There appears to be a common appeal to having “hidden” knowledge, undisclosed to the world at large. Everyone loves a good secret; to be on the “inside.” Knowing things that nobody else knows fills some inner need that nothing else quite seems to satisfy. Granted, some people have this tendency more than others, how else explain the popularity of “People” magazine? But at its worst, the hunger to be on the “inside” can lead otherwise moral men into gross immorality. In perhaps one of the most profound, disturbing and even in many ways “prophetic” books ever written, “That Hideous Strength” by C. S. Lewis, the sub-theme of wanting to belong to the “inner circle” is explored as a young university professor literally begins his descent to hell; all because he wants to be “in the know.” In fact, it could even be argued that the desire amongst many intellectuals, especially academics or scientists, begins with a similar motivation; a hunger to know things that no one else has ever known. Clearly, this desire can be legitimate (as in scientific inquiry) or illegitimate (as in gossip). Either way, it does seem to be a common aspect of human character.

A strong argument can be made that the innate desire for “secret” knowledge goes right back to the beginning of time to the Garden of Eden. Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit because she believed the Tempter’s lie that HIS “secret” knowledge of God’s plans was superior to God’s own revelation. The serpent first told her that the common knowledge was inaccurate (God’s revelation was wrong and self-serving) and instead offered to initiate her into “new” secret knowledge never before revealed (the fruit would make her as God). She ate, Adam followed her example, and the world was cursed with sin.

Ever since that time, there have always been at heart, two rival religions; the worship and service of the One True God, revealed by Him in His abiding Word, and Gnosticism. While technically speaking, Gnosticism refers to a Christian heresy of the Second Century which was an amalgam of Christianity, various pagan religious rituals, and Greek philosophy; ALL false religions at heart are essentially Gnostic. The essence of Gnosticism is that salvation is by secret, hidden knowledge; knowledge that one must be initiated into by adepts, mystics, prophets, or elites. The details of that knowledge may change from religion to religion and from culture to culture, but the essence is always salvation requires that secret knowledge. Furthermore that “secret” knowledge is always superior to that which God revealed in Scripture.

In the ancient pagan world, the Sphinx was a heathen perversion of the Guardian Angel protecting the Garden of Eden from sinful men. The Sphinx required a person to successfully answer its riddles before allowing a traveler to pass; fail to answer correctly and you were eaten. But, if you had the RIGHT, secret knowledge, then you could answer the riddle and achieve “salvation” (see Gary North’s essay in Moses and Pharaoh). Ancient pagan religions taught some sort of ascending series of circles, each requiring mastering some “secret” knowledge before admittance to the next level. In more primitive times, when the sheer hard work of making a living meant that few men ever had the time to master the “gnosis,” the average person had to be content with allowing a priest to wield that knowledge in his name. The priest was assumed to have mastered the various levels and therefore could act as a go-between. But within the priesthood itself, there were ascending levels where ever more arcane and esoteric “knowledge” was imparted. Sometimes the “real” religion might be utterly different than the one offered for “public” consumption; as only the “inner circle” knew the “truth.”

Gnostic religion was and is ultimately about power. Adam and Eve were tempted with the idea that they could become gods in their own right. Not satisfied to rule God’s creation on HIS terms, the essence of all human sin is the attempt to obtain power on Man’s terms. Gnostic religion therefore always has as its foundation the promise that IF you can master THIS secret knowledge, then YOU can have power either in this life, or the next. Now, the “power” offered may be different for different religions; some men might want spiritual power, others may desire economic political or social power, and some might be enticed by the promise of sexual “freedom;” but since the Dominion Mandate of Genesis 1:28 is inscribed within the very nature of our beings, sinful men always seek unlawful power for unlawful purposes.

Magic and sorcery are based firmly on the same commitment to “gnosis” or “secret knowledge” as a means of obtaining powers beyond the ken of ordinary men. People believed such power was possible, though difficult to obtain, and many were literally willing to sell their souls for the hope of acquiring it. The modern pursuit of ESP is the same old search for mystic power simply wrapped up in new “scientific” language. The Star Wars series with its emphasis on “The Force” is really just another example of “Gnosticism.” The “Force” is ancient knowledge that offers mystical power to those who can grasp its “secrets.”

In one sense, knowledge IS power; what you know affects what you can do. Thus it is hardly surprising that the hunger for “gnosis” (Greek for “knowledge”) is associated with a desire for power. However, acquiring power implicitly puts one at risk of OTHER men who also seek knowledge and power. Hence, men from antiquity have formed secret societies to protect THEIR knowledge and advance THEIR power. Paganism wanted a monopoly of religious power and therefore shared its “secrets” only with those who would advance their goals. Medieval craftsmen wanted to restrict access to their knowledge of carpentry, masonry, mercantile trade, etc., and so formed “secret” guilds. As the Reformation started in northern Europe, the Renaissance was occurring in Italy which coincided with the greatest upsurge of occult activity in Western history.

The very word “occult” means “hidden” and therefore has a direct relationship to Gnosticism. For some of the Humanists, the “hidden” knowledge was ancient Greek philosophy, architecture and sculpture. For many others though, it was an attempt to obtain occult power through alchemy, sorcery and magic; and sometimes the two goals were intermingled. To advance their goals (and stay clear of the Inquisition), many of these men formed various secret groups to study and develop their “knowledge.” By the time of the Enlightenment, many of these societies were well established all across Europe. Part of their foundational belief was that Man needed to “evolve” usually by descending into the original chaos of creation as the first step in “recreating” himself in his own image.

Thus, revolutionary ideology, both political and social became a necessary consequence of their occult activity; all of the modern revolutionary movements beginning with the French Revolution, Marxism, Anarchism, etc. began in secret societies that had adopted some form of Gnosticism and occultism (see “Fire in the Minds of Men”). Revolution was seen as a way of displacing the old order by a descent into political and social chaos so that a new world order could be built on its ashes. Such secret societies were often also committed to sexual promiscuity as well; the “old” order of monogamy and fidelity in the family had to be destroyed to make room for the “new” order designed by men. Now how philosophically consistent these various adherents were with these premises, and how many joined for the promise of free sex (or the hope of being on the “inside”) is hard to determine; but there can be no question that the much of the political and social turmoil of the modern world arose directly from these occult societies.

These secret societies, both on the political left and political right, were convinced of the need of “enlightenment” or “illumination” as the path to the next stage of human evolution. Contrary to what is taught in most modern universities, evolutionary theory was not something new with Darwin, but rather simply the public acceptance of the most ancient of all Gnostic beliefs; Man ascending from chaos to god-hood through secret knowledge. Darwin’s major contribution was to make evolutionary theory acceptable to the Materialists of the 19th century by positing a non-supernatural mechanism by which this evolution occurred (i.e., natural selection). It is interesting to note that though Darwin’s theory has been repudiated by many of the best minds in the scientific community (i.e., natural selection does not seem to actually work the way Darwin said it did and some other mechanism must account for the diversity of species), yet his underlying evolutionary premises have been accepted as religious dogma and taught to every generation of students since (See “Darwin’s Black Box”).

However, materialist evolutionary theory is simply the public expression of the most basic Gnostic belief; all secret societies allow SOME of their doctrines to become public; how else to intrigue new members? However, like the old “bait and switch” technique used by every grocery store and car salesman (where you offer one thing to get the public into the door, only to sell them something more expensive once they are inside), Gnosticism has another whole hidden agenda it really wants people to buy; the necessity of Man’s continued ascendance into the divine. In the modern world, Science Fiction is the slightly disreputable cousin to Scientism and Materialism-however, the best “Sci-Fi” writers have earned degrees in the physical sciences. One only has to read a sampling of their work to see the ancient Gnostic hope revived and refashioned for the modern world The very popular “Matrix” movies are Gnostic to the core; life as we know it is a fantasy-through “enlightenment” the hero escapes the illusion and literally becomes a “god.”

Perhaps the best known “secret” society today is the Masons. Their public persona is of a fraternal organization of middle-aged men who wear funny hats and driving silly little cars in parades to raise money for children’s hospitals; what could POSSIBLY be wrong with that? But the essence of Masonic teaching is classic Gnosticism. Hooded initiates are asked, “What is your greatest hunger” to which they are to respond “light!” The Masonic lodge then requires the new member to memorize the rituals of the society to advance from one level to the next; each step giving the individual more of the “secret” knowledge. Part of that secret knowledge, taught only to the highest levels, is that despite what they tell the world, (or their initiates) THEIR God is really the TRUE God; Christians, Jews, Muslims and even ancient Egyptians or Canaanites all only have only a piece of the picture. The Masonic God is a composite of Jehovah, Baal and Osirus (revealed in the “secret” hidden knowledge of God’s “true” name that only THEY know).

The fact that many sincere, well meaning Christians have been members of the Masonic lodge, or that Masons have done many good works (something in their “theology” that is necessary for “salvation”) does not detract from their essential Gnostic presuppositions. In early American history, a significant number of the Founding Fathers were either Masons, or closely associated with Masons. Records indicate that some Founding Fathers met together for Lodge Meetings, and then afterwards, over beer in the pub downstairs, would discuss revolutionary politics. In the 19th century, so many influential men were Masons that it certainly appeared as if there was a “conspiracy” that the United States was being controlled from “behind the scenes.”

It is seriously doubtful that many of these men were self-consciously Gnostic; whether the lodges influenced the men, or the men used the lodges as a means of spreading their own ideas is hard in retrospect to determine. Furthermore, there is a tendency for men to interpret new ideas through their own presuppositions. Undoubtedly, many of the Masons simply saw their society as a fraternal organization devoted to camaraderie and good works. However, SOME of those men knew exactly what they were teaching, and doing.

In certain circles today, there has been widespread speculation that there are secret societies which control world events. The “Illuminati” (or “the enlightened ones”) was an actual secret society started by Adam Weishaupt in Bavaria in 1776. However, supposedly, this was only the public appearance of a much more ancient secret society that goes back all the way to the dawn of time. Depending upon which conspiracy theorist one reads the “real” origin of the “Illuminati” lies in the Antediluvian island of Atlantis, where supposedly, their “secret” knowledge allowed them unprecedented power over the rest of the world. After the fall of Atlantis (to war, revolution, divine judgment-take your pick) some of the survivors kept the ancient knowledge alive, though secret, carefully initiating new members who would work together to bring back the wonders of the ancient world. Thus from the beginning of “history” this secret group, with its mystical powers has been quietly working behind the scenes, orchestrating world events in order to bring about their own ends.

The present day “Illuminati” is supposedly governed by a secret council who dictate economic, social and political policies for their own benefit, directing the course of world events. Their ultimate goal is universal “enlightenment” or illumination; but at the present time the world is not yet ready for all the ancient mysteries. They recruit the best and brightest young men in colleges and universities by having them join certain secret societies. Those deemed suitable, are then initiated further into the “conspiracy.”

Impediments to the goals of the “Illuminati” includes nationalism, private property, the family, and Christianity, since all these things give men allegiances to things other than the “secret” knowledge the Illuminati possess. Therefore, they stage manage certain events to undermine the Republic, encourage the United Nations and promote promiscuity. Both Communism and Fascism were “Illuminati” plots designed to facilitate the New World Order. Once men no longer trust their national governments, or the family, they will be ready for “illumination.”

And what is the key doctrine of the “Illuminati?” Why, that Man is God! Of course, this means that at the present time, some men are more “God” than other men and therefore such men have the “right” to exercise dominion in any way that seems good to them. Gnosticism in any form has always seen power as the defining characteristic of God, power they want for themselves.

Does the “Illuminati” actually exist today? Historically, the “movement” was suppressed in Europe but many insist that it simply went “underground” where it has been working ever since. Yet to even ask the question today is to risk being branded a paranoid conspiracy nut (see the movie, “Conspiracy Theory” with Mel Gibson). However, the answer of whether some such group as the “Illuminati” continues to survive of course must be that no one REALLY knows; if it really IS a secret society, then by definition, its membership, goals, and actual influence is, well, secret! There are so many books, and web-sites available that discuss the existence of the “Illuminati” that surely, if they do exist, they have the worst kept secret in history! But several things argue convincingly against the existence of the “Illuminati” or any other such organization which pretends to control human destiny.

First, clearly, as we have seen, secret societies and conspiracies have always and will always exist; Psalm 2 acknowledges the existence of conspiracies. One might even call the Adversary’s temptation of Eve in the Garden the FIRST conspiracy; i.e., the two met together and plotted to overturn God’s rule. It is not unreasonable to assume that the Adversary conspired with other angels to rebel against God. After the Great Flood, men engaged in an “open” conspiracy to build the tower of Babel, despite God’s commands to spread throughout the earth. Babel would give all the peoples of the world a religious and cultural center, therefore concentrating their power. And as we have argued, Gnosticism in various forms has formed secret societies throughout history, sometimes supported even as the State religion.

The real question though is there one, over-arching conspiratorial group that exercises power over human affairs from behind the scene? Besides the incredibility of believing in the history of the mythical Atlantis, (and not everyone who accepts the existence of the “Illuminati” accepts the Atlantis connection), this view implicitly grants to men, the nature of God. Only God is sovereign. Psalm 2 ought to be memorized by every Christian; though Kings and Princes conspire together to take a stand against God and His Anointed, God’s response is to laugh at them. What if all the earthworms in the world conspired against you; how concerned would you be? It is laughable that sinful, puny men can think they can overthrow God. God’s will, will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Everything that happens on earth DOES happen for a reason, wars, invasions, economic disasters, social engineering, etc., but the reason is that God wants it to happen. While we may not understand how that providence is working out in time and space, the Christian MUST trust that God knows what He is doing (Rms 8:28-29).

Only God can and does declare the end from the beginning and therefore only He can control human destiny. Just think about all the things in the world that a human group would have to understand and coordinate for a worldwide conspiracy to actually work and clearly; only God has the mind to understand all these things, let alone the power to bring His will about. Thus, to fear international conspiracies is to implicitly ascribe omniscience and omnipotence to limited men. While undoubtedly there are still various secret “societies” existing today, they do not and cannot have the ability to actually implement their schemes-to assume so is to accept that Man can become God!

Furthermore, there is a difference between a conspiracy and synchronicity; i.e., if many men share the same ideas and beliefs, they will tend to act in the same sort of ways. Therefore, it could APPEAR as if their actions are being orchestrated from “behind the scenes” where in reality they are simply going about their normal day to day activities acting consistently with their fundamental presuppositions. For example, say that you saw a group of people suddenly all lining up outside a certain place at a certain time and start chatting together; it COULD be that these people have all gotten together by prior agreement (thus a conspiracy, albeit an innocent one). Or it COULD be that the restaurant they are meeting at has a luncheon special that has become popular and the same people, liking the same kind of food have gotten to know each other as they eat in the same place day after day.

The fact that there is a widespread consensus at university campuses on what is or is not “politically correct” COULD be the result of a self-conscious conspiracy from some unnamed group wanting to indoctrinate the next generation; or it COULD be that since all the professors attended the same graduate schools where the same material was taught are simply passing on those same ideas to the next generation. The fact that both the Democrats and Republicans both seem hell bent to destroy our nation COULD be a vast, “secret” conspiracy; or it could be that both have adopted certain fundamental presuppositions about government that means they essentially act the same way.

While paranoid conspiracy schemes are often associated with the political right, the Radical Left has its own versions; remember Hillary Clinton’s famous “vast, rightwing conspiracy” remark? The late R. J. Rushdoony was often accused of being the “spider at the center of the Religious Right” conspiracy by certain leftist and humanist groups. Now for anyone who actually knew the man, such a thought was beyond ridiculous. Granted, in both cases, it COULD seem to outsiders that a conspiracy consisted because people tended to act in concert. In reality, there was simply synchronicity between diverse groups of people with no formal association with each other. But because they held to certain core beliefs, when they acted on those beliefs (or reacted to events in the broader culture) then therefore it might look as if their actions were coordinated by some “hidden” hand.

Thirdly, the worldwide conspiracy view misses the significance of God’s actions at the tower of Babel, as well as the nature of sinful men. Without Christ, all men are tyrants, wanting to exercise unlawful power over others; and therefore in Hobbe’s terms, men in their natural state are all at war with one another. Ungodly power is always established from the top down in blasphemous imitation of God’s sovereignty. But just as God confounded the men at Babel, so He has confounded men throughout history. No empire has ever conquered or controlled the entire earth. We mentioned earlier that to control the entire world would require the mind and power of God; but it also requires the will of God. God clearly set a precedent at Babel that sinful men would not be given the opportunity to impose their version of a “One World Order.” Therefore, the Masons, the Skull and Bones Society, the Council on Foreign Relations or the Tri-lateral Commission might well have men in them who desire to impose their views on the world, but God will confound them.

Furthermore, because unregenerate hearts are at war with God, then they will be at war with one another; competing claims to divinity inevitably leads to conflict as each man seeks to impose HIS will on others. Socialist, Marxist or Fascist tyrannies have ALWAYS suffered or fallen from internal warfare by competing men who want exclusive power. Lenin, Hitler, Stalin and others were all victims of assassination attempts (the degree of success may never be known; while Hitler apparently survived the attempts against his own life by his generals, if the war had continued, SOMEONE would have eventually gotten to him. Furthermore, there is good reason to believe that both Lenin and Stalin were actually killed by rivals).

Thus the very idea that ONE group has managed to obtain secret power and maintain a unity of purpose over centuries goes against what we know to be human nature. If in fact there is any continuity between the Masons, the Bavarian Illuminati, the Knights Templar, the Order of Assassins, etc., it is more likely that later groups self-consciously “stole” the history from earlier groups in order to give their movement some “credibility.” For example, it is hardly likely that the Masons are actually direct lineal descendants of the builders of Solomon’s Temple as they claim. Their roots are most likely in the mason’s guilds of the medieval world, which were “secret” societies; but societies developed to protect the secrets of their craft and therefore maintain a monopoly on certain goods and services.

However, the modern Masonic movement began in the 18th century and simply adopted some of those earlier rituals and practices, sprinkled it liberally with Christianity (since that was the dominant religion of the West) and added their own unique touches. The claims of antiquity simply make their new society appear more ancient, more “mysterious” and therefore appeals to the Gnostic tendencies in all men. Thus there is no real connection between various groups, OTHER than synchronicity of belief; the original false religion of Gnosticism.

Why do so many people, Christians included though, believe in the “Illuminati” or other such groups? There are a number of potential answers, all or some of which might be true at the same time. First, there is the tendency amongst all men to seek simple answers to complex questions. The world is still a mysterious place and no one understands why things work out the way they do. For many Christians, simply trusting God is enough of an answer to get them through the turmoil and struggle of life. However, for others, it is psychologically appealing to find ONE group responsible for ALL the world’s problems.

Furthermore, this “solution” conveniently lets us off the hook to actually do anything! Never underestimate the human capacity to shift the blame and flee from responsibility. From the time of Adam in the Garden, (who first blamed Eve, then God for his eating the forbidden fruit), sinful men seek to escape the consequences of their actions. By postulating some group such as the “Illuminati” men can blame the world’s problem on something beyond their control. Hitler blamed the Jews, the Marxists blamed the rich, and some blame the “Illuminati.”

It is interesting to note that right wing conspiracy theorists never seem to actually DO anything except try to convince other men of the existence of the conspiracy! It’s almost as if they believe that once everyone “knows” about the conspiracy, the conspiracy will go away? Marxist societies started in Europe and conspired in “secret” to take over political and social power. Yet, did exposing the existence of such societies stop them? Then why should exposing the “Illuminati” supposedly stop THEM?

The answer of course is that the very act of exposure gives the conspiracy enthusiast the feeling that he is actually DOING something. Not only does this belief offer a simplistic explanation for complex events, but also gives a person the illusion of power. Placebos can often work as well as an FDA approved drug, IF the person taking it believes it will. In the same way, conspiracy theorists find much comfort in “exposing” the latest actions of the “New World Order” because for them, it gives them the psychological illusion of power.

Of course, the underlying problem is that if we want social stability, economic prosperity, political liberty and security, then Christians must live godly lives in the world, submitting every area to King Jesus. We must love our wives and be committed to their sanctification. We must raise godly, virtuous children who are not conformed to the standards of this world. We have to work diligently and conscientiously at our callings. We have to live frugally and wisely. We have to become involved in the political process and sometimes make tough decisions between issues that are not always as black and white as we would like. In short, REAL reformation of society takes a lot of hard work; work which we just would rather not do.

Therefore, to this day, the vast majority of Christians still send their children to public schools where they are indoctrinated into various forms of humanism, and then wonder why they grow up to reject the faith. Far too many marriages are shallow shams, wherein both husband and wife refuse to fulfill their Biblical roles. Men do not work and they spend too much on things they cannot afford. They willingly trade their liberty for the promise of security from the “nanny state.” No, it is a LOT easier “exposing” the “conspiracies” rather than admitting it is our own sin that is causing the problem; or doing the hard work of getting our lives in order.

In fact, the very appeal of being “in the know” about the vast “conspiracies” out there, actually feeds the same innate hunger for “secret knowledge” of all false religion! They are on the “inside” knowing things about the “real” world that the “poor dumb masses” do not even suspect! The irony here is rich; those who are committed to “exposing” the “Illuminati” are in fact victims of the very same Gnosticism that is the core of their teaching!

Finally, Gnosticism is implicit in even the modern day Church; we do not have to look to a “hidden” conspiracy because the assumptions are prevalent within the covenant community. Some may find the following analysis offensive, but the Christian gospel has often been expressed in the modern world strongly resembles another variation of Gnosticism. When we see evangelism as essentially getting men to pray a prayer as a response to initiating them in the “secret” knowledge of Jesus, we are in danger of replacing the gospel with Gnosticism. The Biblical gospel is not based just on “knowledge” that Jesus died for one’s sins but rather on the PUBLIC confession that “Jesus is Lord” (Rms 10:9-10). That “confession” is more than a simple “belief” in something; after all, the demons believe, and tremble! But rather it is the day by day outworking of that confession in subduing every area of life to the Lordship of Christ that is the essence of the gospel. This is not salvation by works, (for by grace we are saved); Jesus fully and completely fulfilled all the righteous requirements of God’s perfect Law on our behalf and died for all our transgressions of it. We are judicially declared “Not Guilty” because of Christ, but IF Jesus IS Lord, and we confess that, THEN it MUST make a difference in our lives.

However, the requirement that true saving faith results in a changed life is largely ignored by the average evangelical; they want to believe that a mental assent to some theological proposition is the same as salvation. They want assurance that by having the “knowledge” of Jesus, they can live their own lives, on their own terms. Implicitly they have adopted Gnosticism that says salvation is by KNOWLEDGE. The Lordship controversy that continues to rage in various churches is remarkable; can you have Jesus as savior without having Him as Lord? The Apostles would simply shake their heads in dismay at such a question.

Yet some in Reformed churches are not all that far from their broad evangelical brothers. The constant debate regarding the Law of God continues to rip churches and fellowships apart. To say that God must be obeyed as the outworking of regeneration is seen by some as “legalism.” There are some “respectable” academics and scholars who insist that the average Christian is not ready or able to handle the “secret” knowledge that is being taught in seminaries (I was told exactly this in a first year seminary class). The “secret” knowledge might be the seminary’s adoption of Higher Criticism, or the Framework Hypothesis-or something else; either way only the “enlightened” can possess this knowledge. It must be hidden from the average man in the pews, lest he discover that the seminary has abandoned the faith he believes in and therefore stops writing those support checks.

Gnosticism has always been with us in various forms, and will continue to plague the people of God until, “every knee shall bow and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Until that day, SOME men will form secret societies and conspire together for unlawful power. Some of them will actually achieve SOME measure of unlawful power in this life. But Christians need not fear the conspiratorial actions of these sinful men because God alone is in control, scoffing at their futile attempts and warns them to “Do homage to the Son lest He become angry and you perish in the way. For His wrath may soon become kindled”Psa 2:12