4. New Age
I am still not sure where the term “New Age” came from. According to Wikipedia online, the term New Age describes a broad movement of late 20th century and contemporary Western culture, characterized by an individual eclectic approach to spiritual exploration. The reason I am not sure where the term “New Age” came from, is that there is nothing “new” about it. The roots of this modern day movement clearly stem as far back as the Gnostics of the early church. The Gnostics believed the physical body was evil. The goal of Gnosticism is to get out of the physical body, and that Christ came with the secret knowledge and would share it only with a select few.
This is prominent in the “New Age” thinking of today. Books like the “Celestine Prophecy” and “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” discuss this concept of spiritual enlightenment. Wayne Dire teaches that animals will not be afraid of you when you transcend from your physical body to an source energy of peace. Popular New Age websites teach that the goal is to “create a spiritual connection between everyone on this Planet, and in this way raise the Consciousness of the Planet.”
Perhaps the most prominent New Age teaching is “A Course in Miracles”. A Course in Miracles [ACIM] is the name of a book, allegedly dictated by Jesus to Helen Schucman (1909-1981), a research psychologist. Helen was a Jew turned atheist. ACIM is Christianity improved: teaching that Jesus wants less suffering, sacrifice, separation, and sacrament. He only wants more love and forgiveness.
The Text says that, “Christ waits for your acceptance of Him as yourself, and of His wholeness as yours.” Keep in mind that these words you have just read are, according to The Course, the “spirit-dictated” words of Jesus. Now hear the true Word of God from the Bible where we read,
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matt. 24:4-5). The Scripture is crystal clear about the deception of multitudes by signs and wonders based in experience rather than His Word. Common New Age thinking is also that Spiritual beings (e.g. angels, ascended masters, elementals, ghosts, and/or space aliens) exist, and will guide us, if we open ourselves to their guidance. Again, let’s go to the Word of God,
2 Timothy 4:3, “they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths”.
I have hear many New Agers tell me that they don’t read the bible because A Course In Miracles is more aligned with what they believe, with what they want to hear. Paul also teaches in
1 Timothy, “that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm…guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge.”
This is the command we were given from the beginning, before the Gnostics, Mystics or New Agers.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. (Proverbs 3:4-6). I will end this discussion with one final point for the reader to ponder on your own. One must consider, was it Christ who “spoke” to Helen? According to the Word of God, her teachings are clearly not biblical and in fact it is clear we are warned against such false prophets. Was it her own thoughts? Was it a massive research project? Was in demonic influence? A few last words from God,
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (
Ephesians 6:12) “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
Read other articles under the topic “History of the Church Papers”
- A people of Exile
- The Priestly Kingdom
- The Holy Spirit
- New Age
- Outside the Gates
- The whispers of the evil one
- Christian Culture vs. Christianity
- The search for meaning
- Martin Luther
- Getting back to the future
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