One of the most alarming trends within the institutional church, and among those who claim to be Christians is the “gospel” of metaphysics. According to Webster’s Dictionary, metaphysical means “of or relating to the transcendent (extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience; being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge, transcending the universe or material existence) or supersensible (being above or beyond that which is apparent to the senses); supernatural; highly abstract or abstruse” (difficult to comprehend.) Paranormal
One New Age practitioner, Yvotte De Luca, who claims to be a “Metaphysical Christian,” “in the spirit of finding the hidden meaning of Bible teachings,” gives this definition of metaphysics: “Metaphysics is a study of truth. It is looking beyond the superficial, seeing what is really there and not just accepting things at face value. American Heritage defines metaphysics as: ‘the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality and the relationship between mind and matter.’ What does that mean, in the real world? It means asking Why, and How our world works the way it does. It means understanding everyday things on a deeper level…We study the imagery and metaphor used in the Bible and strive to understand the deepest meaning.” This theory is also the basis of the mind science cults such as Religious Thought, Christian Science, Unity School of Christianity, Divine Science, New Thought, Religious Science, A Course in Miracles, and Silva Mind Control, to name a few.
Unfortunately, many who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ are attracted to the esoteric claims, practices and seemingly endless, multi-faceted metaphysical avenues. This is one reason why those who are overseers and teachers of God’s people, in keeping with the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) must make disciples of Jesus. Anything other than making disciples who obey all of Jesus’ commandments is disobedience to God, and that includes causing people to believe that the most important thing is church attendance and membership. People need to be taught how to discern and test spirits. Satan knows very well how to dangle the bait of “supernatural” experiences and “hidden knowledge” in front of the eyes of a person who is weak in the faith, or who has the wrong foundation, or who has no personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some people are drawn into the metaphysical world because it feeds their pride by giving them a feeling of intellectual superiority, and of power. Curiosity lures the unsuspecting, while others really do not believe what the Word of God says; especially concerning sin, hell, repentance, salvation, and who Jesus is (God Incarnate). Those who try to explain away the deity of Christ are of the antichrist spirit. (“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” 1 John 4:3.) There are unbelievers (of the truth) in the church who may appear to be extremely “spiritual,” but they have an antichrist spirit as well. The discerning Christian will be able to identify such as having a religious spirit.
Keep in mind that people who are involved in metaphysical arenas, such as the New Age, Mind Science, Freemasons, and Unity, will declare that they are “believers” or even “Christians.” They quote passages from the Bible, talk about Jesus and His teachings, but they are coming from a completely different premise than a “fundamental Christian” which they deplore. The mind-science cults and the New Age Movement are founded on Hinduism and Eastern Mysticism, which is, of course, demonic to the core.
We have also met the occasional poor soul who believes that he or she must find “hidden meanings” in the Bible by “translating” Scripture. This amounts to twisting and wrenching God’s Word out of context to mean something far different than the original intent. The Bible is very clear concerning those who “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thessalonians 2:10b. God will send a “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12. Satan, the master deceiver, is after our faith, and he can and does come as a lying “angel of light” to seduce and destroy souls. (See 2 Corinthians 11:14.)
Occult and cult researcher, writer and speaker, Dave Hunt, explains: “The pantheistic belief that ‘nothing exists except God’ is the foundation of the Mind Science cults. It goes like this: ‘God is ALL and God is good; therefore all is good. Thus pain, disease and death do not exist. They are the projection of the negative thinking of those who imagine they experience such things. To be delivered from this delusion, one must change one’s thinking from negative (the dark side) to positive (the light side).’ Such is the theory behind The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale’s best-selling book that has powerfully influenced evangelicals for years.” (Occult Invasion, by Dave Hunt, pg. 103.)
According to Dave Hunt, “Positive confession in the church today is usually found mostly among charismatics and can be traced back through Kenneth Hagin who popularized it to E. W. Kenyon.” Hunt continues, “Kenyon’s teaching about ‘the power of words’ and his warnings never to make a ‘negative confession’ deeply influenced Hagin and many others who are recognized today as leaders of this movement. Kenyon also taught that man is a little god ‘in God’s class’ and therefore can use the same faith-force that God does. We allegedly create our own reality with the words of our mouths: ‘What I confess, I possess.” (Ibid. pg. 119.)
This belief, which is practiced by all the metaphysical mind-science cults and New Age devotees has produced multitudes of “positive confessors” in the church who, in their rebellion or ignorance of God and His ways, are actually practicing a form of witchcraft (control) that is not only faith-destroying, but opens them up to a wrong spirit and major delusion. It cannot be stressed enough that the popular “Faith Movement” today is based upon the ancient, pagan, occult belief that ‘faith is a force.’ The Word of God, however, teaches no such thing and defines faith as, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone”. 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” Dave Hunt writes, “‘Positive Confession’ means to verbalize positive thought and speak it aloud—precisely what shamans have believed and practiced for thousands of years in all cultures.” (Ibid. pg. 119.) The question is, does it really work? Yes, sometimes it can and does work, but it is forbidden by God.
Some of the differences between metaphysics and Christianity are as follows: Metaphysics appeals to a person’s pride by denying the existence of sin and by exalting him or her to godhood, whereas the Bible plainly teaches that we are all sinners and that there is only one God by nature. Metaphysics carries with it a seducing spirit that deceives people into believing that the mysteries of the Universe can be psychically explored and discovered through complex, open-ended, mind-boggling means. The Word of God, on the other hand, gives mankind the answers to life’s basic questions that, when accepted and believed by faith, produce peace of mind and heart. Metaphysics causes people to turn inward to find “god,” whereas Christianity points to the Creator God who exists separate from His creation.
Metaphysics results in an altered state of consciousness that is incapable of discerning spirits, truth and reality. Metaphysics is incomprehensible, confusing, and hard to understand, whereas basic Christianity and the Gospel are so simple that even a small child can understand it. Finally, metaphysical thinkers are forever seeking “greater revelations and hidden meanings” behind the plain words of Scripture, whereas the Christian seeks to know the Jesus of the Bible in greater ways. Note: God reveals Himself to those who seek Him with all their heart, who are humble and who obey Him. Obedience is the key to gaining a greater revelation of God. Real Christianity is practical and down-to-earth—where we live in our everyday lives. Religion is man’s effort to reach up to God, but Christianity is God reaching down to man in the Person of Jesus Christ.
If you want to gain eternal life, then you must believe what God has revealed about Himself. There is only one way to escape the final judgment and to inherit eternal life, and that is by believing the record that God has given of His Son. There are no “hidden meanings” in the Word of God, no “hidden agendas” that we must somehow discover, and no exceptions to the plain text of Scripture. The way to eternal life is so simple that even a little child can understand it, and accept it by faith.
(The Muddy Waters of Metaphysics & Christianity, by Jeannette Haley)