Selections from the Gnostic Nag Hammadi Library: The Secret Book of James – Be Saved, Part 3 of 3

“Don’t let the Kingdom of Heaven become a desert within You. Don’t be haughty because of the Light that Enlightens, but behave toward yourselves the way that I’ve behaved toward You, […] so that You may be saved.”

Final Words

“But in response to these comments Peter said, ‘Sometimes You urge us on to the Kingdom of Heaven, and again at other times You turn us away, Lord. Sometimes You persuade and draw us to faith and promise us life, and again at other times You cast us out of the Kingdom of Heaven.’

But in response the Lord told us, ‘I’ve given You faith many times. Moreover, I’ve revealed myself to You, James, and You haven’t known me. Now again, I see You rejoicing often. And when You’re delighted about the promise of life, nevertheless You’re sad and depressed when You’re taught about the Kingdom. But through faith and knowledge, You’ve received life. Despise rejection when You hear it, but when You hear the promise, rejoice all the more. Truly I tell You, whoever will receive life and believe the Kingdom will never leave it […]!

This is all I’m going to tell You up to this point, but now I’ll go up to the place from which I came. But when I was eager to go, You cast me out, and instead of accompanying me, You’ve chased me away. But be attentive to the glory that awaits me, and when You’ve opened Your hearts, listen to the hymns that await me up in Heaven, because today I need to sit at the right hand of the Father. Now I’ve spoken (my) last word to You, and I’ll leave You, because a chariot of the Spirit has taken me up […].

But pay attention: Blessed are those who’ve proclaimed the Son before his coming down so that when I’ve come, I might go up. Blessed three times over are those who [were] proclaimed by the Son before they came to be, so that You may have a portion with them.’”

Heavenly Ascent

“When He said these things, He left. But Peter and I knelt down, gave thanks, and sent our hearts up to Heaven. […] We sent our minds up higher and heard with our ears hymns and angelic praises and angelic rejoicing. And Heavenly Majesties were singing hymns, and we rejoiced too. […]”