Grace: The Undeserved Kindness of God and the Aeon Charis

Grace: The Undeserved Kindness of God and the Aeon Charis

Grace, in its profound essence, is the undeserved kindness of God. Rooted in the Greek term xáris (5485), grace is described as a "favor freely done, without claim or expectation of return, leaning toward to share benefit." It embodies God's inclination to give Himself freely to humanity, extending an open invitation to partake in His divine nature. This favor, freely extended to give God’s benevolent presence to people, comes without any claim for repayment, reflecting God's unconditional goodwill. As described in Ephesians 2:5, “By grace have ye been saved,” grace represents the divine mercy that aids humanity in the process of regeneration and spiritual renewal.

The concept of grace is more than a theological idea; it is the action of God’s love and favor in the world. As noted in John 1:17, "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ," grace manifests fully through Jesus, bringing a transforming, redeeming, and saving power to humanity. This grace is not merely a passive gift, but a dynamic force that transforms the believer’s consciousness and relationship with God.
The Aeon Charis: Divine Emanation of Grace

In the context of divine emanation, grace can be understood through the Aeon Charis, a primordial principle within the divine fullness or Pleroma. Charis, as an Aeon, signifies not only God's kindness but also His active disposition to share His divine life with humanity. This Aeon embodies the unearned favor extended to mankind, offering salvation, transformation, and enlightenment.

The role of the Aeon Charis within the Pleroma is essential. It is through Charis that humanity can access the divine realm, aligning with the Logos (Word) and entering into the higher consciousness revealed by Jesus Christ. As the Aeon Charis flows from the divine fullness, it becomes the mediating force that connects the human experience to the eternal divine. Just as light is radiated from a source, grace emanates from God, bringing knowledge, wisdom, and salvation to those who receive it. Charis, in this sense, is both a gift and a call to transformation, guiding believers toward a higher consciousness and a more intimate communion with the divine.
Conditional Grace and the Human Response

While grace is freely given, it is also conditional, requiring a response from humanity. God’s grace has been extended to the entire human race, as noted in Titus 2:11: "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men." However, this does not imply universal salvation, for grace, while offered to all, requires a human response of faith and obedience.

The example of Noah illustrates this principle. As stated in Genesis 6:8, Noah "found grace in the eyes of Yahweh," yet Noah's salvation came through obedience, building the ark as God instructed (Hebrews 11:7). Similarly, believers must accept and actively engage with God's grace through faith, obedience, and repentance. The Apostle Paul underscores this idea in Romans 5:1 and 6:3-4, teaching that grace is accessed through faith in the work of Christ, and through it, believers are justified, sanctified, and ultimately glorified.
The Grace and Knowledge Connection

Grace is intimately connected with the knowledge of God. In 1 Corinthians 1:4-7, Paul speaks of the Corinthians being enriched "in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge," emphasizing that grace includes the impartation of divine wisdom and understanding. God's grace is not merely a passive gift; it is coupled with the revelation of divine truth, enabling believers to grow in knowledge and spiritual maturity.

This connection between grace and knowledge is essential for the Christian life. As Paul writes in Titus 2:11-12, God's grace teaches believers how to live godly lives. Knowledge of God's will, through His word and revelation, is the means by which grace operates in the life of the believer. Christianity is not only about receiving grace but also about learning from the divine instruction that grace makes available. The grace of God is, therefore, both an unearned favor and an active force that leads believers into a deeper understanding of God's truth and purpose.
Grace Is Not Earned

An essential characteristic of grace is that it is not earned. Humanity cannot merit God's favor through good works or deeds. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Grace excludes all human merit; it is a free gift from God, given out of His boundless mercy. Even if a person were to perform every righteous act commanded by God, they would still be unworthy of the favor extended through grace. Jesus Himself taught that no one can "liquidate" the debt of sin through their own efforts, as seen in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:24-27).

Understanding grace in its fullness compels believers to approach God with humility and gratitude, recognizing that salvation is not a result of human achievement but of God's generous mercy. It is only by comprehending the unearned nature of grace that believers can serve God with true zeal and devotion, free from the misconception of earning God's favor.
The Transformative Power of Grace

Grace is more than a theological concept; it is a transformative power that can radically change a person's life. "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ," John 1:17 tells us. Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, grace was made available to all, bringing redemption and transformation to those who respond. This grace is not passive but dynamic, fostering a new and higher consciousness in the earth.

Through grace, humanity can be regenerated, brought into a higher state of spiritual awareness, and united with the divine. This grace is available to all who are willing to receive it, through faith and obedience to the teachings and example of Jesus. It is through the Aeon Charis that believers are drawn into a deeper relationship with God, empowered by the grace that flows from the divine fullness.

In conclusion, grace, as expressed through the Aeon Charis, is both a gift and a calling. It is freely given, but it requires a response from humanity—faith, obedience, and the pursuit of knowledge. As we align ourselves with this divine grace, we enter into the transforming power that leads to redemption, spiritual renewal, and a higher consciousness in Christ. Grace, in all its fullness, opens the door to a life of transformation, empowering believers to live in accordance with God's will and purpose.

The Christ left Jesus On The Cross The Gospel of Philip

The Christ left Jesus 

On The Cross

“My God, my God, why, lord, have you forsaken me?” He spoke these words on the cross, for he had departed from that place. The Gospel of Philip

My God, my God, why, lord, have you forsaken me?” He spoke these words on the cross, for he had departed from that place. The Gospel of Philip

“My God, my God, why, lord, have you forsaken me?” (Jesus felt the removal of the Holy Spirit ) He spoke these words on the cross, for he (The Father the Logos) had departed from that place (Jesus on the cross).

Christ, the Word, who “in the beginning laid the foundations of the earth,” Hebrews 1:10 therefore pre-existed before the birth of “the body prepared” of the substance of Mary, and which lay dead in the tomb. That body named Jesus, had no existence until developed by the Christ-Power. Federally, indeed, it pre-existed in the loins of Abraham and in Adam, as Levi was in Abraham, and we in Adam, before birth; but not otherwise. (On the Nature of Christ February 22nd, 1867)

Here there is a difference between Jesus and the logos that anointing spirit which is the Father

The pre-existent Christ, or Deity, was not the less Deity because he veiled himself in flesh, in our “sinful flesh,” or “sin’s flesh,” and styled himself JESUS, or he who shall be Saviour. Jesus Christ in the day of his weakness, had two natures —the one, DEITY; the other, MAN—the Eternal Christ-Power veiled in, and manifested through the flesh created from the ground; which flesh had wilfully transgressed the Divine Law, the penalty of which sent it back into the dust from whence it came. This is Jesus Christ the true Deity, whom to know is life eternal. (On the Nature of Christ February 22nd, 1867)

The spirit descended upon him in bodily shape at his baptism in the Jordan, and took possession of him. This was the anointing which constituted him Christ (or the anointed), and which gave him the superhuman powers of which he showed himself possessed. (Christendom Asray Robert Roberts)

Jesus, who in his discourses, always maintained the distinction between what he called “mine own self” and “the Father Himself” who dwelt in him by His spirit. “The Son,” said he, “can do nothing of himself,” and this he repeated in the same discourse, saying, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” He refers all the doctrine taught, and all the miracles performed, to the Father whose emanating spirit rested upon him and filled him. If this be remembered, it will make the “hard sayings” of his teaching easy to be understood.

Now, Jesus was one and the Father was another . . . it is written in the law of Moses, that the testimony of two men is credible—I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me (the other witness). He beareth witness of me.—(Jno. 5:30; 7:16; 8:17, 18.) Here, then, are two persons. The Father Himself being Deity or power, but when associated with the Son of Man, who when so associated was powerful—anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power—He was (EL Eloahh) strength of power that is power of the Powerful One, the power by mediation manifested; the power being one and the medium of manifestation another Powerful One (Eloahh). (Phanerosis by Dr. John Thomas) 

My Power (EL), my Power (EL), why hast Thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?' My Power (my EL), 'why hast thou forsaken me? 'O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou' (answereth) 'not:' (not hearest not, we can see that in verse 21, thou hearest). 'In the daytime thou answereth not' (at that time). And in verse 6 he says, 'I am a worm, and no man' (the man 'ish', no great man) 'a reproach of men' (the Adam) 'and despised of the people' (Isaiah 53 - 'despised and rejected of men') 

The anointing spirit forsook Jesus when he cried out upon the cross, "My Power (EL), my Power (EL), why hast Thou forsaken me?" Jesus felt the removal of the Holy Spirit. The out-flowing power by which he had taught and worked was withdrawn from him for some time before he died. The Spirit no longer rested upon him, yet he continued to live as other men. In process of time he expired. He was now, like the Veil of the Temple, "rent in twain." It was no longer affirmable that "I and the Father are one"; but that "I and the Father are twain"; for the Father was no longer in him, nor he in the Father. In the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the body was in the condition predicted in Psalm 38: "Yahweh's arrows stuck fast in it, and His hand pressed it sore. There was no soundness in the flesh; its wounds stank; and its loins were filled with a loathsome disease; feeble and sore broken, his lovers and friends stood aloof from His stroke, which had consumed him, and laid him low in a horrible pit." This was the death state of the Cherub. (Phanerosis by Dr. John Thomas) 

But, Jesus also said “ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit! ”. It could also, be seen, that Jesus did participate in returning His Spirit ( Sophia, Wisdom, The Holy Spirit ) back to His Father, into " The Pleroma " from where She (Sophia) originally came from. By this statement, He manifested Himself, that His Spirit was "The Elect", "The Anointing Spirit". The Gnostic Redeemer of Souls that did fell, by non fault of their own, into the pit ( matter ).


Extracts from the Works of Theodotus

And he died at the departure of the Spirit which had descended upon him in the Jordan, not that it became separate but was withdrawn in order that death might also operate on him, since how did the body die when life was present in him? For in that way death would have prevailed over the Saviour himself, which is absurd. But death was out-generalled by guile. For when the body died and death seized it, the Saviour sent forth the ray of power which had come upon him and destroyed death and raised up the mortal body which had put off passion. In this way, therefore, the psychic elements are raised and are saved, but the spiritual natures which believe receive a salvation superior to theirs, having received their souls as “wedding garments.”

Recognize what is in your sigh Gospel of Thomas Saying 5

Gospel of Thomas Saying 5 

Jesus said: Recognize what is before you, and what is hidden from you will be revealed to you; for there is nothing hidden that will not be made manifest.

Title: Understanding the Time: Unveiling the Truth Through Biblical Wisdom

In the sacred texts of Christianity, Jesus imparts profound wisdom regarding the unveiling of truth and the recognition of the times in which we live. His words, echoing through centuries, resonate with timeless significance, guiding believers towards deeper understanding and spiritual enlightenment.

"Recognize what is in your sight," Jesus declares, urging his followers to discern the outward manifestations of religious customs and traditions. In these visible practices lies a deeper, hidden truth waiting to be unveiled. Through diligent study and reflection on the teachings of the Bible, one can perceive the spiritual essence concealed beneath the surface.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in his letter to the Corinthians, affirming that "we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). Here, Paul emphasizes the importance of shifting focus from the transient to the eternal, from the outward to the inward, in order to grasp the profound truths embedded within the Scriptures.

Jesus further elucidates, proclaiming, "For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest." This assertion underscores the inevitability of truth's revelation, emphasizing that no concealed knowledge shall remain obscured forever. Just as seeds buried in the earth eventually sprout forth into the light, so too shall hidden truths emerge from obscurity into clarity.

In contemplating the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, believers are urged to delve into the depths of biblical wisdom, seeking not merely surface-level understanding but profound spiritual insight. The Bible, as the repository of divine revelation, holds within its pages the keys to unlocking hidden truths and unraveling the mysteries of existence.

Yet, despite the abundance of knowledge contained within the Scriptures, Jesus laments that many are reluctant to pursue the path of study and enlightenment. "But no one wants to study it," he observes, highlighting the prevailing indifference towards spiritual discernment and the pursuit of truth.

This reluctance echoes the sentiments expressed by the prophet Hosea centuries earlier: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). The failure to engage deeply with the teachings of Scripture leaves individuals vulnerable to deception and spiritual stagnation, hindering their ability to recognize the signs of the times and discern the will of God.

The apostle Peter echoes this sentiment, exhorting believers to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). In nurturing a deeper understanding of Christ's teachings and the principles of the Christian faith, believers equip themselves to navigate the complexities of the modern world and discern the truth amidst a sea of falsehoods.

Moreover, Jesus warns of the impending judgment that awaits both the obedient and disobedient alike. "The obedient and disobedient will be summoned before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to their works," he declares, emphasizing the accountability each individual bears for their actions and beliefs.

The apostle Paul reinforces this notion, affirming that "each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1 Corinthians 3:8). The judgment seat of Christ serves as the ultimate reckoning, where every deed, motive, and thought will be laid bare before the righteous judge.

In conclusion, the words of Jesus regarding the recognition of the times and the unveiling of hidden truths resonate with profound significance for believers today. Through diligent study of the Scriptures and earnest pursuit of spiritual discernment, individuals can transcend the superficialities of religious tradition and uncover the deeper truths that lie beneath. As they grow in wisdom and understanding, they equip themselves to navigate the complexities of the modern world with clarity and conviction, prepared to stand before the judgment seat of Christ with confidence and integrity.

Title: Unveiling Truth: Understanding the Time Through Biblical Wisdom

In the words attributed to Jesus, "Recognize what is before you, and what is hidden from you will be revealed to you; for there is nothing hidden that will not be made manifest" (Luke 8:17). These profound words invite us to delve deeper into the timeless wisdom of the Bible, particularly in understanding the current age we live in.

To grasp the essence of our time, we must first look to the teachings of the Bible regarding the end times. As Jesus foretold various signs and events in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, He provided insights into the conditions and events preceding His return. In Matthew 24:4-8, He mentions wars, famines, earthquakes, and false prophets as signs of the end times. Similarly, in Luke 21:25-28, Jesus speaks of distress among nations, with perplexity and roaring seas, signaling the approaching redemption. Understanding these prophecies helps illuminate the current state of the world and our place in it.

However, merely possessing knowledge of biblical prophecy is insufficient. Jesus emphasizes the importance of discernment and spiritual insight. He urges us to recognize the deeper truths hidden beneath the surface of religious practices and traditions. In Matthew 23, Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and outward piety while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He warns against the pitfalls of empty ritualism and urges a pursuit of true righteousness.

Furthermore, Jesus speaks of the future resurrection of believers, implying a spiritual awakening and unveiling of truths yet unseen. In John 5:28-29, Jesus declares, "Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." This resurrection encompasses not only physical death but also a spiritual awakening to the deeper realities of God's kingdom.

The Bible serves as a repository of divine wisdom, containing keys to unlock the mysteries of life and eternity. As the apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Studying the Scriptures allows us to discern truth from falsehood and navigate the complexities of our time with wisdom and discernment.

Yet, despite the accessibility of biblical knowledge, many choose to remain ignorant or apathetic. Jesus laments this spiritual blindness in Matthew 13:15, quoting Isaiah: "For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them." The truth is readily available to those who seek it earnestly, yet many remain willfully ignorant.

In conclusion, understanding the time in which we live requires more than mere observation of current events; it demands spiritual discernment and a deep engagement with biblical truth. Jesus' admonition to recognize the hidden truths within religious practices and traditions serves as a call to seek the deeper realities of God's kingdom. Through diligent study of Scripture and a sincere pursuit of truth, we can navigate the complexities of our time and prepare ourselves for the coming judgment, knowing that nothing hidden will remain concealed forever.

We have to understand the time we live in, in Jesus’ day some not understand the time as in our day. To understand the time as in our day. To understand the time we must look at what the bible says about the end than nothing will be hidden from us. We do not know the truth until we find it. The knowledge of the truth is everywhere that is wherever there is a bible but no one wants to study it. But those who know the truth, the obedient and disobedient will be summoned before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to their works.

Jesus says there is nothing buried which will not be resurrected so in the greek text Jesus is speaking of the future resurrection of the believer

Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight [what is manifested in festivals, customs, ordinances and traditions etc.. of the religious leaders which are lower/outward (fleshly) forms of the "letter" of the Word which was only "to be a tutor" leading to Christ for those who are yet without the life], and that which is hidden from you [the higher/inward (spiritual) substance - the spirit of the Word (Keys of Knowledge)] will become plain to you [you will see the deeper spiritual meanings (treasures)]. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest." [the whole world and its system of ordinances and traditions manifest the condition of those who are "of" it - this is the power of the counterfeit kingdom over the flesh whose glory (and fruit) comes in the form of pride, covetness, hypocrisy and evil in all of its many forms - in verse 39 below, it demonstrates how the scribes and Pharisees and then the church has hidden the Keys which become will become manifest to those who toil day and night for it]

Jesus Is a Hidden Name The Gospel of Philip

The Meaning of the Christ

Title: Understanding the Depth of Christ Consciousness

The Gospel of Philip sheds profound light on the significance of the names associated with Jesus and Christ, unraveling layers of meaning that extend beyond conventional understanding. While "Jesus" is recognized as a name, "Christ" embodies a deeper essence, transcending mere nomenclature. In essence, Jesus, the Nazarene, embodies the Christ Consciousness, representing an individual expression of the divine idea.

The intricate interplay of names and meanings becomes evident as we delve into the essence of each term. "Jesus," rooted in Hebrew, conveys the profound concept of redemption. "Nazarene," derived from "Nazara," symbolizes truth. Meanwhile, "Christ," originating from the Greek term for Messiah, embodies anointed teachings and divine wisdom.

Contrary to popular belief, "Christ" is not a surname but a manifestation of the divine idea in the form of Jesus, the Messiah. This concept is echoed in the Apostle Paul's writings, where he elucidates the metaphorical depiction of Christ as a body, with Jesus as the head and believers as the members. This mystical union emphasizes the inseparable bond between Jesus and his followers, constituting the body of Christ.

Furthermore, Paul's references highlight the transformative power of being "in Christ," signifying a new creation and a state of divine grace. This profound connection to Christ transcends mere doctrine, encapsulating a spiritual atmosphere in which believers live and act. Through baptism, individuals are clothed with Christ, becoming heirs to the promise of salvation.

The essence of Christ extends beyond a singular individual to encompass the divine-idea, embodying perfection in the Divine Mind. Christ represents the culmination of all divine attributes, including wisdom, love, and strength. Just as an architect's masterpiece encompasses a multitude of ideas, Christ embodies the fullness of divine perfection.

Central to understanding Christ is the concept of Christ Consciousness, which permeates the lives of believers. This spiritual awakening brings forth the realization of one's true self, indwelt by the essence of Christ. Through the quickening power of Truth, believers become vessels for the manifestation of Christ Consciousness in their lives.

However, many fail to recognize the proximity of Christ Consciousness due to a disconnect from their true selves. The birth of Christ Consciousness within an individual signifies the awakening to their spiritual identity, wherein the Christ of God is brought to consciousness.

In conclusion, the depth of Christ Consciousness transcends conventional understanding, encompassing the spiritual essence of Jesus, the Messiah. Rooted in divine wisdom and anointed teachings, Christ embodies the pinnacle of divine perfection. Through spiritual awakening, believers come to realize their innate connection to Christ, becoming vessels for the manifestation of Christ Consciousness in their lives. As individuals embrace their true selves, the transformative power of Christ Consciousness unfolds, illuminating the path to spiritual enlightenment and divine grace.

Jesus is a hidden name, Christ is an open one.

So Jesus is not a word in any tongue but a name they call him. 

The messengers  who were before us had these names
for him: Jesus, the Nazorean, messiah,
that is, Jesus, the Nazorean, the Christ.

The last name is Christ,
the first is Jesus,
the middle name is the Nazarene.

Messiah has two meanings, both “Christ” and “measured.”
Jesus in Hebrew is “redemption.”
Nazara is “truth.”
Christ has been measured.

The Nazarene and Jesus are they who have been measured.

The Gospel of Philip

Most think of 'Christ' as Jesus' last name. Christ, however, is the Greek term for Messiah. Jesus, the Christ, is Jesus, the Messiah.

The word "Christ" signifies anointed. Anointing means designation to official position in God's arrangement. The Christ is the instrument or channel for the blessing of mankind. The Christ is composed of Jesus, the great and mighty head, and 144,000 members. (Revelation 7:4) Christ Jesus is the head and the church his body. We ofttimes hear the expression, a body of men with a general at their head. Of the Christ the apostle says: "And he [Christ Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." — Colossians 1:17-19.

The Apostle Paul uses a human body to illustrate the Christ, the great mystery class; the head representing Jesus, and the other members of the body those who are of his church. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." — 1 Corinthians 12:12, 27.

Because we are members of his body and we are of his flesh and of his bones. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church

For as many as have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ ... ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and HEIRS according to the promise" (Gal. 3:26-29). A community of such individuals as these constitutes the mystical body of Christ

the term Christ refers to the anointed message that Jesus of Nazareth taught; i.e. Jesus' teachings. When Paul called the "Christ, the 'wisdom of God' in 1Co 1:24, he assumes that the Corinthians know that the divine Sophia [wisdom] has been reinterpreted as Christ,
In 1Th 5:18, Paul said, "the saving will [logic] of God is in Christ Jesus…this use of the phrase emphasizes…the cooperation of the Father as initiator and prime cause with the Son as agent/instrument."

What can be assumed here is that Jesus brings the will (logic) of God to man in his anointed teachings. (See Jn, Chapter 1)

"To be in Christ is to be a new creation [person] (2Co 5:17)…God has reconciled man with himself through Christ [i.e., through Jesus' anointed teachings]…. Christ is not an external principle of law or doctrine, but a life and a state in which and only in which the fullness of Christian grace and virtue and the love of God is possible. Hence this phrase 'in Christ' appears to designate the element or atmosphere in which the Christian lives and acts;

In Col 1:16f 'in Christ' designates Christ the wisdom/will of God in man

In short, We think of Christ not as Jesus, but rather as Jesus' wisdom, logos, Sophia, or simply, anointed teachings.

In himself Christ has everything, be it human or angel or mystery and the father.  The Gospel of Philip

Christ is the divine-idea. Jesus is the name that represents an individual expression of the Christ idea.

Christ is the one complete idea of perfection in the Divine Mind. He is the embodiment of all divine ideas, such as wisdom, life, love, substance, and strength. In the architect's mind there may be one masterpiece, but that masterpiece is the sum of all the beautiful ideas that have come to his mind. This Christ, or perfect idea existing eternally in the Divine mind is the true, spiritual, higher self of every believer. or the Christ Consciousness. Each of the true believers has been Anointed with the spirit of Christ thus each of the true believers has within them the Christ, just as Jesus had.

Some do not realize the nearness of this Christ Consciousness , because they have not found their real selves. which is Christ in you the hope of glory

The birth of the Christ Consciousness in the life of a believer is the bringing to consciousness of the spiritual idea of the Christ of God--through the quickening power of the word of Truth

we are renewed by knowledge” (Col. iii. 10). In this, however, he does not contradict himself, but rather makes the one phrase explanatory of the other; as if he had said, “we are renewed by the Holy Spirit through knowledge.” The Holy Spirit renews or regenerates man intellectually and morally by the truth believed. “Sanctify them by thy truth,” says Jesus; “thy word, O Father, is truth” (John xvii. 17). “Ye are clean,” said he to his apostles, “through the word which I have spoken to you” (John xv. 3). God’s power is manifested through means. His Spirit is His power by which He effects intellectual, moral, and physical results. When He wills to produce intellectual and moral effects, it is by knowledge revealed by His Spirit through the prophets and apostles. This knowledge becomes power when received into “good and honest hearts”; and because God is the author of it, it is styled “the Knowledge of God” (2 Pet. i. 2), or “the word of truth” (James i. 18), by which He begets sinners to Himself as His sons and daughters. “The word of the truth of the gospel,”” the gospel of the kingdom.” “the incorruptible seed,” “the word,” “the truth as it is in Jesus,”” the word of the kingdom,”” the word of reconciliation,” “the law and the testimony,” “the word of faith,” “the sword of the spirit which is the word of God,” “the word of Christ,” “the perfection of liberty,” etc.-are all phrases richly expressive of” the power of God” by which He saves His people from their sins, and translates them into the Hope of the kingdom and glory to which He invites them. The truth is the power that makes men free indeed (John viii. 32, 36). Hence Jesus says, “My words are spirit, and they are life.” The prophets, Jesus, and the apostles were the channels through which it was transmitted to mankind; and the spirit the agent by which the knowledge was conveyed to them. Hence, the knowledge or the truth being suggested to the prophets by the spirit is sometimes styled “the spirit” (Rom. ii. 20). The spirit is to the truth as cause and effect; and by a very common figure of speech, the one is put for the other in speaking of them relatively to the mind and heart of man. So that the phrase “renewed by the holy spirit” is equivalent to renewed by the belief of the truth testified by the Holy Spirit (John xv. 26: xiv. 13-14)

A MYSTERY Revelation 10:7

A MYSTERY Revelation 10:7

... A MYSTERY is a concealed FACT that MAY be revealed. God reveals these things unto his children by his spirit. He conceals them from the wise (of the world) but reveals them unto babes:

Matthew 11:25 - “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”

The MYSTERY Centers Around Jesus Christ. Since “the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying,” “the mystery of God” must center around Christ. (Re 19:10; Col 2:2) All “the mystery” of God have to do with his Kingdom. (Mt 13:11) The apostle Paul writes to the believers: “Carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge,” and “it is in him that all the fullness of the divine attributes, and characteristic dwells bodily.”—Col 2:2, 3, 9.

Paul spoke of himself as having a stewardship of “mystery of God.” (1Co 4:1) He speaks of the comprehension he has “in the mysteries of the Christ.” (Eph 3:1-4) He explains that this mystery is hidden wisdom foreordained by God before the ages. (1Co 2:7)

The declaration of the mystery, or “the mystery of God,” began with God’s own prophecy at Genesis 3:15. For centuries men of faith looked forward to the “seed” of promise to deliver mankind from sin and death, but it was not clearly understood just who the “seed” would be and just how this “seed” would come and bring deliverance.

It was not until Christ came and “shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news” that this was made clear. (2Ti 1:10) Then the knowledge of the mystery of the ‘seed of the woman’ began to be understood.

Includes the Congregation. There are many features in the knowledge of the mystery. The apostle gave further details when he explained that the mystery includes the Church, of which Christ is Head. (Eph 5:32; Col 1:18; Re 1:20) These are his joint heirs, with whom he shares the Kingdom. (Lu 22:29, 30) They are taken from among both Jews and Gentiles. (Ro 11:25; Eph 3:3-6; Col 1:26, 27) This feature of “the mystery” could not be made clearly known until Peter was directed to visit the Gentile Cornelius and saw this Gentile household receive the gifts of the holy spirit. (Ac 10:34, 44-48)

“You were . . . without Christ, . . . strangers to the covenants of the promise, and you had no hope and were without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ.” (Eph 2:11-13) 

The Godhead is just God's Family John 17:20-23

The Godhead is just God's Family 

Or

The Trinity is just God's Family

Ephesians 3: 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

What is the Godhead? 

Acts 17:29 Rom 1:20 Col 2:9 the essential being or the nature of God.

Acts 17:29 “Seeing, therefore, that we are the offspring of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man

Rom 1:20 20  —for from [the] world’s creation the invisible things of him are perceived, being apprehended by the mind through the things that are made, both his eternal power and divinity, —so as to render them inexcusable.

The Family 

The Hebrew term mish·pa·chah´ (family), in addition to referring to a household, also means, by extension, a tribe, people, or nation. God is the architect of the family arrangement. He is the Father of his heavenly family and the one to whom ‘all the families on earth owe their name.’ (Eph 3:14, 15

The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater).

Paul: “If indeed any man does not know how to preside over his own household, how will he take care of God’s Church?” the Church being similar to a family.

The Church: A Family, a Fellowship, and the body and the bride of Jesus Christ a people and a temple a virgin these are just some of the metaphors used for the church

God is androgynous being both Father and Mother the holy spirit is the feminine aspect of God. In Hebrew the word spirit is a feminine noun. That is why it can be spoken of as a Mother giving birth. John 3:8

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Now the holy spirit is a force, the invisible power and energy of the Father by which God is everywhere present. The Spirit is the power of God through which God's Family works. The chosen messengers have been given only the power and authority from Yahweh they need to accomplish their mission. Gen 1:2; Num 11:17; Mt 3:16; John 20:22; Ac 2:4, 17, 33. The Spirit is not a 'separate' or 'other' person. Ac 7:55, 56; Re 7:10 The spirit is God's own radiant power, ever out flowing from Him, by which His 'everywhereness' is achieved. Ps 104:30; 1 Cor 12:4-11.

The Spirit is personal in that it is of God Himself: it is not personal in the sense of being some other person within the Godhead"

Col 2:9 For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus bodily and it will also dwell within us has well:

Eph 3:19 and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, that YOU may be filled with all the fullness of the Deity.

We like Jesus are to be filled with God fullness

2Peter 1:4 Through these things he has freely given us the precious and very grand promises, that through these YOU may become sharers in divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust.

we will share God's divine nature

2Th 2:14 He called you to this through the good news we declare, so that you may acquire the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We shall share Jesus' glory

John 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

In John 17 we are told that we are to be made perfect in one Christ in us and the Father in Christ

in the Age to come we shall be one with God by sharing his divine nature and being filled with his fullness.

So within the Godhead there is the Father, the son and the church. There are not 3 Gods in the Godhead; nor are there but 3 in manifestation; nevertheless, the Father is God and Jesus is God; and we may add, so are all the brethren of Jesus gods and "a multitude which no man can number." They are a manifold unit - One in many, and many in one. The Supreme Power, or Deity, is the source, fountain, or sole spring of Power. The Godhead is the fountain of the Deity; these other gods are the many streams which form this fountain flow. The springhead of Deity is one, not many; the streams are as numerous as the stars of the universe, in which a manifestation of Deity has a occurred.

It is not "One God in three Gods," and "Three Gods in One;" but one Deity in a countless multitude revealed in the memorial name, and expounded in the mystery of godliness.

One Deity and not three; the Holy Spirit is an emanation from His substance, intensely radiant and all pervading; and that, when focalized under the decrees of His will, things and persons without limit, as to number or nature, are produced.

This multitudinous manifestation of the one Deity - one in many, and many in one, by His spirit - was proclaimed to the Hebrew nation in the formula of Deut. 6:4, "Hear, O lsrael, YAHWEH our ELOHIM is the ONE YAHWEH;" that is, "He who shall be our Mighty Ones is the One who shall be."

Certain Mighty Ones are promised to Israel - pastors according to YAHWEH's heart, who shall feed them with knowledge and understanding; - they will be spirit, because "that which is born of the spirit is spirit." He, the Spirit, the EL, or Power of the universe, self-styled YAHWEH, is their Divine Father. His nature will be theirs; so that they will be consubstantial with Him, as all children are consubstantial with their parents. The Deity will then be manifested in the Sons of Deity; He in them, and they in Him, by the one spirit. And this company of sons, led to glory by the captain of their salvation, is "the ONE who shall be," or "the ONE YAHWEH."

Another way to look at this is to see The Godhead as the house of the Deity; these other gods or elohim are the many Members which form the house or family unit.

House does not always mean a building but it can mean the family

be quiet before you wake the whole house

So the Godhead is the family of the Deity made up of God being both Father-Mother than the son and the wife of the son the Church.

This is the multitudinous manifestation of the one Deity - one in many, and many in one, by His spirit. It is not "One God in three Gods," and "Three Gods in One;" but one Deity in a countless multitude revealed in the memorial name, and give an account of in the mystery of godliness.

The Father the son and the church God's family

Valentinus

Bentley Layton has sketched out a relationship between the various gnostic movements in his introduction to The Gnostic Scriptures (SCM Press, London, 1987). In this model, "Classical Gnosticism" and "The School of Thomas" antedated and influenced the development of Valentinus, who was to found his own school of Gnosticism in both Alexandria and Rome, whom Layton called "the great [Gnostic] reformer" and "the focal point" of Gnostic development. While in Alexandria, where he was born, Valentinus probably would have had contact with the Gnostic teacher Basilides, and may have been influenced by him.

Valentinianism flourished after the middle of the 2nd century AD. This movement was named after its founder Valentinus (c. 100 – 180 AD). The school is also known to have been extremely popular: several varieties of their central myth are known, and we know of "reports from outsiders from which the intellectual liveliness of the group is evident." It is known that Valentinus' students elaborated on his teachings and materials (though the exact extent of their changes remains unknown), for example, in the version of the Valentinian myth brought to us through Ptolemy.

Valentinianism might be described as the most elaborate and philosophically "dense" form of the Syrian-Egyptian schools of Gnosticism, though it should be acknowledged that this in no way debarred other schools from attracting followers. Basilides' own school was popular also, and survived in Egypt until the 4th century.

Simone Petrement, in A Separate God, in arguing for a Christian origin of Gnosticism, places Valentinus after Basilides, but before the Sethians. It is her assertion that Valentinus represented a moderation of the anti-Judaism of the earlier Hellenized teachers; the demiurge, widely regarded as a mythological depiction of the Old Testament God of the Hebrews, is depicted as more ignorant than evil


Valentinian works are named in reference to the Bishop and teacher Valentinius. Circa 153 AD, Valentinius developed a complex cosmology outside of the Sethian tradition. At one point he was close to being appointed the Bishop of Rome of what is now the Roman Catholic Church. Works attributed to his school are listed below, and fragmentary pieces directly linked to him are noted with an asterisk:

• The Divine Word Present in the Infant (Fragment A) *
• On the Three Natures (Fragment B) *
• Adam's Faculty of Speech (Fragment C) *
• To Agathopous: Jesus' Digestive System (Fragment D) *
• Annihilation of the Realm of Death (Fragment F) *
• On Friends: The Source of Common Wisdom (Fragment G) *
• Epistle on Attachments (Fragment H) *
• Summer Harvest*
• The Gospel of Truth*
• Ptolemy's Version of the Gnostic Myth
• Prayer of the Apostle Paul
• Ptolemy's Epistle to Flora
• Treatise on the Resurrection (Epistle to Rheginus)
• Gospel of Philip

The Twelve Apostles as a type of the Twelve Aeons Matthew 10:1-4

The Twelve Apostles as a type of the Dodecad

or

The Twelve Apostles as a type of the Twelve Aeons

Matthew 10:1 And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. 

10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 

10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

10:4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

There are four lists of the apostles -- in Matthew 10, Mark 3, Luke 6 and Acts 1. The order of names is not the same, but each list is divisible into three quaternions. In each of these groups the order varies, but the names are the same. Thus, Peter and Andrew, James and John are always together. Next come Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, whilst the last group is James the son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes, Judas of James, also called Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus, and, always last, Judas Iscariot, replaced in Acts.1 by Matthias.

apostles--Those sent forth (emanations); messengers; ambassadors; active spiritual thoughts (aspects of the divine mind). Jesus conferred this title on the Twelve whom He sent forth to teach and to heal.

From the writings of Irenaeus of Lyons we learn that some Gnostic Sects understood the Twelve Apostles as a type of the aeons:

He chose the apostles with this view, that by means of them He might show forth the Aeons who are in the Pleroma (Irenaeus of Lyons)

Jesus saw the twelve Apostles as a figure of the twelve faculties of the Divine Mind which expanded from the Deity

Now it is to the twelve apostles that you shall go, for they are elect spirits, and they will greet you." (The Coptic Apocalypse of Paul)

The apostles, as emissaries or messengers, sent forth by Jesus to teach and heal, representing active spiritual thoughts or aspects of the divine mind "for they are elect spirits". 

First the aeons are aspects or attributes of the Father which emanate from the mind of the Father. The aeons are also separate spiritual beings which emanate from the Father's substance 

Altogether there are 30 aeons collectively called the Triacontad the last group of emanations is called the Dodecad meaning Twelve

According to the Gnostic interpretation of the New Testament, Jesus chose the twelve apostles to represent the twelve Aeons, which are aspects or attributes of the Father that emanate from his mind. The Aeons are also seen as separate spiritual beings that emanate from the Father's substance. 

The group of thirty Aeons is collectively called the Triacontad, and the final group of twelve Aeons is called the Dodecad.

In Gnosticism, the aeons are viewed as emanations or attributes of the ultimate divine being, often referred to as the Father or the Monad (The One). These aeons exist within the Pleroma, a term used to describe the fullness or completeness of the divine realm. The aeons are seen as spiritual beings that emanate from the Father's substance and collectively they represent the fullness of the divine qualities or aspects. The last group of emanations is known as the Dodecad, which represents the twelve primary aspects of the divine mind. In this context, the twelve apostles can be seen as representing these twelve aspects of the divine mind, which Jesus used to reveal or manifest the fullness of the divine to humanity.

The Twelve

Twelve. The patriarch Jacob had 12 sons, who became the foundations of the 12 tribes of Israel. Their offspring were organized by God under the Law covenant as God’s nation. Twelve therefore seems to represent a complete, balanced, divinely constituted arrangement. (Ge 35:22; 49:28) Jesus chose 12 apostles, who form the secondary foundations of the New Jerusalem, built upon Jesus Christ. (Mt 10:2-4; Re 21:14) There are 12 tribes of “the sons of [spiritual] Israel,” each tribe consisting of 12,000 members.—Re 7:4-8.

Joshua had taken 12 stones out of Jordan, as a token of Israel's dedication to turn the Land of Promise into God's Kingdom. Jesus ("Joshua") now selects 12 men (the first, Peter, a "stone"), baptized in Jordan, to become foundation stones of a new Jerusalem (Rev 21:14). 

New Jerusalem (Rev. 21) Twelve gates, twelve angels, twelve foundations.

Measurement of New Jerusalem, 12,000 furlongs.

Twelve is the number of orderly government and spiritual fulfillment.

Understanding Times and Seasons 

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so (Genesis 1:14-15)... in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies," (Genesis 22:17).

The analogy between Genesis 1:14-15 and Genesis 22:17 unveils a sublime truth—a truth that parallels the vastness of the stars with the multitude of grains of sand upon the seashore. Just as the celestial lights serve as markers for sacred times, days, and years, so do true believers become luminous beacons, illuminating the path of spiritual journey and understanding. The stars in the heavens and the sands upon the seashore converge in a poetic tapestry, reflecting the grandeur of the Divine plan, wherein each believer emerges as a profound testament to the passage of time.

What is time? Time is the motion of the sun, moon, and stars in relationship to one another. In the political heavens  God Himself is the Great Light which the earthly sun symbolizes. Wisdom is symbolized by the moon, and the stars are the true believers. And in that regard, the figure of a man is shaped like the familiar 5-pointed star.

Our numbers and our "work" constitute "days, seasons, and years". In our world men use clocks, watches, sun dials, and hourglasses to mark "TIME". Spiritually speaking each son and daughter (sun/moon) pair as one day of spiritual "TIME" is the equivalent of 1000 earthly years. 

No man has made it alive down here for a full "day". Adam and Methuselah came closest, but their time was cut short because of the introduction of "sin". One looks at a "watch" in order to tell the time. Heavenly "Watchers" look at men below to observe our motions (works)  (Daniel 4:13,23).

Note spiritual time is not measured by material motion Spiritual time is aeon. Spiritual motion can only be conceived of, by us men, as "Thought". It is God's Thought, and God's Thought is a Thought, Plan, or Design, of Redemption for Man, expressed in human beings who are, as Philo says, "measures of aeon." In this context, the heroes of Israel are incarnate thoughts of God, and his series of illustrations represents spiritual lives that are phases of God's foreordained redemptive Purpose.

Because all true believers are "watched" by the Heavenly Hosts, we are all "human watches" designating time. Watches "tick" and so do fleshy watches. Our hearts beat daily as time goes by. When our hearts stop beating, the watch stops and time is up h. An hourglass is filled with sand which trickles downward as the hour passes. When all the sand is in the lower part of the glass, one hour has expired. Man's body is the "sands of time". When a certain number of true believers have been lowered in their graves, one spiritual hour has passed. And in regard to this time analogy, when Jesus warned us in parable "not to build a house on sinking sand", he was teaching us not to build our doctrines and place our confidence in the teachings, traditions, and opinions of men, because man's mind and thinking is also under the influence and regulation of devils, Proverbs 16:25; Daniel 7:4; Revelation 13:4-7. 

Similarly, just as the Heavenly Hosts watch over true believers, these believers also serve as poignant markers and guides for one another along their spiritual journeys. Men, too, possess the role of being signs and heralds of significant seasons (Genesis 1:14). Let us delve into the concept of men as "signs," as delineated in Zechariah 3:8, Ezekiel 12:11, and Ezekiel 24:24. These signs hold purposeful meanings, and their audience is none other than fellow True Believers. In this divine orchestration, the lives of the faithful are employed as living symbols and guiding beacons, observed by the vigilant Hosts of fellow believers.

Consider the exemplar of Noah, a devoted and unwavering believer, who stood as a renowned sign. His name and noble endeavors left an indelible mark, signifying a life lived in alignment with divine principles (Genesis 6:9, 9:12; Isaiah 54:9; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). Similarly, Abraham, chosen by God, bore the mantle of a "sign," symbolizing the radiance of divine glory and covenant (Genesis 15:6, 7). The life of Moses, intricately woven into the fabric of history, held profound significance as a sign of deliverance and enlightenment, leaving an indelible impression on Pharaoh and future generations.

In the grand tapestry of existence, the figure of Jesus stands as the most illustrious and impactful sign of all. Every word spoken, every action taken reverberated through time, carrying immense import for humanity's salvation and the revelation of divine judgment. His life, a testament of love, compassion, and sacrifice, holds eternal significance.

Yet, the concept of believers as signs transcends individual lives, encompassing the collective body of True Believers. Described as trees within God's terrestrial garden, these believers burgeon with the essence of love, compassion, and mercy—a resplendent display that heralds the imminent arrival of the son of man and the profound moment of judgment.

In this symphony of symbolism, the lives of True Believers radiate as luminous guides, illuminating the path for fellow travelers on their spiritual pilgrimage. Just as the celestial luminaries punctuate the celestial expanse, the lives of these believers punctuate the narrative of human existence with purpose and meaning. Together, they form an interconnected constellation of signs, beckoning humanity towards higher truths and spiritual awakening.

Through the ages, the faithful have stood as living beacons, bearing witness to the majesty of divine design. Their existence, like celestial bodies, marks the passage of epochs, revealing the profound intricacies of the eternal plan. As the stars above and the sands below, True Believers mirror the cosmic dance, embodying the sacred rhythm of time and eternity.

A "watchman" refers to a spiritually enlightened believer who possesses the ability to perceive both the inner and outer realms of existence. Armed with the authoritative word of command, the watchman fearlessly confronts and challenges any negative forces or influences that may arise.

Then, in this aeon, which is the psychic one, the man will come into being who knows the great Power. He will receive (me) and he will know me. He will drink from the milk of the mother, in fact. He will speak in parables; he will proclaim the aeon that is to come, just as he spoke in the first aeon of the flesh, as Noah. Now concerning his words, which he uttered, he spoke in all of them, in seventy-two tongues. And he opened the gates of the heavens with his words. And he put to shame the ruler of Hades; he raised the dead, and he destroyed his dominion. (The Concept of Our Great Power)

Just as the present aeon, though a unity, is divided by units of time and units of time are divided into years and years are divided into seasons and seasons into months, and months into days, and days into hours, and hours into moments, so too the aeon of the Truth, since it is a unity and multiplicity, receives honor in the small and the great names according to the power of each to grasp it - by way of analogy - like a spring which is what it is, yet flows into streams and lakes and canals and branches, or like a root spread out beneath trees and branches with its fruit, or like a human body, which is partitioned in an indivisible way into members of members, primary members and secondary, great and small (The Tripartite Tractate)

Therefore our aeon came to be as the type of Immortal Man. Time came to be as the type of First Begetter, his son. The year came to be as the type of Savior. The twelve months came to be as the type of the twelve powers. The three hundred and sixty days of the year came to be as the three hundred and sixty powers who appeared from Savior. Their hours and moments came to be as the type of the angels who came from them (the powers), who are without number (Eugnostos the Blessed)

A treatise on TIME appears in Secrets of Enoch LXV, Lost Books of the Bible. It speaks on the "rolled up" effect of God's "TIMES" (children). He wrote "When all creation visible and invisible as the Lord created it shall end, then every man goes to the great judgment (as we have described it in the "GOOD NEWS") ... then shall all time perish and the years (men shall rise to heaven at death), and thenceforward there shall be neither months, nor days, nor hours, they will be stuck together and will not be counted. There will be one aeon and all the righteous who shall escape the Lord's Great Judgment shall be collected in the great aeon, for the righteous the great eon will begin and they will live eternally", Secrets LXV:5,6. 

In another text, Philo speaks of "aeon" as being in the life of God what "time" is in the life of Man. Time is measured by material motion, but aeon by spiritual motion. Spiritual motion can only be conceived of, by us men, as "Thought". It is God's Thought, and God's Thought is a Thought, Plan, or Design, of Redemption for Man, expressed in human beings who are, as Philo says, "measures of aeon." In this context, the heroes of Israel are incarnate thoughts of God, and his series of illustrations represents spiritual lives that are phases of God's foreordained redemptive Purpose.

   

Philo speaks of "aeon" as being in the life of God what "time" is in the life of Man. Time is measured by material motion, but aeon by immaterial or spiritual motion. Spiritual motion can only be conceived of, by us men, as "Thought". It is God's Thought. God's Thought as is reiterated throughout the Odes is a Thought, Plan, or Design, of Redemption for Man. This Thought was revealed by God's Word or Son moving and expressing Himself in the sons of Man, more especially in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three Philo calls "measures of aeon," that is to say, phases of God s Thought of Redemption as it was developed through Faith, Joy, and Righteousness

For him the heroes of Israel are incarnate thoughts of God. His series of illustrations is a picture-book of the progressive phases of God's foreordained redemptive Purpose expressed in human beings. It represents spiritual lives (which are, as Philo says, "measures of aeon 1"],

Philo says (i. 277) that "time," xpuvos, being measured by the motions of the material Cosmos, may be called son of Cosmos, but only the grandson (not the son) of God, who is the Father of Cosmos. Aeon, he says, is the archetype of Time. We might be disposed to say that it must be measured by the motions of God's Thought; but he thinks of God's Thought as never past or future but always present: (id.) "In aeon, nothing has passed away, nothing is future, but everything simply subsists." The Hebrew view is that God combines past, present, and future, in a motion that is also rest. Elsewhere Philo says that the race of Wisdom produced (i. 455) "the threefold fruits of him that seeth, [namely], Israel." These are "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and he calls these three "measures of aeon" i.e. apparently of divine Time. According to Philo (i. 342), "aeonian" does not mean "infinite in time" but "He that is graciously giving (6 x n P l C"f Ji(l "^--- always and continuously...," in other words, "infinite in His scope of graciousness," so that no limit of space, time, or thought, can be attached to it.

The Jews believed that all through the generations, from Adam to Abraham, God was waiting for the latter that He might begin to build His Habitation. Before Abraham, all was swamp. When he came, the rock rose to the surface, and building became possible. In effect, the Building was begun when Abraham "believed." 

When Abraham "believed." Nothing outward and visible took place then. But inwardly and invisibly a new spiritual period began, the period, or age (aeon), of "Faith." Such an age is not measured by days or years or by "time" at all. For time depends on material, acoti on spiritual, motion

With Abraham began the aeon of Faith.

Then after the aeon of Joy typified by Isaac, and the aeon of Hopeful Endurance typified by Jacob, and after the silent aeons of the Egyptian oppression during which the patriarchal seed was being prepared to grow up into the tree of national life came Moses

The passage suggests that believers are the time aeons of God, represented by the twelve months of the year, which are the twelve powers of God. In this context, the "psychic aeon" is the present time, and the man who knows the great power is a reference to Christ or the enlightened ones who will receive the knowledge and proclaim the aeon to come.

The passage also suggests that time itself is a creation of God, with the First Begetter being the source of time and the Savior being its representation in the year. The three hundred and sixty days of the year are representative of the three hundred and sixty powers that appeared from the Savior, with their hours and moments being the angels that came from them.

Moreover, the passage draws on the imagery of light and stars to convey the idea that believers are the time aeons of God. The stars are compared to believers, and the sand on the seashore represents the multitude of believers who will possess the gate of their enemies. The earthly sun symbolizes God, and the moon symbolizes Mother Wisdom, with believers being represented by the stars. The passage suggests that just as the sun, moon, and stars mark time, so do believers in their daily lives and work.

In summary, the passage suggests that believers are the time aeons of God, and the twelve months of the year represent the twelve powers of God. The idea is that time is a creation of God, and believers mark time in their daily lives and work, just as the sun, moon, and stars do in the heavens.

In these texts, believers are not explicitly referred to as symbols of time or aeons. However, there are references to time and aeons as being connected to spiritual concepts such as redemption, the Word of God, and the Thought of God. In one passage, believers are described as "human watches" designating time, and in another passage, spiritual lives are referred to as "measures of aeon." Overall, the texts suggest that time and aeons are spiritual concepts that are intimately connected to God's plan for redemption, and believers may be seen as participating in this plan.

The Zodiac

The twelve apostles are also type of twelve signs of the Zodiac. One of followers of Valentinus identified the twelve apostles with the twelve signs of the Zodiac:

25 The followers of Valentinus defined the Angel as a Logos having a message from Him who is. And, using the same terminology, they call the Aeons Logoi.

The Apostles, he says, were translated into the twelve signs of the zodiac, for as

birth is managed by them, so too is rebirth <overseen> by the Apostles. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus)

To these same Valentinians the Decad is indicated by seven circular bodies, an eighth heaven encircling them, and the sun and moon. The zodiac indicates the Dodecad.

The Ogdoad the heavenly world was within the compass of the Twelve Zodiacal Signs, that is to say, it extended from the moon upwards to the Boundary or Firmament.

The heavenly bodies excited the interest of early man. It is obvious that astronomy was a subject in which Job had delighted (Job 9:9; 38:31-32; see also Amos 5:8). Gesenius suggests that the word Mazzaroth (Job 38:32) relates to the Zodiac, and this is supported by the margin of the A.V.

The twelve signs of the Zodiac, answering to the twelve months of the year, are connected with different seasons, and these, in turn, speak of Yahweh's purpose. For example, winter is often related to death, and springtime to resurrection. (Gospel of Philip)

It should also be noted that the Greek Deity Aion was linked to the zodiac. Aion is usually identified as the nude or seminude young man within a circle representing the zodiac, or eternal and cyclical time. The "time" represented by Aion is unbounded, in contrast to Chronos as empirical time divided into past, present, and future. He is thus a god of the ages

This would also link the apostles with the twelve aeons of the Dodecad since the Apostles were put in place of the twelve signs of the Zodiac as birth is governed by the signs so is rebirth governed by the Apostles

The signs of the Zodiac, which are like the Dodecad:

They (the signs of the Zodiac) are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs (The First Apocalypse of James)

The Twelve Apostles Are a Type of the Aeons

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Jesus came full of the Aeons this fullness of the aeons was poured out upon all those of the Church by the Spirit on the day of Pentecost

Christ the Verifier who stood as the sonship in their midst. this Christ bore twelve aspects which were manifest in the twelve apostles (The Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex)

Then Thomas said to him: "Lord, Savior, how many are the aeons of those who surpass the heavens?" The perfect Savior said: "I praise you (pl.) because you ask about the great aeons, for your roots are in the infinities. Now when those whom I have discussed earlier were revealed, he provided ....
"Now when those whom I have discussed earlier were revealed, Self-begetter Father very soon created twelve aeons for retinue for the twelve angels. All these are perfect and good. (The Sophia of Jesus Christ cp. Rev 4:4,6,7)

For this cause have I chosen you verily from the beginning through the First Mystery. Rejoice then and exult, for when I set out for the world, |11. I brought from the beginning with me twelve powers, as I have told you from the beginning, which I have taken from the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, according to the command of the First Mystery. These then I cast into the womb of your mothers, when I came into the world, that is those which are in your bodies to-day. For these powers have been given unto you before the whole world, because ye are they who will save the whole world, and that ye may be able to endure the threat of the rulers of the world and the pains of the world and its dangers and all its persecutions, which the rulers of the height will bring upon you (Pistis Sophia chapter 7)

The Christ, has twelve powers of spiritual perception or mental ideas emanations from the Divine Mind these twelve powers or attributes are represented in the history of Jesus by the Twelve Apostles. So each of us has spiritual perception or attributes to make manifest, to bring out, and to use in the attainment of his ideals.

In order to command our powers and to bring them into unity of action, we must know what they are and their respective places on the staff of Being

The twelve apostles function as counterparts of the aeons they make up the body of truth or duodecad

The Dodecad

The Dodecad is group of twelve aeons they are the emanations of Anthropos and Ecclesia 

The Names of the aeons of the Dodecad are: 

• Paracletus (Comforter)  and Pistis (Faith) 
• Patricas (Paternal)  and Elpis (Hope) 
• Metricos (Maternal)  and Agape (Love) 
• Ainos (Praise) and Synesis (Intelligence) 
• Ecclesiasticus (Son of Ecclesia)  and Macariotes (Blessedness)
• Theletus (Perfect)  and Sophia (Wisdom) 

In the Dodecad, the masculine aeons’ names describe the functions of the aeons of the Ogdoad (especially Mind); the female aeons’ names describe virtues in a partially recognizable sequence (Faith, Hope, Love: 1 Corinthians 13.13).

The dodecad are forces and energies of the psychical universe or the material universe. They are the product of Anthropos and Ecclesia and are related to our states of being. The genders pairs refer to “form” and “substance,” so the Aeons of the Dodecad describe tangible actions and reactions

According to Irenaeus, the Valentinians say that the production of the Duodecad of aeons corresponds to the election of the twelve apostles. The twelfth emanation, the suffering Sophia, corresponds with Judas the twelfth apostle

Irenaeus writes that they think that Sophia's suffering points to Judas' apostasy because both were associated with the number twelve. He reiterates this by saying that the Valentinians relate the suffering Sophia to the betrayal of Judas. Thus her suffering was her error, when she did what was forbidden. It is Sophia's betrayal that results in her suffering which the Valentinians said corresponded to Judas' betrayal of Jesus

It is Sophia's betrayal that results in her suffering which the Valentinians said corresponded to Judas' betrayal of Jesus

Judas was replaced by Matthias this corresponds to the restoration of Sophia

The twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve tribes also signal the Dodecad (Against Heresies 1.18.4). So too the twelve stones on the breastplate and the twelve bells.[Genesis 35.22–26, 49.28; Exodus 28.21, 36.21. (Justin Martyr Dialogue with Trypho 42.1) 

The concept of the Twelve Aeons, also known as the Dodecad, is a central component of Gnostic cosmology. According to this belief system, the Aeons represent emanations of the divine and are arranged in pairs of male and female. Together, they form a system of twelve interconnected and complementary powers that emanate from the divine source.

The Twelve Apostles of Christianity are often seen as symbolic of the Twelve Aeons. Each of the apostles represents an aspect of the divine, and together they embody the fullness of God's power and wisdom.

Here is a breakdown of how each apostle may be associated with an Aeon:

1. Paracletus (Comforter) - Represents the Holy Spirit, who comforts and guides believers.
2. Pistis (Faith) - Represents the principle of faith and trust in God.
3. Patricas (Paternal) - Represents God the Father as the source and origin of all being.
4. Elpis (Hope) - Represents the principle of hope and optimism in the face of adversity.
5. Metricos (Maternal) - Represents the nurturing and caring aspect of God, as a mother cares for her children.
6. Agape (Love) - Represents the all-encompassing love of God, which transcends human understanding.
7. Ainos (Praise) - Represents the power of praise and worship in connecting with the divine.
8. Synesis (Intelligence) - Represents the principle of knowledge and understanding.
9. Ecclesiasticus (Son of Ecclesia) - Represents the Church, as the community of believers.
10. Macariotes (Blessedness) - Represents the state of being blessed by God.
11. Theletus (Perfect) - Represents the perfection and completeness of God.
12. Sophia (Wisdom) - Represents the principle of wisdom and the knowledge of God.

the twelve apostles are seen as symbolic of the twelve Aeons of the Dodecad. Here is a breakdown of how each apostle may be associated with an Aeon:

1. Paracletus (Comforter) - This attribute could be associated with the Apostle Peter, who is often seen as a representative of the divine Comforter, providing support and guidance to believers.

2. Pistis (Faith) - The attribute of faith can be linked to the Apostle Andrew, who displayed faith and trust in the teachings of Jesus.

3. Patricas (Paternal) - This attribute, representing fatherhood and protection, could be associated with the Apostle James (son of Zebedee), who was one of the prominent disciples and had a close relationship with Jesus.

4. Elpis (Hope) - The attribute of hope can be aligned with the Apostle John, who emphasized the hope and expectation of eternal life through Jesus' teachings.

5. Metricos (Maternal) - This attribute, symbolizing motherhood and nurturing, could be associated with the Apostle Philip, who is said to have cared for and nurtured the early Christian community.

6. Agape (Love) - The attribute of love can be linked to the Apostle Bartholomew, who demonstrated selfless love and devotion in his discipleship.

7. Ainos (Praise) - The attribute of praise can be aligned with the Apostle Thomas, who is often remembered for his expression of praise and devotion to Jesus.

8. Synesis (Intelligence) - This attribute, representing intelligence and understanding, could be associated with the Apostle Matthew, who was known for his background as a tax collector and his ability to comprehend and articulate Jesus' teachings.

9. Ecclesiasticus (Son of Ecclesia) - This attribute, symbolizing community and belonging, could be linked to the Apostle James (son of Alphaeus), who was part of the close-knit group of disciples forming the early Christian community.

10. Macariotes (Blessedness) - The attribute of blessedness can be aligned with the Apostle Thaddaeus, who is believed to have experienced the joy and blessedness of being a follower of Jesus.

11. Theletus (Perfect) - This attribute, representing perfection, could be associated with the Apostle Simon the Zealot, who dedicated himself to the pursuit of righteousness and perfection in his discipleship.

12. Sophia (Wisdom) - The attribute of wisdom can be linked to the Apostle Judas Iscariot, who, despite his unfortunate betrayal, may be seen as representing the potential for growth and redemption through the pursuit of wisdom.

Moses and Joshua built altars made of twelve stones, twelve men carried the ark of the covenant across the Jordan, and Elisha placed twelve stones around the bull when he contended with the priests of Baal.[Exodus 24.4; Joshua 4.9, 4.20, 3.12; 1 Kings 18.31]

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