When trying to determine if something is Christianity or New Age, we need to understand what certain words and phrases mean. I’ve noticed that Satan likes to play with language to cause confusion and frustration (we see it in the news, everyday). As Christians, we are taught to disregard Satan’s lies and focus on the Truth. Problem is, lies aren’t always obvious. Many times, they show up as “almost truths.” On the surface, the language may sound correct; however, it still seems to bring misunderstanding. When this happens, it is important to take the time to dig a little deeper to determine what is actually being said. You may be using the same vocabulary, but entirely different dictionaries. It’s time to define terms.

The problem with language used by cults, the occult and any other belief system that lies outside of biblical Christianity is that, many times, it sounds similar to, or even exactly the same as, Christianity. This is why it is ESSENTIAL that we, as Christians, be rooted and grounded in the Word of God, so that we are equipped to test what it is that we are hearing. Other belief systems use terms like god, spirit, spirituality, angels…and even Jesus. If we are not cautious (not fearful, but cautious), we can find ourselves agreeing with terminology that isn’t biblical. 

Today, I would like to share a video by Doreen Virtue and Melissa Dougherty. Both have come out of the New Age and into relationship with Jesus Christ. They now spend their time helping others to come out of deception. Here, they define some (not all!) commonly used terminology used by those in the New Age. I hope you take the time to listen to these definitions…and perhaps watch/listen to some of their other videos. New Age is HUGE and encompasses many different beliefs and practices, so if you are interested in learning more, I would encourage you to listen beyond just the videos that I share.

Speaking of defining our terms, this might be a good time to define what is New Age. In Josh Peck and Steven Bancarz’s book The Second Coming of the New Age – The Hidden Dangers of Alternative Spirituality in Contemporary America and It’s Churches, it is explained like this:

“The New Age movement is a spiritual system of thought and practice composed of beliefs, values, and traditions from various schools and religions throughout the world. ‘New Age movement’ is really an umbrella term covering a wide range of topics, including: Buddhism, Hinduism, Mysticism, Transcendentalism, Gnosticism, Paganism, Pantheism, Occultism, Esotericism, Witchcraft, Meditation, Yoga, Psychedelics, Channeling, Divination, Sorcery, Mind science, Reincarnation, Astral Projection, Ufology, Spiritual psychology (Law of Attraction, manifestation, etc.)

The ‘New Age’ is a collection of beliefs and practices aimed at bringing enlightenment. The goal, at an individual level, is to ‘raise the consciousness’ to a ‘higher density’ or a ‘higher vibration,’ meaning that knowledge of self, combined with divination and occult practices, can elevate our spiritual condition to a level of self-divinity…The goal, at a global level, is to initiate world peace by uniting the religions of the world under an impersonal, universal god, restoring the forgotten wisdom traditions of ancient cultures and incorporating them into our civilization. A ‘Golden Age of Enlightenment’ is in mind, wherein mankind will finally recognize the inherent sacredness of all things and his connectedness with fellow man, causing him to live from a heightened state of consciousness in which a world of peace and unity will be a byproduct. As we ‘awaken’ individually, the result is a world system shaped around the principles of individual enlightenment.”¹

The authors go into even greater depth in their book, but this is a quick definition that gives you the general idea.

And let me add, when I talk about Christianity, I am referring to biblical Christianity. Christians who follow all of the teachings of Jesus Christ, as they are written in the Word of God – the Bible. The reason I stress the word “biblical” will be explained more in my next post. Many people call themselves a Christian (ex. Oprah Winfrey), but the Jesus they follow is not the Jesus of the Bible. More on that, next time. For now, lets define some terms that will give us clearer understanding of the language of New Age. Again, this is not a complete list, but gets us started.

As always, these teachings are NOT to condemn anyone! It is information that comes from a place of love and truth. God loves you, so much, and so do I! If you have questions or comments, I can be reached at intheriverblog@gmail.com and I would love to talk with you!

Thank you for reading! Be Blessed!

Bancarz, Steven and Peck, Josh. The Second Coming of the New Age. Defender Publishing, 2018.