Louis Berkhof, in his "History of Christian Doctrines," says the first perversion of Christianity was a form of Jewish Christianity: "marked by theosophic speculations and strict asceticism," "Circumcision and Sabbath were held in honor; ...magic and astrology were practiced among them. In all probability the epistle to the Colossians and 1st Tim. refer to this heresy." (p. 44) Not only Colossians and 1 Timothy, which Berkhof refers to, but history also verifies his conclusions. 

     Here we have the first apostasy of Christianity, opposed by the Apostle Paul. Those who understand the Mystery of iniquity should recognize Berkhof's observations in the following verses as identifying marks of the Jewish Kabbalah. Observations such as: theosophic speculations, strict asceticism, circumcision and Sabbath keeping, magic and astrology. 

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." (Col 2:16-18) 

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." (1 Tim 6:20) 

1.  The "oppositions of science" is the opposition to early Apostolic Christianity from Jewish Gnosticism (science is "gnosis" in the Greek, esoteric knowledge/wisdom). The most deadly system of "profane and vain babblings" the Church has ever had to combat. 

2. The worshipping of angels was back then, almost 2000 years ago, and still is, one of the distinctive trademarks of Jewish Kabbalism. Kabbalism today utilizes angels, magic, and astrology in their occult system, attempting to control the destiny of the universe. The first few chapters of the epistle of Hebrews is another example, correcting the Jew's emphasis on angels, putting the focus where it belongs - Jesus Christ. 

3. The Apostle Paul has given us the Biblical definition of Kabbalism or Jewish Gnosticism here in Col. 2:18. A more accurate description of the entire system of Jewish theosophic speculations ("En Soph" and the "Sephiroths") cannot be found anywhere: "...Intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." Sheer extrabiblical speculation. 

4. Kabbalism today, slavishly and superstitiously, observes circumcision and Sabbath keeping, even as Jewish Gnostic opposition to the early Apostolic Church did. The Apostolic Church believed, as Col. 2:16, 17 above indicates, that these were types and shadows, fulfilled in the Body of Christ. 

5. Berkhof says they practiced a false form of asceticism. 

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:3) 

 

The Apostle John also opposed this original form of apostasy. He said they do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, e.g., that God has been manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16), thus they are antichrists. History identifies these as an apostate form of Jewish Christianity who rejected the Deity of Jesus Christ. The same Kabbalist apostates that Paul contended with. This Jewish system of mysticism and magic that was already in the world in John's time is also that spirit of antichrist "that should come", i.e., of the endtimes: 

Don't miss this - the apostasy in the early Church and the endtime antichrist apostasy or "falling away" are, at its foundation, both linked to Gnostic Jewish Kabbalism! 

Historically, following Jewish Gnosticism, Berkhof described the second perversion of Christianity as Christian Gnosticism. He says "It's original form was rooted in Judaism, but it ultimately developed into a strange mixture of Jewish elements, Christian doctrines, and heathen speculative thought." (Pg 45) Others who have noted this are: 

•  "Gnostic ideas, which, though taken over by heretics, were originally Jewish - a fact that has often, oddly enough, been denied or disregarded." (The "heretics" he speaks of is what history has recorded as the great Christian heresy - gnosticism) Gershom Sholem, professor, Hebrew university at Jerusalem. 

• "The great heresy of Gnosticism, which nearly swept Christianity from the earth in the early centuries, is admittedly Cabalistic." "The Cabala was the basis of Gnosticism." (Sometimes "Kabbalah" is spelled with a "C" = Cabala, Cabalistic). Elizabeth Dilling, writer. 

•  "Gnosticism, which was Jewish before it became Christian, was an attempt to harmonize the New Testament with heathen speculative thought." Martin L. Wagner, writer 

•  The Jewish Encyclopedia, speaking of Christian Gnosticism, says: "The principal elements of gnosticism were derived from Jewish speculation." The Jewish Encyclopedia notes who led Christianity into Gnosticism: "It is a noteworthy fact that heads of Gnostic schools and founders of Gnostic systems are designated as Jews by the early Church fathers." 

We need to pay special attention to what Berkhof tells us next. Here is where Kabbalistic Gnosticism subverted the course of original Christianity. He said some of Gnosticism's peculiarities were ... "absorbed by the Church and in course of time came to fruition in the Roman Catholic Church with it's ... philosophy of a hidden God who should be approached through intermediaries (saints, angels, Mary) and it's emphasis on asceticism."

1. The "philosophy of a hidden God" is the distinctive doctrine of the Kabbalah! Berkhof, a Trinitarian, will probably not acknowledge this, but the mysterious "En Soph" of the Kabbalists was absorbed by the Church, emerging, via Gnosticism, as the aloof, remote, and distant "person # 1" of the Trinity doctrine.

2. The Kabbalist intermediaries of saints and angels emerge in Catholic forms. (the angel the Kabbalists call Metatron, for instance, is actually Enoch, which they term as a saint). The female god of the Kabbalah, which they term the "shekhinah", emerged in Catholic theology as Mary. Berkhof only mentions saints, angels, and Mary as intermediaries, as a Trinitarian he would prefer not to acknowledge the "second god" of the Gnostics, the intermediate, preexistent Logos emerging into Christianity as "person # 2 of Trinitarian theology. The mysterious "three in one" of the Jewish Kabbalah emerges in a Christian form - the Trinity. 

3. The Catholic Church absorbed the asceticism of the Gnostics - evolving into a system of celibacy (marriage forbidden) for monks, priests and nuns, and the Catholic doctrine of marriage and divorce for the laity. Monasticism: monks and nuns living hermit-like, reclusive lives in monasteries and convents. 

An observation from someone outside the fishbowl of Christianity can prove interesting. such as Albert Pike, the high prophet of Freemasonry, on the origin of Trinitarianism, for instance. On such subversive matters, and with the secret avenues he had at his disposal - he was in a position to know. 

In his secret book "Morals and Dogma" it says Kabbalist "Jews were the direct precursors of Gnosticism," their Kabbalist doctrine being derived from their long history of "intimate relations" while in Babylon. If you go to the index and look up "Trinity" you find this: "Trinities of the Kabbalists the origin of the Christian Trinity." 

Many pages of his ponderous book are devoted to how the Sephiroth trinities of the Kabbalah, the mysterious "three in one," got transposed into Christianity as the Trinity. Indeed, and my own independent research has came to the same conclusion. 

Some Oneness researchers, such as William Chalfant, have noted something very odd about the one who played the key role in the development of Trinitarian theory - he was a Jew! Not a Christian. His name? Philo of Alexandria. Pike has inside info on him too; Philo, he says, was a Kabbalist "initiate of the mysteries." 

In the following quotation, Ted Pike, in his book "Israel, our duty our dilemma," has perceived also the confusion that has been introduced into Christian theology by Jewish gnosticism. He, however, only calls it "a subtle influence." Being Trinitarian, he, as would be expected, reports the damage done to Christianity as only Catholic "asceticism, celibacy, and monasticism." The author singles out the Pharisees, who are actually Masonic-like Kabbalists, the most bitter enemies of Jesus Christ. Note especially the last few lines: 

"Because Jewish gnosticism ultimately spread throughout the ancient world to become one of the most compelling philosophies of the first several centuries AD, it is natural that it exert a subtle influence upon orthodox Christianity. There can be little doubt that the contempt for the flesh which resulted in the asceticism, celibacy, and monasticism of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD can be laid squarely at the feet of Gnostic influence. If gnosticism, then, is a Jewish creation as the Jewish Encyclopedia insists, we are forced to conclude that the Pharisees introduced an element of confusion into Christian theology which we still have not emerged from." 

No wonder Jesus said "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees!" Matt. 16:6. 

As vast an impact upon Christianity as Gnostic Kabbalism has made, yet it is but one of the many subversions of the Great Whore, "Mystery Babylon the great." Not only in religious matters but also in politics, economics, and occultism - "... for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived," Rev. 18:23. 

Note: Many have rightly noted the powerful influence of Greek philosophy and the pagan "trinities" of the world in the development of the Trinity doctrine. The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva, for instance, during the early centuries of the Christian era (the Hindu trinity's origin is Babylon, where it was incorporated by the Jews into the Kabbalah, during their long stay in Babylon. The names of Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva being transposed into Jewish names of the "sephiroths"). But God bypasses these, his ire and wrath, instead, directed towards an apostate, occult, religious whore - the REAL culprit.

K. Kirkland, Pastor - This article is Copyright © 1999, All rights reserved.