Apostle, den athanasianske trosbekendelser Tertullian, og den vestelige kirke, troede på den kødlige genopstandelse, derimod troede gnostics at genopstandelse kun var muligt i åndelig forstand.
...Apostles, the Athanasian Creeds Tertullian, and the western church were inclined to believe in resurrection of the flesh, whereas the Gnostics held the firm belief that resurrection existed only in a spiritual sense.