New Age

A particular worldview or philosophy of life, dramatically altering traditional western culture, with alternative approaches to religion, medicine, the environment, education, politics, psychology, etc. Although it is called ‘The New Age Movement’ (NAM) it has no leadership, or statement of beliefs and is a loose coalition of separate self-sufficient movements, being a mixture of Eastern religions with witchcraft, clairvoyance, astrology and other concepts, together with mysterious teachings acquired through ‘spiritual’ entities. Yoga is often practiced to alter the state of consciousness, crystals are used (supposedly to help a person feel and use energy patterns) and channeling (where a human ‘channel’ becomes the spokesperson for an invading spirit to speak through) are some of the vices associated with this deception of Satan.

New Age is a deception that does not acknowledge a personal God, yet may recognise an impersonal force or energy, or that everything is a part of God (pantheism). There are no absolutes, echoing the modern ‘if it feels good, do it’ philosophy. Based on spiritual enlightenment and human effort, it believes man can solve his own problems from his own spiritual resources because he himself is god

NAM is another of Satan’s deceptions

and at death, people are released to a new life form by reincarnation.  It is understood there is a conspiracy to create a new world order, by bringing the human race under a single world religion, one world government and one world economic system, overseen by a world ruler (anti-Christ) who will implement these changes.

New Age teaching targets the areas of man’s wants – success, personal fulfillment, healing, wisdom, guidance, love, peace. The focus is on the individual desires, in contrast to the Bible’s advice to, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these things will be given to you” (Mt 6:33). All aspects of the NAM carry the stamp of Satan’s character of error, deception and personal ambitions. As he is a liar and a cheat it is essential that we know and live by the truth, as expressed in Jesus, the ‘Word of God’, with the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of truth) guiding us into all truth (Jn 8:31,44, 16:13, 17:17). Literally everything else comes from Satan.

Because of sin, humans are incapable of being righteous, and turn away from God inventing their own worldly rules to live by. This is contrary to His revealed truth (Gen 3:8; Rom 1:18-23, 3:10-18; Gal 1:6-9, 5:7). “The fool says

No one can get to heaven without Jesus

in his heart, there is no God” so salvation through Christ seems foolish to those not in His Kingdom for Satan has blinded their eyes (Ps 53:1; 1 Cor 1:18-21, 3:19). The key to truth and eternal life is knowing Jesus and correctly understanding Scripture with the living out of that knowledge by application (Mt 7:24-27, 22:29; Jn 8:32; 2 Cor 4:2; 2 Tim 2:15; Jas 1:22-25).

As believers, we have often failed to be good representatives for Christ, being considered to be out-of-touch with society and not relevant in today’s world. Is it any wonder people look elsewhere to find relief, hoping to find answers for the meaning of life, without being accountable to [the one true] God.

As Christians we should have a thorough understanding of the Scriptures, with our lives showing Christianity is relevant, besides sharing that Jesus is the reality of our salvation – not a way to the truth but “The Way and the Truth and the Life” –  there being no other option (Jn 14:6; Act 4:12).

See also: deception, error, heresy, modernism, occult, truth.