to manage property without inordinate affection; and on anything happening, not to be vexed or grieved; and not to desire to acquire. Divine Providence bids keep away from possession accompanied with passion, and from all inordinate affection, and from this turns back those still remaining [13] in the flesh. (Attributed to Theodotus, as collected by Clement of Alexandria)
Apotassomai and Apeipomen
Strong's #657: apotassomai (pronounced ap-ot-as'-som-ahee)

middle voice from 575 and 5021; literally, to say adieu (by departing or dismissing); figuratively, to renounce:--bid farewell, forsake, take leave, send away.

There is another Greek word apeipomen which can be translated Renounce

550. ἀπειπόμην apeipomen [ap-i-pom’-ane]; reflexive past of a compound of 575 and 2036; to say off for oneself, i.e. disown: — renounce.

To renounce, disown, forbid, refuse. Reflexive past of a compound of apo and epo; to say off for oneself, i.e. Disown.

It is used once in the New Testament 2Cor 4:2 and twice in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) see 1 Kings 11:2, and Job 10:3

2Cor 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth

The word apeipomen means, to speak out or off; to refuse or deny; to forbid. Here it means, to renounce, or disown; to give up, to disclaim, to cast off, to give up a belief or opinion by open confession.



New Testament Apocrypha
The doctrine of Renunciation is found in early christian text like the Acts of Paul, the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles, and Pistis Sophia. See also Gospel of Thomas saying 27 on fasting from (or, abstaining from) the world."

(Gospel of Thomas 27) <Jesus> said: If you do not fast to the world, you will not find the kingdom; if you do not keep the Sabbath as Sabbath, you will not see the Father.

The Acts of Paul Chapter 2:16: Blessed are they that have renounced this world, for they shall be well-pleasing unto God.



No one knows the God of truth except solely the man who will forsake all of the things of the world, having renounced the whole place, (and) having grasped the fringe of his garment. He has set himself up as a power; he has subdued desire in every way within himself. (The Testimony of Truth)


But the baptism of truth is something else; it is by renunciation of the world that it is found. But those who say only with the tongue that they are renouncing it are lying, and they are coming to the place of fear. Moreover, they are humbled within it. Just as those to whom it was given to have been condemned, they shall get something! (The Testimony of Truth)




The Gospel of Thomas Saying 81 Jesus said, "The one who has become rich should reign. And the one who has power should renounce it

The Gospel of Thomas Saying (110) Jesus said, "The one who had found the world and become rich should renounce the world."

The wealthy ones are they having knowledge, understanding and wisdom as a crown on their heads a Jewelled crown of light, which is the Christ-consciousness. One who is wealthy in this way shall become a king in the age to come. But those who are powerful or have power should give it up and become poor to become rich.


To be 'children of the living Father' is to be free from the society and not to be bound to the world and its values. 'Blessedness' does not depend upon the marks of success in this world. One's identity should not be determined by whatever is valuable for personal status in the social fabric of the world.


What is made clear is that man must renounce the world and transform his mind if he hopes to receive the mysteries that will open for him the inheritance of the Light when the individual feels alone and abandoned by all and sundry, sinking into a period of depression that might lead to despair, until he is able to renounce his last remaining attachments to the world—namely, his feeling of being a separate "I"—prior to final and permanent union with God or the Light.

Spiritual meaning of renunciation 
renunciation--A letting go of old thoughts in order that new thoughts may find place in consciousness. A healthy state of mind is attained when the thinker willingly lets go the old thoughts and takes on the new. This is illustrated by the inlet and outlet of a pool of water.
The center of renunciation, sometimes called elimination, in the lower part of the abdomen, carries forward the work of elimination of error thoughts from the mind and waste from the body.


Renouncing is the mental process of erasing from the mind the false beliefs of the outward senses or the consciousness of sin. Renouncing clears away false beliefs and attitude and thus makes room for the establishing of the Gospel.

The consciousness of sin is made up of a multitude of false individual beliefs and cultural attitudes. Through Renouncing we get rid of these shadows of reality. We cleanse the temple of the mind of these false ideas. In so doing, we make way for the planting of the seeds of the Gospel.

Renouncing may be made in many ways. The conscious acknowledgement that you have been mistaken in your conclusion is Renouncing. Refusing to longer enterain thoughts of the carnal mind is Renouncing.

The ability to Renounce is twofold in action: it eliminates the error, and it expands the good. When the ego consciously lets go and willingly gives up its personal ideas and loves, it has fulfilled the law of denial and is restored to the Father's house.

But all disciples know it is easier to denounce sin than to renounce it.

The admission of sin and the prayer for forgiveness is Renouncing.
A list of things to be Renounced
The list of things to be Renounced which is found in Pistis Sophia chapter 102 this should be seen as a moral code of behavior



Pistis Sophia chapter 102
JESUS continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "When I shall have gone into the Light, then herald it unto the whole world and say unto them: Cease not to seek day and night and remit not yourselves until ye find the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, which will purify you and make you into refined light and lead you into the Light-kingdom.

What men should renounce."Say unto them: Renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its care and all its sins, in a word all its associations which are in it, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments.

"Say unto them: Renounce murmuring, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce eavesdropping [?], that ye may [be worthy of the mysteries of the Light] and be saved from the judgments of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce litigiousness [?], that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of Ariēl.

"Say unto them: Renounce false slander, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce false witness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and that ye may escape and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce pride and haughtiness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-pits of Ariēl.

"Say unto them: Renounce belly-love, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of Amente.

"Say unto them: Renounce babbling, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fires of Amente.

"Say unto them: |256. Renounce craftiness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements which are in Amente.

"Say unto them: Renounce avarice, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce love of the world, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the pitch- and fire-coats of the dog-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce pillage, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of Ariēl.

"Say unto them: Renounce evil conversation, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of the fire-rivers . . . .

"Say unto them: Renounce wickedness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of Ariēl.

"Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of the dragon-faced [ones].

"Say unto them: Renounce wrath, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dragon-faced [ones.]

"Say unto them: Renounce cursing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of the dragon-faced [ones].

"Say unto them: Renounce thieving, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the bubbling seas of the dragon-faced [ones]. |257.

"Say unto them: Renounce robbery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from Yaldabaōth.

"Say unto them: Renounce slandering, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the lion-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce fighting and strife, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething rivers of Yaldabaōth.

"Say unto them: Renounce all unknowing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the servitors of Yaldabaōth and the fire-seas.

"Say unto them: Renounce evil doing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the demons of Yaldabaōth and all his judgments.

"Say unto them: Renounce sloth, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething pitch-seas of Yaldabaōth.

"Say unto them: Renounce adultery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light-kingdom and be saved from the sulphur- and pitch-seas of the lion-faced [one].

"Say unto them: Renounce murder, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the crocodile-faced ruler,--this one who is in the cold, |258. is the first chamber of the outer darkness.

"Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness and impiety, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the rulers of the outer darkness.

"Say unto them: Renounce atheism, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the howling and grinding of teeth.

"Say unto them: Renounce [magic] potions, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great cold and the hail of the outer darkness.

"Say unto them: Renounce blasphemy, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great dragon of the outer darkness.

"Say unto them: Renounce the doctrines of error, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements of the great dragon of the outer darkness.

3 comments:

  1. Jesus never said these things, Thomas had these things written for the people of India speaking their language. Jesus told us to turn to him, he told us he was the narrow way leading to life that few find for only those who ask receive. The way is narrow and only those who have received Christ within through the Lord are able to hear his voice... to hear the Lord is to see the light and know the truth. <3 M Its your choice and the solution is simple. Keep circling or straighten out.

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  2. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ - But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.…". (Matthew - Isaiah - Acts - John)

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  3. No friend, the error way the guru yogi buddha man has taught you leads to death and even thought it appears good now helping soul will not be saved from within you'll simply die a mortal mans death. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal lord and saviour then this is where you'd need to ask God to reveal his Son and in using the fork to pull apart the meat to give understanding you'd get God - His and Son knowing She is in there with Him who is Wisdom. We're the children and the light has been broken in this world like shards of glass and souls have been scattered on the earth like seeds. The way is narrow leading to life and those light stealers won't be able to enter in and they feel safe in numbers. If I were you I'd let go of the blind who lead the blind and turn to Jesus who's the only way repenting - Jesus is the only way you'll enter into the Father's presence before death.

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