MARCIONISM
As Gnosticism became a great threat to the Church throughout the second
century another deception crept into the Church that is called
Marcionism. Marcion was brought up in a Christian home as his
father was the bishop of Sinope in Pontus. He was convinced that the
material world is evil and he was anti Jewish in his teachings. However he was
able to gather many followers within the Church and deceived many into
error. Marcion believed that Jehovah and God are two separate
persons. The Father’s purpose was to have a spiritual world, but Jehovah
out of his ignorance and evil intent created this material world and made man.
Jehovah is vindictive and constantly punishes who would disobey him. As a
result Marcion did not believe in the Old Testament. The Old Testament
was by an inferior god and it should not be read in the Church.
On the other hand the Father God is not vindictive but a loving,
compassionate and the forgiving supreme God. He sent his Son, Jesus to
save man He gives salvation freely. Marcion denied that Jesus had a real
body and denied his deity. Jesus came to deal with sin. Marcion wrote a gospel
in A. D. 130 and called it the gospel of the Lord. It is very
deceiving as it contains scriptures identical to the gospels. Also he
compiled a list of books that should be read in the church. He included the
epistles of Paul and with regarding Paul’s reference to the Old Testament that
was the work of the Judaizers taking away the original message. Marcion
attempted to compile a New Testament. Marcion was ex-communicated and the
church responded his challenge by compiling the sacred writings of the
apostles.