Biblical Refutations of Eight New Age Deceptions

“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

Wolves in sheep’s clothing have begun infiltrating our churches, spreading false doctrines and duping millions. Without even realizing it, Christians may slowly find themselves falling prey to their idealistic gas, thinking preachers’ lofty ideas and wishful thinking have merit. I was held hostage to such notions for around 2 decades, but then Jesus made Himself known to me, letting me know that only HE is the way, the truth, and the life.

New Age and related belief systems (e.g., New Thought, Progressive Christianity, liberal Christianity, and Universalism) are defined in a variety of ways, yet many share the following eight somewhat interrelated ideas: (1) the law of attraction; (2) pantheism; (3) oneness; (4) pluralism; (5) dualism; (6) mysticism; (7) Jesus as mercy, but not justice; and (8) universalism. The intention of this blog is to offer a brief synopsis of each, along with Biblical refutations.

The Law of Attraction

The law of attraction is the idea that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into your life. Thoughts are made from pure energy and positive energy from your mind attracts positive energy from the universe, while negative energy from your mind attracts negative energy from the universe. Advocates oftentimes try to explain these ideas using science such as quantum physics, yet critics have condemned such positions as unfalsifiable pseudoscience. They believe if you focus on God as love and the universe as God, you’ll become one with God and love by connecting your energies and vibrations to that in the universe. Let us not forget that the very first lie to be told in the Bible was when Satan told Eve that she could be like God.[1]

Pantheism

Pantheism is a broad topic with a variety of interpretations, but one commonality is the belief that the universe is a manifestation of God and that God is identical to the universe. Pantheists believe everything is God and God is immanent in the universe. In contrast, the Bible teaches God is omnipresent in the universe and transcendent to it. In other words, God’s presence and being are both within and outside of the universe. He is not within nature, however, but supernatural, just as He is not within sin or evil but transcendent to it.[2] He is not a passive, unintentional force but rather an intentional, active, moral lawgiver. He is concurrently in our past, present, and future and is unbounded by the constraints of our linear time.[3]  

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”[4]

Oneness

Oneness is an attempt to transcend the mind to connect with everything in existence on every level in the universe. Advocates believe you can be one with the universe to achieve nirvana, which is a spiritual utopia of immense joy and bliss. Your soul can tap into the greater soul of the universe when you focus on your sacred self and explore connections between your mind and that of the universe. In contrast, Christianity teaches us to focus on God, not on the self. [5]

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”[6]

Pluralism

Religious pluralists believe we should respect the diversity of belief systems as we all need to harmoniously coexist in society. It corresponds to perennialism, which posits that all religions are variations of the same universal truth. Advocates therefore push for tolerance for alternative beliefs. In contrast, Jesus is exclusive, calling on us to bear our own crosses and follow Him.[7]

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”[8]

Dualism

Dualism is the belief that good and evil are equal and at odds with one another in a yin versus yang sort of way. In contrast, the Bible indicates love is superior to evil and evil is a corruption of the good. God made us good but He also gave us free will and the capability to sin, which corrupts our nature. Recall that Lucifer was made beautiful and good, yet he became prideful, desiring to equate himself with God. He and his angels corrupted love, which necessarily led to their fall from heaven.[9]

Mysticism

Google defines mysticism as the “belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender.” This view hearkens back to the Garden of Eden where Eve was tempted by Satan who told her she could acquire forbidden knowledge of good and evil. Christianity teaches us that knowledge of God is given in the Bible and through God, not by our introspective reflections of our own minds.[10]

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”[11]

Jesus as Mercy, not Justice

Because people may not want to be accept accountability for their own trespasses, they invent their own “Barney-like” version of Jesus. This view claims Jesus is all love and no wrath; He is all merciful with no justice; and He would never condemn anyone to hell. This view contradicts numerous Biblical passages about God,[12] who’s our divine moral lawgiver who gave us our conscience so we can recognize right from wrong.[13] C.S. Lewis pointed to the flaws in thinking God’s Moral Law is about making us happy and our lives easy.

“There is nothing indulgent about the Moral Law. It is as hard as nails. It tells you to do the straight thing and it does not seem to care how painful, or dangerous, or difficult it is to do.”

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”[14]

Universalism

People who endorse universalism believe everyone will eventually make it to heaven, regardless of whether they have repented of their sins or believed in Jesus while on earth. Since the Bible strongly refutes these claims, pastors who’ve adopted these views claim the original Greek and Hebrew passages on eternal fire, eternal torment, and eternal punishment are erroneous and an existence in hell (or Hades or Sheol) is temporary. Their ideas are based on wishful thinking, not sound Biblical doctrine.[15]

In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus,[16] the rich man is never named. After living a life of luxury in the midst of a sore-covered beggar named Lazarus, who longed for his table scraps, the rich man found himself in the flames of Hades. In his agony, he spotted Abraham and Lazarus in a much better distant place across a chasm, so he called out, begging for water to relieve some of his pain. Abraham reminded him of his life of luxury and Lazarus’ life of suffering. The script had been flipped. The rich man asked Abraham to warn his five brothers about Hades, but Abraham did not.

This parable paints a grim picture of time in Hades, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Sheol. Various translations of the Psalms equate Sheol with death.[17] Sheol is a place where the dead go, which is “below.”[18] People reside in Sheol until the day of judgment, whose date only God knows. When Jesus died, He went down to Sheol and freed the saints, bringing them to heaven. Others remained in darkness and silence to await the day of judgment.

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”[19]

Jesus reminded us we need to test the spirits and always check whether what we’ve learned is consistent with the scriptures. In Galatians 1:8, Paul says, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”  Such a prophecy is useful in addressing Muslims, LDS Mormons, and others in modern times.

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[1] Hebrews 3:5

[2] Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; 1 John 3:9; Deuteronomy 32:4; Joshua 24:19; 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26-27; Matthew 5:48

[3] Revelation 1:8; 2 Peter 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 16:26; Hebrews 7:3; 13:8; Psalm 90:2

[4] Isaiah 40:28

[5] Jeremiah 24:7; 29:13; John 17:3; Isaiah 26:3; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 3:1; 12:1-2

[6] Hebrews 12:2-3

[7] Matthew 7:13; 7:21; Hebrews 6:4; Romans 1:20; Luke 14:15-24; 16:19-31

[8] John 14:6

[9] Ezekiel 28; Genesis 2:4-3:24; 6:1-4

[10] Colossians 1:10; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 1:2-3; James 1:5; Proverbs 2:6; Psalm 119:9; John 1:1; Jeremiah 29:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10

[11] James 1:5

[12] Romans 1:20; 2:6-10; 5:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Acts 3:19; 6:23; Matthew 25:46; Galatians 6:7; Psalm 145:20; 

[13] Romans 2:15

[14] John 3:36

[15] Matthew 10:28; 23:33; 25:46, Mark 9:43-48, Luke 16:23, and John 3:36.

[16] Luke 16:19-31

[17] Psalm 88:3; Psalm 88:5

[18] Deuteronomy 32:22

[19] Daniel 12:2