|
I
 How
should Christians respond to the New Age movement? As the “New
Age” becomes more popular, Christians find themselves in a
quandary, do they respond or keep quiet. Sorcery, wizardry and
channeling are marketed to kids and adults alike. “Harry
Potter” exposes children to the “Good” in sorcery and
witchcraft. McDonalds kids meals based on a movie about “Haunted
Houses”. Many, including Christians might dismiss these
concerns as being extreme. Television programs such as John
Edwards’ show “Crossing Over”, with Edwards channeling
communication between living and dead family makes channeling
mainstream. There is even a psychic pets program where a psychic
communicates communications between pets and owners on the cable
network, Animal Planet.
According to George Barnia, 20% of the population believes in
some aspect of the New Age. This will grow as the New Age
becomes more acceptable with many searching youths. Most of the
people who are in the New Age are from a nominal, liberal
Christian or un-churched backgrounds. Unlike other cults such
as Islam, Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons the New Age does not
have one sole source of doctrine. Nevertheless, is a
collection of similar ideas and thoughts combining Hinduism,
Gnostics, and Pagan religious ideas into a collective body,
known as the New Age. The way to help New Agers come to a
relationship with Christ varies from other cults.
Strategy to
reach the New Age
To reach those
involved in the New Age, we need to recognize at what level we
are operating. The books of Ephesians and Corinthians spread
light on the situation.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
|
20 |
Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice
they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not
want you to have fellowship with demons. |
|
21 |
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of
demons;
you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table
of demons. |
I Corinthians 10:20-21
Several points
come to light in these scriptures in dealing with the New Age.
From Ephesians
we learn:
-
The battle
is spiritual not physical
-
The
spiritual realm is organized opposition
-
The
spiritual realm has specific demonic forces leading the war.
From I
Corinthians we learn:
-
Participants in pagan systems, might feel they are serving
God, but are serving demons.
-
Those who
participate in pagan (New Age) religious systems are having
fellowship with demons
-
Fellowship
with demons breaks our fellowship with the Lord
With these
scriptures in mind, we need to recognize the appeal to the New
Age is not simple innocence, but supplication and communication
with demonic forces. These forces operate in the spiritual
realms, they work for the destruction of souls. These demonic
forces are fallen angels who rebelled with Satan, against God’s
authority, they are organized in battle against the saints, and
God’s work. Therefore, the believer must first seek the Lord,
when confronting those who are involved in New Age matters,
through prayer.
Steps to reach
the lost in the New Age
-
Prayer
-
Help the
New Ager understand the Biblical Position.
-
Challenge
the source of New Age authority through compassion and
logic.
-
Share with
New Age follower why the Bible is true based on Biblical
Evidence
-
Share the
need
Christian
Dialogue with a New Ager
John Christian
meets David Newager at a graduation party for a mutual friend,
Sam Seeker.
DN:
Hi my name is Dave I am a friend of Sam’s
JC:
Hi Dave, my name is John, Sam and I go to the same Church.
DN:
I didn’t know Dave was going to church, what kind of church do
you go too?
JC:
The church is called Bible Fellowship, it’s a Bible Believing
Church.
DN:
You mean one of those “Born Again” Churches…I see …that why Sam
hasn’t been able to
Make it
to Starbucks for the last three months on Sunday ..….I am going
to have
Talk to
my buddy Sam.
JC:
Dave, Do you go to church?
DN:
John…I was raised Catholic and I went to
Catholic
School,
But I haven’t been there in quite,
But I am
Spiritual….What I have learned is you don’t need to Go to Church
or even read the Bible…to have a deep relationship with God.
JC:
Dave what is
your source for “Truth”? if its not the Bible?
DN:I Believe all religions are all part of the same
package, like petals on a flower, Don’t get me wrong, I think
its great you go to church and Sam goes there too…for this
stage in your spiritual walk…I am very happy for you.
JC:
Dave, But how
do you know what you believe is true?
DN:
John, I have had actually communicated with a spiritual force
unlike anything, anybody at any church could imagine. I started
doing research and discovered I could access the power of the
Divine from within, So after praying to my Divinity….I
experienced something beyond any church. John, I know you might
think I am nuts, but I don’t expect church people to understand
this. I have my own guiding spirit that has directed my life for
the last 3 years.
JC:
Actually Dave, I do understand what you are saying. I also
believe we live in a spiritual world.
Thats what
the Bible tells us, spiritual forces exist and are involved in
the realm of mankind. The question you need to ask yourself is
who did you meet?
DN:
I know who I met was part of me …my Divine essence, because my
guide affirmed that I am God, …..that we are all God, and all
paths lead toward God.
JC:
Dave, I would really question if all religions are talking about
the same thing. For example, there are religions that practiced
Human sacrifice such as the Aztecs of Mexico, sacrificing
hundreds of thousands of people, including children. Part of the
Aztec religion was the ritual cannibalism of its enemies. Is
that also part of God? In addition,what about contradictions in
Islam and Christianity? Christians believe Jesus died on the
cross and Muslims believe Jesus did not die on the cross, they
can’t both be right? Dave I would really question who it is
that spoke to you?
DN:
John what are you trying to say? Who do you think spoke to me?
JC:
Well Dave, the Bible tells us that your spiritual experience is
not unique, that we live in a spiritual world. In this world
there are fallen angels, who along with Satan rebelled against
God. This resulted in their fall, Satan then tempted Adam and
Eve, when they fell Satan and his fallen angels received
dominion over this earth. The bible in fact calls Satan the god
of this age, thats god with a little g. (2 Corinthians 4:4).
And Satan’s fallen angels are his representatives who seek to
deceive those living on the earth.
In
the Old Testament and the New Testament the concept of
channeling or talking to spirit guides is not new…one bit. This
is an old practice call “Familiar Spirits” or Necromancy. The
Bible warns against the practice, not because God doesn’t want
us to have spiritual knowledge but because, we are not really
talking to who we think we are talking. We are really talking
fallen angels, who masquerade as someone “Familiar”. This is
how Satan, deceives people.
DN:
John, let me get this right are you saying that my spirit guide
is a fallen angel and not from God? That’s hard for me to
believe, because this being is beautiful and full of peace.
JC:
Dave, it all goes back to What is the truth? And who is it that
you spoke to you? Because the being was beautiful and peaceful
does is not unique. The Bible tells us that Satan himself
masquerades as an “Angel of light” (2 Corinthians
11:14). So its not hard to image that his fallen angels would come
in the same manner. Dave, the Bible is very clear on the
identity of God, we can’t all be God. There is only One God,
what the angel affirmed to you contradicts the Bible. Therefore
I would question, who you are talking too?
DN:
Well how do you know if the Bible is true?
JC:
The Bible has all the proof anybody could want to prove that it
is God’s Word. Most people have never examined the evidence.
There are several proofs the Bible is God’s Word. The Bible is
proven true, based on History, Archeology and Bible Prophecy.
DN:
John, over the years the Bible has changed, its not the same as
when it was first written down.
JC:
Well Dave, the Dead Sea Scrolls would disagree with you,
Portions of every book of the Bible have been found there except
the book of Ester. These manuscripts were 1100 years older then
earlier manuscripts used in the translation of the Bible, and
they proved the Bible was unchanged from source documents.
DN;
What proof do you have the Bible is true?
JC:
Unlike any other book, the Bible tells us details about the
future written thousands of years before the events. The nation
of Israel in existence today was written about 2500 years ago in
the book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36 and 37) and 3400 years ago in
the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 28:64, 30:3). Hundreds of
specific prophecies about Jesus were written hundreds of years
before his birth, describing what would happen to him (Isaiah
52:13 to Isaiah 53:12). Even the exact month and year of Jesus
death was foretold over 500 years before his birth (Daniel
9:24-27), and today’s conflicts in the Middle East between
Israel and the rest of the world are also foretold.
The Bible
says there is only one way to Heaven, and that is through Jesus.
That why its important too find the source of your guide.
DN:
So how do you believe you get to Heaven?
JC:
Dave, by receiving God’s gift of salvation, by believing Jesus
is the Son of God who died on the cross for our sins.
|
God |
|
The New
Age God is an impersonal force pervading all creation;
this is known as Monism meaning “One-ism”. They
believe all that exists is derived from a single force
of divine energy. This concept was popularized in the
movie “Star Wars”, where the Force, was present in the
Universe.
This
view of god harmonizes with the Hindu view of
Pantheism. Pantheism believes all that exists is
God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the
concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are
all Gods, Gods within the self and throughout the entire
universe. The Hindu Vedas read:
This whole world is Brahma. Tranquil, let one worship.
It as that from which he came forth, as that into which
he will be dissolved, as that in which he breathes.
Christian Response
God
is distinct from his creation. He is the source of all
that exists but his identity is distinct and eternal
from what He created.
|
|
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, And
He who formed you from the womb: "I am the Lord,
who makes all things, Who stretches out the
heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth
by Myself;
Isaiah 44:24 |
|
|
Thus says God the Lord, Who created the
heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth
the earth and that which comes from it, Who
gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to
those who walk on it:
Isaiah 42:5
|
24 |
"God, who made the world and everything
in it, since He is Lord of heaven and
earth, does not dwell in temples made
with hands. |
|
25 |
"Nor is He worshiped with men's hands,
as though He needed anything, since He
gives to all life, breath, and all
things. Acts 17:24-25
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
God
is also a personal God knowing his creation and having a
relationship with them being pleased and displeased.
|
7 |
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and
said, "To your descendants I will give this
land." And there he built an altar to the Lord,
who had appeared to him. Genesis 12:7 |
|
11 |
So the Lord spoke to Moses face to
face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he
would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua
the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from
the tabernacle.
Exodus 33:11 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Man |
|
Man is
ultimately God, this follows from the Monist and
Pantheistic view of God.
This
is the being/embodiment relationship, as exemplified
primarily in the Eastern religions and
philosophies….this relationship simply affirms that all
life is one, that I am one with God and can embody
Divinity…God and I do not just communicate; we commune
and are one. There is no separation except failure to
recognize that there is no separation.
Shirley MacLaine, a Hollywood voice for the New Age
wrote in here book, Out on a Limb,
I
know that I exist, therefore I AM, I know that the
God-source exists. Therefore IT IS. Since I am part of
that force, then I AM that I AM.
Christian Response
The
Bible clearly distinguishes God from Man who was created
by God for God’s Glory.
|
7 |
Everyone who is called by My name, Whom
I have created for My glory; I have formed him,
yes, I have made him."
Isaiah 43:7 |
|
5 |
'I have made the earth, the man and the
beast that are on the ground, by My great power
and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to
whom it seemed proper to Me.
Jeremiah 27:5 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salvation |
|
Since
mankind is not a fallen creature, no salvation is
necessary. We only need to rescue from ignorance of our
godhood. Once we enter “god-realization”,
“enlightenment”, “attunement” or “at-one-ment (With
God), we are personally transformed.
We
already know everything. The knowingness of our divinity
is the highest intelligence. And to be what we already
know is the free will. Free will is simply the enactment
of the realization that you are God, a realization that
you are divine.
The
aim of a Course in Miracles is to lead us from duality
to oneness—to the realization of our At-one-ment with
God, our Self, and all people---our brothers. In this
healing, is our Salvation—we are saved from our
misperceptions of ourselves as separated individuals.
When our perception is corrected we remember our true or
higher Self…Salvation is really enlightenment.
Christian Response
The
Bible clearly teaches that some will be saved and others
will not be saved. Salvation is not universal.
Individuals live one life and must give an account for
that one life.
|
|
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he
who does the will of My Father in heaven. |
|
|
"Many will say to Me in that day,
'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your
name, cast out demons in Your name, and done
many wonders in Your name?'
"And then I will declare to them, 'I
never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!'
Matthew 7:21-23 |
|
27 |
And as it is appointed for men to die
once, but after this the judgment,
Hebrews 9:27 |
|
|
Jesus
Christ |
|
Jesus Christ The Jesus of the New Age is differs from the
Biblical Jesus. The New Age separates Jesus from
Christ. Jesus was one of many Christs or teachers, who
came to show the way. Christ is seen as office being
held by an avatar or teacher.
Jesus
differed but little from other children, only that in
past lives he had overcome carnal propensities…Jesus was
a remarkable child, for by ages of strenuous preparation
he was qualified to be an avatar, a savior of the world.
In
every age Teachers have come forth from this spiritual
centre to enable mankind to take its next evolutionary
step; we know them, among others, as Hercules, Hermes,
Rama, Mithra, Vyasa, Sanskaracharya, Krishna, Buddha,
and the Christ. All perfect men in their time, all sons
of men who became Sons of God, for having revealed their
innate Divinity.
Christian Response
Jesus
is God incarnate, God the Son born of a virgin, who came
into the world and died on a cross. Jesus is the only
means of salvation.
|
6 |
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me.
John 14:6 |
|
4 |
And Jesus answered and said to them:
"Take heed that no one deceives you. |
|
5 |
"For many will come in My name, saying,
'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
Matthew 24:4-5
|
|
25 |
Jesus said to her, "I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in
Me, though he may die, he shall live. |
|
26 |
"And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this
John 11:25-26 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Astrology |
|
Christian Response
Astrology and Horoscopes are not new but repackaged
paganism condemned in the Bible. The stars of the
Universe were created for light on the earth. They are
not to be worshipped or used for
|
12 |
"Stand now with your enchantments And
the multitude of your sorceries, In which you
have labored from your youth-Perhaps you will be
able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail. |
|
13 |
You are wearied in the multitude of
your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the
stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators
Stand up and save you From what shall come upon
you.
Isaiah 47:12-15 |
|
2 |
Thus says the Lord: "Do not learn the
way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the
signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed
at them.
Jeremiah 10:2 |
|
|
|
|
19 |
"And take heed, lest you lift your eyes
to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon,
and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel
driven to worship them and serve them, which the
Lord your God has given to all the peoples under
the whole heaven as a heritage.
Deuteronomy 4:19 |
|
|
Spirit
Guides, Mediums, Channeling |
|
|
31 |
'Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek
after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord
your God.
Leviticus 19:31 |
|
6 |
'And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to
prostitute himself with them, I will set My face
against that person and cut him off from his
people.
|
'A man or a woman who is a medium, or
who has familiar spirits, shall surely
be put to death; they shall stone them
with stones. Their blood shall be upon
them.' " |
Leviticus 20:6,27
|
|
|
19 |
And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and
wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a
people seek their God? Should they seek the dead
on behalf of the living?
Isaiah 8:19
|
|
16 |
Now it happened, as we went to prayer,
that a certain slave girl possessed with a
spirit of divination met us, who brought her
masters much profit by fortune-telling. |
|
17 |
This girl followed Paul and us, and
cried out, saying, "These men are the servants
of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way
of salvation." |
|
18 |
And this she did for many days. But
Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the
spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her." And he came out that
very hour. |
|
19 |
But when her masters saw that their
hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and
Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to
the authorities.
Acts 16:16-19 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crystals |
|
Christian Response
Crystals
are a form of idoltry, the belief is that
Crystals contain inert mystical power in conjuction with its color.
|
32 |
"What you have in your mind shall never
be, when you say, 'We will be like the Gentiles,
like the families in other countries, serving
wood and stone.' |
Ezekiel
20:32
|
28 |
"And there you will serve gods, the
work of men's hands, wood and stone, which
neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
Deuteronomy 4:28 |
|
|
Reincarnation |
|
Christian Response
Reincarnation is a Hinduism and Buddhist belief
introduced via the New-Age movement.
Scripture clearly teaches that we have one life, after
this life we must give an account. For this reason,
Christ died on the cross, to pay for our sins.
Reincarnation is salvation through works, as the soul
has a 2nd, 3rd, 4th
etc..turns at redemption. This deceives people into
thinking they will have another opportunity at salvation
if they don’t make it in this life.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after
this the judgment,
Hebrews 9:27
Lazarus and the rich man
|
19 |
"There was a certain rich man who was
clothed in purple and fine linen and fared
sumptuously every day. |
|
20 |
"But there was a certain beggar named
Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his
gate, |
|
21 |
"desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover
the dogs came and licked his sores. |
|
22 |
"So it was that the beggar died, and
was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried. |
|
23 |
"And being in torments in Hades, he
lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and
Lazarus in his bosom. |
|
24 |
"Then he cried and said, 'Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that
he may dip the tip of his finger in water and
cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame.' |
|
25 |
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that
in your lifetime you received your good things,
and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is
comforted and you are tormented. |
|
26 |
'And besides all this, between us and
you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those
who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor
can those from there pass to us.' |
|
27 |
"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore,
father, that you would send him to my father's
house, |
|
28 |
'for I have five brothers, that he may
testify to them, lest they also come to this
place of torment.' |
|
29 |
"Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses
and the prophets; let them hear them.' |
|
30 |
"And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but
if one goes to them from the dead, they will
repent.' |
|
31 |
"But he said to him, 'If they do not
hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they
be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "
Luke 16:19-31 |
|
|
PDF
File