Only selected individuals have a divine spark imprisoned in their physical bodies. Through gnosis, liberate divine spark from the evil physical world and be united with the Supreme Being. Only way to attain salvation. Remainder of humanity has no divine spark. Initiates chosen only from those with divine spark.
All gnostic groups offer knowledge, and in a form or degree found only in their teaching.
The lowest forms of gnosticism offer knowledge related simply to power and secrets of the future. The highest forms offer knowledge related to abstract speculation on such topics as how good and evil came into the world. The Gnostics were a closed society. God's Word i. reinterpret it based on gnostic doctrine. Chartered by the Pope, subject to no one else.