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What is New Age Spirituality?

New Age is not one organised religion with one founder, scripture or universally agreed set of beliefs. It is a broad collection of spiritual ideas and practices that became especially influential in the twentieth century. Different people may combine ideas from Eastern religions, Western esotericism, astrology, meditation, crystals, energy healing, reincarnation, manifestation, spirit guides, psychic practices and ideas about human consciousness.

Because of this diversity, it is important not to assume every person who uses the term New Age believes exactly the same things. The Christian should begin by listening. For the Christian talking to a person that follows this philosophy, the deeper question to generally ask is "Is this spiritual path leading us toward the truth about God, or is it encouraging us to make ourselves the centre of spiritual reality?

Key facts​

New Age is a broad term for a collection of modern spiritual beliefs rather than a single unified religion.

Common themes can include spiritual energy, personal transformation, consciousness, reincarnation, karma, astrology, psychic or occult practices, alternative healing and the belief that individuals can discover spiritual truth within themselves.

Overview​

What is New Age spirituality?​

There is no single New Age creed or set of beliefs. Instead, New Age spirituality is better understood as a spiritual marketplace of ideas, where people draw from a variety of traditions and practices. Common beliefs can include the idea that the universe is spiritual or divine, that human beings possess an inner spiritual potential, that consciousness can be expanded, or that some kind of spiritual energy connects all things. Some believe in reincarnation and karma, spiritual guides or unseen beings, or practices such as meditation, crystals, astrology and energy healing as ways of gaining spiritual insight or experiencing transformation.

Because these beliefs can differ considerably from person to person, the easiest way to understand New Age spirituality is not to treat it as one fixed religion. It is better understood as a spiritual marketplace of ideas.

A person might believe:

"There is a divine energy in everything."

Another might say:

"We are all connected."

Another:

"You create your own reality."

Another:

"The universe is sending me signs."

Another:

"I've lived before."

Another:

"My spirit guide helps me."

That is why the first step is to listen. Do not argue against a position the person does not actually hold.

What attracts people to New Age spirituality?​

There are genuine reasons people are attracted to New Age spirituality. Many are searching for spiritual experience, meaning, peace, healing, purpose, hope, identity, or a sense that there is more to reality than what we can see. Some have been hurt by churches or organised religion, while others simply want a spirituality that feels personal and liberating.

At the same time, one should question whether the spiritual answer is actually true. New Age spirituality generally places the individual self at the centre: discovering your inner power, creating your own reality, finding divinity within yourself, or achieving personal fulfilment. This can sound liberating, but it raises an important question - what if spirituality isn't ultimately about discovering that you yourself are God, but about discovering that you are not - and that you are accountable to a God who is outside and greater than yourself?

Sharing the Gospel​

New Age spirituality is not one clearly defined religion. It is more an eclectic collection of ideas, and because of this, don't assume that every person believes all of these things. The best approach is usually to start with what this particular person believes, discover what they are seeking, and then show how Jesus speaks to those deeper questions. Avoid attacking crystals, astrology, meditation, etc. Begin with the heart.

Have a conversation, not a presentation. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Start with their story​

Begin by finding out what they actually believe.

You could ask:

"What are you hoping to find spiritually?"

"What has your spiritual journey been like?"

"What first drew you to spirituality?"

"What do you find most helpful about it?"

"What do you believe about God?"

"Do you believe there is a personal God, or more of an energy or universal consciousness?"

"What do you believe happens after death?"

"Have you had any spiritual experiences that have been particularly meaningful to you?"

Then listen.

Don't immediately correct everything they say. Try to understand what they are actually looking for.

Often underneath the spiritual language are very ordinary human desires i.e., peace, healing, identity, purpose, hope, control, forgiveness, or a desire to know that life has meaning.

Those desires provide natural bridges to the Gospel.

Peace and inner wholeness​

Many people are drawn to spirituality because they want peace. You might ask:

"What kind of peace are you looking for?"

"What do you think is preventing you from having that peace?"

"Do you think peace comes from changing ourselves, changing our circumstances, or knowing God?"

If they talk about finding peace within themselves, you can acknowledge the desire while introducing a different foundation:

"I understand why peace matters. Christianity also speaks a lot about peace, but Jesus doesn't tell us that the answer is discovering our own divinity. He calls us to know God."

Then ask:

"Would you be interested in looking at what Jesus actually said about peace and why He is called the Prince of Peace?"

This gives you an opportunity to move from an abstract idea of spirituality to the person of Jesus. Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you" (Joh 14:27) Hope is not simply learning how to produce a peaceful state of mind - it is peace with God. That distinction is important.

We do not ultimately need to discover peace hidden somewhere inside ourselves.

We need to be reconciled to the God who made us.

The attraction of "the divine within"​

One common theme in New Age spirituality is the idea that divine reality can be discovered within ourselves. The language might be:

"You have everything you need inside you."

"You are divine."

"The universe is within you."

"You need to awaken to who you really are."

This can sound deeply empowering. Instead of immediately attacking the idea, ask:

"What do you mean when you say that people are divine?"

"Do you mean that we are literally God?"

"If we are divine, why do human beings do things that are evil?"

"What is the difference between God and us?"

That last question can be particularly useful.

Christianity gives human beings enormous dignity, but it does not and cannot make us God. We are valuable because we are created by God and made in His image. We are creatures, not the Creator and not the giver of life. This gives us both dignity and humility.

You could say:

"One thing I really appreciate about Christianity is that it gives human beings incredible value without telling us that we are God. We have been made in God's image, but we are still His creatures."

Then build on it:

"If God made us, perhaps our deepest need isn't to discover that we are divine. Perhaps it's to know the God who made us."

And now the conversation can move naturally to Jesus:

"That's one reason Jesus is so important. He doesn't tell us to discover God within ourselves. He calls us to Himself: 'Follow Me…'"

The problem of self​

Once the idea of the "divine within" has been explored, another natural question is what the spiritual journey is ultimately centred on. You can ask:

"Would you say your spirituality is mainly about discovering yourself?"

"Is the goal to become the best version of yourself?"

"Who decides what the best version of yourself looks like?"

New Age spirituality can sometimes place the individual at the centre:

My consciousness. My energy. My awakening. My manifestation. My purpose. My spiritual experience.

Christianity challenges that centre. The Christian life begins with God. We were created for Him. We have rebelled against Him. We need forgiveness and new life. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him. This is not self-hatred. It is freedom from making ourselves the centre of everything. Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Mat 16:24)

So you might ask:

"What if the goal of life isn't becoming more focused on ourselves, but becoming more like Jesus?"

A Christian does not simple ask "How can I become the best version of myself?" but "How can I become like Jesus?" This begins to expose an important difference between self-transformation and discipleship.

Manifestation and creating your reality​

If the person talks about manifestation, the law of attraction, or creating their own reality, don't begin by mocking the idea. Start by understanding it. Ask:

"When you talk about manifestation, what do you mean?"

"Do you believe thoughts actually change reality?"

"Who or what is responding to those thoughts?"

"Do you think the universe has a mind or consciousness?"

"What happens when you really want something but it doesn't happen?"

That last question can be particularly revealing.

People naturally want hope, control and a better future. Christianity understands those desires, but gives them a different foundation. You could say:

"I think I understand why manifestation is attractive. We all want to believe that our lives can change and that our future isn't hopeless. Christianity has hope too, but it puts our hope somewhere different."

Then explain:

Prayer is not manifestation. Faith is not positive thinking. God is not an impersonal force that we learn to control.

Christian prayer is relationship. Jesus taught His followers to pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done" (Mat 6:10). Then ask:

"Do you see the difference?"

With manifestation, the direction can be:

"How can I get reality to conform to my desires?"

With Christian prayer:

"God, I trust You. Let Your will be done."

The Christian does not command the universe to give us what we want. We trust a personal God who knows us, loves us and has authority over our lives.

When things don't go according to plan​

Manifestation naturally opens another important question.

Ask:

"What do you think it means when someone does everything right but something terrible still happens?"

"If someone gets cancer, loses someone they love, or suffers an accident, did they manifest it?"

"Can the idea that our thoughts create our reality accidentally make people feel responsible for things they couldn't control?"

This can open a conversation about suffering. Christianity does not tell suffering people that they simply failed to manifest correctly. Jesus Himself had compassion for suffering people. He wept. He healed. He entered into human suffering. And ultimately, He suffered Himself. The Christian answer to suffering is therefore not:

"You didn't think positively enough."

It is:

"God has entered our suffering, and in Jesus He is making a way to redeem us and ultimately remove suffering."

Then explain sin itself. Something has gone wrong between humanity and God. Human beings are made in God's image. That gives every person great value. Christianity teaches that we have also rebelled against God. This explains something we all experience - people can do wonderful things, yet also do terrible things. We can love others deeply and still be selfish. We can know what is right and still choose what is wrong. That is why Jesus had to die for us.

Healing and spiritual practices​

Some people are drawn to New Age spirituality because they are suffering and desperately want healing. Treat that desire with compassion. Ask:

"What drew you to this particular practice?"

"Did it help you?"

"What do you believe is actually happening when you do it?"

"Where do you think the power comes from?"

That last question is particularly important.

A practice may be described as energy work, spiritual cleansing, healing, channeling, communication with guides, or accessing hidden knowledge. The important question is not simply:

"Did you have an experience?"

but:

"Where did the experience come from, and how do you know it is trustworthy?"

Christianity does not require us to pretend that spiritual experiences are impossible. The Bible takes the spiritual world seriously. But it also tells Christians to exercise discernment, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 Joh 4:1).

You can ask:

"If a spiritual being gives you information, how do you know who that being is?"

"How do you know the message is trustworthy?"

"Could something supernatural happen and still not be from God?"

This can naturally lead to the biblical warnings concerning occult practices and spiritual powers. See Deuteronomy 18:9–14 and Acts 16:16–18.

Christians care about healing and that's part of our commission, but the issue is who we trust and where we seek spiritual power. We trust God. We depend upon the Holy Spirit. We have authority over the enemy by the blood of Jesus. We do not need to seek supernatural power from unknown sources. Also see healing as you go

Astrology, signs and spiritual guidance​

If someone talks about astrology, angel numbers, spirit guides, psychic readings, channeling, or other forms of spiritual guidance, begin with questions. Ask:

"What do you think the stars are telling you?"

"What do you think angel numbers mean?"

"Who do you believe is communicating with you?"

"How do you know the message is trustworthy?"

"What would convince you that a spiritual message was false?"

This brings the conversation to the deeper issue:

Not every spiritual experience is necessarily from God.

Christianity does not teach that the spiritual world is imaginary. It teaches that we need discernment. John writes, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 Joh 4:1). You can then ask:

"Would you be willing to look at what the Bible says about how we should test spiritual experiences?"

The goal is not to win an argument about astrology. It is to establish a much more important principle:

A spiritual experience does not automatically tell us that its source is good, true, or from God.

That creates a natural bridge to Jesus and the authority of Scripture.

Reincarnation and karma​

If reincarnation or karma comes up, first ask what the person actually believes.

"What do you believe happens after death?"

"Do you believe we come back into another life?"

"What determines what happens in the next life?"

"Do you believe we can eventually escape the cycle?"

Then ask:

"How do you know that is what happens?"

Christianity teaches something fundamentally different. "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Heb 9:27). Christianity does not teach an endless cycle of lives. It teaches death, judgment and resurrection. This creates an important bridge to the Gospel.

If the person believes that karma determines future existence, ask:

"How can you know you've done enough?"

"Who decides how much is enough?"

"If you've done something seriously wrong, what actually removes that wrong?"

"Can doing more good undo something genuinely evil?"

"If you could go back and undo something you've done, would that make it as though it never happened?"

The goal is not to mock karma. The goal is to get beneath the system and talk about guilt, justice, mercy and forgiveness. Christianity says that our wrong cannot simply be balanced out by doing more good. We need mercy. And Christianity gives us a basis for that mercy - Jesus Christ.

Good works and spiritual progress​

This is an important point of connection because many spiritually minded people genuinely want to become better people. You can acknowledge that.

"I think it's good that you want to become a more loving and compassionate person."

Then ask:

"How do you know when you've become good enough?"

"What happens when you fail?"

"Can becoming a better person erase the things you've already done wrong?"

"What would justice require?"

Christianity does not discourage good works. Jesus calls His followers to love, holiness, generosity and compassion. But good works cannot erase our sin or reconcile us to God. Good works are the fruit of salvation, not the price of it.

You can use a simple illustration:

"Imagine someone commits a serious crime and then tells the judge, 'But I've done lots of good things too.' Would the good things erase the crime?"

This brings the conversation to the heart of the Gospel:

"What if you didn't have to earn your way out of your guilt? What if God was willing to forgive you?"

Then follow that on.

Spiritual experiences​

Sometimes the person may tell you about a powerful spiritual experience. Don't immediately tell them that it was fake. Ask:

"What happened? What did you experience?"

"What did you think it meant?"

"How did you know what interpretation to give it?"

"Did the experience itself tell you what it meant, or did you interpret it afterwards?"

This distinction is important.

An experience may be real while the person's interpretation of the experience is mistaken. You can say:

"I'm not asking you to pretend that you didn't experience something. I'm asking how we can know what the experience actually means."

Then introduce the biblical principle:

"Test the spirits."

Christianity gives us a framework for evaluating spiritual experiences rather than simply accepting or rejecting them based on how powerful they feel. This also provides a natural transition to Scripture:

"Would you be willing to compare your experience with what Jesus and the Bible actually teach?"

What about Jesus?​

Eventually, the conversation needs to move beyond comparing spiritual systems. Bring it back to Jesus.

New Age spirituality sometimes describes Jesus as an enlightened teacher or a spiritual guide. Someone who discovered higher consciousness or even one manifestation of universal divine reality. So ask:

"What do you believe about Jesus?"

"Who do you think Jesus was?"

"Do you think Jesus believed He was simply a teacher?"

"Have you ever read what Jesus actually said about Himself?"

This is a crucial turning point.

Jesus does not present Himself as someone who merely discovered spiritual truth. He speaks with divine authority. He forgives sins. He calls people to follow Him. His unique authority. John's Gospel presents Him as the eternal Word who became flesh. Jesus is therefore not simply another spiritual teacher pointing us toward enlightenment.

He is the One we are called to follow.

From spirituality to Jesus​

At this point, resist the temptation to return to another list of New Age beliefs. The question is:

"Who is Jesus?"

Jesus did not teach people to manifest their preferred future. He taught them to pray for God's will to be done. Jesus did not tell people to discover their own divinity. He revealed God and called people to worship and follow Him. Jesus did not teach reincarnation. He taught resurrection and judgment. Jesus did not tell people to seek spiritual power from whatever source was available. He sent the Holy Spirit to His followers. And Jesus did not simply offer spiritual self-improvement. He offered forgiveness, reconciliation with God and new life.

This is where all the individual conversations come together.

Whether the person is seeking peace, healing, identity, spiritual experiences, purpose, control or hope after death, the Christian can ultimately ask:

"Have you considered that what you're really looking for might not be a spiritual technique or an experience, but God Himself?"

And then:

"Would you be willing to look at who Jesus claimed to be?"

Then give them the Gospel. Human beings were created by God and made in His image. We have dignity because we belong to Him. But we have also rebelled against Him. Our deepest problem is therefore not that we have failed to awaken, failed to manifest correctly, or failed to become spiritually advanced enough - our deepest problem is sin.

We have done wrong against our Creator and cannot simply erase that guilt through good works, spiritual experiences or personal transformation. But God has acted. Jesus lived without sin. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. Through Him, God offers forgiveness and reconciliation. We do not earn this salvation. We receive it by God's grace through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

And Jesus does not merely call us to believe a set of ideas. He calls us to "follow Him." That is the fundamental difference. The Gospel is not:

"Awaken to the god within you."

It is not:

"Manifest the life you want."

It is not:

"Work your way toward spiritual perfection."

It is not:

"Find the right spiritual technique."

It is:

"Turn to God, receive His grace, trust in Jesus Christ, and follow Him."

A simple way to bring it together​

If the conversation has gone well, you might say:

"Can I tell you why Christianity makes sense to me?"

Then:

"I think all of us are looking for things like peace, meaning, healing, purpose and hope. But I don't think those things are ultimately found by discovering something divine inside ourselves. I think they're found by knowing the God who made us."

"And that's why Jesus matters. He didn't just teach people how to become more spiritual. He came to deal with our sin, bring us back to God, die for us, and rise again."

Then ask:

"Would you be willing to read one of the Gospels with me and look at what Jesus actually said and did?"

That keeps the conversation centred where it ultimately belongs:

not on winning an argument about New Age spirituality, but on helping someone encounter Jesus.

Questions to Ask​

About spirituality​

  • What does spirituality mean to you?
  • What are you hoping to find?
  • Do you believe there is a personal God?
  • Do you believe God is within everything?
  • How do you know what is spiritually true?
  • What makes a spiritual experience trustworthy?

About the self​

  • Do you believe human beings are divine?
  • What makes us divine?
  • If we are divine, why do people do evil?
  • Why do we need spiritual awakening?
  • What do you think is wrong with humanity?

About healing​

  • What do you believe healing comes from?
  • What happens when a spiritual practice doesn't work?
  • How do you know where the power behind a practice comes from?
  • Have you ever prayed directly to God for healing?

About reincarnation and karma​

  • What happens after death?
  • Why do you believe in reincarnation?
  • How do you know karma is real?
  • If we have lived before, why don't we remember our previous lives?
  • Can wrong actions ever actually be forgiven?

About Jesus​

  • Who do you believe Jesus was?
  • What do you think Jesus meant when He called people to follow Him?
  • Do you think Jesus was merely an enlightened teacher?
  • Why did Jesus claim authority to forgive sins?
  • What do you think happened at the cross?
  • What do you think about the resurrection?
  • Would you be willing to read one of the Gospels and examine Jesus for yourself?
The most important question

Are you looking for spiritual experiences - or are you willing to follow the One who created you?

Common questions and objections​

Keep these answers conversational rather than turning them into apologetics seminars. The aim is not to win an argument, but to listen, answer briefly and bring the conversation back to Jesus.

All religions are basically saying the same thing​

A lot of religions contradict each other so they cannot be the same thing. For example in Islam, Jesus is a prophet and not God, in Christianity He is, in Buddhism there is no God - all three cannot be simultaneously correct.

It's a fair question and Christianity stands or falls on particular claims about Jesus - especially His identity, death and resurrection which can be investigated historically. See How can Christianity be the only true religion?, then bring the conversation back to Jesus Christ.

Also see:

I believe in spirituality, but not organised religion​

That's fantastic - you're already ahead of the rest. Christianity isn't a religion - it's a relationship! Christianity was never an invitation to join an institution. Jesus, said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (Joh 14:6).

Jesus was enlightened, but he wasn't God​

Jesus certainly taught profound spiritual truths, but He didn't present Himself merely as an enlightened teacher. He forgave sins, accepted worship, claimed unity with the Father, and repeatedly spoke of Himself in divine terms. See Did Jesus claim to be God or was He just a prophet?

You have to ask yourself honestly - if a man can be crucified, buried, put in a tomb, supernaturally raised to life and be seen by more than 500 eye witnesses is that credible enough? Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Joseph Smith etc were great leaders but they never rose from the dead. They never loved you enough to suffer and die for your sins and sickness, nor did they pay the price to restore your back to relationship with God - only Jesus Christ did!

The resurrection is a historical claim, so Christians shouldn't simply say "believe it because the Bible says so." See What evidence is there that Jesus really existed? and How do we know Jesus rose from the dead? The historical evidence, then bring the conversation back to Jesus Christ.

I believe in the Universe, but I don't see God as a person​

A painting has a painter, a building an architect. And the universe?… let me introduce you to the Creator - God. He isn't an impersonal cosmic force but a personal Creator who knows, loves, speaks, and relates to us. That's why Jesus matters -God actually entered human history.

I believe we're all divine / God is within everyone​

Christianity makes a very different distinction: we're creatures made in God's image, not fragments of God. The gospel isn't discovering that you're already divine; it's being reconciled to the God who made you.

I follow my intuition / inner voice. Why would I need the Bible?​

Inner experiences can be meaningful, but they can also be mistaken or contradictory. Christianity gives us an external reference point in Jesus and Scripture so that we don't simply make our own spirituality the final authority.

The Bible has been changed so many times​

The Bible was indeed written through flawed human authors, and Christianity doesn't claim otherwise - it claims that God worked through them to communicate His revelation. The manuscript evidence is also remarkably strong - over 40 authors (most of which never met) over a period of 1500 years and yet a consistent message. Thousands of ancient manuscripts, along with discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, allow us to compare copies and see how reliably the text was transmitted.

See Can we trust the Bible if it has changed over time?, and How can the Bible be trusted if it was written by men?, then bring the authenticity of the message of the Bible i.e. Jesus!

Christians are hypocrites, so I don't want Christianity​

Sometimes they absolutely are hypocrites - and we as Christians should be the first to admit it. See Why are there so many hypocrites in churches?, then bring the conversation back to Christ. Christianity doesn't claim Christians are morally perfect; it claims that we are sinners who need grace and are being changed by Jesus.

Why would a loving God send people to hell?​

Christianity isn't fundamentally a competition between “good people” and “bad people.” Nor does Christianity teach that heaven is a reward for people who have managed to be good enough. God isn't eagerly looking for reasons to condemn people. Hell is connected to humanity's rejection of God, while the gospel is God's offer of reconciliation through Christ; God's justice and mercy meet at the cross. The gospel is that salvation is a gift of grace through Jesus, because none of us is as good as we imagine ourselves to be. The gospel says all of us need grace, and the good news is that God offers reconciliation with Him through Jesus.

See Is hell real and would a loving God send good people there?, and Can good people go to heaven without Jesus?, then bring the conversation back to God.

I believe in karma instead of sin and judgment​

Karma says, essentially, that we reap what we sow; Christianity says something deeper is needed because none of us has lived perfectly. The gospel isn't "be good enough to balance the scales: - it's that Jesus offers forgiveness and takes our guilt upon Himself. Christianity offers something different - not simply consequences for our actions, but mercy and forgiveness. Instead of trying to work our way out of our guilt, Jesus calls us to repent, trust Him and receive the forgiveness He offers.

I've had spiritual experiences that Christianity says are wrong​

Christianity doesn't deny that people can have powerful spiritual experiences; it asks us to test them rather than automatically trust them (1 Joh 4:1). The question is ultimately - what is the source of this experience, and does it point to the truth about Jesus?

Why Jesus? Why can't I just follow my own spiritual path?​

Because Christianity claims Jesus isn't merely a path to God - He is God's decisive revelation of Himself. If Jesus really rose from the dead, then His identity changes the question from "Which spirituality feels right to me?" to "What will I do with Jesus?"

If Jesus is credible, then the scriptures are credible and there is only one God i.e. Jehovah. Jesus Christ fulfilled more than 350 prophesies when He was on the earth - the odds of one person doing this is incalculable, yet they've been fulfilled! If Jesus is credible there aren't multiple pathways to heaven, just Him! You have to ask yourself honestly - if a man can be crucified, buried, put in a tomb, supernaturally raised to life and be seen by more than 500 eye witnesses is that credible enough? Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Joseph Smith etc were great leaders but they never rose from the dead. They never loved you enough to suffer and die for your sins and sickness, nor did they pay the price to restore your back to relationship with God - only Jesus Christ did!

The resurrection is a historical claim, so Christians shouldn't simply say "believe it because the Bible says so." See What evidence is there that Jesus really existed? and How do we know Jesus rose from the dead? The historical evidence, then bring the conversation back to Jesus Christ.

Helpful Bible passages​

  • Genesis 1:26–27 Humanity is made in God's image, giving every person dignity without making humanity divine.

  • Deuteronomy 18:9–14 God's warning against divination and occult practices.

  • Isaiah 8:19–20 God's people are directed back to God's revelation rather than seeking spiritual guidance from mediums.

  • Matthew 6:9–13 Jesus teaches His followers to pray to God rather than trying to control reality through our desires.

  • Matthew 16:24–26 Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him.

  • John 1:1–18 Jesus is presented as the eternal Word who became flesh.

  • John 14:6 Jesus' unique claim to be the way, truth and life.

  • Acts 16:16–18 A supernatural spiritual manifestation is not automatically treated as something Christians should embrace.

  • 1 John 4:1–6 Christians are told to test spiritual claims.

  • Galatians 5:22–25 The Holy Spirit produces fruit in the life of a believer.

  • Colossians 1:15–20 Christ is presented as supreme over creation and reconciliation.

  • Hebrews 9:27–28 Christianity teaches death, judgment and Christ's once-for-all sacrifice rather than reincarnation.

A challenge for Christians​

New Age spirituality can expose some uncomfortable things in us. We can talk about trusting God while trying to control everything ourselves. We can condemn spiritual practices while neglecting prayer. We can tell people to depend on the Holy Spirit while living almost entirely in our own strength. We can say that Jesus is Lord while treating Christianity as a way to get God to give us the life we want. We can chase spiritual experiences instead of pursuing holiness. We can want God's gifts without wanting God's rule.

So ask yourself, "Am I actually following Jesus, or am I trying to fit Jesus into the life I want?"

Do I pray, "Your will be done"? Am I willing to surrender? Am I obeying Jesus when obedience costs me something? Am I seeking the Holy Spirit rather than spiritual experiences for their own sake? Am I producing the fruit of the Spirit? Am I becoming more like Jesus? Am I loving people?

Christianity is not an invitation to discover your own divinity.

It is an invitation to surrender to Jesus, receive His grace, live by His Spirit and become His disciple.

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