LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
El sindrome de Laodicea (2)
The danger of falling in "gnosis".
Eliseo Apablaza
In part one, we saw the likeness that Laodicea has with the Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) in the days of the prophet Hosea (1). In this second part we will see another of the symptoms of Laodicea: their propensity to fall in "gnosis."
In John the apostle's days, Christians were living in difficult times. Many people had risen up to deceive others with strange doctrines that didn't conform to with the simplicity of Christ's gospel.
In the John's second Letter, he says: "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God..."(v.9) The expression "runs ahead" has an interesting meaning in Greek. Some versions translate it "go on in front" (Modern Version of H.B. Pratt), or "exceed" (Bible of Jerusalem). The Interlinear of Lacueva translates it as "goes beyond", and adds in a footnote at the bottom of the page: "that is to say, goes increasingly forward: toward "gnosis", beyond the simple "faith"."
What the apostle John says naturally refers to those "Gnostics" of his days who had rationalized the Christian faith, by adding strange ideas to it. But I believe that its application is not purely for those "Gnostics" in John's times. "Knowledge" (or science) -which is what "gnosis" means- was a problem back then, and continues to be so nowadays. "Knowledge puffs up" the apostle Paul had already wisely said (1 Cor.8:1 b) several years before John wrote his epistle, but this is a problem that repeats itself.
The necessity to create a meta-language
When reading the Lord's letter to Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22) one can deduce that the church reached great heights of knowledge in the past, to such a point that this knowledge ended up becoming their wealth.
When you arrive to such a degree of knowledge, it becomes necessary to create an appropriate, more complex language than the normal one, a kind of technical vocabulary that is able to express the subtleties of one's definitions and discoveries. In such a case, those "pure words of our Lord Jesus Christ" are no longer sufficient; it is necessary to create a strange language for the Scriptures that will only be understood by a few individuals with the same knowledge.
When creating a particular language, only comprehensible to a few individuals, it immediately creates an exclusive group, different from the rest of the body of believers. Such a group can easily transform into a kind of "secret society" whose glory is to be in possession of those spiritual "mysteries."
This is one of Laodicea's problems. It may well hate the traditional name "theology", but without realizing, it creates its own "theology", more complicated still, only comprehensible for those who are "spiritual." However, in the Lord Jesus Christ's words, and in those of the apostles we do not find anything similar. The Lord took the common experience of his listeners as a reference in his teachings and parables, and the inspired writers did not go beyond the normal expressions of the habitual speech. Laodicea creates a meta-language, that is to say, a specialist language regarding the mysteries of its doctrine, of its 'gnosis'.
Body of total doctrines
When Laodicea falls into "gnosis" it doesn't only create a special language, but rather it also creates a global body of doctrines, vast and highly coherent, that may embrace Genesis through to Revelation. Such is its expanse that it would seem there is nothing outside of their understanding. The whole mystery of God, His purpose, present and future, are summarized in that body of teaching. After this doctrinal body has closed off, it is very difficult to add anything to it, because everything has already been said.
Its creators were studiously passionate for the Scriptures, desiring to take all the treasures out of them. Their wealth ended up being incalculable. However, they didn't foresee what would happen with the fruit of their efforts. They bequeathed such a complete body of doctrines to the future generations that they thought that it was unnecessary for them to look for God themselves or to know His present will. It was enough only to know this great doctrinal body.
Nevertheless, if we read the Scriptures we don't find that all is well. In the Scriptures we don't find the inspired writers trying to gather the entirety of God's advice in a doctrinal body. What we find are truths, beautiful truths, sometimes very unconnected, written rather to assist with punctual necessities of the churches. In the Scriptures nothing is entirely coherent, nothing is so well put together. God didn't give us a structured body of doctrines, but rather principles, indications, keys, metaphors that the Holy Spirit applies to the necessities of each generation, for the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose.
A closed body of doctrines doesn't allow for many different readings. It has a single direction-that of its creator. The Word of God, on the other hand, is varied, wide, rich in meaning and in application. It offers its wealth to all those that in each time and place, with humble and sincere hearts, come before God to know the desire of His heart.
Under appreciating the other children of God
Consequently, Laodicea doesn't allow any Christian that has not embraced such 'gnosis ' to be used by God by adding something to what they suppose is the final revelation of God. Such a Christian's knowledge, they believe, is pale, and their light, dark beside the splendor of those teachers of the past. How could any "normal" Christian understand their intricate theology? How could a "normal" Christian navigate through the winding channels of their many revelations? How could one be heard if they don't know the specific concepts and language?
Laodicea's disgrace is in its self satisfaction and in its contempt for the other children of God. It says: "I do not need a thing." It also seems to say: "None knows the mysteries of God like us. Who asides from us could explain the secrets of God?"
Watchman Nee tells of some brothers he knew in England that said: "Is there any sphere of spiritual revelation that we don't know? Reading what other Christians have written is a waste of time. What can they teach us that we do not already know?" (2)This is Laodicea's problem. This is what it means to under appreciate other children of God.
One is mistaken by judging other children of God according to their knowledge. The only thing that gives transcendental value to a person is their condition as a child of God. God has received them, and all the other children of God should also receive that individual. The weakest and most ignorant Christian is also a child of God, just like the strongest and wisest. And the wisdom of the wise consists in not under appreciating the ignorant. The wisdom of God says: "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Cor.8:1 b)
Under appreciating other children of God will finally transform Laodicea into a sect. If their spiritual wealth is not placed within reach of all the children of God, then they are destined to die in sterility.
The vanity of finding oneself beautiful
The passage in Ezekiel 26 to 28:19 is a prophecy directed to the city of Tyre, a city whose splendor in the prophet Ezekiel's days hardly had comparison in the Scriptures, except perhaps with Solomon's Jerusalem. Their trade and their wealth were such that the Lord tells them: "You are filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea." (27:25) For that reason they said of themselves: "I am perfect in beauty." (27:3) The Lord himself recognizes that their prince was wiser than Daniel (28:3). Such was the glory of Tyre!
Yet their glory was the cause of their boisterous fall. The Lord tells them: "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor; So I threw you to the earth..." (28:17).
This passage referred to the prince of Tyre (the same as that of Isaiah 14) and is usually applied to Lucifer. It is perfectly applicable to the fallen angel. But it can also be applied to all those whose hearts are conceited because of their beauty and also to the church of Laodicea.
Indeed, the Lord's prophecy to Tyre is applicable to all those whose wealth and wisdom proves their undoing, filling their hearts with vanity. This caused Lucifer's fall, and it causes all those who follow in his footsteps to fall as well. In another part, the Scriptures say: "They were proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols and vile images. Therefore I will turn these things into an unclean thing for them." (Ezekiel 7:20)
The syndrome of Laodicea
Laodicea's desire for 'gnosis ' is one of the symptoms that, along with many others, form an entire syndrome. Those that suffer are usually unaware of it, just as those who are seriously ill are usually unaware of their illness. In order to discover it, it is necessary for some wise specialist to observe with an experienced eye and carry out a rigorous examination.
Dear children of God, and especially those that know some of God's mysteries, let our Doctor examine us with his penetrating gaze and uncover our foolishness, in order to escape from this serious illness. Let us pray with David the sentence that we need more every day, so that we might not suffer a heart attack:
"Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from his willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:12-14).
(1) "Aguas Vivas" Nº 4, July-August 2000, pp. 11-12.
(2) "The Life of Nee To-Sheng", by A.I. Kinnear, Spokesman, p.112.