Lesson 13: New Age Religion

Ethan was raised a Roman Catholic, but dropped out of the church when he became an adult. He lived for pleasure for years, but began to feel that he urgently needed to find the purpose of life. A friend got him started using drugs, and Ethan felt that he got a new view of the universe and himself. He also began to hear voices giving him directions.

► Read Psalm 19 aloud together. Each student should write a paragraph that summarizes this scripture passage. What does this passage show us about the effects of God’s truth? Each student should write a list of statements. As a group, discuss what you have written.

Introduction to the New Age Religion

The New Age religion has a variety of groups, organizations, and individuals. New Age followers are not united under a certain name or statement of beliefs. Some seem very religious, and others seem to be scientific instead of religious. They would not all say that they are part of a New Age religion, but they all share certain characteristics.[1]

 Stonehenge, an ancient stone monument in England, is the site of various religious activities.

New Age followers believe in human potential to solve all problems. They believe that a person can develop into a being with powers far beyond what is now considered normal. They believe that all the answers are within us. They believe that the purpose of education is not to tell us what is true but to show us how to open our own potential.

The Bible says the heart is truly deceitful and wicked until it is changed by God. A person cannot find the answers to life within. The problems are within, see Jeremiah 17:9.

► What Christian doctrine about man does the New Age ignore?

To unlock human potential, New Agers look for ancient wisdom in pagan religions and occultic practices. They practice astrology, spiritism, and all kinds of divination. New Age followers interact with the supernatural using all forms of magic. They try to communicate with spirits and people who have lived in the past. They practice channeling, when the spirit of a person who lived in the past temporarily takes over the body and voice of a living person.

People reject God and seek other sources of supernatural help because they do not want to repent of sin. A person who needs guidance and power should seek God, see Isaiah 8:19.

[2]They do not believe that any religion has all truth. They believe that all religions are essentially the same, but have different beliefs and practices that are helpful. Even if certain beliefs contradict each other, they think both may be true in a nonrational way. They reject any claim that a doctrine is absolutely true. They do not believe any doctrine can be true in the sense that conflicting doctrines would be false. New Agers tolerate any religious group except those that claim to have truth that everyone should believe. They reject Christianity because it claims to be right and says that other religions are wrong.

The Bible pronounces judgment on those who do not distinguish evil from good and reject a standard of right and wrong, see Isaiah 5:20.

► What other religions would the New Age not like?

New Agers accept the supernatural without any principle for distinguishing bet­ween good powers and evil powers. They tend to believe that all spirit involve­ment is good.

There are evil spirits involved in the world, and they are already condemned to eternal punishment. People who follow them will share their punishment, see Matthew 25:41.

New Age followers do not distinguish themselves from other religions. They think that some religions share many of their beliefs, especially Eastern religions like Buddism, Hinduism, and Taoism. They also like nature religions, which interact with spirits in nature (see Lesson 14).

New Agers deny the reality of death. They think that death is simply when a person passes to a different level of existence. Some say that life after death is almost the same as this natural life. Many of them believe in reincarnation and the principle of karma, as in Hinduism. Instead of seeing reincarnation as a bad thing, as Hindus and Buddhists do, New Agers think it is good to live many times. Some of them think they know who they were in a previous life.

The New Age concept of God is pantheistic. This means New Agers believe that all reality is one essence, and that everything together is God. Every object and every person is part of God. They do not believe that God is a person who thinks or speaks, and they deny that God is the Creator.

► Would a follower of the New Age pray?

New Age followers believe that Jesus was a man who knew how to use special powers and tried to teach others to do the same. They believe that Jesus did not care about ethical standards and did not judge anyone’s wrongdoing.

New Agers do not believe in the reality of sin, because they do not believe in a God who sets a standard and judges. They believe that the evil in the world is just a need of knowledge and adjustment so that everything can be in harmony. New Age justifies all kinds of sinful perversion.

God invites people to find the real solution—forgiveness and cleansing, see Isaiah 1:18.

[3]New Agers reject the biblical concept of salvation. They do not believe that sin is real but believe the solution to human problems is development of spiritual awareness and spiritual powers.

New Age followers believe that humanity is entering a special era when people who understand New Age principles will change all of society. They believe there will be peace and economic security for everyone.

The Bible warns us not to expect peace and security in a society that is not submitted to God, see 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

► What does the New Age believe instead of the biblical concept of salvation?

Recognizing New Age Representatives

There are many things that help identify a group, organization, or author as New Age. Some examples are:

• Vegetarianism for religious or philosophical reasons
• Mystical health methods that cannot be scientifically explained
• References to karma
• Use of terms about living in oneness with nature or the cosmos
• Meditation as a means of nonrational understanding
• Use of terms about unlimited human potential
• Strange types of psychological or mystical energy and power
• Communication with the dead or with spirits
• Use of various things for divination
• Astrology
• Witchcraft and wicca
• Religious involvement with nature
• Interest in pyramids and crystals
• Interest in UFOs and beings that are not from earth
• Trust in spirit guides and higher beings
• Concepts and practices derived from Eastern religions

► What examples of New Age practices have you seen or heard about?

The Christian Response

There is nothing new about the New Age religion. Isaiah 47:10-14 is addressed to a specific nation that practiced all kinds of sorcery, and it sounds just like the New Age. The people looked for special wisdom while practicing wickedness. They tried to be gods. They invented many methods of creating spiritual power.

[4]The Bible forbids every kind of magic and sorcery, not because it is not real, but because it is evil and opposes the power of God (Leviticus 19:26, 31, Leviticus 20:6, Deuteronomy 18:9-12). God commanded the nation of Israel to execute witches (Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 20:27). Christians today do not have the responsibility of executing anyone, but the command shows God’s absolute judgment of that sin. In the New Testament, when people were converted to Christ they destroyed their books of magic (Acts 19:19).

People reject God but still seek spiritual power. God’s power is greater, and he uses his power for those who trust him, but he does not put his power into people’s control. A person who seeks power and knowledge through magical methods is trying to find it while rejecting God. Interaction with spirits and the search for power leads a person into deeper evil.

► Now go back and read the bold and italicized text and each scripture.

It is a priority to share the gospel with a follower of the New Age. Don’t get caught in arguments that keep you from sharing the gospel. He may think that he is familiar with churches, and he has rejected church, but he may not really understand what the gospel is.

Jesus demonstrated great power to heal, prophesy, and discern truth. He was greater than any New Age leader. He is not an example of someone who developed himself and used spiritual forces from nature. Jesus was submitted to the Father and believed in absolute truth. He was in conflict with those who denied the truth of God’s authority, sin, and judgment.

Christians believe in a new age that is coming with the kingdom of God. It will be the end of all suffering, and will bring peace and prosperity. Only those who are in right relationship with God can enter that new age.

Ethan tried to follow the voices he was hearing. They told him that he was Christ, the Son of God, but he resisted the delusion. Sometimes he felt supernatural power and knowledge. Some of his friends told him there was no conflict between believing in Jesus and believing in Buddha or something else. He began to feel that the thing that gave him power was trying to possess him. He met a group of Christians who became his friends. He began to understand that he could not trust all of the voices he was hearing. Sometimes God was speaking to him, but sometimes evil spirits were trying to take him the wrong direction. He learned to test ideas with solid truth. He found that real relationship with Christ was more satisfying than all of the experiences he had been through.

► Now read Psalm 19 again. Each student should write a paragraph explaining the message this passage has for a follower of the New Age. Several students can share what they wrote.

Remember to find an opportunity to present the gospel to someone from this religious group. Prepare to share with your classmates about the conversation you have had. Write your 2-page written report and turn it in to your class leader.