4/5 The New Age as a Challenge to the Teachings of Jesus
Many of the commonly held views in our world today directly cross over what Jesus taught and what the Bible holds as truth. Some views are just on the line of Truth and error. However, when you look below the surface, most of what the New Agers believe is a version of the deception the Snake sold to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
“You will not surely die…for God knows that when you eat of the fruit, your eyes will be opened, any you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5 See how many of the deceptions you can see in the New Age beliefs in the following list:
1. The Worship of the Earth and Creation
Much of what we see the in the Ecology and Conservation movement today is a mixture of pantheistic worship of nature and Earth, plus a dose of mythology and spiritual awareness. Certainly the Earth has been contaminated since the Fall and we, as Christians, will also be held accountable for how we have taken care of God’s creation around us. Rather than ‘Save the whales’, let’s discover the God who created whales and then we can save them – (and aborted babies!) – His way.
2. The Concept of a ‘Life Force’ or ‘Cosmic Energy’
One of the key words in alternative medicine is the word “energy”. We need to understand the difference between the New Age concepts of energy and the Biblical variety. ‘Energy’, in New Age terms, speaks of an impersonal, neutral, psychic power source; a cosmic energy that can be tapped into for healing, guidance, personal growth and prediction of the future. The two best-known psychic energies are known as Prana and Ch’i, the ‘essential vital force’ of all creation.
3. Alternative Therapies
The majority of Alternative ‘Health’ therapists and Human Potential practitioners use the idea of “energy” for their therapies. Apart from the natural forces of true energy, such as electromagnetic, nuclear, and so on, any “energy” apart from God is from Satan. There are over 90 names to describe this “energy force”, and without exception, they all involve spiritualist or animistic beliefs. Virtually all the “inventors/teachers” of so called “psychic powers” were or are involved with the occult as mediums, psychic researchers or parapsychologists.
There are two popularly promoted “psychic energies”
“Prana” – the ‘energy’ of Hindu/Yoga concepts of wholeness. The rising serpent Kundalini, who rests in base of the spine, is to be released for wholeness in the patient.
“Ch’I” – the Taoist (Chinese traditional) view of “energy” flows through the body, Earth and universe, along invisible energy lines called “meridians”. The theory states that if an imbalance occurs along these lines, illness results. By manipulating your body, they believe “blockages” are released, thus restoring health. They view disease as a sign of energy imbalance between body, mind and spirit.
4. Both ideas are ‘Psychic Energy’
Psychic transference of energy is brought about by massage, pressing certain ‘points’ on the body, laying on of hands or through the influence of mild trance states. The reality is that a demonic spirit is required to operate this ‘energy force’ – and this spirit is transferred through contact with the spiritualist (alternative health therapist = AHT).
The practitioner actually channels a demon from their body into the patient, thus affecting the body’s state of illness. These AHT are deceptive forms of ‘healing’ through which people’s lives can be influenced by the demonic realm.
Any form of contact with demonic areas are strongly forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Galations 5:21). The Biblical answer for healing is not through any other energy source than the Holy Spirit.
Some Alternative Therapies use ungodly techniques to unblock ‘energy meridians’, although other techniques are beneficial when they emphasise diet, fasting, and exercise. The way such people obtain their ‘knowledge’ of illness is by divination – obtaining knowledge by magical means.
If alternative methods involve a ‘psychic energy’ source, to bring about the desired healing, what are we dealing with? Many people falsely believe they have ‘power’ in themselves. Shamans, witchdoctors, Hindu holy men and others willingly yield themselves over to demonic powers to achieve claimed harmony and healing.
5. Biblical ‘Energy’ Sources
How is touching somebody with alternative ‘energy’ different to ‘the laying on of hands’ and working with the Holy Spirit? Scientifically and Biblically there are only four proven physical energy sources:
a) Strong nuclear forces – keeps atoms together,
b) Weak nuclear forces – keeps molecules together,
c) Electro-magnetism – electricity, radio waves, etc
d) Gravity – the force that pulls together two objects.
There is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove any alternative ‘energy’ operating out of the four forces listed above. Any other claimed ‘energy’ source, not of the Holy Spirit, whether psychic, mental power, or spiritual, is spiritism or demonic.
The Bible says there are only TWO kingdom powers. One is the divine Power of Jehovah, the other is a counterfeit energy that we are instructed to avoid: Luke 16:22-25, Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Matthew 24:4-24, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Jeremiah 10:3-7, 23:16-40, Daniel 2:2-47.
6. Holistic Health
An overwhelming array of ‘natural’, alternative health therapies have multiplied under the banner of ‘Holistic Health’. There are five different kinds of ‘healing’ we see around us:
a) Healing from natural causes – the body heals itself through the built-in immune system, rest and good diet.
b) Healing through medical intervention – trained, qualified doctors assist the body to heal itself, by drugs (often developed from herbal remedies) surgery or other methods.
c) Divine healing – JEHOVAH GOD is still healing today, through the gifts of Healing, Miracles, prayer and dealing with illness by Scriptural principles.
d) False claims and ‘quack’ methods – Through ignorance or dishonesty, false claims are made about healings, usually because the body has healed itself.
e) Healings through occult means – Spiritism with counterfeit miracles and healings.
G. IN CONCLUSION
Be wise in your own dealings in this area. Ask God, the personal Creator who wants to give you wisdom, James 1:3. Think about the issues rather than just drift into New Age activity.
The root issue is not whether we should turn to alternative therapies and medicines or to Western methods and drugs. Both can be potentially destructive. Reaching for an aspirin, or for a garlic tablet, can both be rejecting God, if we are not relying on Him as the Source of Healing. Both alternative methods and Western medicine can deny the living Jesus! James 5:14-16
“Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”
In going through this research material, so much of the New Age teaching is a counterfeit to what the Holy Spirit would being into our world. All the ‘gifts of the Spirit’ have been counterfeited and turned into ‘power sources’ to fulfill the enemy’s rule over mankind. How much better to see the real ‘gift’ of the Spirit at work than those that lead to darkness …. and a cost to the person using the enemy’s false promises.
Susanne Fengler, Blog Author
www.christianfoundations-jesus.treeoflife.info
P.S. This material has been adapted from: “The New Age – Looking for the god within”, Christian Resource Series. Our thanks to the Watchman Fellowship, Inc., The Spiritual Counterfeits Project and the Christian Reaserch Institute!
Tags: New Age and Jesus' Teachings
Filed under: Challenges to the Christian Faith
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