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NEW
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New Thought - Part 6
by Dr.
John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon |
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Talking with Members
We have attempted to show that New Thought promises much but
delivers little. New Thought tells us that we are separate from God in
thought and that consciousness is our redeemer. We are to remind
ourselves constantly that we are truly God and perfect, in spite of
the fact that our experience constantly denies it. Where is the wisdom
here? New Thought promises Godhood but remains stuck with humanity.
While we could discuss various approaches one could take toward a New
Thought believer, we have already listed some of these in the chapters
dealing with the New Thought groups Unity School of Christianity,
Religious Science and Christian Science.
In summary, New Thought teachings place one in a fantasy world and
for that reason alone they can not be trusted. Its teachings do not
work because they deny reality. And they may promote pride,
selfishness and hedonism. They cannot provide real life here on earth,
nor will they provide real life in eternity, because that life comes
only through faith in Jesus Christ. "Now this is eternal life: that
they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have
sent" (John 17:3). Indeed, the very things people so hope for when
they turn to New Thought (contentment, meaning, healing), if not
denied them in this life, will certainly be denied them in the next.
Such concerns need to be openly discussed.
If New Thought teachers are disrespectful of God’s Word, they are
disrespectful of God (2 Sam. 12:9-10). A spiritual teacher who
disrespects God should not be considered an authority on the Bible or
spiritual matters. By contrasting biblical teachings and New Thought
beliefs, the Christian may help members to see the logical
consequences of their ideas and to understand how great the final cost
will be. (See Scripture Contrasts chart.) As Jesus said, "What good
will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his
soul" (Matt. 16:26)?
Scripture Contrasts
New Thought: We affirm that the universe is the body of God.1
The Bible: They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is
forever praised. Amen. (Rom. 1:25)
New Thought: Jesus at no time set himself apart from his
fellows in kind.2
The Bible: But he continued, "You are from below; I am from
above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you
that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the
one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24)
New Thought: I now decree that God loves me, loves me no
matter what I’ve done or not done, no matter how I’ve been behaving.3
The Bible: Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit
the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither sexually immoral nor
idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual
offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers
nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
New Thought: Rather than praying for health the New Thought
Christian prays for his conscious awareness of the perfect health
that is already his.4
The Bible: Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders
of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name
of the Lord. (James 5:14)
New Thought: This truth [New Thought] is the savior of the
world, for without it we are already lost, with it we can never be
lost.5
The Bible: And we have seen and testify that the Father has
but sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14)This
man really is the Savior of the World. (John 4:42)
Notes:
1 New Thought, Summer
1979, p. 41.
2 Ibid., Winter, 1980, p. 23.
3 Ibid., Spring, 1978, p. 10.
4 William A. Warch, The New
Though Christian (Anaheim, CA: Christian Living Publishing,
1977), p. 40.
5 Herman J. Aaftink, New
Thought—A Way of Life (Calgary,
Alberta, Canada: The Centre for
Positive Living), p. 2
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DR. JOHN ANKERBERG'S RESPONSE TO CREATION QUESTIONS
Dr. John Ankerberg answers your
questions on creation in the following article available both as
a downloadable PDF and broken down into individual questions for
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Does Scientific Evidence Today Show
that God Created the Heavens and the Earth? And What Does the Bible Say
About When He Created?
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Copyright 2006, Ankerberg Theological Research Institute
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