All of this, of course, became a serious threat to the survival of the pure form of Christianity as introduced by Christ and taught by the Apostles. Christ had even forewarned them of false teachers who would slip in among them in the latter days to seduce away, if it were possible, the very elect herself ( Mk.13:22). As these new self-proclaimed Gnostic converts, who claimed superiority in knowledge, attempted to define Christianity in error of what had been commonly accepted and practiced; counter-attempts would have to made to correct their misrepresentations of it.

While in prison in Rome in A.D.60-63, Paul had received Epaphrus, a messenger from Colossae, informing him of the threatening heresy of Gnosticism within his church located in Asia Minor ( Col.1:7-8; 4:12). He immediately responded with a letter to refute this impurity and to encourage them to remain rooted in the gospel as it had been delivered to them at the outset. Accompanied by Onesimus returning to Philemon (who were members of the same church ( Phm.1,10), Epaphrus returned with this letter and it was well received.

But apparently this schism continued to develop in Asia Minor, for when John appeared there following Jerusalem's destruction in A.D. 70, it was alive and well. Colossae, once a thriving metropolis, was located just ten miles east of Laodicea. Laodicea lay at the southeast point of the triangular route of the seven churches of Asia addressed in his Revelation ( Rev.3:14), situated some one hundred miles apart at its points. From Ephesus to the west, at the southwest point of this seven church route (thus approximately 110 miles west of Colossae), John became overseer of the region's churches ( Rev.2:1). He would encounter this growing heresy and its chief proponent, Cerinthus. Both views of the Gnostics were represented here: the former view denying his actual humanity, or the Docetic Gnostic -- those who claimed Christ only seemed human after appearing on earth, and the latter view earlier discussed who held to the distinction of Jesus the man and Christ the divine, known for its chief spokesman as the Cerinthian Gnostic.

Commencing around A.D. 85, and partly in response to this growing Gnosticism, John would produce all of his writings, three of which clearly address this heresy: his gospel declaring the deity of Christ; his first epistle, His humanity; and his second as a warning against association with the heretics themselves. Notice in particular: Jn.1:1-18; I Jn.1:1-3; 2:21,22,26; 4:1-3; 5:20-21; II Jn.7-11.

And so we have two New Testament authors writing to refute this infiltrating heresy. Paul writes earlier to say that the body ( Ph.3:21; I Th.4:6), along with all creation (Rom.8:18-23; Col.2:20), is going to be redeemed, and that the body should not be neglected its proper place and treatment; because it has been purchased by so great a price, the blood of Jesus, it should be consecrated to God ( Rom.12:1-2; I Co.6). John writes some time later to say that anyone who denies that Christ came in the flesh, is an antichrist ( I Jn.4:3); and concurring with Paul, let him be anathema. Both write to encourage the believer to know himself of the things of God in order that he might stand sound in the faith when accosted by such heresy.

Although unintended, and apart from the negative influence and wrecked faith of many, Gnosticism has had its lasting impact upon Christianity as a whole. Growing out of a need to combat this heresy has been some positive benefits, even to modern times. It should clearly be evident to the reader by now one already significant benefit -- New Testament writings that would later be canonized in an effort to exclude the many Gnostic writings that were proliferating within the first and second century Christian scene.