By being human, we are constantly faced with making tough decisions, seeking peace from conflict, and wanting to know the next steps in our lives. It is common for us to want to seek truth and direction as every human has the core desire for truth and knowledge. In fact, this desire has been present within humanity since the Garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve had full access to the Garden of Eden, and God commanded them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yet the serpent planted a seed in their mind and said, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil”. Then Eve “saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it” (Genesis 3: 5-6). In this moment, we see that Eve questioned what she already had and wanted to gain more to reach a level of “god-like” status.
Throughout the Old Testament, God had made it truly clear how He wants His people to be fully devoted to Him with their worship and not turning to any other methods of spirituality. In Deuteronomy, the Lord instructs the Israelites by saying, “But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things” (Deut. 18:13-14). We must also understand that when the Lord gives us a law or commandment to follow, it is for our protection!
“Our battle is no longer simply a fight between what is right and what is wrong, it is now a battle of what is right and what is almost right.”
-Charles Spurgeon
Currently, these methods of spirituality are still present and categorized as new-age spirituality. These practices are heavily embedded and entwined within our culture. We may know them as astrology, palm reading, energy through objects, crystals, yoga, and many more. These New Age practices place a strong emphasis on the idea that the individual and their own experiences are the primary sources of authority on spiritual matters, promote self-serving behaviors, and attempt to elevate themselves to a “godlike status” as we saw in the Garden.
In Second Timothy, Paul speaks about these human motives. He writes to Timothy, “The time is coming when people will not put up with sound teaching, but, having their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires and turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, be sober in everything, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully” (2 Tim 4:3-5). Paul is warning of a time when people will turn away from sound doctrine and turn to other methods that are self-serving, self-seeking, and require no source of accountability.
Some may ask, “Can’t I still worship God and hold a New Age practice simultaneously?” Holding Christianity on the one hand and engaging in New Age practices is what is considered “syncretism”. Syncretism is defined as the merging or blending of different religions, thoughts, or beliefs. In our American culture, syncretism is more common than we think! According to Pew Research, 8/10 American adults classify themselves as Christians. In the same study, 6/10 Christian Americans engage in at least one new age practice. Yet circling back to Deuteronomy 18, the Lord has made it clear that we as Christians are only to worship and consult Him alone.
“Our job is to proclaim the unique offer Christianity makes about intimately encountering the God of Truth (John 17:3).”
Sean McDowell
Finding Truth
Knowing this, it is important for us to be fully devoted to the Lord in our worship and be confident in Biblical truth. In a society that believes that truth is relative, us as Christians must know the ultimate truth. In John 14:5-6, Jesus states that “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. We also know that God is the ultimate source of wisdom and peace. There is no need to turn our attention to these counterfeit things when God has given us access to Him and is attentive to all our needs.
In the quest for truth amidst new-age beliefs, we urge you to dig deeper and uncover absolute, biblical truth. Our FREE online course “Finding Truth” will give you an understanding of truth, lies, and knowing the difference.
