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The '''Cosmic Christ''' is a concept of Christ preferred by [[Paul]], in which “all things were created through Him and for Him”; "For in him all the fullness of God is pleased to dwell", "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A12-14&version=RSVCE Colossians 1:12-20]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A3&version=RSVCE 2:3]</ref> "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1%3A2-4&version=RSVCE Hebrews 1:2-4]</ref>

The '''Cosmic Christ''' is a concept of Christ preferred by [[Paul]], in which “all things were created through Him and for Him”; "For in him all the fullness of God is pleased to dwell", "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A12-14&version=RSVCE Colossians 1:12-20]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A3&version=RSVCE 2:3]</ref> "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1%3A2-4&version=RSVCE Hebrews 1:2-4]</ref>

This view of Christ is slightly different from the [[Redemptive Christ]], in that the Cosmic Christ would have become man out of love for man and to perfect the universe, regardless of whether [[Adam]] had committed original sin.<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-4&version=RSVCE Hebrews John 1:1-4], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A14&version=RSVCE Hebrews 14], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A17-18&version=RSVCE Hebrews 17-18].</ref>

This view reveals another aspect of Christ in addition to the [[Redemptive Christ]], in that the Cosmic Christ would have become man out of love for man and to perfect the universe to redeem man from the sin of [[Adam]].<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-4&version=RSVCE Hebrews John 1:1-4], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A14&version=RSVCE Hebrews 14], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A17-18&version=RSVCE Hebrews 17-18].</ref>

This is not to be confused with [[pantheism]].

This is not to be confused with [[pantheism]].

In contrast to [[Christianity]], the pantheistic and [[Monism|monistic]] [[Gnosticism|gnostic]] doctrines of [[Cosmic Humanism]] and the [[New age movement]] have redefined who and what Christ is, and the saving knowledge (''gnosis'') of Christ, "the light that enlightens every man".<ref>"the light"—An abbreviated form of John 1:9.</ref>  

In contrast to [[Christianity]], the pantheistic and [[Monism|monistic]] [[Gnosticism|gnostic]] doctrines of [[Cosmic Humanism]] and the [[New age movement]] have redefined who and what Christ is, and the saving knowledge (''gnosis'') of Christ, "the light that enlightens every man".<ref>"the light"—An abbreviated form of John 1:9.</ref>  

These groups proclaim the doctrine that the Christ has illuminated and indwelt all of the mystical leaders of ancient and modern history: Abraham, Osiris, Hermes, Moses, Ihknaton,  Solomon, Hyram from Tyre, Cyrus, Ezra, Krishna, Orpheus, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Buddha, Plotinus, Lao Tse and Kung fu tse, Jesus, Simon Magus, Celsus, the Rebbe Isaac the Blind(founder of medieval Kabballah), St. Hildegard of Bingen, Guru Nanak, Isaac Newton, Roger Bacon, Cagliostro, St. Francis, Baha Ul'lah, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Gandhi, Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and others.

These groups proclaim the doctrine that the Christ has illuminated and indwelt all of the mystical leaders of ancient and modern history: Abraham, Osiris, Hermes, Moses, Ihknaton,  Solomon, Hyram from Tyre, Cyrus, Ezra, Krishna, Orpheus, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Buddha, Plotinus, Lao Tse and Kung fu tse, Jesus, [[Simon Magus]], Celsus, the Rebbe Isaac the Blind (founder of medieval Kabbalah), St. Hildegard of Bingen, Guru Nanak, Isaac Newton, Roger Bacon, Cagliostro, St. Germain (Theosophy), St. Francis, Bahá'u'lláh, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Gandhi, Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and others.

The various forms of [[Mystery religion]], from [[Zen Buddhism]] and Gnosticism in the first century to New Age [[Esoteric|Esotericism]] in the twentieth century and even now, promise their initiates an ''[[Experience|experiential]]'' (not [[Education|intellectual]]) form of "[[Mysticism|illumination]]" of the whole mind and heart and spirit and body with a bright light like the sun, or brighter and more brilliant than the sun, which is a false light (2&nbsp;Corinthians 11:14; Colossians 1:13), which rejects all the doctrines and tradition of Christianity, and actually has an intoxicating, exhilarating and addictive spiritual effect on the person. It appeals to and generates [[intellectual arrogance]] and [[elitism]]. [[Theism|Theistic]] forms often use biblical terms to promote their claims of offering "God Realization"—"Christ in you, the hope of glory"—"God indwelling the man"—"But we have the real light of Christ"—"You are God".

The various forms of [[Mystery religion]], from [[Zen Buddhism]] and Gnosticism in the first century to New Age [[Esoteric]]ism in the twentieth century and even now, promise their initiates an ''[[Experience|experiential]]'' (not [[Education|intellectual]]) form of "[[Mysticism|illumination]]" of the whole mind and heart and spirit and body with a bright light like the sun, or brighter and more brilliant than the sun, which is a false light (2&nbsp;Corinthians 11:14; Colossians 1:13), which rejects all the doctrines and tradition of Christianity, and actually has an intoxicating, exhilarating and addictive spiritual effect on the person. It appeals to and generates [[intellectual arrogance]] and [[elitism]]. [[Theism|Theistic]] forms often use biblical terms to promote their claims of offering "God Realization"—"Christ in you, the hope of glory"—"God indwelling the man"—"But we have the real light of Christ"—"You are God".

Against these conceits, which were current in the first century, the Apostle Paul says, "But we have the mind of Christ." (1&nbsp;Corinthians 2:16)  

Against these conceits, which were current even in the first century, the Apostle Paul says, "But we have the mind of Christ." (1&nbsp;Corinthians 2:16)  

Read the following relevant passages from the Bible: <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1%3A20-2%3A16&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Corinthians 1:20–2:16] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-21&version=RSVCE Ephesians 3:14-21] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A9-23&version=RSVCE Colossians 1:9-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A2-19&version=RSVCE 2:2-19] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A14-16&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 3:14-16] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30%3A12-14&version=RSVCE Deuteronomy 30:12-14].

Read the following relevant passages from the Bible: <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1%3A20-2%3A16&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Corinthians 1:20–2:16] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-21&version=RSVCE Ephesians 3:14-21] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A9-23&version=RSVCE Colossians 1:9-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A2-19&version=RSVCE 2:2-19] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A14-16&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 3:14-16] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30%3A12-14&version=RSVCE Deuteronomy 30:12-14].

Compare <br>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A16-2%3A3&version=RSVCE 2&nbsp;Peter 1:16–2:3] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A12-17&version=RSVCE 2&nbsp;Timothy 3:12-17] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A2&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 13:2].

Compare <br>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A16-2%3A3&version=RSVCE 2&nbsp;Peter 1:16–2:3] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A12-17&version=RSVCE 2&nbsp;Timothy 3:12-17] <br> [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A2&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 13:2].

 

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Christian Theology]]

[[Category:Christian Theology]]