Thought I’ve published both long and short accounts of my spiritual journey, I felt lead to share some of the troublesome New Age beliefs that ultimately lead me back to the God of the Bible. I realize not all New Age adherants have the same beliefs. However, certain beliefs are commonplace and are very contrary to Biblical beliefs.
1. The Nature of God/Sin-When I finally started to realize that pantheism permeates much of New Age teaching, I started to reject it. A universe as vast & complex as ours could only have brought into being by a Creator God. I also rejected the concept that wrongs in this world stem from not accepting that we’re of the same nature is God. Some wrongs are so evil that they can only be explained by an inherited sin nature and the influence of a devil who has the power to tempt us.
2. Eternity-I always found the concept of reincarnation unsettling. Why would an all-loving God create us to love others so deeply, then have us reborn, never to remember our loved ones except in snatches of memory? Why would He punish us for something done in a “past life” that we have no conscious memory of? Why put us through the trials and suffering of life over and over again without any hope of refreshment? Any god who would treat his creation this way is not the loving God of the Bible, but a monster. How about an eternity where we’re reunited with and recognize our loved ones who responded to God’s grace and have no fear of going through life’s trials over and over again? Instead of being punished in the “next life”, how about a God who loved us so much that He came to earth in human form and gave His life to free us from sin?
3. No Absolute Truth-While I support the concept of liberty in non-essential beliefs, I can fully appreciate the idea that historical Christianity has core doctrines that serve as the glue holding the Church together. The New Age movement is a hodgepodge of varying beliefs without a foundation.
4. No Discernment-Many people who use the occult and divination use it very recklessly. Contact with all beings is often encouraged. There are no commonly accepted ways of discerning whether a spirit is demonic. By reading the Bible, we can discern whether something is of God or not.
5. Frightening End-Times Scenarios-Some New Age adherants believe in end-times scenarios far worse than fundamentalist Christian beliefs. Unlike Christian end-times beliefs, New Age beliefs offer no blessed hope of a coming Savior.
6. No Sense of Purpose to Life-In pantheistic belief, we are all part of a larger “force” (so to speak). By believing in reincarnation, as many do, NewAge believers often believe in karma. Instead of loving and serving one God, life becomes a struggle to avoid bad karma and the effects of it in the next life. This leaves little motivation for one to fulfill their life’s purpose.
7. The Occult-Those who dabble in the occult are really taking a big risk by doing so. Even those who refuse to accept what the Bible has to say on the matter can learn much from parapsychologists!
8. Gurus, Mind Control-While rare, many New Age believers have gotten into cults under the influence of gurus. These groups have many of the same problems as Bible-based cults. Since meditation plays a great role in much New Age teaching, there is the possibility that this can be misused in the form of mind control.
I believe that the New Age movement has a lot of appeal for many due to its diversity and beliefs in the paranormal. However, over time I’ve realized truth is not an abstract concept, but a Person: Jesus! He’s given me what no New Age teaching could.
Celtic
New Age & Bible