Against Heresies: Book I

THERE BEING THREE TYPES OF SUBSTANCES: they claim that all material things (which they also describe as “on the left hand”) must inevitably perish, as they cannot receive any influence of incorruption. Regarding every animal existence (which they also call “on the right hand”), they believe that, being a middle ground between the spiritual and the material, it moves to the side to which it is inclined. Spiritual substance, they describe as having been sent forth for the purpose of uniting with the animal, allowing both elements to undergo the same discipline together. They state this is “the salt” and “the light of the world.” The animal substance needed training through the outward senses; they claim that's why the world was created and why the Savior came to the animal substance (which had free will), to secure its salvation. They assert that He received the spiritual from Achamoth and was invested by the Demiurge with the animal Christ, but was endowed by a [special] dispensation with a body capable of experiencing suffering yet also visible and tangible. They deny that He took on anything material into His nature, as matter cannot be saved. They also believe that everything will reach completion when all that is spiritual has been shaped and perfected through Gnosis (knowledge). By this, they mean spiritual people who have achieved perfect knowledge of God and have been initiated into these mysteries by Achamoth—and they consider themselves to be these individuals.

Animal men are taught about animal things; these are the people who rely on their works and simple faith, without perfect knowledge. They claim that they, the Church members, are such people. Therefore, they argue that good works are necessary for them because, without them, it is impossible to be saved. However, for themselves, they believe they will be entirely and undoubtedly saved, not through conduct, but because they are spiritual by nature. Just as it is impossible for material substance to partake in salvation (since they claim it can't receive it), it is also impossible for spiritual substance (which they claim to be) to become corrupt, no matter what actions they engage in. They argue that just as gold submerged in filth does not lose its beauty and retains its native qualities, unharmed by the filth, they too cannot be harmed or lose their spiritual nature, regardless of their material actions.

AS A RESULT: it happens that the "most perfect" among them engage without fear in all kinds of forbidden deeds, which the Scriptures warn that "those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." For example, they have no hesitation about eating meat offered in sacrifice to idols, believing that they incur no defilement in doing so. Additionally, during every heathen festival held in honor of idols, these individuals are the first to gather; they even go so far as to attend that bloody spectacle abhorrent to both God and humans, where gladiators fight wild beasts or face each other in combat. Some of them indulge their fleshly desires with extreme greed, claiming that carnal things should be permitted to the carnal nature, while spiritual things are reserved for the spiritual. Moreover, certain individuals habitually corrupt the women they have taught this doctrine to, a fact often confessed by the women who have been led astray by some of them, upon their return to the Church of God, acknowledging this alongside their other errors. Additionally, some boldly and shamelessly, having formed passionate attachments to certain women, lead them away from their husbands and marry them. Others, who initially pretend to live modestly with these women as if they were sisters, are eventually exposed when the sister is found to be pregnant by her [supposed] brother.

THEY COMMIT MANY OTHER ABOMINATIONS AND IMPIETIES: and they run us down (we who guard against sinning even in thought or word out of fear of God) as utterly contemptible and ignorant people. Meanwhile, they exalt themselves, claiming to be perfect and the chosen seed. They declare that we only receive grace temporarily and that it will be taken away from us, but they believe that they have grace as their own special possession, which has been given to them from above through a mysterious and indescribable union; and because of this, they will be given more. They argue that it is always necessary for them to practice the mystery of this union. To persuade the gullible, they often use these words: “Whoever in this world does not love a woman to the point of obtaining her is not of the truth and will not attain the truth. But whoever, being of this world, has intercourse with a woman will not attain the truth because he acts under the power of desire.” They claim that for us, whom they call animal men and describe as worldly, it is necessary to practice self-restraint and good works to eventually reach the intermediate state. However, they consider such behavior unnecessary for those they call “the spiritual and perfect.” According to them, it is not conduct of any kind that leads into the Pleroma, but rather the seed sent from there in a weak, undeveloped state, which is brought to perfection here.