Brad Alles

Even though the number of New Age adherents may be small compared to Christianity or Islam, its teachings permeate the world around us. Television shows, films, schools, and even global institutions like the United Nations display this worldview. Carl Teichrib explains the danger of being ignorant or apathetic of the New Age:

Unfortunately, many Christians naively believe that the New Age movement is simply a passing fad. The New Age movement, which is only a “public” outpouring of the teachings of ancient occult schools, is a growing reality in today’s multi-religious world. And it is evolving with the times. As Christians, we need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and how to effectively express it. Only Jesus Christ can set men free.

Numerous problems are associated with the New Age worldview. Blasphemy, that we are God, is obviously the biggest, followed by rejection of Jesus as Savior. A second is the disconnect with reality: that people are good, and that we will all live in harmony, loving and accepting others, apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. A third would be the involvement in occultic practices to contact spirits, something forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10. It says, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”

In a similar vein, some Christians believe the Great Invocation is an invitation for the appearance of the Antichrist. However, despite all these clear biblical violations, there is the underlying attractiveness to the message—you can create Paradise because you are God. That is because humanity heard that message in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:5 records Satan saying, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Today, the New Ager, who believes in his own divinity, usurps the authority and position of God. He is listening to the same lie of the devil who told Eve that she would be like God. And whether you start at the beginning or start at the end, the outcome will be the same: sinful people playing God, in desperate need of a Savior, Jesus Christ.