The True Gospel vs. New Age Divination: A Call to Covenant with Christ

In a day and age where spiritual beliefs and practices from various traditions are readily merged, it's essential to discern the truth of the Gospel from new age divination. While the Gospel offers a relationship with Jesus Christ, rooted in compassion, salvation, and truth, new age divination presents a misleading path that diverges from biblical teachings. Today let’s explore the critical differences between the true Gospel and new age divination. We’ll also provide tips on making and maintaining a new covenant with Jesus.

Understanding the True Gospel

The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ—His life, death, resurrection, and the offer of salvation to all who believe in Him. It is centered on the grace of God and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:8-9 articulates this beautifully: "Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!"

The Deception of New Age Divination

New age divination teaches practices like astrology, tarot reading, crystal healing, and various forms of spiritism. These practices often promise self-empowerment, secret knowledge, and spiritual enlightenment apart from God, but they fundamentally mislead people. Deuteronomy 18:10-12strongly warns against such practices: "Don’t you dare sacrifice your son or daughter in the fire. Don’t practice divination, sorcery, fortune-telling, witchery, casting spells, holding séances, or channeling the dead. People who do these things are an abomination to GOD."

Key Differences Between the Gospel and New Age Divination

1. Source of Power and Insight:

   - The Gospel: Power and wisdom come from God alone, who reveals His will through His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. James 1:17 says, "Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light."

   - New Age Divination: Often seeks power and knowledge through created things, supernatural beings, or human efforts, bypassing God's authority.

2. Focus:

   -The Gospel: Centers on Jesus Christ, His sacrificial love, and the redemptive power of His resurrection. John 14:6 declares, "Jesus said, 'I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.'”

   - New Age Divination: Focuses on self-enlightenment, manipulation of energies, and personal spiritual experiences, often placing the individual at the center rather than God.

3. Purpose:

   - The Gospel: Aims to reconcile humanity with God, bringing eternal life, transformation, and true purpose found in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new."

   - New Age Divination: Often aims for temporary peace, material gain, or personal power, without addressing the core need for redemption and a restored relationship with God.

Why God Despises New Age Witchcraft

God's disapproval of new age practices is rooted in their deceptive nature and rebellion against His divine order. Practices like divination, witchcraft, and spiritism are explicitly condemned in scripture. Galatians 5:19-21 lists such practices among the acts of the sinful nature and warns that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God: "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time...a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness, trinket gods, magic-show religion, paranoid loneliness...I could go on." Such practices divert hearts and minds away from true worship and trust in God, leading to spiritual confusion and bondage.

Making a New Covenant with Jesus

1. Repent and Turn to God:

Acknowledge the need for God's forgiveness and guidance. Acts 3:19 calls us to repent: "Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you."

2. Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior:

Confess faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him as the Lord of your life. Romans 10:9-10 explains, "Say the welcoming word to God—'Jesus is my Master'—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not 'doing' anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you."

3. Study the Scriptures:

Immerse yourself in the Bible to understand God's will and grow in His wisdom.Pick one that is easy for you to read i recommend NIV, NLT, or MSG Versions. Psalm 1:2-3 encourages, "Instead you thrill to GOD’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You’re a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom."

4. Engage in Prayer:

Build a relationship with God through consistent, heartfelt prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 instructs, "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."

5. Join a Faith Community:

Surround yourself with other believers for encouragement, accountability, and worship. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on."

The true Gospel and new age divination couldn’t be more different. While the Gospel offers a path to eternal life, transformation, and a relationship with God, new age practices lead to spiritual deception and separation from Him. Embracing the Gospel means turning away from any form of divination or witchcraft and entering into a new, life-giving covenant with Jesus Christ. By repenting, believing in Jesus, studying the scriptures, praying, and turning away from sin we can foster a healthy, dynamic relationship with our Savior. Let us stand ten toes down on the truth and experience the fullness of life in Christ.