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 kingdom of the Heavens is a State of Consciousness

The kingdom of the heavens, is a state of consciousness

The kingdom of the heavens, is a state of consciousness in which mind, soul, and body are in harmony with Divine Mind.

Why is the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed? The parable of the mustard seed shows us that the apparently small thought or idea of Truth (seed) has capacity to develop and expand in consciousness until it becomes the abiding place of a higher type of thoughts (birds of the air). 

13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.

A true idea transforms a mass of ignorance by allowing the light of understanding to spread throughout the mind until it is enlightenment.

13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

What is the field in which man's greatest treasure is hidden?

The field is the mind and heart of man. When planted with the seed which is the word of God they contain the hidden treasure of true spiritual identity the Christ consciousness or the Christ self that each believer discovers as they learns to know themselves as children of God.

What is represented by the "pearl of great price"? the Christ consciousness or the Christ self. 

13:47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:13:48which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. 

What is represented by the net that gathered both the good and the bad, which had to be sorted? The net represents the capacity of the mind to gather all kinds of thoughts, which have to be tested; the good retained and the bad cast out. 

13:49So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, 13:50and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

What is signified by "the end of the world"? "The end of the world" is more accurately translated "the consummation of the age." It signifies the end of a mental process in which the good thoughts have brought forth good and the bad thoughts have brought forth sin and wickedness. The error thoughts are then destroyed by the cleansing process of renouncing ("furnace of fire").

What is Consciousness? Romans 9:1

What is Consciousness? Romans 9:1

Romans 9:1 I am telling the truth in Christ; I am not lying, since my conscience bears witness with me in holy spirit

Romans 9:1 since my conscience (4893) bears witness with me in holy spirit

Amplified Bible
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit,

The meaning of ‘consciousness

the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself

the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought

Mind
the totality of conscious states of an individual

Gr "suneidesis" has the sense of an independent witness within, examining and passing judgment on a man's own conduct: cp Rom 2:15: "their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them".

4893. συνείδησις suneidesis soon-i’-day-sis; from a prolonged form of 4894; co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness: — conscience.

“conscience” [Strong’s 4893] suneidhsiv suneidesis, ‘knowing oneself, being one’s witness’, moral awareness

(Greek suneidesis - a compound of sun, together, and eideo, to see, or know) means, the power of judging ourselves, which is always in accordance with the knowledge of ourselves, and the relations in which we stand to our Father and fellow brethren.

“Conscience” comes from the Latin word "conscius ", meaning “knowing inwardly.” The Latin word has the prefix “con " meaning “together,” and the root " scire " meaning “to know.” 

So then conscience is co-knowledge with oneself. There is no Hebrew word for conscience or suneidesis, # <4893>. Instead, “heart” is used in the Old Testament in ways that resemble our understanding of “conscience.” When the Old Testament speaks of a “tender heart,” it refers to a sensitive conscience (2Chron 34:27); the “upright in heart” refers to those with a pure conscience (Psa 7:10), and a “clean heart,” refers to those whose conscience is clean (cf. Psa 51:10).

Translated 32 times in the New Testament as “conscience”

From [Strong’s 4894] suneidon suneidon, ‘to see together, hence to comprehend

4894. συνείδω suneido soon-i’-do; from 4862 and 1492; to see completely; used (like its primary) only in two past tenses, respectively meaning to understand or become aware, and to be conscious or (clandestinely) informed of: — consider, know, be privy, be ware of.

AV-by privy 1, consider 1, be ware of 1, know 1; 4

brain' and the 'mind'

What is the difference between the 'brain' and the 'mind'?

Answer:

It may seem, on the surface, that distinguishing between the brain and the mind is not important but to understand the Scriptures properly we must recognize the difference in the brain versus that which the brain produces.

The difference is seen in considering the two words, “brain” and “mind”. The brain is brain-flesh, the physical source of the impulses of man’s defiled nature. The brain is defined as, “

The dictionary says, Brain: "That part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull". In other words it is the physical member of the body that controls the biological functions of the body in addition to producing thoughts, attitudes &c.

The mind is defined as, “human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, perception, emotion, will, memory, and imagination” (Am. Heritage Dictionary).  

Mind: Thinking produced by the brain.

Look, when you get down to it, even mental states are actually only physical states, are they not? I mean, the brain is just a-a chemical supercomputer (Dr. Rodney Mckay) 

The brain creates chemicals which produce feelings and emotions

Like it or not, emotions share some very real biochemical links with your nervous system, immune system and digestive system.

Consciousness is a property of the brain, and the brain is a biochemical engine or its just a chemical super-computer.

Sin originates in the brain-flesh, not in the mind.

The problem is that some false teaching say that sin is a matter of morality and not as a physical law of that nature’s constitution.

The uncleanness is shifted from the physical realm of the brain’s flesh to the mental-moral

realm.

Note: The brain, when functioning, provides consciousness which consists of "thoughts" or "the mind". When we are told "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5), we are being told to have the same thinking as Christ, not his brain.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5)
"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8)

"Operating upon the brain [physical], it [indwelling sin] excites the 'propensities', and these set the 'intellect' [mental], and 'sentiments' [moral] to work. The propensities are blind, and so are the intellect and sentiments in a purely natural state; when therefore, the latter operate under the sole impulse of the propensities, 'the understanding is darkened through ignorance, because of the blindness of the heart'". (Elpis Israel, p . 127)

Man in his physical constitution is imperfect; and this imperfection is traceable to the physical organization of his flesh, being based on the principle of decay and reproduction from the blood; which, acted upon by the air, becomes the life of his flesh. All the phenomena which pertain to this arrangement of things are summed up in the simple word sin; which is, therefore, not an individual abstraction, but a concretion of relations in all animal bodies; and the source of all their physical infirmities. Now, the apostle says, that the flesh thinks, that is, the brain, as all who think are well assured from their own consciousness. If, then, this thinking organ be commanded not to do what is natural for it to do under blind impulse, will it not naturally disobey?  (Elpis Israel)

Now, the law of God is given, that the thinking of the flesh, instead of being excited by the propensities within and the world without, may be conducted according to its direction. 

Consciousness is not Eternal 

If you talk to anyone who’s used DMT or psilocin/psilocybin (aka magic mushrooms) at one time or another they’ll tell you they experienced some very vivid hallucinations — and an almost completely altered perception of reality. This clearly implies that brain biochemistry is consciousness. If consciousness resided in some kind of soul or spirit as the ancients believed, then taking chemicals would have no effect on your consciousness. If you can alter your consciousness by taking a chemical to interfere with or mimics neurotransmitters, on the other hand, then consciousness must be biochemical in nature.

Psychedelic drugs like Magic mushrooms demonstrate that consciousness is a property of the brain, and the brain is a biochemical engine in the same way that the engine in your car is a mechanical one.

When your car’s engine dies, does another car nearby immediately start up as the “spirit of the car” transfers from one automobile to another? Of course not. You intuitively know that makes no sense. So if consciousness is a property of the brain (which is a biochemical engine), why would it transfer from one vehicle to another when the brain dies? that doesn’t make any sense.

Psalm 146:4 NASB 1995
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.

Ecclesiastes 3:19 For an event is to the sons of man, and an event is to the beasts, even one event is to them; as the death of this, so is the death of that; and one spirit is to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole is vanity.

The Consciousness of Sin Hebrews 10:2

For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin. (Hebrews 10:2)

By law comes knowledge of sin and consciousness of guilt and liability to punishment

The TCNT has: "for where there is no consciousness of law, sin shows no sign of life". 

Unless the law is recognised, sin is dormant, ignored and "dead". But the law of God starts the challenge between flesh and spirit, and shows the evil character of sin that resides in the flesh.

The result of the law in this context is that it had the effect of rousing the innate tendency of man to sin, and so bound the consciousness of the individual to the "old man" (the natural and evil propensity of the flesh).

The awakening of sin in life by the power of God's law and its display to the spiritual consciousness demonstrates the repulsively ungodliness of sin, and the impossibility of overcoming it without the aid of Almighty God through His Son (Psa. 80:17). It was seen to be absolutely and violently opposed to God and His law.

World English Bible because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

Now, the apostle says, that the flesh thinks — that is, the brain, as all who think are well assured from their own consciousness

Hence, in ch. 8:3 Paul speaks of "sin in the flesh." Notice, particularly, that in both passages the apostle emphasizes the "body" or "the flesh." He does not say "the mind," for it is the "flesh" or "mortal body" which is the source of sin. Evil propensities given free reign, produce the carnal mind; not the other way round.

The Carnal Mind is an expression used by Paul; or rather, it is the translation of words used by him, in his epistle to the Romans. It is not so explicit as the original. The words he wrote are the thinking of the flesh. In this phrase, he intimates to us, that the flesh is the thinking substance, that is, the brain; which, in another place, he terms "the fleshy tablet of the heart"

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Do not become slaves to a bad conscience. It is easy to defile one’s conscience. A Christian’s aim should be as shown in Acts 23:1: “Brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear conscience down to this day.”

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

There is therefore no more condemnation in Christ who strengthens me

The sense of awareness, of knowing.

"And the heaven and the earth and all their world was Completed."{1}{#ge 2:1.} Having previously related the creation of the mind and of sense, Moses now proceeds to describe the perfection which was brought about by them both. And he says that neither the indivisible mind nor the particular sensations received perfection, but only ideas, one the idea of the mind, the other of sensation. And, speaking symbolically, he calls the mind heaven, since the natures which can only be comprehended by the intellect are in heaven. And sensation he calls earth, because it is sensation which has obtained a corporeal and some what earthy constitution. The ornaments of the mind are all the incorporeal things, which are perceptible only by the intellect. Those of sensation are the corporeal things, and everything in short which is perceptible by the external senses. Philo of Alexandria

Consciousness is our acquaintance of knowing; that phase of understanding by which we take awareness of our existence and of our relation to what we call environment. Our consciousness is our real environment or Garden of Eden. The outer environment is always in correspondence to the thoughts making up our consciousness. Environment is made by ideas held in mind and established. The ideas that are held in mind are the basis of all consciousness. The thoughts and ideas upon which consciousness is formed gives personality to it.

Therefore consciousness is the sum total of all ideas accumulated in and affecting man's present sinful nature.

It is of great value to understand the importance of our consciousness in spiritual growth. Divine ideas must be incorporated into our consciousness before they can mean anything to us. An intellectual understanding does not meet the needs. To be satisfied with an intellectual comprehension leaves us subject to error, false doctrine and sin than eternal death. We must seek to incorporate divine ideas into our mind.

The Christ consciousness or spiritual consciousness, is a state of consciousness that is based upon divine ideas, upon an understanding and realisation of spiritual Truth.

Personal consciousness is formed from limited, selfish ideas.

It can be called the consciousness of sin. Believers are to be conscious of sin and avoid it at every turn.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

To be sin conscious is to be under the law and to be righteousness conscious, continually receiving this free gift is to be under grace.

Let’s develop the consciousness of righteousness and throw away a sin consciousness.

The Christ Consciousness established in accordance with the Eternal Spirit, is the true relationship or fellowship with the Father. The Christ Consciousness is the logos that was manifested in Jesus.

Renewed by Accurate Knowledge Colossians 3:10

Renewed by Accurate Knowledge 

or 

Salvation by Accurate Knowledge

Colossians 3:10

Strip off the old personality with its practices, 10 and clothe yourselves with the new personality, that is being renewed through accurate knowledge according to the image of the One who created it”​—Col. 3:9, 10

Salvation by knowledge is a general principle of absolute truth

Some Gnostics believed that in order to acquire salvation one must possess a certain knowledge, or gnosis, which must be interpreted from the sayings of Jesus

Gospel of Thomas Saying 1 And he said, "Whoever finds the correct interpretation of these sayings will never die." Translated by Stevan Davies

Now, what is faith? It is the express approval of the mind to definite points of information. Before faith can take place, the mind must be informed; that  is, it must first know or be aware of the subject of faith. Hence, knowledge  (though only in the limited sense of information) is the foundation of faith.

Exercising Faith in the Lord Jesus, and believing the gospel, are exactly the same thing; for the gospel is made up of glad tidings concerning the Lord Jesus Christ: and if a man believe the gospel, he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. If he is ignorant of the gospel, he cannot exercise Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "the Lord Jesus Christ" is not the mere name of the Saviour as a personage, but a grand doctrinal symbol, which can only be understood by those who are acquainted with the gospel in its full extent.

The first thing a person has to do, then, in order to gain salvation, is to exercise faith in the gospel. To do this he must know the gospel, for as Paul says, "How shall they put faith in him of whom they have not heard"? (Rom. 10:14). Knowledge must always precede faith; for a person cannot put faith in that of which he has not previously been informed.

Hence, the first inquiry on the part of a person anxious to be saved will be, WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? Until they know this, they cannot go on to the second stage of "faith unto salvation" ready to be revealed in the last time.
The gospel is styled "the one faith," because it is made up of things which require faith to receive them - the act of the mind by which these things are comprehended.

It is laid down as a principle, "Without faith IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD" (Heb. 11:6), and it is affirmed of believers, "Ye are saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8), and " the just shall live by faith," (Heb. 10:38). Now this faith, in scriptural usage, is not a mere abstract reliance on the power of Yahweh, but the confidence of specific promise. It is said that "faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness" (Rom. 4:9). Now let us note the character of this righteousness acquiring faith:-

20 But because of the promise of God he did not waver in a lack of faith, but became powerful by his faith, giving God glory 21 and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. 22 Hence “it was counted to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:20, 21). (Christendom Astray from the Bible by Robert Roberts)

You may say : But the Bible says, we are saved by “the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

It also says, we are renewed by knowledge” (Col. 3:10). In this, however, it does not contradict its self, 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 a person intellectually and morally by putting faith in the truth. “Sanctify them by thy truth,” says Jesus; “thy word, O Father, is truth” (John 17:17).

“Ye are clean,” said he to his apostles, “through the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). God’s power is manifested through agencies. 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. 1:2), or “the word of truth” (James 1:18), 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 demonstrating "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 8:32, 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. 2:20). 

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 putting faith in the truth testified by the Holy Spirit (John 15:26: 14:13-14).(Clerical Theology Unscriptural by Dr. John Thomas)

Paul also prayed that ones in the Colossian congregation, who obviously had some knowledge of God’s will, for they had become Christians, “be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.” (Col 1:9) Such accurate knowledge should be sought by all Christians (Eph 1:15-17; Php 1:9; 1Ti 2:3, 4), it being important in putting on “the new personality” and in gaining peace.—Col 3:10; 2Pe 1:2.

Is it possible to come to a knowledge of the truth without applying it in our daily life? Quite possible. Such knowledge however is only an academic knowledge, the heart being left unenlightened. To be “where Christ is” is to be one with Christ and therefore to be about the Father's business.

How do we come to know God, the good? This knowledge comes as we learn to express active goodness. Praise, thanksgiving, loving-kindness, and faithfulness, each in degree reveals God to us as we give it active expression.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in accurate knowledge after the image of its creator- Because in status we have 'put on the new man', "put on, therefore... mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind", i.e. bring forth in yourself the characteristics of Jesus, seeing you have 'put Him on' in baptism (Col. 3:10,12). Clothe your personality with Him, submerge yourself within Him, seeing you 'put on' Christ in baptism. We are to live out in practice how the Lord sees us by status.

Do religions ceremonies, or sacred locations have power to make God known to us? These things are unknown in scriptural teaching. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. Jesus was instructing the woman at the well concerning the only locality where God can be contacted by the mind of man; that locality is within one's own soul. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you." which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Liberating Gnosis 2 Corinthians 3:17

Liberating Gnosis 
or
Liberating Knowledge

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

In this study we will look at Liberating Gnosis, as we have already noted (in other posts), that gnosis refers to a knowledge which transcending intellectual knowledge. It is experiential knowing a knowledge gleaned from first-hand (personal) experience. This gnosis consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Gnosis has the effect of liberating the mind 

The Gospel of Truth puts it: 

He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going. He knows as one who, having become drunk, has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own. (Gospel of Truth)

Whence did he come? Whither does he go? The answer to both is God. Here again, genuine self-knowledge is actually knowledge of God, and vice versa. Hippolytus in his "Elucidations" went so far as to proclaim that the maxim "Know thyself" means to "discover God *within* thyself, for he has formed thee after his own image." (ANF., vol. 5, p. 153).

Another Valentinian text the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus states:

78 Until baptism, they say, Fate is real, but after it the astrologists are no longer right. But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

From this saying we can conclude that liberating knowledge involves insight of our original nature at creation next our sinful condition after Adam’s fall. What happens after death, how we will be restored what it means to be born again and the resurrection.

A similar saying to the one above from Theodotus is found in the text called the Teachings of Silvanus from the Nag Hammadi Library:

But before everything (else), know your birth. Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created. The body has come into being from the earth with an earthly substance, but the formed, for the sake of the soul, has come into being from the thought of the Divine. The created, however, is the mind, which has come into being in conformity with the image of God. The divine mind has substance from the Divine, but the soul is that which he (God) formed for their own hearts. For I think that it (the soul) exists as wife of that which has come into being in conformity with the image, but matter is the substance of the body, which has come into being from the earth. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

"Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created."

This part of the saying from Silvanus seems similar to a few says from Philo of Alexandria:

Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason. (Philo: On the Migration of Abraham)

The body, the soul, reason and external senses in Philo could be connected or related in some respect to the earth, the formed, and the created in The Teachings of Silvanus which stand for the body, the soul, and the mind.

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason is synonymous with the whole person

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason are synonymous with the whole person since the preceding words, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves imply a parallelism between the two expressions.

Philo invites people to explore the realm of sense perception, the reader is invited to know himself and every part of himself and how everything is governed by the invisible mind within the person or by the mind of God within the universe:

"Dwell, therefore," says she, "O my child, with him," not all thy life, but "certain days;" that is to say, learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made, and how it is by nature calculated to energise, and who it is who moves those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible, in an invisible manner, whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe.(Philo: On Flight and Finding)

from these quotations we can see that to "know thyself" is not just a conscious awareness of one's thoughts and emotions but also a insight of our makeup

Know thyself

"Know thyself" was the wisest maxim of the wisest philosophers of the wisest pagan nation of antiquity. "Know thyself" is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation. And while the wisest man of the wisest nation in theology taught as his first maxim that "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom"and while the Saviour of the world taught that "it is eternal life to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ whom he commissioned" both concur in inculcating the excellence and in teaching the utility and importance of self-knowledge (The Christian Baptist, Volumes 5-6 1827-1828 Edited by Alexander Campbell)

but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

According to John Calvin "Knowledge of ourselves lies, first, in considering what we were given at creation," and, second, in calling to mind "our miserable condition after Adam’s fall." Both of these are undiscoverable outside God’s written Word. (Institutes I.1.1)

Such lack of self-examination leads to a lack of self-knowledge, and therefore people drift along through life, making their decisions according to the dictates of their own natural desires. There is a refusal - albeit heavily masked - to take on board the fact that life is so short that all too soon the finality of death will be upon us. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away”. “We will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again”. “Like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers” (James 4:14; 2 Sam. 14:14; Ps. 90:5,6). Moses, a truly thoughtful man, recognised this, and pleaded to God: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Ps. 90:12) Therefore, in view of life’s brevity, we should make our acquisition of true wisdom a number one priority. (Duncan Heaster)

Knowing God

After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the father’s face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory. (Gospel of truth)

Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to comprehend the likeness of this One. For it is difficult not only for men to comprehend God, but it is (also) difficult for every divine being, (both) the angels and the archangels. It is necessary to know God as he is. You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father, for this image reveals the true likeness in correspondence to that which is revealed. A king is not usually known apart from an image. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

It is impossible to know God according to his divine nature but we can know God according to his personality and character.

The knowledge of ourselves is impossible apart from the knowledge of God.  

self knowledge can only be understood with the knowledge of God and our sinful nature which comes from the scriptures 

But there we learn self-knowledge in a wholly practical way: from our original state we gratefully learn that “we are ever dependent” on God our Maker for everything; while reflection on our present sinful and wretched state “should truly humble us and overwhelm us with shame.” (Institutes II.1.1)

Liberating Gnosis 

That is the gospel of him whom they seek, which he has revealed to the perfect through the mercies of the father as the hidden mystery, Jesus the anointed.  Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness. He enlightened them and gave them a path. And that path is the truth that he taught them.  For this reason error was angry with him, so she persecuted him. She was distressed by him, and she was made powerless. He was nailed to a tree.  He became a fruit of the knowledge of the father. He did not, however, destroy them because they ate of it. He rather caused those who ate of it to be joyful because of this discovery. (Gospel of Truth)

Here Jesus and the gospel are one: it is nailed to the tree in his person. Thought only nailed to a tree, the gospel became a fruit of knowledge, thereby making its tree into a tree of knowledge — but not knowledge of good and evil ( Gen. 2:9) — knowledge of the Father

Taking In Life-Giving Knowledge John 17:3

Taking in Knowledge of God and Jesus is Eternal Life

Or

Their Taking in Knowledge of You John 17:3 

John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. NWT 1983

In the Gospel of John, knowledge is given an importance it has nowhere else in the New Testament. 

From John 8:32, " And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," it appears that Truth alone suffices to liberate from sin. 

It is explicitly declared in John 17:3 that eternal life consists in the knowledge of God: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ." In several passages the teaching of Jesus brings Salvation (cf. John 6:63, 15:3, 17:17, 26).

Agreeable to this emphasis upon knowledge is the constant repetition of words stressing the importance of Revelation. Such words are "light," "know," "declare," "bear witness," "see," "and" manifest." 

Taking In Life-Giving Knowledge

John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. NWT 1983

John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. NWT 2013

The right knowledge or teachings of God and Jesus Christ gives endless life. it is also a life of acquaintance with God in Christ leading to a fullness of personal knowledge (Ephesians 4:13 Job 22:21)

It is both a personal relationship with God and the accurate knowledge in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension 

ἐπίγνωσις, εως, ἡ 1922. epignósis

epignosis “precise and correct knowledge.” it means “to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to know accurately, know well


epignosis “also denotes exact or full knowledge and discernment (Philippians 1:9)

precise and correct knowledge; used in the N. T. of the knowledge of things ethical and divine: absolutely, with the genitive of the person known; — of God,

Paul also prayed that the believers, who obviously had some knowledge of God’s will, for they had become Christians, “be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.” (Col 1:9)

Such accurate knowledge should be sought by all Christians (Eph 1:15-17; Php 1:9; 1Ti 2:3, 4), it is important in putting on “the new personality” and in gaining peace.—Col 3:10; 2Pe 1:2. (insight into the scriptures)

Duncan Heaster writes: 

When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge itself becomes pleasant to your very soul, thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way.” (Proverbs 2:10-12)

These words imply that we must develop a intense desire for accurate knowledge, which can affect the heart and the very soul. Furthermore, it is a foundation for good thinking ability 

It is having the knowledge of God's ways that makes us responsible to Him for our actions and therefore necessitates our resurrection and appearance at the judgment seat. It should therefore be understood that it is not only the righteous or those baptized who will be resurrected, but all who are responsible to God by reason of their knowledge of Him. This is an oft repeated Scriptural theme:- 

John 15:22 shows that knowledge of the Word brings responsibility: "If I (Jesus) had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke ('excuse', A.V. mg.) for their sin". Romans 1:20-21 likewise says that knowing God leaves men "without excuse".

This knowledge makes men responsible to the judgement seat of Christ, However a person is only associated with the blood of Christ through baptism. (John 3:18-19; John 12:48; Mark 16:16; 2Th 1:8)

responsibility is based upon understanding, and therefore the statement "those who know the revealed will of God" 1 Corinthians 2:10

Salvation is based upon a reasonable and logical understanding of the Truth; those who are foreign to the gospel, who lack the capacity to perceive its responsibilities; or who are unable to comprehend, are outside the sphere of salvation — Acts 8:12.

Also man can not be saved by morality or sincerity, without the gospel.

[Morality and sincerity must be accompanied by an acknowledgement of the gospel for salvation — Acts 10:1-6.]

Knowledge of the gospel alone can not save a person, without the obedience of faith to Christ’s commandments.

 [Obedience to the commandments is a responsibility required of all believers; salvation will be determined upon the application of faith and obedience. Rev. 22:14; Mat. 7:26; 2Pet. 2:21; Mat. 28:20; Gal. 6:2]

Faith in the Gospel of the Kingdom and baptism into Christ is the only way to get into him, and be part of him, and get life through him. We must get into Christ — within him. Outside of him, the one perfect and divinely acceptable Man, we shall inevitably be destroyed by God’s righteous and necessary law of sin and death. Inside of him — covered by him — we are safe. None are his friends — none are truly in him — who do not devote their whole life to knowing and obeying him. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14).

In the NT, when the mind is mentioned along with the heart, “mind” refers to the intellect while “heart” refers to the emotions, desires, and feelings of the inner person. For example, Jesus said: “You must love Yahweh your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” (Mt 22:37) He thus showed that a person’s desires, feelings, and emotions must express his love for God, but he must also express that love by the way he uses his mental faculties, as by taking in knowledge of God and Christ.—John 17:3.

Right thinking leads to right Behaviour

Therefore Gnostic Christianity means being a seeker after accurate knowledge and believing that everything you need to know about God can be found through intellectual reasoning. That is what Gnosticism is

Thus salvation is intellectual knowledge or intellectual knowledge is needed for salvation

It was made very clear that  clarifies this matter. This is in accordance with the Scriptures. “We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ” (2Cor. 5:10). “He that rejecteth me… the Word… shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Therefore “atheist,” pagans, and all persons who are ignorant or lacking in understanding of the truth, including very young children will not be saved. Psalm 49

[]

The Two-fold Sophia

The Two Types of Wisdom

The Two-fold Sophia

There is Echamoth and there is Echmoth. Echamoth is simply wisdom, but Echmoth is the wisdom of death—that is, the wisdom that knows death, that is called little wisdom. (The Gospel of Philip)

From the Gospel of Philip we can see there are two types of wisdom

Echamoth is Wisdom simply
Echmoth is the Wisdom of death or "the little Wisdom"


There are two types of wisdom the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God.

The rulers of this age, Paul argues, knew Sophia but not Christ-Sophia [higher wisdom]


1Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God (Divine Wisdom) the world by wisdom (human wisdom called philosophy) knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.


1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.



The Sophia of this age is the lower form of wisdom in those who are material or carnally minded not spiritual


The other Sophia is of God a wisdom of God, formally hidden in mystery'. (1 Co 2:6-7) Now revealed in Jesus Christ (Col 1:26-28)—1Co 1:24, 30; compare 1Co 2:7, 8; Pr 8:1, 10, 18-21.

The Fall of Wisdom

Rom 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. 

Rom 1:22 Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish 

Rom 1:28 And just as they did not approve of holding God in accurate knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mental state.

What Paul is talking about in Romans 1:28 would of happened around the time of Genesis chapter 11 Those who abandoned accurate knowledge of God created a false wisdom which is a image of the true wisdom this is the fall of wisdom

James 3:15  This wisdom is not one, from above, coming down, but is earthly, born of the soul, demoniacal!

Human Wisdom

Ecclesiastes describes human wisdom

The “wisdom” of Proverbs is not the “wisdom” of Ecclesiastes. The former is godly wisdom; the latter is usually human wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 1:16 I entered into counsel with my own mind, saying, Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom, yes, more than all who have been over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge.
17 And I gave my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I perceived that this also is a searching after wind and a feeding on it.
18 For in much [human] wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Human Wisdom on a limited scale is attainable by man through his own efforts,
Human wisdom can bring much sorrow and it does not bring real satisfaction.



. 19 For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise [men] perish, and the intelligence of the intellectual [men] I will shove aside.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this age? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not get to know God, God saw good through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing

18 Let no one be seducing himself: If anyone among YOU thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.

Human wisdom is foolishness with God this is the real fall of wisdom those that did not hold God in accurate knowledge but chose the wisdom of the world instead that is, the world of mankind alienated from God. (1Co 1:20)

Wisdom is Personified

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her" (Proverbs 3:13-15).

"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1).

These verses, and indeed the rest of the chapters in which they appear, show that wisdom is personified as a woman, but because of this, no-one has the idea that wisdom is a literal beautiful woman who roams around the earth; all recognize that it is a very desirable characteristic which all people should try to acquire.

Wisdom is personalized in the book of Proverbs, depicted there as a woman inviting persons to receive what she has to offer. That is why in Proverbs human wisdom is an adulteress woman (2:16 Wisdom, on the other hand, is personified as a virgin

Divine Wisdom

Wisdom is more than just a personification; she is an expression of the feminine aspects of God.

Jesus says wisdom is know by her children (Matt 11:19 compare Luke 7:35)
and we are born of the spirit (John 3:6)

Wisdom or Sophia is a feminine aspects of God or one of God's attributes

Therefore 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 However 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"

Therefore the Sophia is a feminine aspect of God his holy spirit. Sophia can be described as the wisdom of God, and, the holy spirit or active force which emanates from God. The Sophia is seen as being expressed in all creation and the natural world as well as, the Holy Spirit is an equivalent expression with Sophia, being the feminine counterpart to the masculine Logos. Whereas the latter is manifested in Jesus of Nazareth, the former is effectively manifested in the Church which Begets, anoints, Empowers, leads God’s people today. Joh 3:5-8; 2Co 1:21, 22 Ga 5:16, 18.

This view of God being androgynous can be found in the Bible in the Book of Proverbs God has a feminine aspect wisdom (Sophia):

8:22 Yahweh possessed me," saith the Logos, "in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from olahm (the hidden period) from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the open places, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the deep; when he established the clouds above; when he strengthened the fountains of the deep; when he gave to the sea his decree that the water should not pass his commandment; when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him as one brought up with him (the Logos was with the Theos): and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights with the sons of men" (Prov. 8:22).

Here wisdom is personified. Wisdom here is not a separate deity. but it is the personification of the attribute of wisdom displayed by God: truth, justice, value, the beautiful, faithful, eternal companion and handmaid of God.

The personification begins with the love relationship she has with her followers is a guarantee of prosperity, provided they walk in her ways [vv 17-21]. Then, in the astounding passage in vv 22–31, she affirms her origins from God, and from of old before creation. The description of creation in vv 25–29 is not really important here; there is no concentration on creation itself, which merely serves to underscore Wisdom's preexistence.

The feminine aspects of God. Gnostics held that she was the syzygy (female twin divine Aeon) of the logos (i.e. the Bride of Christ), and Holy Spirit of God who is the Father-mother

Wisdom and Wisdom of Death

There is Echamoth and there is Echmoth. Echamoth is simply wisdom, but Echmoth is the wisdom of death—that is, the wisdom that knows death, that is called little wisdom. 
The Gospel of Philip

Echamoth is one thing and Echmoth, another. Echamoth is Wisdom [divine wisdom] simply [“single eyed” and in tune with the will of the Father], but Echmoth is the Wisdom of death [“double mindedness” still intellectualizing and analyzing things eventually leading you to go your own way according to your own hearts desires], which is the one who knows death [he knows he will die physically but not that he will rise. So his wisdom is all physical, it is worldly wisdom, based upon the false premise that his physical existence is all he will ever have], which is called "the little Wisdom" [these still cling to “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and cannot progress form the "letter" and will use it for unrighteous gain - these will hinder themselves and others from progressing to “the tree of life” still “deny its power” in them]. (Philip 28)

The upper and a lower Sophia

there is a distinction of an upper and a lower Sophia

sige is the higher sophia

Sige is an aspect of the Monad, Sige is the Silent Though the hidden higher part of Sophia or Wisdom Sige the great silence or void from which all creation sprang:

29 They say that Silence, who is the mother of all who were put forth by Depth, with regard to what she had nothing to say kept silence about the inexpressible and with regard to what she did not understand she called it incomprehensible. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus )

Silence or Sige is the highest and most exalted manifestation of Sophia, whose lower manifestation as the last of twelve aeons is associated with the creation of the world. It has been suggested that the doubling or even pluralization of Wisdom in Gnostic sources could be read out of a Hebrew word used for Wisdom in Proverbs. As Deirdre Good puts it, “The strange (plural) form twmkj iin Proverbs 1:20; 9:1; 14:1; 24:7 might have suggested to Gnostic readers of Wisdom passages that there were many Sophias

the lower Sophia is the author of ignorance

But I shall call upon the imperishable knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth. Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a female. She produced you without a male, since she was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then they will fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their mother. (The (First) Apocalypse of James)