Some Christian communities, such as independent Charismatics or Evangelicals, hold to a simplistic view of the Scriptures, which is that the Bible is inerrant and infallible. However, when it comes to the actual interpretation of the biblical text, the ministers of these communities use quite complicated techniques in their exegesis. Unfortunately, one can notice some gnostic tendencies in those techniques, especially visible in the sermons of the TV preachers.

For those who are not familiar with theological terminology, gnosticism was an early cult that posed a problem for the Early Church to solve. The term derives from the Greek word “gnosis,” which means knowledge. Though there were several gnostic groups with distinct characteristics, they all had some things in common, the most important of which was their soteriology (doctrine of salvation). Gnostics believed that salvation was attained through some sort of secret knowledge (the actual bits of knowledge varied among the different groups).

The first canon of the New Testament was actually produced by a gnostic teacher Marcion, which included only those teachings that the heretic liked. He claimed that his canon of books was secretly passed on to him by the apostles. An orthodox thinker that arose to oppose Marcion was Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons. Irenaeus stated that the apostles passed their knowledge to their disciples who later became bishops and continued governing the church in the apostolic fashion. A succession of bishops, of whom none were gnostics, could be traced back to the Twelve.

This was a good way to respond to Marcion, but Irenaeus saw the need for the apostolic teaching to be framed textually. So he determined to collect a canon of books similar to the one that Marcion had produced, except this orthodox canon would include only true apostolic writings. Thus the process of canonization of the New Testament has begun. The canon of the New Testament does not mean that the Holy Spirit ceased to speak, or that the text reduces the need for ecclesial voice; it means that these apostolic writings are to be used as a frame of reference for further theological thinking.

Now back to our time. What exactly is the relation between gnostics and the Christians who have a simplistic view of the Bible? The same old quest for secret knowledge. Fortunately, these Christians do not seek this secret knowledge to attain salvation, like gnostics did, mostly due to the fact that they believe in justification by faith. But they do search the Bible for some “wisdom keys,” “principles,” “spiritual laws,” and “steps” (other names for secret knowledge can be found) for redemption of other aspects of life.

The bookstores are filled with numbers of steps for better marriages, better parenthood, better weight, or what not. The preachers tend to introduce a point in a sermon by saying “let me show you something,” implying that he found something in the Bible that was hidden for ages, at least to the people of his congregation.

The Scriptures were never meant to be used in such way. The Church Fathers were involved in the canonization process to oppose the quest for secret knowledge. By canonizing the recorded apostolic texts, they put the knowledge about Christ in the open, available to all members of the Church. Unfortunately, the canon that was meant to oppose secret knowledge has become a source of that secret knowledge.

It is also pretty clear why the Bible is used in a gnostic fashion by televangelists. Because the quest for secret knowledge is very attractive to people, those who preach it have enough public support and resources to buy air-time and spread their false use of Scriptures further.

What Christians of all traditions must realize is that the Bible is a book of apostolic teachings about Christ, thus it is Christocentric. As soon as it becomes primarily egocentric, it tends to lose its authentic meaning and sometimes even becomes a cultic text.

Let’s beware of that fallacy, brethren!