Apocryphal Gospels and Apostasy From Christianity

In December 1945, near Nag Hammadi, in Upper Egypt, peasants chanced upon 13 papyrus manuscripts containing 52 texts. These fourth-century documents have been attributed to a religious and philosophical movement called Gnosticism.  Mixing philosophy, Judaism, and Christianity, the movement was a contaminating influence on some professed Christians. -1 Timothy 6:20, 21

The "Gospel of Thomas," The "Gospel of Philip," and the "Gospel of Truth," found in the "Nag Hammadi Library," present various mystic  Gnostic ideas as if coming from Jesus.  The recently discovered "Gospel of Judas" is also counted among the  Gnostic gospels.  It portrays Judas in a positive light as the only apostle who really understood who Jesus was.  One expert on this gospel notes that it describes Jesus as "a teacher and revealer of wisdom and knowledge, not a savior who dies for the sins of  the world."  (they can call themselves whatever they want, that is just Satan putting information into their heads, that is one of the many ways that Satan will get people to worship him.  Worship to him is not like worshiping God, Satan's way is a sick, inhumane way)  The inspired Gospels  teach that Jesus did die as a sacrifice for sins of the world.  (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; 1 John 2:1, 2) Clearly, the Gnostic gospels are intended to undermine, rather than strengthen, faith in the Bible. -Acts 20:30.

Next time: The Superiority of the Canonical Gospels

The Watchtower, 2012