UNSOLD!!!

 The question  turtullian warned  of ??


Lucky charms world!! in  theology,   of  emotional  guessing, philosphy and changing terms !!!

These are “the doctrines” of men and “of demons” produced for itching ears of the spirit of this world’s wisdom: this the Lord called “foolishness,” and “chose the foolish things of the world” to confound even philosophy itself. 

For (philosophy) it is which is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy.

 From this source came the Æons, and I known not what infinite forms, and the trinity of man in the system of Valentinus, who was of Plato’s school. From the same source came Marcion’s better god, with all his tranquillity; he came of the Stoics. 

Then, again, the opinion that the soul dies is held by the Epicureans; while the denial of the restoration of the body is taken from the aggregate school of all the philosophers; also, when matter is made equal to God, then you have the teaching of Zeno; and when any doctrine is alleged touching a god of fire, then Heraclitus comes in.

The same subject-matter is discussed over and over again by the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments are involved. Whence comes evil? Why is it permitted? What is the origin of man? and in what way does he come? Besides the question which Valentinus has very lately proposed—Whence comes God? 

Which he settles with the answer: From enthymesis and ectroma. Unhappy Aristotle! who invented for these men dialectics, the art of building up and pulling down; an art so evasive in its propositions, so far-fetched in its conjectures, so harsh, in its arguments, so productive of contentions—embarrassing even to itself, retracting everything, and really treating of nothing!

Whence spring those “fables and endless genealogies,” and “unprofitable questions,” and “words which spread like a cancer?” From all these, when the apostle would restrain us, he expressly names philosophy as that which he would have us be on our guard against. Writing to the Colossians, he says, -

“See that no one beguiles you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and contrary to the wisdom of the Holy Ghost.” He had been at Athens, and had in his interviews (with its philosophers) become acquainted with that human wisdom which pretends to know the truth, whilst it only corrupts it, and is itself divided into its own manifold heresies, by the variety of its mutually repugnant sects.

System to do lists and lynch mobs, would follow in later centuries led it self  to wild emotionalism, mystic s greek philospshers,   early secret socities and lot of ignorance,  later killing  10,000’s over and over,    the dramtic lust for power control... super ceeded the love of grace ..

What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the ecclesia what between heretics and Christians?

Our instruction comes from “the porch of Solomon,” who had himself taught that “the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart.” Away with all attempts to produce a mottled Christianity of Stoic, Platonic, and dialectic composition! 

We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus, no inquisition after enjoying the gospel! With our faith, we desire no further belief. For this is our primary faith, that there is nothing which we ought to believe besides.   Wow!!!! What?  Amazing !!!
 

Unsold !!??

Where Tertullian marks a substantial break from earlier Christian writers is his opinion of, and use of, ancient philosophers. He obviously has received a Classical Education. He refers to philosophers often enough (usually negatively) to reveal his knowledge. However for Tertullian, there is one source of truth. He relies almost exclusively (there are a few exceptions) on scripture when making his arguments. While some others use the Old Testament on a par with him, he easily outdistances all prior Christian authors in utilizing the New Testament.

 He uses the Gospels and Acts extensively and refers to the Pauline Letters even more. Unlike Clement or Origen, Christianity is not one of the schools of philosophy but The One Truth. Philosophers are in error and have been misled by Demons. For Tertullian the source of and inspiration for heresy is not any of the usual subjects; Simon Magus, Valentinus, Marcion, or even Lucifer. It is the philosophers:

“We should then be never required to try our strength in contests about the soul with philosophers, those patriarchs of heretics, as they may be fairly called. … Whatever noxious vapours, accordingly, exhaled from philosophy, obscure the clear and wholesome atmosphere of truth, it will be for Christians to clear away, both by shattering to pieces the arguments which are drawn from the principles of things — I mean those of the philosophers — and by opposing to them the maxims of heavenly wisdom .. TURTULIAN  AMEN 

These are ‘the doctrines’ of men and ‘of demons’ produced for itching ears of the spirit of this world’s wisdom: this the Lord called ‘foolishness,’ and ‘chose the foolish things of the world’ to confound even philosophy itself. For (philosophy) it is which is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy.” Prescription Against Heretics (de praescriptione haereticorum), VII

OK, we’ve seen earlier Christian authors such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr point out errors of philosophers, though I don’t recall anyone tossing out all of them at one time (Tertullian does name specific philosophical schools and even which heresies were inspired by which school). However where Tertullian foreshadows what would later become a common theme among Church authorities is with statements like this: 

“From all these, when the apostle[Paul] would restrain us, he expressly names philosophy as that which he would have us be on our guard against. Writing to the Colossians, he says, ‘See that no one beguile you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and contrary to the wisdom of the Holy Ghost.’ He had been at Athens, and had in his interviews (with its philosophers) become acquainted with that human wisdom which pretends to know the truth, whilst it only corrupts it, and is itself divided into its own manifold heresies, by the variety of its mutually repugnant sects. 

You must ‘seek’ until you ‘find,’ and believe when you have found; nor have you anything further to do but to keep what you have believed provided you believe this besides, that nothing else is to be believed, and therefore nothing else is to be sought, after you have found and believed what has been taught by Him who charges you to seek no other thing than that which He has taught.

 End results ?syncretism – combining different systems of beliefs. Syncretism taints our perception of faith. 

Spirit led is redued to the opionions of logicians  witheout experince in the inherenet spirit of God , 1 corinthians 1-4-5 kj3 of the Neb,  or know faith by  going beyoud what man can do..... to where inward awarenes take sover   eliminaned the logican's propensityto reduce God to human systems or mixed  sectarian   bahavioral  sciences in place of spirit ledness!!?  

Andwhere he disagreed with Platonic ideas, he simply altered those ideas to fit his theology. His writings demonstrate his attraction to Platonism. Following the days of early  Christianity,

Platonism continued to show itself in Christian thought. From Calvinism to Puritanism and realist evangelicals to reformers who support a two-kingdom theology, Greek dualism continues

to plague Christianity.

For as passionately as some scholars condemn mixing Greek philosophy and faith, others such as those mentioned above either support syncretism or fail to realize just how much Greek dualism is ingrained in their thoughts. Christianity emerged from a two-fold ancestry: Israel and Greece.

 While the firstgenerations of Christians were primarily Jews, they lived amidst a world shaped by Greek culture.2 These two lineages saw the world through very different lenses.

The Greeks made a sharp distinction between the body and the

soul. According to the Hebrews, however, the body and soul were absolutely inseparable. Greek

philosophy, especially the ideas found in Plato, split the cosmos in two placing greater value onthe realm that exists beyond this life. Humans and earthly things change, grow, and decay, which

is a problem for Plato and others alike. Greek philosophical thought is concerned with that which does not change; according to the Greeks, “change is a defect.”3 Thus, with Plato, begins a trend toward the devaluation of existence. This notion, when mixed with Christian thought, has profound implications for how believers approach Christianity.

Wright said:

The western tradition, catholic and protestant, evangelical and liberal, charismatic and social-gospel, has managed for many centuries to screen out the central message of the New Testament, which isn’t that we are to escape the world and go to heaven, but rather  that God’s sovereign, saving rule would come to birth ‘on earth as in heaven.’4

Quite a serious charge! Nevertheless, Wright makes no apologies. He uses strong language but, at the same time, expresses sadness. 

Why? Because he is afraid the charge is indeed true. 

Is he right? Have Christians missed it? Have we failed to live under the Word? Instead of allowing Scripture to shape our worldviews, are we guilty of attempting to grasp the

Bible from on top – our interpretation of it? Unfortunately, I have to agree with Wright. But his charge prompts more questions: 

What is the root of the problem? Where does the idea to escape this world come from? These questions lead us back to Greek philosophy.

Conventional Christianity is deeply rooted in Greek philosophical thought. 

For example,

when viewed through Greek eyes, faith becomes a private matter; salvation becomes merely a ticket out of hell and more of an individual experience, 

EPIGENOSIS IS NON EXISTANT? GNOSIS HAS TAKEN OVER ?  SPRIT LED IS KEPT OBSCURE LOST IN HUAMN SYSTEMS  OF PHILOSOPHY AND DOUBT ..

In the following study, I explore the impact of Greek philosophical thought on Christianthought. I shall argue that Greek dualism is the fundamental contradiction in Christian thought. Greek dualism creates problems for the doctrines of Christianity and ultimately thwarts a biblical approach to Christianity.

 IT;S JUST MERE TRICKLE!! HERE TO SEE THIS , THANKS